Kodiak based Super C questions.

We looked at a bunch of these last spring and I found the following. Most of the Kodiak based Jayco Senecas are built on a 22,000 lb chassis. Most of the Gulf Stream built Kodiaks are on the 19,500 lb chassis. One exception to this is the 2006 Gulf Stream Endura 6378. They were built on the 22,000 lb platform. I found most of the Senecas to be really undersprung in the rear for my taste. There was a leaf spring upgrade available and some owners added airbags to deal with the issue. Our 2006 GS 6378 rolled over the scales fully loaded for a 35 day trip for four people at around 19.8K and has a GCVWR of 26K. The hitch is rated at 10k, but we would have exceeded the GCVWR by a bunch. I would say that in order to put 10K on the ball for any real amount of time/miles, you need to look at something with a larger margin of scaled weight to GCVWR.
Some of the International based super-C's might be a better option, but I am not a fan of their VT-365.

Antny

My ’06 Seneca 34SS HD on a Kodiak class 5 truck is good for 5,000lb towing. It’s a commercial truck with leaf springs and 4 big ABS disks to stop it along with the exhaust brake. The mechanics are about as complicated as an anvil with everything accessible under the clamshell hood and all oil, turbo air and water cooling out front. I weigh in at just under 21,000lbs fully loaded plus the car on a caddy. Get in turn it on and go. As a sample size of one after nine years I would not make a different choice.

My rig is diesel and rated to tow 10,000#. I do tow that much also. i have disc brakes x4, hydro boost brakes, leaf rear suspension with air bags that I installed, coils up front. No air brakes, Born Free make a Super C on the Ford F550 chassis with the 19,500# chassis rating and will tow 10,000#,they also have an air ride suspension available for this unit, Nexus builds the SC on the Navistar Tera Star chassis and it is a 19,500# rated chassis and will tow 10,000#, Dynamax make a couple very nice Super C's, the DX and the Force, both are built on the Freightliner M2 Heavy chassis and will certainly handle your towing needs.

The Kodiaks had the lower tow rating due to lower chassis rating, the smaller Allison transmissions and the Duramax was also derated in the class 5 chassis as well.

The Dynamax rigs have air brakes. I just drove a 2011 3 weeks ago, awesome, and it had ABS system, drum brakes on all 4 corners, air brakes and air ride suspension but that was a 33,000# chassis, not the class 5 rated 19,500# chassis

Halmfamily wrote:
I've seen some good prices on used Kodiak Super C's and would like to know how those who have one like them. Also, what is the tow capacity? I need 8000lbs. Do they have air brakes and suspension?

Thanks for your help.

We like our older Super C on a Chevy Kodiak C5500 Chassis. Got s little over 80,000 miles on it.
They do not have air brakes or suspension.
You can tow 8,000 lbs with with the shorter length motorhomes. Under 34'. Our 35' rig is right at 19,000 lbs. 8,000 lbs will put max weight over 26,000 lbs that chassis is rated for. Jayco made one rig that is in this size with a diesel engine. Gulf Stream made many different models. Most with a gas engine. There are some with the diesel. Four Winds made a few. With both gas and diesel engine. Bigfoot and Weekend Warrior made a few but not in the shorter lengths.

Just a FYI, My Dynamax is built on a 54,000lb chassis and has air brakes and air ryde suspension, Renegade and Showhaulers do as well.

The Nexus Ghost Super C has air brakes and it has a GVWR of 25,999# and a 10,000# rated hitch.

Nexus Ghost

The Chevy Super C's are not rated that high and don't have air ride. The Freightliner version of the Jayco Super C RV's are rated much higher and they do come with air ride and air seats. Great source for information on the Super C crowd is the Yahoo Group for them. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/SuperCrvgroup/info

Hemi RT wrote:
I doubt you'll find any C or super C that has air brakes, you'd have to go up to the larger 'A' class to get air brakes. As far as towing 8000lbs I don't think you'll find one. Best to have a look at 'A' class motorhomes.

Some of the Super C's come on 25,999 pound rated chassis, with well over 10,000 pounds of towing ability. They are built on class 6 truck chassis, not a pickup truck. . .

While a class C van based motorhome might only have a 14,000 GVWR, the Super C seems to have 19,500 and above GVWR, and towing ability to match that rating!

As for air brakes or air ride suspension, most Super C's do not have either of those. This is typical of a DP motorhome, not the much lower cost Super C.

I have seen some Super C's built on the F-550 chassis, with a 19,500 GVWR! That size is relatively easy to get into the cab, and has a reasonably soft rear suspension. The motorhomes based on the International chassis will ride like a lumber truck, and could REALLY use air rear suspension.

Air brakes are not a requirement anymore. Hydralic brakes can stop just as well as air brakes.



Good luck finding something.

Fred.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28518069.cfm

Some Super C info here.

I would check the Jayco forums. Will be info and links for sure.