Chevrolet Based Class C *UPDATED AGAIN*

[IAMICHABOD]

I do not want to start a war or a bunch of flaming, but I have to ask. What are the problems with a Chevrolet Based Class C? Other than they are hard to find. They are easier to find now

I have read a lot the posts about the Ford based Class C over the last year. They seem to be the majority of the ones out there.

It seems that the Fords have problems with the front suspension and are plagued with handling problems that are costly to fix and have to be worked on a lot. I have not seen any posts about these problems on a Chevy Based Class C.

The noise and heat that is generated by the Fords seems to be a factor especially on the passenger side. I drove several of the same type that I bought, all on Ford chassis, and I really noticed the noise and heat and handling differences of the two.

The power and pulling and GVWR seem to be very close from what I have read by authors that have had both, also the fuel mileage seems to be close.

One thing that the Chevy has over the Fords is the Leg room up front. If you’re tall like me at 6’6’’ 225 then you need that room.

As an added bonus you can install a
Swivel Seat that cannot be added on most Fords, Giving you even more room in the RV.

So give it to me guys. Where are the problems? What do I have to look out for?

So far no problems at all, drives straight with no expensive add-ons to the suspension, rides really smooth for what it is, it is quiet and cool up front with plenty of leg room. Plenty of power when needed and gets looks from other Class C owners.

As a disclaimer, I bought a 2006 Chevy based Tioga Class C 26Q, I test drove about a dozen or more of the same or similar types all on Ford Chassis and just one test drive in a Chevy based one and I was sold.

UPDATE is on page 16 :B

*NEWEST UPDATE* Is on page 20

[CatchinBluegill]

IAMICHABOD wrote:

I took it to my trusted mechanic of 20 years, an RVer himself and he specializes in them.

Who's your mechanic? It sticks in my mind for some reason that you're in or near San Diego, as am I (near Mission Valley). Does he also work on class A motorhomes?

Thanks!

[loneryder]

My 15 Ford 350 chassis did require constant correction. For a little over $200 I had a front end mechanic change the castor. I then had it weighed and adjusted the air pressure (lowered) and it handles fine now. The V-10 engine has a great reputation and is preferred by tow truck operators over diesels. Pretty much bullet proof.

[IAMICHABOD]

coolmom42 wrote:

Good job on the preventive maintenance. An investment that will save you some $$ and hassle down the road, for sure.

What did the mechanic do to the fuel injection system? Just curious.

A chemical is introduced into the throttle body that will clean out the carbon in it and
deposits accumulated on intake valves, injectors, ports, fuel injectors and combustion chambers causing loss of power, rough idle and correct balance of fuel and air in system.

Allowing for better fuel flow into the combustion chamber, which will get better fuel mileage and reduced emissions.

This was done at about the 50000 mile mark so I thought it was time to have it done again.It is just good preventive maintenance.

It does run better with better acceleration and fuel mileage.

[coolmom42]

IAMICHABOD wrote:
Op here, I was going to put this in the “What did you do to your Class C MH today “ thread but thought that it would be more informative to all of us owners of Chevy Based Class C.

After I had changed my oil and filter and air filter I decided to take it in for that 100,000 mile checkup, a little past but it was time.

I took it to my trusted mechanic of 20 years, an RVer himself and he specializes in them. I told him to check out everything. It was good that I had a detailed service copy of everything that had been done with the mileage and dates that El Monte RV had given me when I bought it. We went over that and he did a check of everything plus what it was time for, like my Smog Check.

So here is what was done. Trans flush and refill, new plugs and plug wire set. The cooling system was checked and coolant was replaced, it was time, Fuel induction system service, and the serpentine belts were replaced, full lube job. While it was up on the rack I had him check the brake hoses, they found that one was soft so I had them all replaced along with the fluid, a very good idea on a rig at this age and mileage.

They did find a small leak on the transmission tail shaft seal and it was replaced. Everything else checked out just fine.
It seems to stop better with a firmer pedal, and has much more pep. Can’t wait for the next fill-up to check MPG.

