Purchasing a Class C with questions

[gretchenjack]

I will be purchasing an RV hopefully within the next few months. Questions always pop into my head so here goes...

1. Pros and Cons of jack levelers? Is there maintenance with levelers?
It seems to me if you open a slide and the RV is not level that could be a huge problem.

2. In everyone's experience, what's the best handling Class C around 26' to 31'?

3. Does anyone have experience with a rack in the rear to carry a Vespa and a bicycle? What are the pro's and con's?

4. I am sure everyone asks this question...Gas or Diesel?

[pnichols]

Our 24 foot Class C is on an overkill E450 chassis with frequency-sensitive-damping shocks in the rear, so it doesn't rock or sway when we walk around in it. Stabilization jacks are not required and would only be just one more thing to mess with when making/breaking camp.

We have camped/parked in many off-highway places and in many campgrounds over the years and I can count on one hand the spots that were level enough so as to not require extra work when setting up. Also, we like to keep our Class C's ground clearance at a maximum and things to mess with (or trust to always work) at a minimum. We even have oversize tires on our RV for better ground clearance. We never know where we might wind up wanting to camp, so must be ready for anything.

I made five (5) 3-step leveling blocks out of 2X8 treated lumber, plus we carry additional pieces of treated 2X8 lumber. This makes us ready for the maximum three-point leveling situation of raising of the two rear dual tire sets and one front tire - all by different amounts if necessary using the step blocks and lumber pieces. IMHO ... this is a simple, cheap, and light weight method that will never break. (We also carry a shovel for the worst case scenario of having to dig holes for some of the tires!)

Shortly after buying our RV, I placed a bubble circle level on the floor next to the refrigerator and drove around until the bubble was centered in the circle. While parked there, I then glued a small graduated linear bubble level on the dash in front of the steering wheel and another small graduated linear bubble level on the driver's side door close to the steering wheel - of course carefully glueing them such that both bubbles were exacting centered in these small levels. Ever since doing that, I can now get the floor of the RV level merely by driving back and forth enough to get the bubbles centered in these two small graduated linear levels that I mounted in the cab on the driver's side.

However, we often do not "level" the RV level on purpose. We sometimes want the rear bed such that the head is slightly higher than the foot. When parking in a camping spot, I just jocky back and forth until the level on the driver's side door shows as "one bubble or one-half bubble high" in the rear. Doing leveling adjustments like this couldn't be easier or more reliable!

[suprz]

I have a 2006 Jayco Greyhawk 31ss. Without levelers, we have a small bubble level that we put on the floor in front of the fridge (thats where level really counts) when we pull into a site and that's how we determine level. Not many times have we been so unlevel that we couldnt level the coach using the 2X6's and lego blocks we carry

[ndrorder]

I have a smaller Class C (24' on Chevy chassis).

1) The lego's have worked most places I've been in the desert and mountains following the off-road motorcycle circuit around New Mexico. I looked into levelers for convenience, but don't have the frame space for them unless I give up ground clearance. Ground clearance takes priority where I go. I'm now considering stabilizers on the rear to reduce the bouncy-bouncy.

2) Take some time and test drive the chassis available for your floor plan and decide best riding/driving for yourself. The Ford performance looked best on paper. Sprinter/MB and Transit had better mileage. The salesmen pushed the Ford. I was able to make a definitive decision after test drives and haven't been disappointed yet.

3) I carry a 230 lb motorcycle on an 80 lb rack plugged into the receiver. Yes, I am 10 lbs over the hitch rating. The bicycle hangs off a rack on the ladder. No, I feel no difference in the ride or handling while driving.

4) Gas or diesel is a personal question. I couldn't find a cost/benefit to justify a diesel and didn't like the house built on them.

[maillemaker]

The biggest benefit to leveling jacks is not getting level, though that is nice.

The biggest benefit is that they make the house rock solid stable as it is no longer floating on the RV's suspension. Otherwise, every time someone rolls over in bed at night or gets up to pee the entire RV goes BOINGY BOINGY BOINGY.

Leveling jacks make the house as stable as...a house.

[klutchdust]

Bumpyroad wrote:
levelers, a great addition, well worth the money. if they weigh too much, buy a better RV.
bumpy

I agree. We camp out in the desert and leveling is always required. I stay in the parking lots of racing venues and level areas are not usually available. I travel solo many times and have no one to keep moving blocks while i sit and sip my coffee looking at a level.
I use my slides in my driveway without leveling and have no issues, usually on the return trip when the rig gets a nose to tail cleaning.
Your rig will perform better and be more trouble free if you perform regular and even non-regular maintenance. My step,slides and levelers get lube or cleaning where they need it and they work fine, although not trouble free, I would not be without them.

[Dusty_R]

I glue a round level to the dog house where it is easy to see from the drivers seat.
Often times I just jockey the mo around a little to find a level spot.
If I need to add some boards under the tires, I usually can tell where and how many just by looking at the level.
I use 2x6's and 4x6's. The 4x6's I have cut a 30* angle on one end.
I have been doing this for about 30 years.

[D_E_Bishop]

Desert Captain wrote:
Under the heading of "opinions vary"...

Auto leveler systems are: expensive, problematic and for the most part totally unnecessary... basically a solution for which there is no known problem. :h

Their weight comes right off of your payload {and most Class C's, especially any 26 - 30' + are already short of}. Most sites in CG's and especially RV parks are dead level to begin with. Walk around any CG or RV Park and count the number of folks with auto levelers deployed... that are using leggo blocks or good ole 2 X 6's. :S

Levelers are about as reilable as slides and auto steps {as in not very} and provide little if any benefit in most locations. Oh, did I mention that they are ridiculously expensive? All salesmen highly recommend them as in "You have got to get these..." which tells you a lot about the relative mark up involved.

