The truck comes with a standard 45 gallon fuel tank.
So GXV is adding for you, two 100 gallon fuel tanks suspended off the truck's frame rails?
GXV Patagonia on the Kenworth K370 chassis
- Thread starter gregmchugh
- Start date
The truck comes with a standard 45 gallon fuel tank.
So GXV is adding for you, two 100 gallon fuel tanks suspended off the truck's frame rails?
gregmchugh
Observer
Yes, GXV replaces the standard fuel tank with two 100 US gal. fuel tanks suspended from the frame rails, one on each side. On the driver's side there is also an Onan 6000 watt generator mounted on the frame rail to the rear and there are also external storage compartments at the rear on both sides, both these are as shown on the first Kenworth build.
I don't have an accurate weight for the vehicle yet, my 20,000 lb number was simply an estimate.
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
If the general concept of this truck appeals but there are issues with the need for ULSD, know that there were at least two other pre-ULSD, US-legal 2WD trucks that were converted to 4WD with Marmon-Herrington components.
About a decade ago, Renaissance Universal Fabrication (aka RUF; aka Darrin Fink) put together two big expo trucks based on the Fuso FM260 Class 6 chassis. Darrin worked with Fuso and M-H engineers, along with his own engineering consultants, to manage a factory-approved conversion to 4WD. The chassis were then built out with sizable composite panel cabins.
One of the two built is owned by jrhetts of this forum:
The other is owned by forum member daniel roups, and it is--according to the last information--for sale in the ExPo Members For Sale forum at a price considerably less than GXV will need to charge for their decade-newer, ULSD-required truck.
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
Thanks. My error not to include the link in the post.
My 2 MAN TGM's came from the factory without AddBlue or need for ULSD. You can special order as long as you do not register in Europe.
Regards
Felipe
Sixinarow
Adventurer
Thanks, guys. I searched "Darren", "Fink", "Fuso", and "Mitsubishi". Guess it wasn't enough.
That KW is awesome, by the way!
Why do you have a need to carry around a 6000 watt generator capable of a 220VAC output?
gregmchugh
Observer
Clearly, you don't really need it, but here is why we are getting it...
It is a 120v generator, not 220v. Onan discontinued the 3200 watt diesel generator that was being used by GXV. GXV could also install a Fischer Panda 7000 watt at higher cost but it would require a roof mounted radiator and there are not many sevice locations available in the US. Smaller diesel generators include the Fischer Panda DC output model and the one designed for Sprinters (higher price, I believe, than the 6000 watt Onan), GXV uses these on some of the other models.
Is 6000 watts overkill, yes, but with the Onan you get a reliable, reasonably priced, widely used generator which can be serviced easily versus the smaller capacity diesels that are available.
The Mastervolt 4000 watt inverter has a 200 amp battery charger to top off the lithium battery bank quickly using the Onan when needed to supplement the 800 watts of solar. This would work fine off of a 3000 watt generator.
The other high load devices are the air conditioner, induction cooktop, and microwave/convection oven. Not absolutely needed but you have the option of running several of these at once with the Onan if you don't want to drain the batteries very much.
Could we easily live with a less powerful electrical system, sure. We had no trouble living in our Sprinter camper van on a 6 month trip to Alaska with 220 AH of AGM, a 750 watt inverter, and a 2500 watt propane generator. Even that would be considered overkill by many.
The vehicle we are getting is our once in a lifetime extravagant purchase, we are retired and are selling our house and will travel full time. No way to justify the purchase other than label it is as a late life crisis purchase, we had no midlife crisis purchases. I doubt we will regret the choice. In the end, it is not that much more expensive than the large diesel motorhomes we originally were looking at for full time travel when we retired 10 years ago. We both had health issues that delayed things and in the mean time realized the more typical travel in a large motorhome was not really our cup of tea.
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gregmchugh
Observer
No problem, not sure what people really want to know, ask anything you want and I will attempt to honestly answer your questions.
In the end, there is always a choice of options and usually pluses and minuses for each choice. Can seem arbitrary sometimes, but, being an engineer, there is usually some logic in my choices for vehicle systems. We decided to switch from the Webasto hydronic heat/hot water to a Webasto Dual Top and used the cost savings to help support an upgrade from AGM to Lithium batteries. The design leaves room on the roof for another 200 watt solar panel if we ever decide 800 watts is not enough but I don't expect we will ever need it. 800 watts should provide an average of 240 AH per day which should be more than adequate. As we have done, buyers these days seem to be going with induction cooktops rather than the diesel cooktop option. We are switching from the standard microwave/convection oven to a Breville countertop oven which we prefer to allow toasting, broiling, etc. We rarely used the microwave in our Sprinter camper van.
Colors and fabric choices I defer to the non-engineer in the family. We have chosen an interesting wood grain laminate for all the cabinets except in the bathroom where we used teak. The white interior of the first Kenworth build was not for us. The truck and cabin will be painted a color called Dark Tan Metallic rather than leaving them white. No way to make one of these vehicles inconspicuous but brown should allow it to be a little less conspicuous.
I may have mentioned before that we have the same length cabin as the one GXV has shown but no raised roof and a normal height bed platform.
So, ask away and we will see what else people are interested in knowing about our choices...
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So, ask away and we will see what else people are interested in knowing about our choices...[/QUOTE]
Congratulations on your purchase decision. I would like to know more about your 4x4 conversion. Will it be activated by a dash switch or floor lever? Will you have a low range? Did you also opt for the factory locking rear differential? Did you opt for the Hendrickson rear air suspension? Thank you. Dean
Congratulations on your purchase decision. I would like to know more about your 4x4 conversion. Will it be activated by a dash switch or floor lever? Will you have a low range? Did you also opt for the factory locking rear differential? Did you opt for the Hendrickson rear air suspension? Thank you. Dean
gregmchugh
Observer
Congratulations on your purchase decision. I would like to know more about your 4x4 conversion. Will it be activated by a dash switch or floor lever? Will you have a low range? Did you also opt for the factory locking rear differential? Did you opt for the Hendrickson rear air suspension? Thank you. Dean[/QUOTE]
I don't have all the details on what GXV has ordered for the truck options and the 4x4 conversion components on our build yet but expect to get that info at some point. If you are really interested in any of this stuff you can always give GXV a call and they can provide info. The first Kenworth had the Hendrickson rear air suspension option on the truck and also the factory locking rear differential as I recall along with dash switches to control the 4x4. I let GXV take the lead on selecting the truck and 4x4 options given their experience with doing this on many types of chassis.
Our Kenworth just arrived at the local dealer and, after the Dealer inspection, GXV will take it for the 4x4 conversion and then it will go to get painted before they do their modifications and mount the cabin.
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