A couple of class C questions
Just sold our travel trailer this past Saturday and are looking to get a Class C after selling our two vehicle. With budget (i.e. not taking on too much for payments) we're probably looking 1999 to 2...
Forum Discussion
Assuming the weight/balance is good (which is not always the case), IMHO there's not a vast difference in driving based on the length. I find my 32' overall length class C to be not bad handling at all; when compared with (say) a 15 passenger van, the biggest differences for going down the highway are the width and height, not the length. For maneuvering around parking lots and gas stations and the like, of course the length does play somewhat of a role, though it's still quite manageable with some care.
If you can find a newer unit with the 5-speed transmission, that's a bit of an upgrade. (The gear ratios aren't really different for highway cruising, but the control logic of the newer transmission is better, and the tow/haul feature works quite nicely particularly for hilly conditions.)
Also bear in mind that some of the older E-450/E-Super Duty chassis used a driveshaft mounted parking brake, rather than ones on the wheels. It's not inherently problematic, but it is necessary to occasionally check that the fluid in the parking brake case (a separate little one attached to the back of the transmission) is kept sufficiently full, and it's also important to bear in mind that the parking brake won't do any good if one of the rear wheels has no traction due to the action of the differential. This means, for instance, that it is absolutely essential to use wheel chocks when changing out a flat back tire. I don't know offhand precisely which years this brake setup was used.
If you can find a newer unit with the 5-speed transmission, that's a bit of an upgrade. (The gear ratios aren't really different for highway cruising, but the control logic of the newer transmission is better, and the tow/haul feature works quite nicely particularly for hilly conditions.)
Also bear in mind that some of the older E-450/E-Super Duty chassis used a driveshaft mounted parking brake, rather than ones on the wheels. It's not inherently problematic, but it is necessary to occasionally check that the fluid in the parking brake case (a separate little one attached to the back of the transmission) is kept sufficiently full, and it's also important to bear in mind that the parking brake won't do any good if one of the rear wheels has no traction due to the action of the differential. This means, for instance, that it is absolutely essential to use wheel chocks when changing out a flat back tire. I don't know offhand precisely which years this brake setup was used.
