Ambulance as TV - a Newbie's search

[RiderBloke]

I have been following the Ambulance builds on this forum for a few months, especially those centered on MDT Ambulances. It is a while before I will make a decision but I wanted to ask some very basic questions about the trucks. BTW: I am an ex-pat Aussie, now also an American, retired and have started traveling.

I want to use it as a Travel Trailer tow vehicle - my current trailer is a Grey Wolf 26RR weighing in at 5000 dry and 7715 max. It is a toy hauler and is 31 feet tongue to tail (27 feet inside the box). The toy is a BMW F800GT weighing in at about 500lbs. But when we go F/T the RV may change.

The TV at present is a (leased) Tundra and it has towed very well but I would like (a) more grunt and (b) more accessible storage compartments for tools and other stuff as I work at Habitat sites. My budget will be somewhat restricted and my aim is not to gut the machine but to leave everything in it that is either useful or hard to remove. I also hope that the Toy could go inside the ambulance.

There seems to be 4 main MDT ambulances:
Sterling Acterra with an MBE900 engine
Freightliner with a Cummins, CAT, or Mercedes engine
International (4300 or 4700) with the DT466 or DT466E engines
Chevrolet/GMC C4500 with a Duramax 6.6 engine
It seems like the Allison transmission is the most common - either 4, 5, or 6 speed. The general advice seems to be to get a 5 or 6 speed.

Of these vehicles which have been shown to be the most reliable, cost-effective, and easiest to purchase in good condition? I understand that it can vary from vehicle to vehicle and the onus is still on the buyer to have it checked out.

I understand that the DT466(E) series can be easier to overhaul as it may be possible to do that in frame. I also understand that Sterling is now a defunct model but there are a gazillion of them on the roads.

Is there a forum person who has used one of these as a TT hauler? (The reason I choose an MDT over a Ford 450 is because the MDT should not have all its weight capabilities used up by the box, even though it's box may be a couple of feet larger than that on the Ford chassis.)
Is it easy to have a hitch attached (I imagine the fold up step would have to go)?

I have been following the vehicles on 3 sites mainly as well as on eBay - GEV (who seem to have a good reputation), government liquidation, and Avery's in Florida where I recently looked over an ambulance with no intention to buy. I also look at ambulance trader.

Any comments, guidance, or links to helpful sites will be gratefully appreciated.

I have lots of other questions but best limit this missive to the basic ones above.

Thanks to all who post their builds online and who help those like me who are newbies.

Ron Cook (RiderBloke)


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[rossvtaylor]

Hi Ron,

I'm new to this, but also (like you) did a bunch of reading and looking before purchasing ours. We're not towing with it, but I will put a receiver on it and I have no doubt ours would pull a trailer nicely. My biggest concern would be the overhang and length, on dirt roads. But as far as capacity and power, I've got no worries.

Do you have a budget in mind? The folks I've talked to, including ourselves, all found good vehicles for under $20K. Some much less... We looked at a couple in the $13K range and another that was quite nice for $17.7K. We kept in our budget, even with a purchase through a dealer which did some work on it. If you buy directly from a department, like through AmbulanceTrader.com, you may spend a bit less but it's more of a crap shoot. We were quite pleased with GEV (globalemergencyvehicles.com) and I've seen others praise their experience with them, also.

Finally, welcome to the fold. We're very new, but have learned a ton from the very helpful folks here.

 

[RiderBloke]

Ross, thanks especially for the $$ information. I am looking forward to the possibility. I started looking at Volvo HDTs & soon ruled that out budget wise. The MDT Ambulance looks within our budget. If I could do the truck for $20K Max we'd be very happy.
BTW: I won't be off-roading so that's not a problem.


