Bliss Mobil - Base Vehicle Advice

[SootyCamper]

Thought I'd throw my 2 cents. I recently purchased a Fuso because I have always dreamed of owning a "euro" style expedition truck.

After driving the fuso about 1000kms unloaded - bare chassis(I work in mining so the spine pounding wasn't an issue). I was very underwhelmed with the power and frankly getting in and out of the damn thing was a real pain(I'm short and fat) Dimensions wise the fuso is the perfect chassis for a 13ft box, however even with the big daddy euro tune the power just wasn't there. So I sold it a couple weeks after buying it.

I agree wholeheartedly with ram5500, you just have to drive the vehicles to really know. I knew almost immediately the cabover wasn't for me.

I'm still on the fence on which chassis to buy, but it will most likely fall back onto a f series truck chassis with a gas engine.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Thought I'd throw my 2 cents. I recently purchased a Fuso because I have always dreamed of owning a "euro" style expedition truck.

After driving the fuso about 1000kms unloaded - bare chassis(I work in mining so the spine pounding wasn't an issue). I was very underwhelmed with the power and frankly getting in and out of the damn thing was a real pain(I'm short and fat) Dimensions wise the fuso is the perfect chassis for a 13ft box, however even with the big daddy euro tune the power just wasn't there. So I sold it a couple weeks after buying it.

I agree wholeheartedly with ram5500, you just have to drive the vehicles to really know. I knew almost immediately the cabover wasn't for me.

I'm still on the fence on which chassis to buy, but it will most likely fall back onto a f series truck chassis with a gas engine.

How did you find the steering? That was my biggest gripe with the Fuso.

I drove a nice, fairly newer one and it felt like it had steering components from a 1960s school bus and was horrendous.

My .02

Your story is similar to many, DEFINITELY drive all vehicles youre considering before spending the coin

 

[SootyCamper]

How did you find the steering? That was my biggest gripe with the Fuso.

I drove a nice, fairly newer one and it felt like it had steering components from a 1960s school and was horrendous.

My .02

Your story is similar to many, DEFINITELY drive all vehicles your considering before spending the coin

The steering did feel a bit..... Agricultural ??

Maybe CORE from EC has solved the biggest issues that these fusos had.

The cost savings alone is worth going cab chassis from the big 3 over the straya/core/FTR 4x4 conversion.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

The steering did feel a bit..... Agricultural ??

Maybe CORE from EC has solved the biggest issues that these fusos had.

The cost savings alone is worth going cab chassis from the big 3 over the straya/core/FTR 4x4 conversion.

Yeah, glad I’m not alone on the steering dislike

I get many people are ok with lack of power, not in a rush, enjoying the journey and slow pace, etc…

But the “agricultural” (great description) steering is extremely fatiguing and if you’re on a long trip, it’s not a good time.

The LMTV style trucks everyone seems to be all excited about now are even worse

my .02

 

[CORE_vehicles]

Congratulations on your purchase of a 13' Blissmobil!
We have also been considering the 13' Bliss box or possibly an Earthcruiser.For the vehicle of choice for a Bliss we
had been looking at either the Core chassis from Earthcruiser or the Straya from Acela,obviously these are
gas powered and not Diesel but I can definitely see your dilemma between your two options.
For me it is hard to picture the Bliss on a Ram as it is a rather tall box on a pickup,besides the technical aspects I would
have to do a couple of scaled renderings so that I could see what they would actually look like in the flesh once mounted.
Good luck with your choice!
Cheers Roger

We have Clifford for sale. 14,000 miles and would make a amazing platform for your Bliss box. 6.6l Motor

 

[charlieaarons]

. I think deletes are pretty easily solvable on the 6.7 Cummins but the issue is on any platform with a modern Diesel engine deleted is the lack of ULSD availability most places the engine still won’t like that sulfur content.

