Class C Specifications

[Scott_M]

We started searching for a new class C as it seems we have outgrown our old one. It seems that manufacturers have started to significantly limit the amount of information that they provide in the specifications. I can find the max gross vehicle weight and max gross combined vehicle weight for the toad, but can not find the dry vehicle weight. I am trying to find out how much payload capacity I end up with after fuel, water, people, etc. I want to make sure I have enough payload capacity remaining to put food in the refrigerator. I have downloaded whatever information is available on the manufacturer's websites without success. Is there some place that I can find this information?

[Atlee]

As noted by another poster, this non publishing of weight info has been done deliberately by each manufacturer. In some cases they do not want the buyer knowing how little CCC is available. In my case, a, 2018 Redhawk 22J, the CCC is 3,858#. Way more than enough for us in our short 24' MH. Jayco can't tout all this capacity in my MH, but remain silent on say a 30 footer built for a family of 4 that might only have a 1000# of CCC.

Scott M wrote:
We started searching for a new class C as it seems we have outgrown our old one. It seems that manufacturers have started to significantly limit the amount of information that they provide in the specifications. I can find the max gross vehicle weight and max gross combined vehicle weight for the toad, but can not find the dry vehicle weight. I am trying to find out how much payload capacity I end up with after fuel, water, people, etc. I want to make sure I have enough payload capacity remaining to put food in the refrigerator. I have downloaded whatever information is available on the manufacturer's websites without success. Is there some place that I can find this information?

[Chum_lee]

ron.dittmer wrote:
I weighed our rig empty with nothing that wasn't bolted down, no people, no water, no waste, but did have a full 55 gallons of fuel and 40 pounds of propane. It weighed in at 9,920.

Loaded up during our heaviest trip, full fresh water, two adults, full fuel, the rig weighed 11480, just 20 pounds shy of the chassis limit.

And it sounds like it worked out just fine. Per the photo in your sig (it's a beautiful rig) have a great trip!

Chum lee

[ron_dittmer]

I weighed our rig empty removing anything that wasn't bolted down, no people, no fresh or waste water, but it did have a full 55 gallons of fuel and full 40 pounds of propane. It weighed in at 9,920. For the record, we don't have a slide out.

Loaded up during our "heaviest trip" full fresh water, two adults, full fuel, etc, the rig weighed 11480, just 20 pounds shy of the chassis limit.

During that "heavy" trip, our rear axle was officially over-loaded by 420 pounds, and our front axle was under-loaded by 1340 pounds.

[bobndot]

The only real way to know is to put it on a scale.

For a general idea. Being most rvs are made from all the same fine quality stuff, they basically weigh about the same, at least in the same dry wt ballpark. Just do your own calculations for specific water tank size and only you know how much stuff you bring along with you to eat up your payload. Don't forget to add the weight of optional EQ.

click the model , scroll down to view weights-payloads


my 2351 model rolls all loaded for a trip and I really load it up with stuff at approx. 12,200-12,500 most of the time. That's about 2000 lb over the dry wt.

[Chum_lee]

IMO, the best way to figure your load carrying capacity is to weigh the unit dry and compare it to the published GVWR. So, . . . . how do you do that if you don't currently own it? Find someone (hopefully with some experience) in a campground (or elsewhere social media, online, etc.) with a similar vehicle to the one you are considering buying (Class, manufacturer, length, slides, engine, etc.) and ask them what their unit weighs empty/dry. If they have been driving it for a while, chances are they will know. It doesn't have to be exact, just being within 300-500 lbs. is good enough for you to decide if the prospective vehicle is right for you. Hopefully that is acceptable to you. Then, if/when you buy your new unit, one of your first stops should be a scale. Now you will KNOW!

IMO, unlike the aviation industry (I'm a pilot) the RV manufacturers do this intentionally so that you WON"T know what your usable load is. Many people buy RV's not realizing their load limitations and find out later, . . . . after the sale. Big surprise/mistake!

For example: My current 30' Class A gasser on a Ford F53 chassis has a GVWR of 18,000 lbs. So. as a new buyer, . . , . as I was driving it home, (for the first time) empty (OK well with a full tank of gas, a full tank of propane, and me, . . . . . at 205 lbs) I stopped by my favorite recycle yard (they know me well) and I asked them to weigh it. Answer: 15,560 lbs. So now I know my usable load. 2,440 lbs. (that's a good number) IMO, in most Class C's, it won't be that much. DON'T DRIVE OVERLOADED!

Chum lee

[Scott_M]

The main reason I am concerned is that a few years ago, payloads were getting close to 600# on some class C models, barely enough for fuel, let alone people and their junk and anything in the tanks. Getting some feedback from the manufacturers now. Odyssey 24B we are looking at is around 2900#. Worst case with all tanks loaded and two people, leaves us about 1100#. We only run with 1/4 fresh water and try and keep gray and black close to empty, so we should have well in excess of any limit.

[Lwiddis]

It is not a "brain" issue. Most new buyers don't care...even most truck buyers don't look at the payload before they buy. But it looks so cool! If so few are interested, why post it?

[jdc1]

My thought is wisdom. Anyone that has a brain won't work in the industry. Therefore, they don't have anyone working in their marketing departments that knows enough to be able to figure out the CCC, GVWR, ect.

[mleekamp]

I too was lacking info when looking at C's a few years ago. I found that the model we were interested in, the best place was on the yellow sticker on the unit itself. Not ideal. Our C dry weight is 11,807lbs (with full propane tank and full fuel tank). It's a 33' C with one slide.

I have the original brocure, both paper and PDF -- it lists basics like grey/black/fresh water tank volumes, basic dimensions. I had a hard time even finding out if we had a 15k or 13.5k AC unit. Strange.