Size of Class A - RV - RV-Dreams Community Forum

wannabe · RV-Dreams Community Member

Size of Class A - RV

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

"3 .I want to be able to park in National forest, State parks, BLM lands"

This normally puts you into the 33' and shorter range. Really. That also means front engine gas motorhomes, since at short lengths the engine overhang causes a very small wheelbase. There are some front engine diesels you might look at.

"7. It can't be so old that RV parks will deny me entrance"
There are a few upscale RV parks with 10 year rules, so you will be dealing with that rule after a while anyway. If you are trying to save money on camping, you don't want to stay at such places anyway. I know of none with 20 or 30 year rules, except one place I know of that affects lot owners, but not renters, Jojoba Hills Escapees Co-op.

wannabe · RV-Dreams Community Member

What are the smallest diesel chassis to go for?
(I am not sure a gas chassis can endure 20yrs of usage)

Will a 36' DP work?

jim

wannabe · RV-Dreams Community Member

You have a 40'

What has been your experience been, getting to these places, if any?

jim

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

"(I am not sure a gas chassis can endure 20yrs of usage)"
Tell that to people still running around in 1970s gas Winnebagos and GMC motorhomes. The chassis is normally the part that lasts the longest in a motorhome, the body and house portions are what falls apart the fastest with poor maintenance and/or build quality. There are advantages to diesel, and I have one, but many gas motorhomes are still out there that are working for people.

I was just trying to tell you that you might be building a list of "must haves" that will limit you too far. By saying you are now willing to go to 36', you are showing that some of your "must haves" are "would like to have". You have time to refine your list.

If you have 5 years to study the RV world, then use it to figure out what will realistically work for you. In 5 years you will be a different person, an might decide a 5th wheel, trailer, truck camper or Class C will work better. You also might have already figured out what is perfect today.

Someday · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jim,

Check out www.gonewiththewynns and look at their comments on trying to keep to a 33ft or under RV as their ideal. They are on their third MH now (testing out a gas after two Diesels IIRC) and have write ups on their site about their previous two named Windy and Roy). Lots of useful info on there that I think might appeal to you. It's interesting to read their current comments on the gas mileage their gas is getting compared to their last Diesel. Hopefully you'll find it of interest :)

No one can tell you what size to go for, just share experiences on accessing into various types of CG's etc. We've had a 36ft gas engine for over 13 years and love it because of the floor plan and never had a problem getting into anywhere other than once in NE Fla state park that maxed out at 30ft due to trees and layout. Admittedly it's only been used extended trips since we got her new, averaging from max of combined 4 months a year down to 6 weeks minimum during that time and yes we had a new engine in her for $7,000 two springs ago, when a $2 clip failed inside and caused punctures. Hubby would love a DP, but for us right now "if it ain't broke we ain't gunna fix it", and intend to use her for our first 2 years FTing soon. There's never been a mountain grade or hill we've not been up or down in her, we just sometimes are a bit slower getting there than our DP friends (LOL). By the way we live and spend a lot of time in the Rockies here in Alberta/BC.

Size, type, layout and how you intend to travel, ie; stationary for long stretches or moving every few days/week - boon docking/hooked up mainly lots of factors come into play that will affect your overall choice.

As for chassis type, just like there are FORD versus DODGE or CAT versus CUMMINS folks out there. There are Spartan versus Freightliner folks as well. There will be trade offs no matter which option you go for ie; price point versus quality structure/finishes/layout etc.

FWIW, a lot of FT'rs reference Entegras, Tiffins, Newells, Monacos, Newmars, Foretravels as well as many others but these are the main names I recall mentioned for FTing in MH's. I also saw a great 32ft (probably measured closer to 33ft) newer Tiffin Allegro Bus last year that seemed really roomy (especially in the bathroom which is one of my pet peeves with most RV's) and a great floorpan you might want to google it. Hubby wants an Entegra one day but I much prefer the better use of kitchen space in the Tiffins generally.

