Episode 81: HDT RV Hauler //Converting Our HDT Into a Smart Car Hauler 

What a beautiful truck. You guys are so lucky in the USA as there are so many wide open spaces to explore and visit. You are living the dream as far as I'm concerned. Peace and blessings from the UK!

LOLOLOL When Bubba drilled that first hole @ 14:55 all I could think was Ppsssssssssssss

Nice work! Definitely a cheaper way to do it with the same great result as a more expensive setup.

Wow turned out great. Nice work!!!

Kat your car looks so darn cute up there! Tell Bubba I said he is going to have to find another place for those ramps so he will have room to put his new Harley up there next. Enjoy yourself kids!

Wow nice job looks good.

That is so slick!👍

That is way way way cool! It looks awesome!

Saw y'all on I-75 today in Kentucky. Looking good!

Looks amazing

Sweet Rig Florida truck cabin 😎

Nice work brother!

Saw your rig today at La Posa South. Wanted to shout at ya but wife was on a mission! Next time!

Nice job guys....if you haven't figured it out already, dump your truck air bags prior to loading will give you added clearance on the belly pan of the car. If we still have problems, we put 2x6 pieces under the base of the ramps to make it a little less steep. See you soon.

Those are some vary Royal shirts you are wearing.

2 thumbs up, great looking tray, its gradually coming together.

I’m definitely going this route when I retire from a life time of truck driving. My two favorite things camping and trucking. I love your set up and how you guys did quite a bit yourself.

The bed looks great! Looks like a lot of work. I bet that's the last time Bubba wears that Mackinaw shirt!

Looks like that Smart car is a perfect fit!

This stuff is so good!! I’ve been on a drunken fish binge watch for a while! I want to go this same route @ retirement! I need to follow the Bubba & Officer path here!

What a terrific video. This is definitely one that I have not seen before. You guys show the entire process and it's really a great lesson in an option that many probably have not considered before. Really liking your channel so far...subscribing now. Safe travels!

Looking good. Should be able to get remote locations with the little car for sure..👍🏻👍🏻 And i am drinking a coors light as i am watching😁🍻

WOW...good job!

Bubba,. Looking at a similar setup. Only difference. I am thinking about dropping the wheel of the smart car in to pockets. That way I can gain some inches over the car. Trying to do a deck design like the car haulers so I can load a side-by-side over the top of the car. I know I have to stay below 13'3". The mad welder and cutter in design phases 🤔🤔😂🤣

Probably better than the way I did it in 2006. 1 - research smart dimensions (a guy in England folded his mirrors, pulled into his garage with one mirror touching the side of the door frame, pushed a file cabinet against the other mirror, moved car and measured space in between!); 2- design deck; 3 - have deck built by truck body builder. At the same time research and secure ramps, winch, and tie downs. Spend several months tracking down a gray market smart. Ours was a 2005, delivered in Germany, shipped to California for federalizing, and then to a dealer near Pittsburgh. The 2005 was replaced by a 2011 (which gave it's life to save mine!), amd was replaced by our current 2013 with yellow "City Flame" package. Finally, drive bobtail from Chicago to Pennsylvania to pick up the smart already purchased. This would be the very first time we ever saw a smart car "in the flesh"! Load it up, tie it down and head for home. That night, in the pouring rain on I-80 east of Chicago the CB perks up "Hey! Did you guys see that little ass car on the back of that big truck!" The first of many, many comments! Nice job on your project!

Nice bed. :) Really enjoyed this one. We are finally getting ours close to completion. Glad to see you both are well. Safe Travels

Just came across you on Kevin‘s channel. Just gave you the thumbs up and hit the subscribe button. Looking forward to following your travels. Stay safe. ~Russ~

Found your channel. Ran in to you and your wife in Walmart today.