So I guess that I am ready for that next 100,000 miles.

Good job on the preventive maintenance. An investment that will save you some $$ and hassle down the road, for sure.

What did the mechanic do to the fuel injection system? Just curious.

[IAMICHABOD]

Op here, I was going to put this in the “What did you do to your Class C MH today “ thread but thought that it would be more informative to all of us owners of Chevy Based Class C.

After I had changed my oil and filter and air filter I decided to take it in for that 100,000 mile checkup, a little past but it was time.

I took it to my trusted mechanic of 20 years, an RVer himself and he specializes in them. I told him to check out everything. It was good that I had a detailed service copy of everything that had been done with the mileage and dates that El Monte RV had given me when I bought it. We went over that and he did a check of everything plus what it was time for, like my Smog Check.

So here is what was done. Trans flush and refill, new plugs and plug wire set. The cooling system was checked and coolant was replaced, it was time, Fuel induction system service, and the serpentine belts were replaced, full lube job. While it was up on the rack I had him check the brake hoses, they found that one was soft so I had them all replaced along with the fluid, a very good idea on a rig at this age and mileage.

They did find a small leak on the transmission tail shaft seal and it was replaced. Everything else checked out just fine.
It seems to stop better with a firmer pedal, and has much more pep. Can’t wait for the next fill-up to check MPG.

So I guess that I am ready for that next 100,000 miles.

[jetmechtm]

I own a 2007 Jamboree 24d on a Chevy 3500 Chassis. I love it and am glad I took my time and waited until I found what I really wanted. I drive a 25 pax churchbus that is 24 ft long and on a E450 chassis. I hate driving it on the freeway. It wanders and don't let a big charter bus or speeding 18 wheeler come by. My Jamboree/Chevy is far superior, quieter, roomier (in the cab) and much more comfortable.

[bagman]

Actually, we are quite pleased with it! Our GMC 4500 Cube/Box van with 17' NBC Supreme body has been averaging 10.3 MPG making deliveries of plastic bags (heavy) in the metro-Detroit area, which includes Wayne, Oakland, & McComb counties and every day it is a lot of stop & go driving (traffic lights) and making 7 to 11 deliveries/day, which means stopping the truck, unloading the product, starting the engine back up again, and on to the next delivery/stop and repeating this process over and over again. Therefore, to me 10.3 MPG is not too bad under these conditions. Now one day next week, we will deliver 6-8 skids of product to a customer 105 miles away in Michigan's "Thumb" Snover, Mich. and half of the trip, we'll be able to use cruise control. I'm very curious to see what kind of fuel economy the new GMC w/6.0 V-8 achieves on this trip!. I still need to have our driver take some pics and post them up here. Yesterday his newly born daughter was in critical care in Childrens Hosp. in Detroit and I had to drive the new truck and quite frankly it was a smooth ride and a pleasure to drive! Bags.

[IAMICHABOD]

bagman wrote:
I started a tread last night about a new GMC 4500 Cube/box van I bought yesterday. Empty, it rides like a Cadillac and within a week, we will be filling up the 17' body/box with about 6,500 lbs. of plastic bags and drive 105 miles up to Snover, Mi. in the Mich. "Thumb!" I'll give you a full report on how our new GMC handles this 210 mile round trip loaded to the max with the GM 6.0 V-8 engine. Bags.

WELL how did it go??? With all that weight.Inquiring minds gotta know :B

[bagman]

I started a tread last night about a new GMC 4500 Cube/box van I bought yesterday. Empty, it rides like a Cadillac and within a week, we will be filling up the 17' body/box with about 6,500 lbs. of plastic bags and drive 105 miles up to Snover, Mi. in the Mich. "Thumb!" I'll give you a full report on how our new GMC handles this 210 mile round trip loaded to the max with the GM 6.0 V-8 engine. Bags.

[bagman]

We rent Penske Box vans on a regular basis and our deliver guy (driver) prefers the GMC (same as Chevy) Box Vans vs the Ford because they have a more compliant ride and use less gas. Bags.

