Class C Chassis

[vjswhippet]

I know the debate over Ford vs Chevy in cars .. I'm a Chevy fan .. but I've always been told that for a motorhome that Ford was the better way to go. My little sprinter MH was burned in our barn fire a week ago and I'm finally done crying and have started looking again. I found one I like but it's on a Chevy Chassis. Is it just a myth that Ford is better ? I'd like to hear both sides ... any other day I'd go Chevy but for the weight and handling should I go Ford ?

[FunTwoDrv]

Our Coachmen 28QB is on the GM 4500 chassis. It handles, rides and drives very well. We tow a 4700# Jeep so a little more power would be nice.
All in all, either brand will serve you well and most likely outlive the "house".

Gary

[carringb]

There is no 2020 E-series chassis. They just ran production of the 2019 long, then start 2021 early with a 2 month changeover shut down. The 2021 E-series has the new 7.3L, but carries over the previous doghouse. The 2022 E-series, which starts production early, will have the new doghouse which will take advantage of the smaller motor. I haven’t seen pics yet however.

Reviews from QuadVan indicate the steering feel is vastly improved. I haven’t driven a new one myself yet.

[CharlesinGA]

Chevy chassis will have a lower gross vehicle weight than a Ford, and the cab has more foot room than a Ford, although the new 2020 Ford supposedly has improved foot room over the old ones. I also recall reading that Chevy reintroduced the 4500 chassis, which was discontinued some time back, not absolutely sure on this, I think I read it somewhere. If this is true, the weight issue may be a moot point.

Charles

[PatJ]

I am life-long Chevy guy. My family currently has 4 vehicles, three Chevy with V8 and the RV with Ford V10. My wife and I have owned three RVs since 1996, the first two were Chevy based and our current is a 2019 Thor 23' Class C on Ford chassis we bought new in April 2019. So I am not exclusively brand-loyal but I definitely lean Chevy.

That being said, our Ford V-10 based class C has been fantastic in every way. I am happy to go on and on about how much we love this rig or answer any specific comparison questions if you like. But for now I would like my #1 takeaway for you to be: please do not focus on brand for the sake of brand.

I know Ford went through a pretty major revision in 2016, so the 2016+ rigs are vastly different than the 2016- rigs. Not sure when (if) Chevy did a similar update in their van chassis, but be sure to compare apples to apples. A 2017 E350 would be vastly different than a 2015 E350, for example. Have fun in your search!

[vjswhippet]

all good things to consider .. I am looking for something 28 or shorter. I was hoping I'd hear from the Chevy owners and sounds like for what I want the chevy might be better .. Thanks so much !!

[AJR]

Real sorry to hear about your loss.

I have had first a Ford E350. 28’ Four Winds Chateau and then a Chevy 4500 29’ Coachmen Leprechaun. Both were used. Back in 2014 the Chevy & Ford wheel basis were an inch apart. My current wheelbase is 192”. I know my stock 4500 Chevy behaves better than a modified Ford E350 chassis in cross winds & big rig passing. It was the reason I bought my current camper.

As far as foot or leg room. I can now move my size 12 shoes ninety degrees and stand up in the Chevy and enter the house over a one inch “step”.

Find the layout you know is right and live with the rest.

[ron_dittmer]

It's funny how these discussions go. There are generally so many more "Chevy Is Better" votes on such a topic. I personally would say a Chevy is perfect in a length less than 28 feet. Any longer and I would lean exclusively towards a Ford E450. That does not mean a Ford E350 or E450 are bad in the shorter lengths. It's primarily that the Chevy is more comfortable to drive.

[pianotuna]

So long as chassis parts can be sourced I think it makes little if any difference.

I did run into that problem with my Ford class C diesel.(1987). Parts started to be impossible to source about 2003.

The venerable v-10 has been discontinued. I'd be tempted to choose a v-8.

[IAMICHABOD]

Of course I am a little biased because I own one on a Chevy Chassis but when I was looking for my next RV I test drove more than a dozen RVs of the same model,Fleetwood 26Q.

All on the Ford Chassis,as I said in the Thread I linked, the one on a Chevy Chassis was a much better choice for me.

If I ever decide to buy a replacement for the one I have now I will look for one on a Chevy Chassis.

If you can, I would suggest if you can find the one that would work for you and it is offered on both chassis,try them.

So sorry to hear about your loss of your RV.

Good Luck in your quest for that new RV

[carringb]

For up to 28', the Chevy is fine. Over 28', the Chevy frame can't be stretched as far, so you end up with some really bad length-to-wheelbase issues, and that's why the RV makers just don't offer that size coach on the Chevy anymore. The Chevy cab does have more passenger side foot room, and it got a 6-speed transmission before the Ford did. So... kinda depends on what coach you are looking at, which specific chassis (3500 vs 450 etc) and year.

[mleekamp]

We have the Ford E-450 chassis with the V10. Love it. Would I say Ford has a better chassis/engine? All depends....and your factors may vary.

Bottom line for me is this: Both the GM 6.0L chassis and Ford V10 chassis are good. Ford has made/sold them 100/1 over the Chevy (my guess at the ratio). To me, Ford has done a better job of selling the chassis for commercial/OEM use such as box trucks and RV's.

It seems the GM/Chevy chassis are used on shorter RV's.

Bottom line for me, I do like the Ford chassis and with their investment in the new 7.3L gas engine for the new Ford chassis, it tells me they continue to improve upon it.

Sorry not a specific answer as you may have wanted.

[MDKMDK]

Shame about your prior unit. They're still going strong, many of them.
I think Ford has been the goto for class C and larger gas chassis for some time, so they are probably getting good at it.
I always liked my 2002 Chevy Roadtrek as a van chassis. It was pretty solid, and having owned both, plus a Sprinter, I liked the Ford the least of the three.
Brace for the deluge of opinions, both ways.