2017 Ram 5500 MH

BurbMan wrote:

stevemorris wrote:
so what is the advantages/disadvantages of the pickup vs van front ends
somebody mentioned floor height is the same for the van type

I can see that service and fluid checks would be easier with the "pickup" type

Yes and you get a diesel option in the pickup...

Primarily, it's this:

carringb wrote:
The big problem with the pickup-cab-chassis motorhomes is the floor vs cab height. It's fine if everybody can ride in the cab, but riding in the house is unlike any other motorhome, because the cab is so low you can't see out the front.

I would say that the two biggest advantages of the pickup front end are that you can get an F550 truck but the vans stop with the E450 plus the van is still basically unchanged from 1993 while the truck has been completely redone several times.

Ford did make a very few E550 cab and chassis models for the RV industry back around 2010 and I came across one review by an owner saying that he loved his but Ford quit offering it for some reason.

Another advantage to a truck front end is that it might be lower (though the new trucks are a lot taller than the old ones) and could make the cabover bed both more accessible and roomier.

Four Winds has been offering a Super C on an F550 chassis since 2013. Interestingly, it has a much higher tow rating than a class A of the same size on a Freightliner chassis. That makes it popular for people who want a midsize motor home that can pull a big trailer. If you compare the Four Winds Super C with the Palazzo class A (both made by Thor) the Palazzo has a higher GVWR and curb weight but the Four Winds has the higher GCVWR, giving it over twice the tow capacity.

One thing that I am wondering about is that I understand there are still some repairs to the Ford diesel that require taking the cab off. Taking the cab off on a Super C could be very challenging to say the least.