โAug-29-2020 05:46 AM
โSep-02-2020 06:17 AM
โSep-01-2020 05:59 PM
Gjac wrote:
what is the difference between the 350 and 450 chassis. Is it just suspension, or is transmission, rear end, and frame upgraded also.
โAug-31-2020 05:13 PM
โAug-31-2020 12:40 PM
P.S. It seems like it's more difficult nowadays to locate all of the E-series detailed specs that were available some years ago when we bought our E450 based Class C. The specs I used to have access to showed E350/E450 differences in such areas as - frame thickness, driveshaft diameter, power brake booster type, spring stiffness, front/rear torsion bars (rear only on E350, both front/rear on E450), differential ring gear diameter, drive axle spline count, etc..
โAug-31-2020 09:31 AM
bobndot wrote:
AFAIK, 350 is not on a WB shorter than 158".
I remember two chassis ratings.
E350 has the same frame as the 14,050 GVWR E450 but the 14,500 GVWR E450 has a heavier frame and I think it uses larger brakes. *Double check on that.
GCWR , 4.56 gears rated at 22,000. Note that 4.56 gears are now standard on the E350 as well starting with 2016 models. Older 350 uses 4.10's.
RE slides: Most of us are one person having slide experience with one rv. If it doesn't give you problems then its fine. But its a ****-shoot., and most of us are peeling off $100k plus to buy these wonderful works of art.
If you had the opportunity to sit inside an rv shop day after day and week after week to witness rvs coming into that shop needing repairs you might rethink the slideout.
If you get a slide model make sure its totally usable with the slide pulled 'in' if it malfunctions.
I would stay away from large or full wall slides. Be sure the slide is small and light enough like a dinette slide, so 'you' are able to push it back in yourself in the event of a binding malfunction where you can't hand-crack it back in.
Don't leave yourself stranded at a dealerships mercy. Be able to use and drive yourself back home or con't on your trip in a 'slide-closed' useful mode.
I like having a 24' non slide floorplan with a full time, non folding, full use bed, bc I pull off the road to sleep a lot and need to be stealth, no slides sticking out making it obvious that 'Hi im here'.
You should take some factory tours, either in person which is really best or on line video tours if you're not able to travel to do that.
See how the slide framework is constructed between an 'A' and a much lighter 'C' rv . There are electric as well as hydraulic slides.
See if the slide motors are hidden and when you need to replace it, do you have to hire a construction crew to remove and replace it. Look for potential hazards in their build . Motors, breakers, electrical, carpet and flooring issues, seals, framework, slide mechanisms like rail adjusters and the general integrity of the wall structure that can break down over time from over the road pounding.
As we become older performing the work ourselves becomes more difficult. We need more and more to rely on shops which are packed. Why are they packed ?
Because rvs are build like tanks ?
โAug-31-2020 06:44 AM
โAug-31-2020 06:31 AM
โAug-31-2020 05:50 AM
โAug-31-2020 03:15 AM
โAug-31-2020 01:48 AM
pnichols wrote:Gjac wrote:
There are two main reasons why I wanted to down size. The first is two front end failures while taking a corner. The first was at 25 mpg getting on an interstate in Ohio. LH ball joint just collapsed. I took about a 2 weeks to get it fixed. It was still a harrowing experience for my wife. After it was fixed I assured her it was as good as new. The shop I used back home told me that the shop in Ohio put the wrong ball joints in so they replaced both sides. The following year in Montana while rounding a curve at 60 mpg the rh ball joint failed, dropped, blew the front tire and we almost flipped over. I had all I could do to hold on to the steering wheel and bring it to a stop. To make matters worse the sparks or hot rubber from the front end or hot tire pieces started a fire in the dry grass and came within 20 ft of the MH before some passer by's helped get it under control before the fire dept came. This was in a remote area of Mt. and we could not find a truck stop to work on a Class A MH. Not many truck stops want to work on Class A MHs anyways. The MH had to be towed 250 miles west to Great Falls Mt because that is the only place the insurance co. could find that would take it. The accident happed in July, we did not get the MH fixed until Nov.so we had to drive back in the snow. That really did it for my wife. Turns out the shop back home put in undersized ball joints twice. All P-30 chassis are not the same( another story). So when my wife thinks about all the mountainous windy roads we traveled out west and a front end failure occurred we would defiantly gone over the edge. So the two main reasons is two accidents one almost fatal the second when you need chassis work on a larger MH in a remote area in the summer time when many folks travel finding a truck stop to work on one can be very difficult. I would much prefer a 30-32 ft Class A with a straight front axle but my wife says 3 strikes and your out.
