Brand new Class C owner and RVer
Hello all. I just bought my first RV, a 20ft Chevy Escaper, 1990. Everything in it works right and I am looking forward to my first trip this weekend in preparation for my retirement and fulltimeing i...
Forum Discussion
I have a similar size/age Chevy powered class C and love it. It is my second similar rig. It has been very inexpensive to own, maintain, and operate (of course this is relative.)
I second the sewer hose comment. I recommend purchasing a "middle of the road" (high-end at Walmart) sewer hose kit, with assorted fittings and all, and replacing every year or two. This is cheaper than buying a "quality RV shop" hose (probably made at the same factory in China as the cheapo) and replacing every 5 years. You don't want your sewer hose to fail.
8.00 16.5 tires are very uncommon these days. If you stay with your current wheels, I recommend upgrading to 8.75R16.5 Firestone Transforce. They have almost identical outside dimensions. These are a quality tire and are competitively priced with LRE 16" tires at this time. 5 years from now when your new tires need replaced again, the 16.5 may no longer exist and you may need to move to 16" wheels. But at this time, in my opinion, it is not worth upgrading because the Transforce is a quality tire.
You do want to replace your tires now regardless of appearance. Your current tires, if they have good tread and appear in good condition, still have some value on Craigslist up to $30-$40/ea. There are plenty of off-highway agricultural trailers that use 16.5 that will not be damaged by a blowout. Your class C would be devastated by a blowout, and with 9 year old tires a blowout could happen at any time. If you have a blowout away from home, unless you are in a very large city, the changes of finding a shop with an in-stock replacement are extremely slim. You would have to pray your spare got you home. I recommend you replace all 7 tires before your next out-of-town trip.
All just my opinion...
I second the sewer hose comment. I recommend purchasing a "middle of the road" (high-end at Walmart) sewer hose kit, with assorted fittings and all, and replacing every year or two. This is cheaper than buying a "quality RV shop" hose (probably made at the same factory in China as the cheapo) and replacing every 5 years. You don't want your sewer hose to fail.
8.00 16.5 tires are very uncommon these days. If you stay with your current wheels, I recommend upgrading to 8.75R16.5 Firestone Transforce. They have almost identical outside dimensions. These are a quality tire and are competitively priced with LRE 16" tires at this time. 5 years from now when your new tires need replaced again, the 16.5 may no longer exist and you may need to move to 16" wheels. But at this time, in my opinion, it is not worth upgrading because the Transforce is a quality tire.
You do want to replace your tires now regardless of appearance. Your current tires, if they have good tread and appear in good condition, still have some value on Craigslist up to $30-$40/ea. There are plenty of off-highway agricultural trailers that use 16.5 that will not be damaged by a blowout. Your class C would be devastated by a blowout, and with 9 year old tires a blowout could happen at any time. If you have a blowout away from home, unless you are in a very large city, the changes of finding a shop with an in-stock replacement are extremely slim. You would have to pray your spare got you home. I recommend you replace all 7 tires before your next out-of-town trip.
All just my opinion...
