Supporting 14,000 curb weight?

After running the numbers the M1010 audio demo build is going to be a trailer queen until I can do some serious powertrain upgrades. Curb weight is going to be at least 14,000 pounds, minus whatever stripping the inside of the ambulance bed takes away.





Would it be smarter to lengthen and box the frame on the m1028a2 and use the dually with the ambulance bed, or do you guys think the m1010 would be fine with the frame boxed and some other upgrades done? By "some" upgrades I mean a lot... I do not expect this to be a cheap or quick project and I'd rather do it right and not have it give problems.

14K insane. I loaded my M1028A1 with free stone at a local quarry one time and it was 13,600lbs GVW. That was insane. I had it loaded and I only had to go 10 miles. I white knuckled it the whole way. I cannot even imagine having a 30 year old K30 sitting curb weight at 14K. You better get a good lawyer if you plan on driving that thing down the highway. The M1010 is a 9450 GVWR max. Have at it. It's your rig. You better get a 5 ton truck and mount the M1010 in the bed.

If you want to do it right the first time go buy a modern F450 or F550 that will actually support that weight and be able to stop it.

Audio demo rig? Sounds like the wrong vehicle to me.

cucvrus said:

14K insane.

....You better get a good lawyer if you plan on driving that thing down the highway. .... You better get a 5 ton truck and mount the M1010 in the bed.

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reaper556 said:

If you want to do it right the first time go buy a modern F450 or F550 that will actually support that weight and be able to stop it.

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Ilikemtb999 said:

Audio demo rig? Sounds like the wrong vehicle to me.

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All of the above. Even if you don't destroy the thing in the process of putting that much weight on it (you probably won't), even if you can make it go down the road (yeah, maybe), even if you can keep it between the lines while you go down the road (not likely), you can't stop it in anything resembling a reasonable distance.

Even load range E tires aren't going to support that.

Some years ago my SAR folks had an old CUCV ambulance with single rear wheels. One day someone thought it would be good to completely fill the back with stuff and then tow a grossly overloaded 2 axle trailer behind it. The tongue weight was so high, the hitch almost dragged on the ground. Front end pointed up in the air. It was terrifying to drive. And it had a cracked frame where the steering box mounted. We disposed of it before someone was killed. No way that's a 14 K GVW rig.

Ilikemtb999 said:

Audio demo rig? Sounds like the wrong vehicle to me.

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A cool ambulance with plenty of room is the wrong vehicle for an audio company's show vehicle... okay lol.

It's most likely going to end up being towed to shows. I do have a 6bt that might find a new home under the hood since the whopping 135 horsepower won't be supporting more than the stock dual 200a alternators. But I think overall it'll be much easier to just forget trying to drive it on the road.

What?

It's your rig and obviously we can't tell you what to do with it, but are you sure this is the right vehicle for your project? Every audio or anything automotive demo I have seen typically uses and more modern platform to showcase their wares. Not to say a M1010 can't be made to do it, but why?
Even with a super mega powertrain upgrade, money that be well spent outfitting a more modern rig that will enhance whatever you are demoing.


At 14,000 lbs curb weight, you may want t reconsider your vehicle options, even if you plan on trailering it, cause either way, you're going to have to rely on the vehicle's brakes at some point and suspension for that matter. Like I said, it's your vehicle, but I would plead that you don't use this as your demo mod vehicle, for our sake.

Just a FYI, I used to drive a F550 Super Duty flatbed/utility bed with an onboard 149cfm diesel air compressor and it weighed at 12,000lbs, though it was rated for higher, it was still a little scary to stop that thing. Suspension parts wore out like crazy on that rig, just from carrying that weight all the time.

Do whatever you want.
But.......
The insurance company, if anything happens, will walk away because the weight is far above vehicle design limits.

The rest is downhill from there.

Not to mention the criminal liability if someone gets killed, which is not at all far-fetched.


See, for example, here:

However, Connecticut and these other states have criminal statutes such as manslaughter and assault that can be used against the owner or operator of an overweight truck.

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And here:

In some states, driving a motor vehicle in a criminally negligent manner that causes the death of another person, under circumstances that don't amount to murder or manslaughter, constitutes the less severe, or "lesser offense" of criminally negligent homicide, or some similarly-named crime. Variations in the name of this crime can vary, depending on the state.

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And more.


And this thread will be all the evidence needed to bump it up to the highest level of negligence, since you have been warned. And, given the unusual nature of your vehicle, and the popularity of this forum, this thread is probably going to be found.

In other words, you have been warned, and if you proceed, you will have zero defense when something bad happens.

MarcusOReallyus said:

Not to mention the criminal liability if someone gets killed, which is not at all far-fetched.


See, for example, here:




And here:



And more.


And this thread will be all the evidence needed to bump it up to the highest level of negligence, since you have been warned. And, given the unusual nature of your vehicle, and the popularity of this forum, this thread is probably going to be found.

In other words, you have been warned, and if you proceed, you will have zero defense when something bad happens.

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Agree.

Downhill and Gravity is unforgiving

Might I suggest an M109A3? Or an M1079?

Poor sound quality. The M1010 is a concert shell.

SounDrive said:

A cool ambulance with plenty of room is the wrong vehicle for an audio company's show vehicle... okay lol.

It's most likely going to end up being towed to shows. I do have a 6bt that might find a new home under the hood since the whopping 135 horsepower won't be supporting more than the stock dual 200a alternators. But I think overall it'll be much easier to just forget trying to drive it on the road.

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What do you plan on towing this thing with?

Absolutely nothing about this idea seems like a good idea. I mean that in the most respectful way possible. Seriously, take other guys advice here and start with a bigger truck before somebody gets hurt or killed. Overloading trucks to that level is no joking matter.

You can skirt the tire issue by adding those semi wheel adapters and run 24.5 truck tires.

And that's going to do exactly... what for the axle and brakes?

MarcusOReallyus said:

And that's going to do exactly... what for the axle and brakes?

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Who said anything about axles and brakes? I said it would skirt the tire issue. Truthfully though, the post was satirical in nature, not literal.

Well, I don't understand why you'd want to put a skirt on it, anyway. I mean, this is a man's truck.

Now, maybe a kilt I could understand.....