Volvo FL6

MOTOsapien · Oct 27, 2020

Hi folks, I've joined here so as to log my build as I go and also to gain or share knowledge as and when needed. Sure I'm on 7.5ton+ facebook page but slowly and surely I'm getting fed up of social media and this F'd up world we are currently aboding so it's a preferred 'go to' I find on the forums, hope this one becomes my regular...... Here's my truck as a tired ex race truck, it's getting a full upgrade but I'm keeping the 3m chequereplated garage for very selfish reasons...!!!!

Deleted member 4404 · Oct 27, 2020

Hi, welcome aboard and good luck with your build.

wildebus · Oct 27, 2020

Looks a big truck

that would be just within the 7.5t range?

MOTOsapien · Oct 28, 2020

wildebus said:
Looks a big truck that would be just within the 7.5t range?

Errrrr, no it's an 18ton truck down plated to 13ton and kerb weight is around 9.5ton. Am I on the wrong forum as I thought it would be all motorhomes...??!!!!

wildebus · Oct 28, 2020

MOTOsapien said:
Errrrr, no it's an 18ton truck down plated to 13ton and kerb weight is around 9.5ton. Am I on the wrong forum as I thought it would be all motorhomes...??!!!!

You probably have the biggest truck of any member but nope, this is all motorhomes

Nabsim · Oct 28, 2020

Welcome aboard

Millie Master · Oct 29, 2020

MOTOsapien said:
Errrrr, no it's an 18ton truck down plated to 13ton and kerb weight is around 9.5ton. Am I on the wrong forum as I thought it would be all motorhomes...??!!!!

What a brilliant starting point for your build, what an absolute beast, rather you than me with the running costs!

It doesn't matter a damn the size of a truck being converted as almost all the build problems are very similar with one very important difference, it being that you are unlikely to have any of the real problems of keeping the weight as low as possible.

Do you intend to have any kind of walk through from the cab?

If it isn't insulated yet, what kind of insulation are you planning to install?

If you have any electrical questions, then @wildebus is your man.

As for the facebook groups, I am on several of them and to a greater or lesser extent they are absolutely useless!!

Great to have you around

Phil

MOTOsapien · Oct 29, 2020

Millie Master said:
What a brilliant starting point for your build, what an absolute beast, rather you than me with the running costs!

It doesn't matter a damn the size of a truck being converted as almost all the build problems are very similar with one very important difference, it being that you are unlikely to have any of the real problems of keeping the weight as low as possible.

Do you intend to have any kind of walk through from the cab?

If it isn't insulated yet, what kind of insulation are you planning to install?

If you have any electrical questions, then @wildebus is your man.

As for the facebook groups, I am on several of them and to a greater or lesser extent they are absolutely useless!!

Great to have you around

Phil

Thanks for your enthusiasm Millie....

Basically I'm refurbishing a tired '02 Racetruck that had living quarters already but so far removed from what i want/need. As for electrical input I'm an electrician turned HV cable jointer so can sort every aspect myself. I'm building my own battery (24v 200Ah) from 3.2 LiFePo4 cells including the BMS. I'm sure both myself and Wildebus can bounce idea's around to help other's that lurk on here, never a problem helping fellow van dwellers..!!

As for Fakebook, I'm on '7.5ton plus' page and that is a good source and place to reside but thats it. I much prefer dedicated forums, less gobsh#ts and the like....

MOTOsapien · Oct 29, 2020

You can see the hole cut out ready for the two mating frames that interlock and produce the 'climb through' aspect.....

Millie Master · Oct 29, 2020

MOTOsapien said:
You can see the hole cut out ready for the two mating frames that interlock and produce the 'climb through' aspect.....

Isn't the cab a sprung unit like so many HGV's are these days and will you be keeping the cab roof sleeping pod?

As for the climb through tunnel you are engineering in, because of either chassis flex or if it is a sprung cab, what kind of flexing system will you be building into it?

I am fascinated.

Phil

mark61 · Oct 29, 2020

What a great project. Looking forward to updates etc.

Bouydog · Oct 29, 2020

You are fortunate to have under cover work space, good luck with the build

wildebus · Oct 29, 2020

MOTOsapien said:
Thanks for your enthusiasm Millie....

Basically I'm refurbishing a tired '02 Racetruck that had living quarters already but so far removed from what i want/need. As for electrical input I'm an electrician turned HV cable jointer so can sort every aspect myself. I'm building my own battery (24v 200Ah) from 3.2 LiFePo4 cells including the BMS. I'm sure both myself and Wildebus can bounce idea's around to help other's that lurk on here, never a problem helping fellow van dwellers..!!

As for Fakebook, I'm on '7.5ton plus' page and that is a good source and place to reside but thats it. I much prefer dedicated forums, less gobsh#ts and the like....

Hi,
There is a forum member who did their own Lithium Battery using the Winston units (like these - https://shop.gwl.eu/Winston-40Ah-200Ah/) and the SmartBMS kit. Looked very nice and he made a couple of good videos showing his building of the bank. Are you planning on using that kind of block cells or going for hundreds of the individiual calls?

Red Dwarf · Oct 29, 2020

What a beast! Excellent start point for a great build. Looking forward to see how you progress, good luck with build.

MOTOsapien · Oct 29, 2020

Millie Master said:
Isn't the cab a sprung unit like so many HGV's are these days and will you be keeping the cab roof sleeping pod?

As for the climb through tunnel you are engineering in, because of either chassis flex or if it is a sprung cab, what kind of flexing system will you be building into it?

I am fascinated.

Phil

It's a rigid cab no spring and it tilts, the sleeping pod is being added not existing, it's only half done and when finished will have side fairings that blend the cab to the body leaving a 1/4" gap.

wildebus · Oct 29, 2020

I mentioned the Winston Lithium Build ... Thought I would post a link to the Youtube video that Dave did on his installation of them.
I did like it and was tempted to go down the same route myself.

Anyways, here it is (two parts - this is Part 1)

MOTOsapien · Oct 29, 2020

wildebus said:
Hi,
There is a forum member who did their own Lithium Battery using the Winston units (like these - https://shop.gwl.eu/Winston-40Ah-200Ah/) and the SmartBMS kit. Looked very nice and he made a couple of good videos showing his building of the bank. Are you planning on using that kind of block cells or going for hundreds of the individiual calls?

I'll defo take a peak at this, I've targeted what design to go for but am still looking for easily purchased cells. Most i see are from China or the States.

Phantom · Oct 29, 2020

What a classy looking monster that is for a pretty unrestricted build. How long and high is it?

MOTOsapien · Oct 30, 2020

Phantom said:
What a classy looking monster that is for a pretty unrestricted build. How long and high is it?

If I'm brutally honest I can't remember the exact LxHxW dimensions to the inch. I'm waiting until I fix down the solar panels to get that all important height dimension that dictates driving...!!! (Gulp..!!)

Greggbear67 · Nov 2, 2020

Hiya & welcome to the forum man. Watching with much interest, got my eye on a 7.5t ex post office truck for my next project so very interested in your walkthru mods. Like the truck, used to drive a fl10 some time ago on article tipper work, mainly coal when we still had a mining industry....

☺

Volvo FL6

Deleted member 4404

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