Truck vs van chassis?

rjstractor wrote:
One possible issue with the truck chassis is major engine work. On the F series the cab is usually removed for major engine work- like pulling a head, etc. It's unlikely this kind of work would have to be done, but I'm a little curious how it would work to pull the cab on a class C motorhome.

Provan / Tiger Vehicles started offering the F-series Ford about 5 years ago, and still does. According to folks on the Tiger owners yahoo group who were supposedly quoting official Ford info, cab removal is just the preferred method of doing some repairs. Supposedly Ford allows and will cover under warranty the extra time for doing such jobs via the hood & underneath, and all repairs _can_ be done that way. I suppose once it's out of warranty, you'd have some extra labor time to pay for.

But I'd still strongly suggest checking with Ford on this before
buying.


Jim, "Dying with an empty inbox is not the goal!"

rjstractor wrote:
One possible issue with the truck chassis is major engine work. On the F series the cab is usually removed for major engine work- like pulling a head, etc. It's unlikely this kind of work would have to be done, but I'm a little curious how it would work to pull the cab on a class C motorhome.

I was thinking the same thing, but I'm not sure if that applied only to the diesel engine, or if it applied to the gas engine F series as well? I remember a few years back, Ford was having issues with their diesel engines in the F series and that cab removal was happening on way too many vehicles.

Go with the E450 chassis if you care about overall size of your Class C.

A lot of folks don't care about that, as they primarily camp only in established campgrounds with enough room for RVs. However, that kindof goes against four wheel drive ... a 4X4 is "in it's glory" when offroad not anywhere near established campgrounds ... but out in the middle of nowhere is where the compactness of an RV is high priority.

IMHO, if you go for a Class C on a truck chassis keep the coach area as short/small as possible to help compensate for the long truck hood sticking out in front and it's overall long wheelbase. Just as a reminder, offroad use is enhanced with a short overall vehicle wheelbase so as to reduce hangups on bumpy ground.

F series..More metal in front of you in frontal accident.

One possible issue with the truck chassis is major engine work. On the F series the cab is usually removed for major engine work- like pulling a head, etc. It's unlikely this kind of work would have to be done, but I'm a little curious how it would work to pull the cab on a class C motorhome.

Mich F wrote:
If they're looking at Fords with the V10 engine, the F series has more horsepower and torque than the E series.

That may be but my E-450 V-10 has plenty of power and I do a lot of mountain driving.

We have a class C on a F450 truck chassis. The option to order the truck with 4 wheel drive was a big deal for us. We don't use it a lot and we definitely can not go off roading like with a jeep or expedition vehicle but it's great to have. We don't worry much about getting stuck and can boondock with ease. The 4 wheel drive option on a truck chassis is about $1,000. After market on a van chassis runs between $10,000 - $20,000.

The truck chassis is very stable. It also has a heavier suspension, ball joints, tie roads, etc. and is rated at 16,500 GVW verses 14,500 for a van.

The power is probably about the same because it uses the same engine. Gas mileage might be slightly less with the truck because it weights a little more.

Maintenance is the same but it's easier to work on because there isn't a doghouse between the seats. All work is done outside the vehicle. Lack of a doghouse also keeps the cab area cooler and gives the passenger more foot room. It's easier to move from the cab to the living area of the motorhome.

The only disadvantages are that it's slightly longer than a van chassis RV and the ride may be a little harsher.

The front seats in my Chevy Silverado Tiger do not swivel around to face into the living space, and there's no way it can be modified to do so. This may be different on an extended cab or a different brand. So my front seats are mostly useful for storage when parked. As stated, longer for the same coach length. There are probably some differences in relative floor heights between coach and cab that may carry over to vertical overcab clearance as well. My 'pass thru' is a bit snug vertically; I'd favor a lift-up flap in the mattress over the cab, but not at the expense of cab structural integrity.

Positives... a _hugely_ more comfortable cab seating position, seats, and legroom! This is even compared to the relatively good Chevy van. More crumple zone in a head-on. Mine drives superbly with zero response to truck wind, but the Chevy van chassis is pretty much the same. It's been decades since I drove a Ford truck, so I can't really compare there. Easier engine access for maintenance, but I did change the spark plugs in my old Dodge van class B from inside; a big plus in winter or rain.

Jim, "A good scapegoat is almost as good as a solution."

The truck has much more leg room than the van chassis

If they're looking at Fords with the V10 engine, the F series has more horsepower and torque than the E series.