Hope some of this gives you some areas to research what might work for you - it really will all boil down to personal choice at the end of the day. I remember when we were looking to replace our fifth wheel with a MH in 2000, it took us forever to decide and we kept changing our mind from one to the other as more options surfaced (finally decided in 2003!). What started out as fun, quickly for us at the time I found became very stressful, considering you are purchasing something that needs to last you a lot of years due to how they depreciate so rapidly.

Good luck Jim and enjoy the fruits of your labour in the years ahead, as we hope to do the same real soon.

SD.

PS: Just in case you are curious, our 13 YO Gas MH is a Fleetwood Southwind 36ft Double Slide with washer dryer in Kitchen and great kitchen counter space prep room, as we are home foodies more than eating out.

wannabe · RV-Dreams Community Member

I hear what you say....

Please donot' take any offence here as i am merely talking from engineering point of view.

I am defining chassis = steel superstructure

Most gas MH chassis are nothing but a glorified trailer chassis with a wood frame on top of it.
This is why they are not heavy and don't need heavy axles or bigger tires (typical 19.5" does it)

The reason those Monacos, Newmars, blah blah are heavy is because of their steel superstructure
As such they have 22.5" tires and heavy duty axles

In a crash of some sort, i am willing to bet that i will be dead in a gas chassis
In a superstructure steel chassis, i have a chance to be paralyzed ....LOL...now that i think of it, better be dead :)
But you get my point

The glue that is used to bond that wood frame, fiberglass, etc deteriorates over time, matter of chemistry and nature
This is why i say that gas MH maynot endure a long run.

In addition, at 5k/yr of driving over 15yrs, i would be near 100k miles.
The engine is about dead by then...

So effectively, i have to get two gas MH at 7 years apart to keep up with it
May be that is what i should think about
This gives me two MHs to ride and play

At this point i want to figure out if 36' will work
Because many of the quad slide 36' are going for 80k now
and will be down to my cash budget in 5 years

It would be good to hear from folks who are driving a 36' or so in various parks

ciao

jim

PS> SD...your part of Canada is heaven on earth. I used to think the US part of the
rockies are great. After visiting Alberta in 2008, i have changed my position.
I enjoyed Canmore very much and what can i say about Banff ....wow!!

I would also recommend you try Newfoundland, if you haven't. I am in love with it!
I live in New England so Northeast Canada is the best kept secret for me.

Trabuco · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jim, Bill Joyce summed it pretty well. When we started looking roughly 7 years ago we started looking at 5th wheels and eventually moved over to the motorhomes. This process took us just over a year to make the decision and buy a coach.

If you're going to be staying in a lot of NP you will need something shorter than 40 feet. You need to determine which is more important, size of the MH or frequent visits to a NP.

We knew we wanted at least 40' so we bought what we wanted to live in and the place to park it was second. You may want to do just the opposite.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have a 36' DP - but she measures out at 37' nose to tail.

We have had her for 10 years, and she was 3 yrs old when we bought her.

We don't do much boon docking - we're not camping, we're RVing that there is a difference. That said, we did a week out at "Q" our first year out.

We don't do National Parks - - they are always full and I like my FHUs, etc. Again, I'm not roughing it - I'm living a very comfortable life with changing surroundings. And while we can take her out in the desert with no problems, National Forest service lands often don't have sites suitable for her. She doesn't 'off-road'.

Barb

Someday · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jim,

Don't know much about much but as I said in the 13 years we've had the 36ft (measures just over 37ft in actuality), we've never had a problem getting in anywhere other than that once in NE Fla SP. Also, we are the opposite of BarbOK preferring to be off the cord as much as possible, so generally avoiding commercial CGs other than where no other option for location we want or needing to dump/launder/refill on occasion.

In response to your PS: The first time I saw our majestic Rockies when moving out here from Ontario in 1995 I cried (woman thing I guess!!), now alas like most things in life when on our doorstep we tend to sometimes take what we have for granted. We feel very very blessed to have a wonderful economy, and these wonders on our doorstep all seasons when we were younger for skiing and snow sports as well as summer lake fun. Now alas with numerous ski & riding injuries it's just the latter :( The only thing that would make our area oh so perfect would be having an Ocean and more temperate climate similar to San Diego year around. Unfortunately I don't think all the Global warming in the world will make that happen (LOL).

Enjoy your ride :)