For onroad handling, stability, and ease of maintenance and repair I recommend a Class C as small as you can tolerate ... and look for it built on a Ford E450 chassis - NOT an E350 chassis. The additional ruggedness and general overall "chassis overkill" of an E450 for a small Class C - that will never be an overloaded chassis regardless of how much stuff you want to pack it with, including full tanks - makes for a great combination that you can trust to take better care of you.
Many folks could not tolerate this, but -> stay away from slides. They just add a level of complexity and structure compromise that is not needed for ultimate coach integrity and reliability mile after mile, season after season. For the maximum coach interior feeling in a slideless short Class C, make sure it's of the "widebody" design style - from 100 inches to 102 inches wide.
Our first new motorhome has been - right from the start - a great fully self-contained little rig that has taken us on trips up to 10 weeks long all over the U.S. and out into the middle of nowhere in the Western U.S. deserts for us to explore and camp (we're rockhounds). We can park it just about anywhere in parking lots and in public campgrounds with tent-size spots if required. It is rock solid stable on the open road on curves and in high cross-winds, but I did have installed Koni FSD (Frequency Selective Damping) shocks in the rear to soften the jolts from highway cracks - due to it's under-loaded E450 chassis.
Our Itasca (Winnebago built) E450 based, widebody, slideless, Class C has all of this in it's 24 foot length:
- Two queen beds (rear corner and cab overhead).
- One full size bed (dinette quickly converted if/when needed).
- Built-in privacy curtains for the rear bed and bathroom, cab overhead bed, and cab area.
- A built-in 4000 watt generator that is quiet enough to be tolerated inside and outside for hours.
- A 13,500 BTU air conditioner, fully ducted throughout the coach.
- A 101 inch wide coach design.
- Non-stock larger diameter tires for more off-highway clearance.
- One swivel/sliding lounge chair.
- Swept up rear coach wall design for a better departure angle on off-road ruts and uphill driveways.
- An 18 gallon propane tank (60-65 lbs. of propane when filled to ~80%).
- A 25,000 BTU furnace, fully ducted throughout the coach.
- 45 gallons of fresh water.
- 39 gallons of black water.
- 29 gallons of grey water (the black and grey tanks can be combined).
- Two 12V Group 31, 115 AH each, deep cycle AGM coach batteries with monitors in the coach and the cab.
- No low hanging coach outside components (all plumbing/electrical items are high up in locked outside cabinets).
- 7 outside steel lined cabinets, with two of them extending cross-wise under the coach floor for long items.
- A good performing propane/electric refrigerator for drycamping with no sun, if necessary.
- A dry bath with a good sized shower, including a double-pane skylight over the shower.
- A solid heavy duty exterior ladder for roof access anywhere, anytime.
- An automatic outside coach step that does not portrude lower than the coach wall when retracted.
- A 158 inch wheel base that even makes possible U-turns on most residential streets.
Here's us camped off a 4x4 road way out there in Death Valley:
โAug-30-2020 05:00 PM
โAug-30-2020 03:00 PM
Gjac wrote:
There are two main reasons why I wanted to down size. The first is two front end failures while taking a corner. The first was at 25 mpg getting on an interstate in Ohio. LH ball joint just collapsed. I took about a 2 weeks to get it fixed. It was still a harrowing experience for my wife. After it was fixed I assured her it was as good as new. The shop I used back home told me that the shop in Ohio put the wrong ball joints in so they replaced both sides. The following year in Montana while rounding a curve at 60 mpg the rh ball joint failed, dropped, blew the front tire and we almost flipped over. I had all I could do to hold on to the steering wheel and bring it to a stop. To make matters worse the sparks or hot rubber from the front end or hot tire pieces started a fire in the dry grass and came within 20 ft of the MH before some passer by's helped get it under control before the fire dept came. This was in a remote area of Mt. and we could not find a truck stop to work on a Class A MH. Not many truck stops want to work on Class A MHs anyways. The MH had to be towed 250 miles west to Great Falls Mt because that is the only place the insurance co. could find that would take it. The accident happed in July, we did not get the MH fixed until Nov.so we had to drive back in the snow. That really did it for my wife. Turns out the shop back home put in undersized ball joints twice. All P-30 chassis are not the same( another story). So when my wife thinks about all the mountainous windy roads we traveled out west and a front end failure occurred we would defiantly gone over the edge. So the two main reasons is two accidents one almost fatal the second when you need chassis work on a larger MH in a remote area in the summer time when many folks travel finding a truck stop to work on one can be very difficult. I would much prefer a 30-32 ft Class A with a straight front axle but my wife says 3 strikes and your out.
โAug-29-2020 08:58 PM
โAug-29-2020 08:48 PM
โAug-29-2020 05:15 PM