How do Class A rv's handle in snow?

We have traveled in quite a bit of winter weather over the years and recently stopped. We typically used the coach's to be with family for holidays all in the Midwest. The coach always did just fine but I feel like the price is too high. One year it was a frozen pipe, one year was a delay getting home, and frankly I am just not comfortable with winters toll on the coach anymore.

We travel a lot in Winter conditions and have traveled to Upstate NY near Batavia and Albion during Winter. Driving a motor home in those conditions requires a lot of the same caution that you should use with any vehicle. Bridges and overpass can ice up so you do not want to do any turning maneuver, like changing lanes until you are off. Main roads are usually quickly cleared but some secondary roads can take much longer.
Stopping distances will be longer in slush and snow. Traction is usually not a problem but on a steep incline it can be. Tire chains are good to carry and required in some places. We have used ours several times to get in to and out of RV parks. Most major roads are cleared so that is not a problem.
When driving during a blizzard, the biggest problem we had was keeping the windshield clear. With a 4' high windshield and the vents located on the dash, it takes a while for the heat to make it's way to the top. This can cause the ice accumulation to slide down, which may foul your wipers. Add DE-ICE liquid(yellow) to your washer reservoir, NOT just low temp windshield washer fluid. They also make Winter wiper blades that are shielded to prevent ice build up.
The main thing is to drive carefully and slower in ANY conditions that can affect your road traction. We spend 80% of our travel time in Winter conditions out West in the mountains and have never had a problem. If the conditions are so bad that YOU do not feel comfortable, you need to pull over and wait it out.

Not that many years ago we left one day late on our trip to Florida and got caught in a snowstorm in DC. The coach wasn't the problem...it was the locals not using caution for the road conditions. We maintained speeds under 45, for the conditions but idiots were spinning out all over the road. Four hours of white knuckle driving takes the pleasure out of driving. Seriously, the motorhome, with abs, handled perfectly fine. That said, we always try to schedule our trips around bad weather.

I appreciate the suggestion on wiper blades and de-icer washer fluid. I will pass that on to the hubby. That's one thing we hadn't considered.

In my opinion the best way to handle bad weather is to have the flexibility to schedule travels around those days if at all possible. I'm talking about those days when you wouldn't be out there in your daily driver, you shouldn't be out there in your MH either. Even when caught out there on the road you need to be able to layover an extra day if needed. Good Luck!

I have an older Fleetwood MH and am in the same area as you are.
You should be fine with the following caveats;
Heavy Lake effect such as occurs north of Syracuse (your from the area you know what I mean by heavy) = stay home because of white out conditions and someone will run into your rear end

Use a good weather service to plan your trips either Weatherunderground or accuweather as what we have in the Syracuse area is not necessarily what we have around us.

Plan to travel through snow areas non rush hour times as less people in a hurry non rush hour. If you have ever been near the Adams street exits in Syracuse this is what I try to avoid everywhere I go and since I am usually unfamiliar with the area I avoid rush hours

Stay on main roads for a while after a snow storm remember the big arterials are done first then local roads.
Your home will handle fine it is the other people who we worry about

darsben wrote:
I have an older Fleetwood MH and am in the same area as you are.
You should be fine with the following caveats;
Heavy Lake effect such as occurs north of Syracuse (your from the area you know what I mean by heavy) = stay home because of white out conditions and someone will run into your rear end

Use a good weather service to plan your trips either Weatherunderground or accuweather as what we have in the Syracuse area is not necessarily what we have around us.

Plan to travel through snow areas non rush hour times as less people in a hurry non rush hour. If you have ever been near the Adams street exits in Syracuse this is what I try to avoid everywhere I go and since I am usually unfamiliar with the area I avoid rush hours

Stay on main roads for a while after a snow storm remember the big arterials are done first then local roads.
Your home will handle fine it is the other people who we worry about

You are so right, Darsben. We live in the line of fire from Lake Effect storms and white outs. Completely use to that and we do love the snow.

Neither of us are afraid to drive in the snow. Both grew up here and lived our entire lives here. Our only concern was the possible issues of how such a big machine would handle in such conditions.

Trust me, I know how to run into a snow bank. lol. Done that a few times in my driving life. Hubby likes to try and drive through them. Guess who the winner is in that battle? Yup, the snow bank always wins.

The possibility of black ice is always present when near freezing and can hit with little warning. When driving in mid to lower 30's keep an eye on spray fro truck tires when precip present. If the spray stops carefully touch brakes and if no response slowly guide vehicle to the shoulder where at least one side is on gravel. I have seen terrible multiple vehicle accidents from black ice. Otherwise in snow you are heavier which is generally a good thing. Reduce speed and no sudden movements.

How an RV handles in snow. Not that much different from a car Just slow down and if it gets too white and scary.. FIND PARKING.

WIND is a bigger battle.. You have a whole lot of "Sail" there for the wind to blow against, add a slick road and you have a recipe for ... problems.

I have only driven my "A" in snow one time It finally got to the point where I was no longer comfortable doing so so I found parking, next AM at breakfast I was watching the news about how the ditches alongside the freeway were all full of cars... Got back on the now clear and clean freeways and... NEWS WAS TELLING IT LIKE IT IS, starting about a quarter mile past where I got off. Got to my destination, waited for people (Employee type) to arrive, got the work needed done and back south before the next flake fell.

we don't drive in heavy rain or snow. We stop and wait it out. We have camped in snow and ice but stayed put until it melted.