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[MNtal]

Ross & Ron,

My personal Rig the Rambulance is a 2001 FL50 Freightliner with the 6 speed Alison and 8.3L Cummins Engine. The 8.3L is a bit of a Unicorn and in my opinion the best of the engines available in MDT trucks regardless of chassis manufacturer. My intention of purchasing an Ambo was for all of the same conclusions the both of you and others reached but I also need to be able to drag around 20,000lbs of 4x4 toys if I so chose.
.
My plan is to pull a 34' Enclosed Trailer with two Jeeps / buggies, and all the other things that go along with that dumb hobby. Otherwise I will be dragging around a single place 22' car trailer with one rig, or to be able to hotrod around in the camper with no trailer.
.
.
Personal Opinion / Preference Ranking
.
8.3L Cummins - 1/2 million mile motor, and as reliable as death and taxes. More power than you can shake a stick at. They put them in 60-80,000lb city busses and rod the poo out of them. In-frames are fairly easy to do and can be done for $2-3000.
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5.9L Cummins - Baby brother of the 8.3L. They are very capable of moving 25-35k lbs all day long but slightly more susceptible to heat issues in large vehicles, or vehicles pulling a lot of weight. They are the probably the most common Diesel Engine in the US other than the Ford 7.3L.
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DT466 International – Reliable as they are loud, also a 1/2 million mile motor. The only other motor I would consider but definitely not my first choice.
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CAT 3126 – Respectable engine, slightly more expensive, Only engine I do not have personal experience with.
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T444E International – DT466's little brother, meh
.
Mercedes – I wouldn't touch them with your ********.
.
.
.
Cheers'
Geoff

 

[RiderBloke]

Geoff,

Thanks for your input. Is the 8.3L Cummins a thirsty motor compared to the others?
Is there not another Cummins larger than the 5.9 but smaller than the 8.3 - I searched and found it - the 6.7L
Is it the insulation in International truck cabs that is deficient rather than the motor is noisier than others?

Thanks again and I hope you put up some details of the hitch etc when you get that done.

Ron.
.
8.3L Cummins - 1/2 million mile motor, and as reliable as death and taxes. More power than you can shake a stick at. They put them in 60-80,000lb city busses and rod the poo out of them. In-frames are fairly easy to do and can be done for $2-3000.
.
5.9L Cummins - Baby brother of the 8.3L. They are very capable of moving 25-35k lbs all day long but slightly more susceptible to heat issues in large vehicles, or vehicles pulling a lot of weight. They are the probably the most common Diesel Engine in the US other than the Ford 7.3L.
.
DT466 International – Reliable as they are loud, also a 1/2 million mile motor. The only other motor I would consider but definitely not my first choice.
.
CAT 3126 – Respectable engine, slightly more expensive, Only engine I do not have personal experience with.
.
Mercedes – I wouldn’t touch them
Geoff[/QUOTE]




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[MNtal]

I got 11.8 mpg when I came back from New York with the truck @ 70-75mph.

I'm not sure what fuel mileage I am getting with the new taller tires, and I have yet to drag around a trailer with the truck but if it gets 10+mpg with two rigs in tow I will be more than happy.

~Geoff

 

[rossvtaylor]

Geoff your Mercedes comment made me laugh out loud... thanks. Your comments about the 8.3 are reassuring, too. I read a few complaints about thrown rods or other things, but not so many that it steered me away from it.

Ron, again remember I'm new to this. We've had ours all of two weeks. But, we've got an FL60 with the same 8.3L turbo diesel, and Allison 6-speed, that Geoff has. I picked it up in Philly and immediately drove it 2500 miles. I got a (I thought) very respectable 10.2 mpg overall average. "Overall average" might seem redundant, but I was in several different types of driving conditions and was playing around a bit with the variables. I kept track of each tank and I found I could get 12 mpg if I kept the speed down, on flat roads. Pushing hard, or keeping the speeds up hills, dropped the mileage down towards 8. For most of the trek, though, I was running 70-75 and my whole-trip average was 10.2 mpg. And, for the last 500 miles, I had really strong headwinds - like 20+ mph, which kill economy. We can live with that just fine.

Hope this helps.

 

[RiderBloke]

Geoff your Mercedes comment made me laugh out loud... thanks. Your comments about the 8.3 are reassuring, too. I read a few complaints about thrown rods or other things, but not so many that it steered me away from it.

