used class c

You really have to be aware of tail swing when you have bought gas and then have to make a tight right turn to get out. Especially if you are towing a car, you can't back up.

Tail swing is when the tail end of the RV swings out beyond the turning radius of the turn. The more length behind the rear axle, the greater the tail swing. Some Class C RVs have the longer wheelbase between the axles and a lot of them just add on extra length behind the rear axle. That means you have to extra diligent when making a turn, especially a sharp one. You need to watch your mirrors very closely, especially when in tight quarters like a gas station or a sharp turn. The rearmost portion of the vehicle can actually go outside your lane into the next lane as you make a turn.

My retirement job was a school bus driver. Every year when you were assigned a bus, senior drivers always looked for buses that had the least overhang behind the rear axle for this reason.

All rigs over 25 feet have some tail swing to consider in gas stations, etc. Driving and maneuvering a Class C requires some practice, careful use of mirrors and someone getting out and signaling to driver to avoid obstacles, overhanging tree limbs, etc. Making a turn too sharp on city streets can cause you to jump over a curb. Make sure that TV antenna is retracted before leaving a camp spot. Use mirrors very carefully when changing lanes or trying to get over to an off-ramp. Use a GPS to plan ahead for merges and off ramps. Watch for motorcycles and small cars in your right hand blind spot before changing lanes. Better to miss an off ramp than to risk an unsafe lane change. Don't drive with tires older than five years old by date codes . RV tires go bad parked and may look like new but be ready to come apart. Flailing steel belts can ruin tanks, wiring and propane lines under the RV. You could also lose control with a tire failure. Brake fluid should be flushed and changed every couple of years too avoid loss of braking on grades, have brakes and engine cooling system checked and serviced as needed. Get to know the 12 volt electrical system, RV generator operation, and roof AC start up and shut down procedures. Read "stickies" at the top of this forum.

tnrv'er wrote:
Ok some good input that i didnt consider. Having the room behind the passenger seat to recline it would be an issue for my wife if she couldnt recline the seat.

Tell me more about the handling "tail swing" on the larger coaches. At what length does that issue become noticeable?

In the Winnie 29b the dinette is behind the pass seat and the back of the dinette seat is hinged to flip in allowing the pass to recline which my DW did. I'm over 6'1" and with the slide in behind the drivers seat I was comfortable, would have been nice to have another notch of recline. Tail swing was not a problem in normal driving, just had to watch rear in mirrors when pulling in and out of gas stations. I found that if I kept at least 3' from the pumps it made it easier. In my opinion I don't think Class Cs should be built over 30'. Dick Former 2004 Winnebago Minnie 29B owner

Ok some good input that i didnt consider. Having the room behind the passenger seat to recline it would be an issue for my wife if she couldnt recline the seat.

Tell me more about the handling "tail swing" on the larger coaches. At what length does that issue become noticeable?

It helps to use two sleeping bags zipped together in lieu of making the rear queen bed and struggling with the bed cover provided. Rigs with a small bedroom slide can have fore and aft bed with access on both sides.

I know a lot of folks don't like a corner bed but here is something to consider. A Class C is always a trade-off of some sort. If you want a shorter Class C (under 27') a walk around queen bed is almost impossible to find. If you want a sofa or sitting chair, the room has to come from somewhere as you have a very limited space to work with. If you want a walk around Queen with a sofa and a slide or two. You can get them but you are looking at a bigger rig. With the bigger rig come tail swing and more handling issues. Yes they can be addressed but it is a trade-off for having more space.

In our rig it isn't easy when one of us needs to get up in the night but not impossible or really even a hardship even though we are both in our 60's. Things we looked for were a rig with a comfortable driving position (room behind the driver's seat), lots of windows for light, (including windows on the sides of the slideout, and comfortable seating inside for those rainy Great Northwet camping excursions. We didn't want a leaky overhead bed, and we wanted something on the shorter side for maneuverability. We also wanted a fiberglass roof. We got all that but we did have to compromise on the corner bed. We also had a budget to work within which drove some choices. We had to compromise on a smaller bathroom which doesn't have much room for a big guy on the toilet. But we manage. That's the wonderful thing about Class Cs, they make one for almost every need. It's up to you to decide what's important to you.

Forgot to mention something else we have found very important...try to avoid any class c that has a slide or couch directly behind the front passenger seat. The seat may feel comfortable when you are looking at the coach but not being able to slide the seat back much or give it a little recline is very tiring on a long drive. If there is a slide that's out while in the dealer's lot you might not notice this deficiency.

AJR wrote:
The cab-over bed makes a great storage area. If you have a scoot around queen bed in the back.

Very true. I made a little fence around mine and carpeted it. We don't store heavy things in it, but it's always pretty full.

The cab-over bed makes a great storage area. If you have a scoot around queen bed in the back.