All ActivityMost RecentMost LikesSolutionsRe: Adventure suspension class Cagreed, but do you think no amount of helper springs or sway bars would help? Would rigging one to the front bumper and one to the rear be a better move? The bike are critical to success for a lot of reasons; as a secondary form of transportation in case of emergencies or high population areas but also to explore terrain that would otherwise be inaccessibleRe: Adventure suspension class CI agree with all the statements here. I should clarify the reasons for the small RV instead of a panel van 4x4 conversion or a pickup truck. 2 guys, who will not be sleeping together, and one big Labrador. I may have made it sound like a solo journey which is not the case. As for the budget I dont think im too far off, but I would love to be corrected on that. yesterday I found a set of bilsteins for E350 motorhome for $400 a set. Combine that with heavy duty rubber bump stops and load balancers and maybe a new set of rear leaf springs and im still well under 2k. this wont give me any extra clearance but it will provide a much more robust ride. Im also lookign mounting a dual dirtbike ramp rack on the back of the home. This poses alot of other issues. Mainly support in the rear of the RV. Wet weight of 2 bikes would be around 850 lbs. that doesn't seem impossible to me. they mount that much to a trailer hitch all the time. I have seen rear spring helpers that could be installed to mitigate the extra weight Interesting point made about the rear wheels and being able to gain clearance. Would you be able to do a "body lift" and insert metal beams to essentially raise the house part up? that could be an easy way to gain some extra room.Re: Adventure suspension class CIm not too worried about the motor in any of the Rvs. Usually they are american made old school carborated motors. Ensure the mainseal is good before buying it; replace the carb, plugs, fuel filter an dpump, and all electronic sensors. and in my mind you really cant have a more reliable motor for mexico after that. Parts for older american motors are found aplenty down there as well. Would probably replace the trans just to be sure. That why my biggest concern is the suspension.Re: Adventure suspension class CTotal budget after the rv is purchased approximately 10k inside and out, however that can flex a good bit, especially as the go date arrives closer. I have found these folks who do 4WD conversions on E350 vans. http://www.ujointoffroad.com/4wdparts.html I dont think 4wd is necessary. I dont intend to offroad an rv, just drive terrible roads. It could be that due to the terrain it may be a requirement.Adventure suspension class CHi everyone new to the forum. New to RV life. Looking to get a lot of advice. Instead of posting one huge post about everything I have questions ill divide my posts up about a week at a time as to not overload :) The short synopsis. Traveling IT consultant at the end of my ropes. Tired of the rat race and need adventure. Looking at class C rvs because of size( less than 25 feet) and the relative cost of buying a used say e350, dodge 22, chevy van RV. I feel I can find a deal for around 2-4k. Of course this deal will need lots of work for what Im planning; PANAMERICAN HIGHWAY (starting at mexico, dont care to travel canada, alaska). My first concerns are the type of roads and terrain I will encounter. there will be many times that I take a side road or a dirt road just because, or I may be trying to get to a remote beach town that is 50 kilometers of dirt road away. Either way the suspension and tires must be upgraded to take extra strain. I am an automotive enthusiast and part time dirt track driver so I know a fair bit about off road suspensions and motoring. What I dont know is what you can bolt underneath an RV to improve comfort, suspension travel, and increase reliability in places that reliability could be critical to survival. I dont need a busted control arm in the middle of nowhere. So are there upgraded parts that I can find? Or can I do crazy stuff like take a front end out of a chevy 3500 truck and put on an older chevy RV? What about the rear of the vehicle? what does the typical setup looklike? leafsprings? what can i do back there to improve load capicty as well? Any suspension advice is appreciated. Purchase date of the RV is August 15th so I suggestions/arguments on what the best older small RV to (for lack of a better term) 'mod' out and take to beast mode are appreciated as well.