smaller MH with 2+ separate comfy sleeping areas?

[jukes]

considering downsizing. currently have a 2007 30' TT with the Queen bedroom and 2 sets bunks. These days it's usually just 2 adults and a 9 year old, the teenagers aren't so keen. But I've got used to space lol. Plus our 7.3 Excursion tow vehicle is getting old 🙂

Would like a smaller MH, but that can tow our old Boston Wailer boat. Also able to carry 3 or more bicycles.

Also want a separate full or queen bedroom area, plus another twin or full bed that can have a nice mattress (so not a couch pull out etc). The area above the cab is usually pretty small and awkward right???

Plus another bed suitable for a growing 9 year old..

Which MH's have this, good use of space? Best bang for the buck!? Thanks!!

[pnichols]

jukes wrote:

pnichols wrote:

jukes wrote:
Great thanks everyone! pnichols, I am the same as your wife, I take over the comfy rear queen bed, for my bad back and better sleep lol. Hmm. so maybe the one above the cab could suffice for my husband, and dinette for the 9 yr old.. plus some tents just incase the older ones come along...
It's a catch 22, we now want to tow a boat sometimes, but then with a MH won't have a car for easy exploring! Although, I guess we could tow a car when not towing a boat!!
We do a variety of trips, everywhere from Yosemite, to Portland, to Shasta to Los Angeles to Olympic National Park next year we hope, and eventually Alaska!.. a real mix of towns and remote, although now the teens aren't coming we won't do LA in it again..

FWIW, just myself and my wife have traveled on two long trips across the U.S. (one of 9 weeks and one of 10 weeks) in our 24 ft. non-slide Class C and never needed a tow. However, our exploring and sight-seeing was not on remote/narrow forest roads, either, when on these trips.

In the western U.S. we sometimes tow our small fishing boat, and sometimes rockhound explore and boondock camp in the desert ... all with just the Class C. We carry a lot of equipment and tools with us and I have oversize tires on it's Ford E450 chassis to provide more ground clearance.

That's great to know, we were trying to imagine not having a car. some areas we will stay put at campsite but others we'd need a car, but then again a 24' is usually okay to park in most areas I'd assume, although there'd be the hassle of unhooking but then again we don't always need hookups... pros and cons I guess! We rented a 30' class C many years ago when visiting from England, before we lived here, before we'd ever had a TT. Even with that we found parking, bit did borrow a car and hitch a ride a big sur down to the beach area..Do you still have to level out and stabilize a 24' class C? that's a pain with our TT, and it's still a bit wobbly lol

Our 24 ft. Class C is built on a Ford chassis that is rated for a lot more weight than the coach places on it. Hence, the chassis springs are stiff enough such that our coach does not wobble when we walk around inside. It was built on the Ford E450 chassis rather than the Ford E350 chassis that is most often used under small Class C motorhomes. We specifically wanted an E450 chassis under a small motorhome for several reasons. Note that many new small Class C motorhomes are now built on a chassis - Ford E350 or otherwise - that have maximum weight capacities only a few hundred pounds over the weight of the coach structure. This is going to make them somewhat wobbly - due to the weaker springs - and hence require stabilizers when camped.

Regarding leveling, we want our motorhome level when camped for the most comfort when sleeping and for the longest life from our propane powered RV refrigerator. Propane RV refrigerators should be kept pretty level when parked for several hours. For easy leveling of our Class C when parking it, many years ago when the RV was level in a parking lot I mounted stick-on levels in the driver's cab area that indicate side-to-side and front-to-back levelness. At a campsite I just watch these levels and move the motorhome around and if necessary drive onto leveling blocks until these levels show the coach to be level. It's real easy to level the motorhome this way.

We like our "little home on wheels" with us all the time. We don't even put out the awning or get out the BBQ, tables, chairs, etc., unless we're going to be in a campsite for more than overnight. However on trips we don't go into cities much or try to park at trailheads to hike much, so where we do go we can usually park our 24 ft. Class C easily and therefore don't tow another vehicle. Also, we do take it off-road a bit and some of these areas require a small RV.

[jukes]

EMD360 wrote:
We never had a TT. They look comfy but we found them more expensive with the price of a decent truck added and the Class C comes with a truck. But they are noisy. We have rattles in our newer coach and still tracking them down. Our Itasca 22e was actually 22 ft long but it only had the overcab bed and the flip out couch and dinette. Still we got a lot of grandkids and even a second couple into it a few times.
We expanded to a Minnie Winnie 25b this spring and it’s a little over 26’. It has a rear corner bed, a couch and dinette and a huge overcab bed that I reduced to a 3” queen foam topper to make the bedding fit. Some people don’t like sleeping just in the overcab bed but we didn’t mind. We now sleep in the rear corner bed and it’s fine. But many people hate having to crawl over the mattress to make the bed.
We bring the family whenever we can and love the space under the back bed for storage. We take an inflatable boat and trolling motor and camp chairs and tables and a pop up shelter etc. lots of stuff fits in there.
So we are loving the larger RV. We can still fit in most “hang over” spots in parking lots. Even though that was easier with 22’.

