Does Length Matter?

Tail swing is a killer. If you buy get in touch with http://www.rvschool.com/rvschool/Home.html for a course, they do it right.

bigred1cav wrote:
Tail swing is a killer. If you buy get in touch with http://www.rvschool.com/rvschool/Home.html for a course, they do it right.

He has a point. One must practice, practice,... it may take as long as 2 minutes to become proficient. :R

We went from a 33' gas to a 36' DP to a 40' Dp and I didn't see much difference. We have a tow car and had one with all three coaches. Our usual travel is major roads and private CG, so access hasn't been a big problem with any of them. We love the extra room of 40' and quad sllides, at this time we wouldn't consider going back to a smaller coach.

I went from a 28' to a 34' to a 36' to a 40' and now have a 45'. Backing in and tail swing was the only real difference but going down the road length really doesn't matter when it comes to driving. I think a lot of what people worry about is simply in their heads. Always take your time and don't be in such a rush that you won't get out of the coach and LOOK before you attempt a tight turn, backing in or pulling out. To many guys think it is a "MACHO" thing but you look pretty silly when you back into a tree or hit a pole with tail swing so put the macho aside and be smart.

A 40+ with a tag axle will be more stable than a 40' without a tag.

Our 40' non tag had more tail swing problems then our 45' with a tag. There are more benefits to a longer MH then there are disadvantages.

Going straight down the highway, there is very little difference.
Having several thousands of miles in a Prevost 45' coach, with a tag axle, the tail swing is minimal, but the turning radius is much greater so your maneuverability on city roads, in fueling stations, and RV parks, is much different. A long overhang does affect tail swing but a shorter wheel base usually is more maneuverable because of a shorter turning radius. 90 degree turns, from one road to another, takes a lot more maneuverable room as the coach length increases.

Sure length matters. Your 32' Keystone Everest 293P, pulled by your 2001 Ford F-250 is probably 52 foot long, but it bends where the 40 some foot diesel pusher doesn't bend. But when you put a toad behind it, it bends in a different place than your current rig. The Lazy Days Driver Confidence Course will help you out. And tail swing is not where near as bad as the fire hydrant sitting on the corner.

I cant have anything over 38 feet, my sheds only 40 foot long

Sooner Schooner wrote:
I drove my first motorhome the other day on a test drive, it was a Itasca Meridian 35' diesel pusher. My question is, is there much difference in the feel or the driving of a 40'-45'? I only drove a total of 11 miles and I was being so careful due to being a first timer and I was on I-35 in Texas during rush hour.

Well if you were in the DFW area you didn't have to worry about how “fast” the traffic was going. You will get use to how the RV tracks by watching your mires and not looking to close to the front of the coach.
There are some good tips on YouTube on how to drive how to adjust your mirrors and how to maintain it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGsDl4ougx0
Bill