Old thread but…
A modern electronically controlled diesel that is deleted (like an 05 MB OM906LA) will run just fine on Russian 300ppm fuel and even Mongolian 3000ppm fuel. If no SCR/DPF/AdBlue, the only criterion is that the fuel is clean and no water after passing through Racor type prefilter w/water trap and secondary filter. It liked the fuel so much that when I got home after a 25200 mile 2 year trip and finally changed the oil, it could have been used at least another 25k miles, according to the oil analysis ((Fe only 36ppm, TBN 11.6).
It’s a total falsehood that clean, dry high sulfur diesel is in any way bad for the innards of a deleted diesel. As long as a proper high TBN oil is used.

 

[lucilius]

We have Clifford for sale. 14,000 miles and would make a amazing platform for your Bliss box. 6.6l Motor

That CORE is a nice looking truck. I'm not too familiar with the platform but like the Acela Straya it looks capable offroad and not as colossal as the fmr FMTV/Monterra. How would this rig perform highway driving with a loaded 13' Bliss box? What is gasoline capacity in the tank(s)? Is there a diesel option or swap possible? For the OP, If you're into a rig for around $.5m+, swapping a motor/etc. might not be that big a deal, esp. if the chassis is built for it.
I've been looking for a truck to work with a larger bliss or other box and haven't found the unicorn available in the US that will handle a ~20-24k lbs rig on and offroad with even marginal parts support, etc. The Mercedes NG80/85 trucks with great, old, big and reliable diesels can be found but finding parts and maintaining one in the US well into the future seems to be a challenge that will probably grow from what I've read. The modern American 6L+ diesel pickup chassis trucks (550/5500) from the big 3 have plenty of power and the trucks drive really well on and off road but seem like they'll start hitting a few of their design limitations for a variety of reasons when you load with 20k lbs+ all the time and expect to go offroad and onroad...but at the moment they seem to be the best option if you can keep the weight down.

 

[CORE_vehicles]

That CORE is a nice looking truck. I'm not too familiar with the platform but like the Acela Straya it looks capable offroad and not as colossal as the fmr FMTV/Monterra. How would this rig perform highway driving with a loaded 13' Bliss box? What is gasoline capacity in the tank(s)? Is there a diesel option or swap possible? For the OP, If you're into a rig for around $.5m+, swapping a motor/etc. might not be that big a deal, esp. if the chassis is built for it.
I've been looking for a truck to work with a larger bliss or other box and haven't found the unicorn available in the US that will handle a ~20-24k lbs rig on and offroad with even marginal parts support, etc. The Mercedes NG80/85 trucks with great, old, big and reliable diesels can be found but finding parts and maintaining one in the US well into the future seems to be a challenge that will probably grow from what I've read. The modern American 6L+ diesel pickup chassis trucks (550/5500) from the big 3 have plenty of power and the trucks drive really well on and off road but seem like they'll start hitting a few of their design limitations for a variety of reasons when you load with 20k lbs+ all the time and expect to go offroad and onroad...but at the moment they seem to be the best option if you can keep the weight down.

Lucillius, The Core chassis GVRW is 14,500 lb. The chassis will hold a 13' box. Our rig performs amazingly down the road loaded. The Isuzu platform is powered by the 6.6l gas motor with 350hp and 425ft. The chassis's off-road perfomance is not limited by the excess weight.
We do not offer a diesel option.

 

[lucilius]

Lucillius, The Core chassis GVRW is 14,500 lb. The chassis will hold a 13' box. Our rig performs amazingly down the road loaded. The Isuzu platform is powered by the 6.6l gas motor with 350hp and 425ft. The chassis's off-road perfomance is not limited by the excess weight.
We do not offer a diesel option.

