How do Class A rv's handle in snow?
Ok, we just bought our very first rv and it's a class A Fleetwood. My husband & I have been talking about winter driving and what limits it will put on us. We are from upstate NY so driving in s...
Forum Discussion
We travel a lot in Winter conditions and have traveled to Upstate NY near Batavia and Albion during Winter. Driving a motor home in those conditions requires a lot of the same caution that you should use with any vehicle. Bridges and overpass can ice up so you do not want to do any turning maneuver, like changing lanes until you are off. Main roads are usually quickly cleared but some secondary roads can take much longer.
Stopping distances will be longer in slush and snow. Traction is usually not a problem but on a steep incline it can be. Tire chains are good to carry and required in some places. We have used ours several times to get in to and out of RV parks. Most major roads are cleared so that is not a problem.
When driving during a blizzard, the biggest problem we had was keeping the windshield clear. With a 4' high windshield and the vents located on the dash, it takes a while for the heat to make it's way to the top. This can cause the ice accumulation to slide down, which may foul your wipers. Add DE-ICE liquid(yellow) to your washer reservoir, NOT just low temp windshield washer fluid. They also make Winter wiper blades that are shielded to prevent ice build up.
The main thing is to drive carefully and slower in ANY conditions that can affect your road traction. We spend 80% of our travel time in Winter conditions out West in the mountains and have never had a problem. If the conditions are so bad that YOU do not feel comfortable, you need to pull over and wait it out.
Stopping distances will be longer in slush and snow. Traction is usually not a problem but on a steep incline it can be. Tire chains are good to carry and required in some places. We have used ours several times to get in to and out of RV parks. Most major roads are cleared so that is not a problem.
When driving during a blizzard, the biggest problem we had was keeping the windshield clear. With a 4' high windshield and the vents located on the dash, it takes a while for the heat to make it's way to the top. This can cause the ice accumulation to slide down, which may foul your wipers. Add DE-ICE liquid(yellow) to your washer reservoir, NOT just low temp windshield washer fluid. They also make Winter wiper blades that are shielded to prevent ice build up.
The main thing is to drive carefully and slower in ANY conditions that can affect your road traction. We spend 80% of our travel time in Winter conditions out West in the mountains and have never had a problem. If the conditions are so bad that YOU do not feel comfortable, you need to pull over and wait it out.
