Off Road Class C Motorhome and Extended Tray
This is a local builder and their Off Road Class C Motorhome with a rear deck. Common on Caravans rare on Motorhomes, especially Off Road ones.
Forum Discussion
(Some) expedition vehicles ONLY have greater ground clearance than a HumVee because they (the expedition vehicles) have larger diameter tires on them than the standard military-issue HumVees do. Most of the expedition vehicle photos I see have good old fashion straight-through solid axles. The HumVee vehicles have a way more advanced and higher ground clearance wheel-drive configuration than solid axles. Put monster tires on a HumVee, then measure the distance between the ground and it's engine pan and it's differentials. Then compare those measurements of a purpose-built expedition vehicle to those of the monster-tired HumVee. I'll bet some eyes would be opened. Large diameter tires can lift a lot of stuff that otherwise would have to be moved up through expensive and/or unique engineering approaches to keep offroad damage and traction-loss to a minium.
Look at vikrv's front profile photo above of a black HumVee - notice no big old differential down there in-line with the center-line of the tires. The differential is way up high so it can't get smashed on rocks.
That yellow HumVee in Robert's photo has straight-through axles - don't know where that came from - maybe an alternate (and less expensive) military configuration. The black HumVee has the high-clearance drive configuration.
I guess I have to measure the distance between the centers of the outer tires of my rear dual sets to prove my point - since no one has yet posted a scale rear view of it against a scale rear view of a high-up expedition vehicle. I'll bet it's NOT narrower than a UniMog monster ... I maintain that it even MAY be wider. Remember that Ford's E450 specs state that it's rear track is 4.5 inches wider than the E350 - so the two chassis ARE NOT the same. For what it's worth in the "strength" department - the E450's frame is also specified by Ford to be of thicker steel stock than the E350. My 11,800 lb., 24 foot Class C is well supported by the overkill ton-and-a-half truck chassis under it ... that's why we wanted a short Class C but on the optional chassis - for the bigger brakes, increased cooling, hydralically boosted power braking, and wider track that you get with the ton-and-a-half Ford chassis. The fender wells have clearance for, probably, at least three tire size diameters larger than what Ford delivers them with. Ours does not drive like a long length, heavy, rental Tioga probably does - ours has a tight, compact, well-braked feel when going level, up, or down - in winds or not. The E450's thicker steel frame also will reduce longitunal torsion twisting of the frame on rutted roads if the Class C coach above it is a small one. This helps keep the coach from being subjected to floor deformation when on uneven surfaces over what the E350 would provide.
I'll admit though, that the toughest road we've had it on to date has only been the valley loop "not recommended for RV's" within Monument Valley. Our Class C was pretty much alone down there with respect to other RVs. It did just fine, by the way ... by driving slow and picking our track carefully ... just like should be done offroad with any vehicle.
Look at vikrv's front profile photo above of a black HumVee - notice no big old differential down there in-line with the center-line of the tires. The differential is way up high so it can't get smashed on rocks.
That yellow HumVee in Robert's photo has straight-through axles - don't know where that came from - maybe an alternate (and less expensive) military configuration. The black HumVee has the high-clearance drive configuration.
I guess I have to measure the distance between the centers of the outer tires of my rear dual sets to prove my point - since no one has yet posted a scale rear view of it against a scale rear view of a high-up expedition vehicle. I'll bet it's NOT narrower than a UniMog monster ... I maintain that it even MAY be wider. Remember that Ford's E450 specs state that it's rear track is 4.5 inches wider than the E350 - so the two chassis ARE NOT the same. For what it's worth in the "strength" department - the E450's frame is also specified by Ford to be of thicker steel stock than the E350. My 11,800 lb., 24 foot Class C is well supported by the overkill ton-and-a-half truck chassis under it ... that's why we wanted a short Class C but on the optional chassis - for the bigger brakes, increased cooling, hydralically boosted power braking, and wider track that you get with the ton-and-a-half Ford chassis. The fender wells have clearance for, probably, at least three tire size diameters larger than what Ford delivers them with. Ours does not drive like a long length, heavy, rental Tioga probably does - ours has a tight, compact, well-braked feel when going level, up, or down - in winds or not. The E450's thicker steel frame also will reduce longitunal torsion twisting of the frame on rutted roads if the Class C coach above it is a small one. This helps keep the coach from being subjected to floor deformation when on uneven surfaces over what the E350 would provide.
I'll admit though, that the toughest road we've had it on to date has only been the valley loop "not recommended for RV's" within Monument Valley. Our Class C was pretty much alone down there with respect to other RVs. It did just fine, by the way ... by driving slow and picking our track carefully ... just like should be done offroad with any vehicle.
