Question about RV'ing in South America
Hello folks, I am planning to take a 38' Class A diesel pusher to South America. Since I have seen much of the US and Canada, I will be shipping this RV on a ro-ro from Halifax to Caracas. The ...
Forum Discussion
A few things to consider driving a rig close to the size of tractor-trailer through South America:
-are you comfortable changing a blown tire in the middle of nowhere possibly on very sloped gravel road?
-consider the height of this Class A with rooftop accouterments: you will encounter power transmission wires at non standard heights over urban and rural roads, and don't have the local knowledge to keep you out of trouble.
-ease of repair of a large RV could be a concern, if you are not near any facilities (i.e. a smaller Class C with standard van and engine will be easier to work on IF mechanical disaster strikes).
I'm not saying that it is insurmountable to drive a large Class A through South America (many, many European extreme all-terrain motorhomes with military-spec tires and axles have and do drive SA every day, but they are designed for trans-Sahara genre expeditions, with the concomitant price tag in the millions, like these-->), but you may be faced with numerous vehicle size and logistical issues. If you do decide to do this with a non-hardened North American grade Class A, look at it as an "expedition", and expect some VERY interesting situations to confront you. Remember: many Latin American buses are often ruggedized locally handle extreme roads, and some have crews aboard to do small and large repairs and tire changes (with the exception of Mexican luxury buses that travel exclusively on relatively smooth paved routes) :B
Safety is ALWAYS situational. No one can predict the future, or predict where/if you will encounter security issues. So, just treat safety issues as you go (practice avoidance, in its many incarnations; read: understand how to minimize dropping yourself into dangerous situations and places, etc).
-are you comfortable changing a blown tire in the middle of nowhere possibly on very sloped gravel road?
-consider the height of this Class A with rooftop accouterments: you will encounter power transmission wires at non standard heights over urban and rural roads, and don't have the local knowledge to keep you out of trouble.
-ease of repair of a large RV could be a concern, if you are not near any facilities (i.e. a smaller Class C with standard van and engine will be easier to work on IF mechanical disaster strikes).
I'm not saying that it is insurmountable to drive a large Class A through South America (many, many European extreme all-terrain motorhomes with military-spec tires and axles have and do drive SA every day, but they are designed for trans-Sahara genre expeditions, with the concomitant price tag in the millions, like these-->), but you may be faced with numerous vehicle size and logistical issues. If you do decide to do this with a non-hardened North American grade Class A, look at it as an "expedition", and expect some VERY interesting situations to confront you. Remember: many Latin American buses are often ruggedized locally handle extreme roads, and some have crews aboard to do small and large repairs and tire changes (with the exception of Mexican luxury buses that travel exclusively on relatively smooth paved routes) :B
Safety is ALWAYS situational. No one can predict the future, or predict where/if you will encounter security issues. So, just treat safety issues as you go (practice avoidance, in its many incarnations; read: understand how to minimize dropping yourself into dangerous situations and places, etc).