The Minnie Winnie layout looks nice... If my husband agrees to sleep in the overhead then it works for me to have the corner bed lol....He's 6' so it looks nice and spacious up there. He'd also want a topper...

[EMD360]

We never had a TT. They look comfy but we found them more expensive with the price of a decent truck added and the Class C comes with a truck. But they are noisy. We have rattles in our newer coach and still tracking them down. Our Itasca 22e was actually 22 ft long but it only had the overcab bed and the flip out couch and dinette. Still we got a lot of grandkids and even a second couple into it a few times.
We expanded to a Minnie Winnie 25b this spring and it’s a little over 26’. It has a rear corner bed, a couch and dinette and a huge overcab bed that I reduced to a 3” queen foam topper to make the bedding fit. Some people don’t like sleeping just in the overcab bed but we didn’t mind. We now sleep in the rear corner bed and it’s fine. But many people hate having to crawl over the mattress to make the bed.
We bring the family whenever we can and love the space under the back bed for storage. We take an inflatable boat and trolling motor and camp chairs and tables and a pop up shelter etc. lots of stuff fits in there.
So we are loving the larger RV. We can still fit in most “hang over” spots in parking lots. Even though that was easier with 22’.

[toedtoes]

With the class C, if you install a level near the driver seat, you only have to get out once - to lay out the levelers. With a trailer, you need to get out to check the level, get in to pull forward, then get out again to lay out the levelers, then get back in to back on the levelers.

It's not a major thing, but it's nice when it's raining.

I have never used stabilizers for my C. It's 21ft and I find the tires are enough to limit movement to my satisfaction. It certainly doesn't do the seesawing that a trailer can do.

If you are really sensitive to movement, you may want to add a couple stabilizers back there.

You can always rent a car if necessary. If you are going into the downtown area of a major city, you will likely have trouble with parking. That's mostly because you will be too tall for parking structures, so will need to find outdoor lots.

You can also get scooters or bicycles for cruising around town. Scooters are nice because you can hop an uber, cab, or bus with it without hassle.

[jukes]

pnichols wrote:

jukes wrote:
Great thanks everyone! pnichols, I am the same as your wife, I take over the comfy rear queen bed, for my bad back and better sleep lol. Hmm. so maybe the one above the cab could suffice for my husband, and dinette for the 9 yr old.. plus some tents just incase the older ones come along...
It's a catch 22, we now want to tow a boat sometimes, but then with a MH won't have a car for easy exploring! Although, I guess we could tow a car when not towing a boat!!
We do a variety of trips, everywhere from Yosemite, to Portland, to Shasta to Los Angeles to Olympic National Park next year we hope, and eventually Alaska!.. a real mix of towns and remote, although now the teens aren't coming we won't do LA in it again..

FWIW, just myself and my wife have traveled on two long trips across the U.S. (one of 9 weeks and one of 10 weeks) in our 24 ft. non-slide Class C and never needed a tow. However, our exploring and sight-seeing was not on remote/narrow forest roads, either, when on these trips.

In the western U.S. we sometimes tow our small fishing boat, and sometimes rockhound explore and boondock camp in the desert ... all with just the Class C. We carry a lot of equipment and tools with us and I have oversize tires on it's Ford E450 chassis to provide more ground clearance.

That's great to know, we were trying to imagine not having a car. some areas we will stay put at campsite but others we'd need a car, but then again a 24' is usually okay to park in most areas I'd assume, although there'd be the hassle of unhooking but then again we don't always need hookups... pros and cons I guess! We rented a 30' class C many years ago when visiting from England, before we lived here, before we'd ever had a TT. Even with that we found parking, bit did borrow a car and hitch a ride a big sur down to the beach area..Do you still have to level out and stabilize a 24' class C? that's a pain with our TT, and it's still a bit wobbly lol

[pnichols]

jukes wrote:
Great thanks everyone! pnichols, I am the same as your wife, I take over the comfy rear queen bed, for my bad back and better sleep lol. Hmm. so maybe the one above the cab could suffice for my husband, and dinette for the 9 yr old.. plus some tents just incase the older ones come along...
It's a catch 22, we now want to tow a boat sometimes, but then with a MH won't have a car for easy exploring! Although, I guess we could tow a car when not towing a boat!!
We do a variety of trips, everywhere from Yosemite, to Portland, to Shasta to Los Angeles to Olympic National Park next year we hope, and eventually Alaska!.. a real mix of towns and remote, although now the teens aren't coming we won't do LA in it again..

FWIW, just myself and my wife have traveled on two long trips across the U.S. (one of 9 weeks and one of 10 weeks) in our 24 ft. non-slide Class C and never needed a tow. However, our exploring and sight-seeing was not on remote/narrow forest roads, either, when on these trips.

In the western U.S. we sometimes tow our small fishing boat, and sometimes rockhound explore and boondock camp in the desert ... all with just the Class C. We carry a lot of equipment and tools with us and I have oversize tires on it's Ford E450 chassis to provide more ground clearance.