[toymaker10]

I have the 2014 Chevy 4500 in a 2015 Forester 2252sl.I road tested a Thor Chateau with the Ford and didn't like it for all the reasons mentioned. I had the recall and took it to a local Chevy dealer and it took about an hour. I get 9.7 miles to the gallon without a toad running 65-70 mph. I had Koni FSD rear shocks installed and I'm having the fronts installed next week. CI just came out with a deal 4 for the price of 3, I missed out.

[CatchinBluegill]

New to the site, first-time post. I just read all 20 pages of this thread 🙂

When I was a kid, my family had a 22-foot Tioga bunkhouse (Dodge chassis, 440), and I took turns at the wheel when I got my license. After my brother and I were out of high school and not vacationing with our parents anymore, they sold it and were out of RVing for a while, then later got a small Pace Arrow class A that they used for some years.

Wanting to show my kids how great RVing is, we rented a 31' Jamboree from El Monte in June and hit the road for a week, and I got to take my dad on a road trip the way he used to take me. The kids mostly liked it, but my wife (a first time RVer and not a good road traveler) said that if we do it again, leave her home with her garden. I'm pretty sure she'll never even set foot in one again lol.

Anyway, the Jamboree was built on the Ford E450, and I got used to the handling, but never liked it. It porpoised easily, and the slightest variation in the pavement would really turn the wheel; ditto for sudden gusts, the "bow wave" when passing semis, etc. I was constantly borrowing from Yakov Smirnov and saying, "In Soviet Russia, motorhome drive YOU!" because it really felt like that.

On the upside, low-speed handling was good, and I was pretty happy with the power of the Ford V-10. Even with 6 passengers and our gear, I only dropped below 60 on the steepest parts of the Buckman Springs Grade (I-8, east of San Diego) on the last leg of the return trip.

I liked RVing as much as I did when I was a kid, and will find some way to get my wife to agree to buy one 🙂

The info about Chevy-based motorhomes in this thread has been very informative, and I now would like to drive one. Will certainly do so before buying. I'll rent at least one more time before then, too, and will try to specify a Chevy, although in terms of used vehicles, a Tioga 28T looks like it would fit our needs pretty well among non-bunkhouse model, and I have yet to see one on a Chevy chassis in the rental fleets. That the Ford is rated to pull a 5000 pound toad and the Chevy only goes up to 3500 is a plus for the Ford, and while the 6.0 Vortec is a pretty capable engine, I've got to wonder how it would do in a 28-foot motorhome hauling a toad that could seat 6 on steep western grades.

Would also consider a small (~34 feet) class A if it was a bunkhouse model. Whatever it has, it has to legitimately sleep 5 (myself, dad, my three kids) and who knows? Maybe my wife will join us again some day 😉

Thanks again for all the info on the merits of Ford Vs. Chevy chassis. Sadly, it seems my beloved Dodge isn't in the class C chassis market at all, so I'll be sleeping with the enemy no matter what 😉

[IAMICHABOD]

While looking at the Class B Forum I found a Thread that may be of interest to all the owners of Class Cs that are built on the Chevy Express Chassis.

Nice to know these things.Good Information on the thread, with a little Hyperbole thrown in.:R

Chevrolet Letter Of Possible Defected Fuel Pump

[rjstractor]

Snowman9000 wrote:
Re that bulletin, I would think it would apply to a Class C whether towing or not. It's not clear.

I would think so too, since a motorhome is usually relatively close to its GVWR and is a high profile vehicle. Pulling a toad adds relatively little extra stress on the drivetrain.

[Snowman9000]

Re that bulletin, I would think it would apply to a Class C whether towing or not. It's not clear.

We are getting ready to go on a 5000 mile trip to AZ and back, and I am not taking it in beforehand. We aren't towing. But when I get back, I'll check into it. I'm concerned they will alter the performance. I could spare some HP, but I'd hate to lose any gas mileage. If they detune the power, though, I think mileage will suffer along with it. I am hoping to find more about this before I submit. 🙂