Other than that {Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?}

Like I said.... Opinions and YMMV.

:C

Wow, that sure is an opinion, abet one I don't think many have. I love my levelers, slides and my steps. Maybe I just camp at the wrong places but there aren't many with the view in my signature photo that are dead level, in fact, the fact that most sites aren't dead level is why we have levelers. We enjoyed our non-slide and levelers rig but they sure make life easier for us.

[mgirardo]

I wouldn't buy another large Class C without them. While we were deciding to buy our previous Class C, a Jayco Greyhawk, I questioned the Dealer about Automatic Levelers, he said in a C this size, you don't need them. Our Greyhawk was 32' long and the first Motorhome we purchased. Now most Greyhawks come with Automatic Levelers.

With the exception of Disney's Fort Wilderness, pretty much all campgrounds we have been to required some leveling. With smaller Class Cs, just maneuvering them around the site might get you level, that worked for us a few times. We camped in a lot of State Parks. A lot of older state parks we have stayed in require lots of leveling.

-Michael

[Bumpyroad]

but captain, I got tired of sitting at the helm of my class A, yelling at the wife out in the rain/mud/etc. trying to slide 2 x 10s under the wheels. I had to keep screaming at her " NO YOUR OTHER LEFT"
bumpy

[Desert_Captain]

Under the heading of "opinions vary"...

Auto leveler systems are: expensive, problematic and for the most part totally unnecessary... basically a solution for which there is no known problem. :h

Their weight comes right off of your payload {and most Class C's, especially any 26 - 30' + are already short of}. Most sites in CG's and especially RV parks are dead level to begin with. Walk around any CG or RV Park and count the number of folks with auto levelers deployed... that are using leggo blocks or good ole 2 X 6's. :S

Levelers are about as reilable as slides and auto steps {as in not very} and provide little if any benefit in most locations. Oh, did I mention that they are ridiculously expensive? All salesmen highly recommend them as in "You have got to get these..." which tells you a lot about the relative mark up involved.

Other than that {Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?}

Like I said.... Opinions and YMMV.

:C

[gretchenjack]

Thanks everyone! Your replies are extremely helpful. Bringing up things I would not have given thought too!

Please keep your thoughts coming my way.

[Bumpyroad]

levelers, a great addition, well worth the money. if they weigh too much, buy a better RV.
bumpy

[klutchdust]

I have this on the back of my 30ft. Cambria with a Honda Ruckus on it. Easy to load and remove, with 75PSI in the air bags there is no bouncing. I forget it's on there.

Bike has a curb weight of 194 LB with a full tank of fuel. Purchased the carrier on E-Bay, I fabricate stuff and I couldn't build it for what I paid plus they are decent quality. I made some minor alterations because the bike has short fat tires. I tossed the ramp that came with it and use a longer board with an aluminum angle bolted on, again because of the short fat tires.

[DrewE]

Carrying a bicycle, no problem at all.

Carrying a Vespa does add a good bit of weight at the very back of the RV, which will cause some weight shift to the back axle as well as loading the back axle with its own weight. (Another way of putting this is that the RV acts as a lever.) If you are near the weight limit on the rear axle, and that's not entirely uncommon, it could be a bit of a problem. Also often the hitches are somewhat limited in the tongue weight they can support. All that being said, it's certainly possible in many cases to carry a scooter on the back without undue difficulty.

Built-in levelers are handy but a relatively heavy option. I don't know that they are any more maintenance intensive than anything on an RV. I don't have them, and I suspect the majority of class C RVs do not have them either. Generally, operating the slides when you're a bit out of level is not a big concern or problem; indeed, some RV makers say to level after extending the slides.

As kerrioakeRoo mentions, gas is better in most cases because such units actually exist. The Ford V10 (and also the Chevy V8) is a good, reliable powerplant, and entirely capable of getting the motorhome anywhere you'd want to go. The V10 in particular revs high for a truck engine, which some do not care for, but if you let it loose it has decent power and will run at speed all day. No RV is going to get great fuel mileage, though diesels tend to be a bit better in that regard, partly because diesel fuel has more energy per unit volume than gasoline.

It's hard for me to say what the best handling RV is; there are many variables, such as suspension setup and weight and balance, that have a significant impact on handling. Mine does handle decently well; but naturally it's no sports car nor SUV. It's a big, tall, wide vehicle which doesn't turn very tightly, accelerate suddenly, or stop instantaneously. It does cruise at a reasonable speed, go around curves, and will stop reasonably quickly if required in an emergency.

[lhenry8113]

We just purchased a used 2017 Forest River, 8000 miles on it, Forester LE, Model 2251, from Dennis Dillon Rv in Westminster, Ca-Patrick McGonigle was salesperson-good guy. It is on Chevy truck 4500 frame-6.0 gas engine. Wanted Chevy cause general opinion seemed to be Chev. was more comfortable and had more leg/foot room. Also, like the 55 gal. gas tank. Just my wife and I, so enough room for 2 and easy on maneuvering. We are currently in McAllen, Tx. about 1700 miles from Orange County w/no problems. Don't have jack levelers--haven't needed any leveling so far-if we do the leveling blocks will do. Rv came with rear hitch receiver and plug outet. Bike are lite-Vespa would be heavier and probably more difficult to put on rack-also, to lock down-get a lot of bouncing in the rear. Good Luck, Lars