Ron, again remember I'm new to this. We've had ours all of two weeks. But, we've got an FL60 with the same 8.3L turbo diesel, and Allison 6-speed, that Geoff has. I picked it up in Philly and immediately drove it 2500 miles. I got a (I thought) very respectable 10.2 mpg overall average. "Overall average" might seem redundant, but I was in several different types of driving conditions and was playing around a bit with the variables. I kept track of each tank and I found I could get 12 mpg if I kept the speed down, on flat roads. Pushing hard, or keeping the speeds up hills, dropped the mileage down towards 8. For most of the trek, though, I was running 70-75 and my whole-trip average was 10.2 mpg. And, for the last 500 miles, I had really strong headwinds - like 20+ mph, which kill economy. We can live with that just fine.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, yes it does. My Tundra runs 14.9 empty at 70; 15 or so at around 60 empty; and towing it gets 7.3 into a headwind and around 9.5 on normal highways at 62-65mph.I was very jealous of a fellow's Eco-diesel Ram figures.


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[Ozrockrat]

Hi Mate

My suggestion would be to start with the running gear and then work out which manufacturer has what you want.

Given your use I would suggest the following configuration:

1. Air brakes (this usually includes a heavier driveline)
2. 10 lug hub pilot wheels (opens up unlimited wheel opportunities)
3. 6 speed Allison (I will be fighting to get mine as a 6 speed instead of the 5 and its going to take time and $)
4. 8.3 Cummins (inframe 1/2 life and power to spare)
5. Extra cab if you can find one. The day cab configuration is kinda tight for those of us with big bones or where the chest muscles have sagged.
6. Has not had the wiring "played" with. i.e. inverter removed.

If you checkout my thread you will notice I have an RV motorcycle carrier that uses a winch to raise and lower. It has carried a BMW K1200LT which is a pretty porky bike. The good part is that I can dismantle it when not required and in your case you could dismantle it and place it in the toy hauler with the bike when doing the full move.

Even though it is a tow rig I would also suggest you do the work and get it registered as an RV. The advantages to this are cheaper rego and insurance plus there are no "truck" restrictions and if you are that way inclined it also lets you get a 10 year temporary import permit for Mexico.

 

[RiderBloke]

Ozrockrat,
Thanks. I thought you be another expat but was unsure.
Thanks for those suggestions. At present I run the F800GT up the ramp and into a Harbor Freight chock which is easily installed and removed. I was hoping to use the same in the ambulance perhaps attached to the gurney holders in the floor.
Double cabs are nice (but longer) and seem to be mostly former fire dept. vehicles.
Having it as a registered RV would take me a while but is probably worth the effort.
Once again thanks and good luck with yours - I've been following your work.
Here's a tidbit to encourage you
Note the wheels!

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[RiderBloke]

GEV have a couple of Internationals in their clearance section; one with a 7.6L L6 Diesel Engine and one with a 7.3L V8 OHV 16V DIESEL/CNG Engine (which I gather is the same as the Ford Power Stroke 7.3).
The latter is a very good price; the former also good but nearly twice the price.
The cheaper one has not yet been cleaned up inside nor have any repairs been done. The pix he sent show it is in pretty good nick cosmetically. Hmmm.


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[rossvtaylor]

GEV have a couple of Internationals in their clearance section

Those look like good candidates, indeed. That 2004 "mobile intensive care unit" looks really nice. It's got 10-bolt semi hubs and 22.5-inch wheels already. Being a special purpose unit, it "may" have been driven less hard than the first-call units. I don't know if you check PMs, but I'd also sent you a link to one in their "non clearance" section which we had considered as a serious option.

 

[Ozrockrat]

The 2004 should have the J1939 data port. A lot more information available and if you really want to in the future you can consider the EZ Trac Hydraulic Front Drive

 

[Ozrockrat]

Oh I would also be leery of the Diesel/CNG. Not a lot of them around and most diesel guys will ******** their pants when they have to work on them. Also I remember somewhere reading about there being troubles in some states with the diesel/cng not meeting EPA regs.