[jukes]

Great thanks everyone! pnichols, I am the same as your wife, I take over the comfy rear queen bed, for my bad back and better sleep lol. Hmm. so maybe the one above the cab could suffice for my husband, and dinette for the 9 yr old.. plus some tents just incase the older ones come along...
It's a catch 22, we now want to tow a boat sometimes, but then with a MH won't have a car for easy exploring! Although, I guess we could tow a car when not towing a boat!!
We do a variety of trips, everywhere from Yosemite, to Portland, to Shasta to Los Angeles to Olympic National Park next year we hope, and eventually Alaska!.. a real mix of towns and remote, although now the teens aren't coming we won't do LA in it again..

[pnichols]

jukes wrote:
considering downsizing. currently have a 2007 30' TT with the Queen bedroom and 2 sets bunks. These days it's usually just 2 adults and a 9 year old, the teenagers aren't so keen. But I've got used to space lol. Plus our 7.3 Excursion tow vehicle is getting old 🙂

Would like a smaller MH, but that can tow our old Boston Wailer boat. Also able to carry 3 or more bicycles.

Also want a separate full or queen bedroom area, plus another twin or full bed that can have a nice mattress (so not a couch pull out etc). The area above the cab is usually pretty small and awkward right???

Plus another bed suitable for a growing 9 year old..

Which MH's have this, good use of space? Best bang for the buck!? Thanks!!

Our small motorhome has two full size comfortable queens - the one in the rear that the DW uses so she can sprawl out with her bad back, and the one above the cab that I can still easily use at even my 79 years.

Another adult or smaller can sleep in the full size bed that the dinette conveniently and quickly reconfigures into.

All the above (plus a swiveling/sliding lounge chair) is in our 24 ft. non-slide Class C that can go just about anywhere with no toad required.

[bobndot]

Sorry, I didn't mean for you to check, I meant the OP.

:S :B

[toedtoes]

Sorry, I didn't mean for you to check, I meant the OP.

Unfortunately, RVs are not subject to the same safety standards as automobiles are. That's why class Bs are more expensive - because the entire vehicle is built to automobile safety standards, not just the cab area.

As far as I have been able to find, RV manufacturers do not have to build the house portion of class C, class A, TCs or trailers to any federal or state safety standard. The only "building code" is developed by the RVIA and is only required by its members. And those standards don't address crash safety.

[bobndot]

bobndot wrote:

toedtoes wrote:
I'm not sure with newer MHs, but in the past, seatbelts have often simply been bolted to the plywood base of the dinette and couch seats.

I suggest you lift the cushions and check.

I did. My belts are chassis mounted in a non slide dinette. When I checked, the seatbelts were bolted to metal framework below.


It just sounds so weak to me, I can't believe that rv building codes allow it. Plywood floor as part of the base structure seems more secure than the floor of a moving in/out side. That slide is held in place by a track that's bolted or screwed to the slide framework. It really doesn't take a whole lot to pop a slide 'out'.
To make things worse, wet rotted wood that you are not aware of would weaken that slides frame.
I've been there when one kept going out onto the garage floor in a friends shop. Owner had no idea it was leak damaged rotted wood supporting things.

[bobndot]

toedtoes wrote:
I'm not sure with newer MHs, but in the past, seatbelts have often simply been bolted to the plywood base of the dinette and couch seats.

I suggest you lift the cushions and check.

I did. My belts are chassis mounted in a non slide dinette.


It just sounds so weak to me, I can't believe that rv building codes allow it. Plywood floor as part of the base structure seems more secure than the floor of a moving in/out side. That slide is held in place by a track that's bolted or screwed to the slide framework. It really doesn't take a whole lot to pop a slide 'out'.
To make things worse, wet rotted wood that you are not aware of would weaken that slides frame.
I've been there when one kept going out onto the garage floor in a friends shop. Owner had no idea it was leak damaged rotted wood supporting things.

[valhalla360]

bobndot wrote:
Interesting thought re: seatbelts in a slide being limited.
I always thought the seatbelts were bolted thru to the chassis.
I wonder how what they bolt to in a slide ? The slide floor ??
In a serious accident , a thin walled slide-out would be the last place i would want to be.

Search youtube for "motorhome race"...It's scary how easy the house just disintegrates in any kind of collision...I don't think it will matter what the seatbelt is attached to but no I have never seen them bolted to the chassis.

[toedtoes]

I'm not sure with newer MHs, but in the past, seatbelts have often simply been bolted to the plywood base of the dinette and couch seats.

I suggest you lift the cushions and check.

[bobndot]

Interesting thought re: seatbelts in a slide being limited.
I always thought the seatbelts were bolted thru to the chassis.
I wonder how what they bolt to in a slide ? The slide floor ??
In a serious accident , a thin walled slide-out would be the last place i would want to be.

I forgot to mention securing cabinet doors with HD locks to prevent objects from flying out onto your passengers as well as yourself. You will be riding inside the rv now. You need to protect children in your care.