Has any truck manufacturer ever designed a cab similar to a motorhome with a expanding partition?
Just got to thinking today that it would be easy enough for a manufacturer to build a cab so that when parked up at night you could unhook your trailer and drive forward 4 feet and have a cab where the rear slides out over the catwalk to give more space inside. All suzies could be on booms so no need to disconnect, just drop trailer legs and apply trailer brake.
keeps the vehicle within length requirements when not in use.
Seems a simple solution that works for motorhomes but I’ve never seen it on a truck.
Should I have patented my idea or am I missing something obvious?
The americans have the right idea, unfortunately Vosa have different ideas, they will lengthen trailers to suit the industry, but if a driver want to extend the cab they wont allow it, and i cant understand it, except if we adopted the american style trucks, which are self sufficient with toilets, showers, etc, then maybe drivers wont need to use facilities offered elsewhere, but we would need toilet/waste water emptying drains, such as on campsites for motorhomes.
Years ago a mate of mine messed around with a motorhome body from an old commer, and mounted it on the back of a volvo after cutting the sleeper part off, it really looked great, but when the local ministry man came around to have a look, he said it could never go on british roads because it exceeded the length limits.
There was a Scania on regular runs to turkey, think it was a 111, anyway it was green in colour, and ran out of manchester, he had seperated the cab from the sleeper, extended the back of the cab, and raised the height, so the bed was in fact above the driving position, it had its own sink and cooking area built in. I met him in the Cheb Hotel in Czech, and he offered me a look inside, it was great, and had no bother from anyone, there was also another guy from that area who had also a Scania 111 with the rear cab mountings collapsed, and because the turnaround was a bit tight, did the next trip ( where i met him ) with a railway sleeper propping up the cab at the back, it really worked, but couldnt help but laugh at some of the antics drivers got up to, another mate of mine from Peckham, had a volvo FB88 who had the cab roof higher with american style windows at the front, and an extended cab, and sprayed the lot black, it was almost ready for the road when he sadly died, but we had a couldnt care less attitude back then, and worried only when we were pulled up/stopped by the ministry.
I reckon summat like that could be good, but storing it could take up the space where the bunk is. Not great if you have to stop for a quick 45 on the bunk. Parking spaces would need to be extended, most parking areas are rammed with trucks anyways so an extra 4/5 feet sticking out (with the cab moved forward) could cause a nuisance. Not to mention the rigidity/safety of the cab could be compromised. A good idea for private use, not so for commercial use.
Bring in American style trucks I say with bigger sleeper compartments. Would have to be used with a smaller trailer though I reckon.
Blimey, that’s a brilliant idea, and would work so well. Could easily be designed so in driving mode its just the same as a normal sleeper we have now, but when extended the bed could slide back, the seats swivel and fold down tables. The way campers are designed is that they are usable both folded and open.
And on a standard artic most parking areas would be fine, as it wouldn’t make you any longer than a drawbar
I often wondered why they cant put the bunk above the seats, and have the area behind the seats for a kitchen area with a cheeky little table. Still got standing room back there I should imagine.
Clunk:
I often wondered why they cant put the bunk above the seats, and have the area behind the seats for a kitchen area with a cheeky little table. Still got standing room back there I should imagine.
But where would you then move the hot-tub too? 
C O S T.
Patent him though & fire off an email to the big 6, you never know…
Silver_Surfer:
Patent him though & fire off an email to the big 6, you never know…
Yeah Volvo, Renault and Merc have just had a new design, DAF have been lazy and just changed the bonnet and side cowlings. Scania have said there cab is the most efficient design they can have so no changes to cab and that just leaves MAN which many drivers don’t want to drive.
I wonder if Winnebago are interested in making trucks■■?
I thought of this about 10 years ago, the problem is keeping the integrity of the cab to meet safety standards, but a great idea, there’ a video of and American one somewhere, as for Truckboy saying they have showers and toilets in the US dream on, unless it’s special job, having driven out there, never seen one.
I can understand about the integrity but advancements in materials make it possible to keep it strong (but then there’s a cost issue with such materials) I’d happily trade a bit of space in the front for some kind of safety cell if it meant a larger space for living in at the back.
more space=fill it with more crap
6 months down the line you’ll be moaning you have no room again like i did when i got a bigger cab. 
Clunk:
I often wondered why they cant put the bunk above the seats,
Scania did that
Google “cascadia super slide”
do you mean this by any chance?
m1cks:
that just leaves MAN which many drivers don’t want to drive.
Ironic really.
GBD:
do you mean this by any chance?
No, they were longlines. You couldn’t pull a standard trailer with one of those and still be within legal limits for the overall length in the UK.
Or if you can’t go out you could always go up. Make the space where the bunks go into a kitchen dinner then have a pop up sleeper pod on top.
I really think a lot could be done. Very few vehicles are double manned buy yet the starting point is always two seats and two bunks.