Well done. Looking at the same for my Spyder. Now to find a HDT to put it on. 😎🕷

Looks like you did a very great job with everything- now you can hire out -Kevin 👍👍💙💙💙💙🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

It really looks good. Did you do anything to the underside of the bed, like rhino liner undercoat it? Oh yeah, you’re gonna have to put the beers down, if you gain any weight that car is not gonna clear of the truck bed on the break over angle.😂😂

Very good a man after my on heart using the KISS method. Just like mine but i have a dove tail tail on mine. For when i load our jeep. You may have done it already but under bed over tires undercoat or primer it. I did mine 10 yrs ago and starting to get some rust. If u have room get a tunnel tool box and mount. Under bed in back. Still not coming to HDT rally? Looking good . Safe travels.

I noticed a lot of downward bow in the ramp about in the center of them, do you think if you had a leg drop down from there with about a ten inch pad on the bottom that it would give you more stability. I think now your driving experience with greatly improve with both of you together.

Bed turned out nicely, but would've been nice having some storage boxes added later maybe

Looks like a GOOD JOB.... Bet you are GLAD that it is finally DONE , ....??? :) :) :) :)

Hey Kat glad to see u and Bubba on the HDT site. Have u made it to Tampa Fl RV show. In Jan?

Howdy Bubba and Kat, So glad you finally have your truck setup to haul the Smart Car, this will make your traveling so much easier. However as a fellow Peterbilt owner I just have to say this, Bubba WHERE ARE THE CHICKEN LIGHTS, the side of your deck is screaming that it needs some well actually a bunch of them. Just jerking your chain. :-) Dave, Donna, Newt and Willy

Just saw you on CVK. We have a little Fiat that fits in our you hauler.

that cool be safe have fun

Good job

Is there a way to automate the tie down straps while you tighten them? Is there a lever action ratchet attachment that you mount once to each tie down mechanism? Then you only need to insert the pull handle into each one for much faster hand cranking without having to insert, crank 1/4 turn, remove, re-insert to crank another 1/4 turn, etc.

Have you considered going to the single wides? I loved them on my truck as it they gave me more surface on the road and the brakes are positioned in the air more and stay cooler.

Would supports under ramps keep them from flexing and give you better clearance? Does the rear of the bed not need to be tapered down, thought you mentioned that earlier video? Again love the work nice simple flat bed, thinking of doing the same thing. Do you have video of going into state camp grounds or RV parks. We like boon docking but also go into other parks, not sure the HDT will work out in tight quarters.

Did you coat the underside of the bed? Road salts will attack the underside causing rust and corrosion. I like that you did not single out the axles. I have been in situations where I would have been stuck should I have had only the single axle.

You shaved, just saw yall at the imperial damn LTVA. Think I drove my utv through your video.

Would have used phosphoric acid bare metal prep, it is the active ingrediant in extends rust treatment, and acid etches metal to acept paint or other coating and kills all rust and turns black.

Hi guys..really looks good...👍..where did you get the ramps?..just retired..going to get our hdt conversions asap..looking forward to seeing you on the road 😀...stay safe...take care..J&A

Old guy told me one time no matter how many times I cut it it’s still going to b to short

On your way over u could holler out on the cb radio. Would it b better if u took that front axle out? I think the back one is the drive but not for sure.

I'll bet your glad you are not under DOT with those tires might have problems!!!!!!

Should have welded the tie down rings on first, just my way of doing things !

How do you drive over the rear wheel chocks? Did I miss something?

Is it common not to do a solid weld all the way across?

What are the dimensions of that bed ?

Bubba, do you have family there. Wife's grand parents lived there and mother in law was raised there.?

Ok, I got it all going on. The rig, the trailer and the Jeep. My problem is that I can't find insurance. You guys can't be paying full freight commercial just to pull a travel trailer. Can anyone help me out here?

Where did you find the ramps?

How much did that bed cost?

It's okay for the truck to go naked buttissue. Bubba that's a different story.

Fort Peck?

You were not to far from me.

Be careful you dont sneeze at the wrong time when your loading that car 😁

Hey Kat thanks for the reply sorry u can't make it to FL. its a great time. Shoot me a PM on my email. I guess it shows up on my profile. If not let me know on here. I'm not so hot on the computer. I tell all these kids around here that when 8 Track tape players went out. I was done with this high tech stuff .I'm real good very good friends with the fellow that Suite Travels got the truck from. Be Safe.

I know that you don’t want to hear this but you should wear glasses when you drill. Save your eyes.