Thanks for info on performance. Does/can the gasoline tank(s) capacity in your rigs exceed the standard 38 gallon tank? Roughly, what sort of range would you expect a CORE to get on the highway, where most of us spend most of our time, with a 6000lb payload (13' Box, people, gear)? I am thinking one would get around 300-350mi out of the standard tank.
Empty, standard 13' Bliss box is designed for 2 passengers and is ~4000lbs and can have the Bliss motorcycle lift designed for 450kg (~990lbs). Everyone is different in their gear list and options but the addition of passengers, fresh/gray water tanks, possible additional fuel tank(s), equipment, food, etc. would easily add 2k lbs, which should be inside the NPR limit. I ask because I couldn't find it on your website spec sheet to see what is possible when it comes to mounting a box on your rig. When I looked at Isuzu website, NPR payload is 6800lbs. GVWR 12,000lbs and GCWR 18,000 in both single and double cab models with GAWR 4900lbs front and 8900lbs rear. I suspect the standard NPR differs from the CORE in key ways (wheels, tires, suspension, etc.)....much like an Earthroamer/GXV A-Truck differs from standard F550/5500, but I am guessing at your specs and ratings.

 

[CORE_vehicles]

Thanks for info on performance. Does/can the gasoline tank(s) capacity in your rigs exceed the standard 38 gallon tank? Roughly, what sort of range would you expect a CORE to get on the highway, where most of us spend most of our time, with a 6000lb payload (13' Box, people, gear)? I am thinking one would get around 300-350mi out of the standard tank.
Empty, standard 13' Bliss box is designed for 2 passengers and is ~4000lbs and can have the Bliss motorcycle lift designed for 450kg (~990lbs). Everyone is different in their gear list and options but the addition of passengers, fresh/gray water tanks, possible additional fuel tank(s), equipment, food, etc. would easily add 2k lbs, which should be inside the NPR limit. I ask because I couldn't find it on your website spec sheet to see what is possible when it comes to mounting a box on your rig. When I looked at Isuzu website, NPR payload is 6800lbs. GVWR 12,000lbs and GCWR 18,000 in both single and double cab models with GAWR 4900lbs front and 8900lbs rear. I suspect the standard NPR differs from the CORE in key ways (wheels, tires, suspension, etc.)....much like an Earthroamer/GXV A-Truck differs from standard F550/5500, but I am guessing at your specs and ratings.

We have both the 38-gallon but can also upgrade to a 60-gallon tank. The range you can expect to get with a full load is around 10 miles per gallon. All of our chassis are brake tested and dot approved at 14,500lb Same as the NPR HD. You will have no issues with the Bliss box and essential gear. The chassis curb weight wet is around 6400 (38 gallon tank) providing over 7000lb of payload.

 

[charlieaarons]

The modern American 6L+ diesel pickup chassis trucks (550/5500) from the big 3 have plenty of power and the trucks drive really well on and off road

on road, definitely yes.
Offroad? Really? Haven’t researched GM and Ford 550 but Ram: rear “limited slip”; no traction diff available at all for front. Admittedly, if the other 2 have Dana front axles, ARBs might be available. A rear locker is much more important since the rear of a 550 type chassis will carry a lot more load; and front selective lockers can only be used momentarily. Maybe this year a selective or NoSpin can be fitted to the rear of a GM or Ford 550. Maybe not. They seem to change rear axles at a whim.
It is NOT fun to get stuck in a heavy rig. And the hacks (not sheet metal but wheel designs and especially offset choices) required for MPT type SRW can and sometimes do lead to premature wheel bearing failures.
I’m sure the vast majority of of high end 550/5500 campers are used 95-99% highway and the rest on decent dirt roads. But they aren’t optimized for offroad/bad road.

 

[jk6661]

on road, definitely yes.
Offroad? Really? Haven’t researched GM and Ford 550 but Ram: rear “limited slip”; no traction diff available at all for front. Admittedly, if the other 2 have Dana front axles, ARBs might be available. A rear locker is much more important since the rear of a 550 type chassis will carry a lot more load; and front selective lockers can only be used momentarily. Maybe this year a selective or NoSpin can be fitted to the rear of a GM or Ford 550. Maybe not. They seem to change rear axles at a whim.
It is NOT fun to get stuck in a heavy rig. And the hacks (not sheet metal but wheel designs and especially offset choices) required for MPT type SRW can and sometimes do lead to premature wheel bearing failures.
I’m sure the vast majority of of high end 550/5500 campers are used 95-99% highway and the rest on decent dirt roads. But they aren’t optimized for offroad/bad road.

The Tremor package includes a rear locker, but for some reason it only seems to be offered on the 150-450.

 

[lucilius]

on road, definitely yes.
Offroad? Really? Haven’t researched GM and Ford 550 but Ram: rear “limited slip”; no traction diff available at all for front. Admittedly, if the other 2 have Dana front axles, ARBs might be available. A rear locker is much more important since the rear of a 550 type chassis will carry a lot more load; and front selective lockers can only be used momentarily. Maybe this year a selective or NoSpin can be fitted to the rear of a GM or Ford 550. Maybe not. They seem to change rear axles at a whim.
It is NOT fun to get stuck in a heavy rig. And the hacks (not sheet metal but wheel designs and especially offset choices) required for MPT type SRW can and sometimes do lead to premature wheel bearing failures.
I’m sure the vast majority of of high end 550/5500 campers are used 95-99% highway and the rest on decent dirt roads. But they aren’t optimized for offroad/bad road.

Semantics, maybe polemics for some: the definition of offroad is subjective, unimproved road = 4 syllables, off pavement too broad and "bad road" might just fit better. Similarly, "overlanding" must be a more marketable term and make people feel better than "motorized 4x4 camping" even though the latter is probably a more apt description. Most folks are probably just grappling (trying out mods 24/7/365) with the fact that the big three don't really build the trucks needed (generally, 4x4, long-range, heavy weight capable, highway speed capable, with an attached box that has bed(s), kitchen, shower, equipped for all-season/weather use and maybe a few other things...and yes, a Taco w/ an RTT is a viable option as is a chopper and a bedroll...so is UL hiking and bivying under a tarp, all kinds of pros and cons but maybe a better use of time to debate blondes versus brunettes vs redheads) and it is an expensive&involved prospect to find, let alone maintain&operate a legally importable aka old, purpose built European truck that has more capability off the road plus better built accomodations. 550/5500s setup as ER/Adv Trucks/DIY/etc. are what is available with some sort of camper box bolted to a flexy multi-purpose chassis truck not really designed from the start to be used for motorized 4x4 camping and are going to be at the limit in most truly off-the-road situations....a few of them are operating at their limit on a brand new highway just based on the axle+wheel/tire combo load rating vs the weight of the camper plus all the stuff they're carrying. The suspension/wheel-tire/drivetrain hacks are indeed hacks and everyone who has invested time/money in one of these couple hundred grand to ~$1m creations has probably witnessed things that work and what doesn't. Then again, I've seen plenty of purpose built rigs designed with offroad mobility as a primary goal (and funded by apparently limitless tax revenue-derived RDT&E), such as HMMWV/LAV-25/M1 Abrams/MTVR, get stuck soon after leaving the road/track/etc. The market is evolving constantly (e.g. Continental is making a new MPT81 that is supposed to be more durable/longer lasting, giving in to the reality that a lot of these tires are spending most of their time testing load/speed ratings on hot, American highways going faster than 68mph versus bad roading on tires originally designed for agricultural&military use). Perhaps someone is making / will design attainable axles/locking diffs/drivetrain mods that make the 550/5500s even better and higher performance off pavement...I'm all in if someone is making a front, rear and center locking diff system designed for a 18k lbs F550 camper. The engines are all pretty capable but expensive with all of the (well- or ill-intentioned, take your pick) technology. For now, for most, these rigs are at or near the pinnacle of what is available in the US and in my experience (w/F550) work pretty well on bad roads, especially when folks drive well, know the limitations of their rig, train & equip for veh recovery and take it slow.