Motorhome Class A or C

[hammertime]

Been looking at motorhomes and had a few questions

Looking at a Class A's and Class C's

My questions
What is max over hang from tires back you suggest for pulling 30ft enclosed trailer ?

Why a Class A over a Class C ?

What kinda gas mileage should I be thinking to get with a
Class A
454-
460
V10

Class C
454
460
V10

I was thinking a class A would pull a trailer better but then was thinking the class C may have more power (and better gas mileage) being a little smaller. Wifey likes the Class C because A is to big but would like to show her the plus and neg of both.


This is a local one I am looking at
http://www.haylettnorthcountry.com/rv/damon/classagas/493.htm
thanks

[JimmySmith]

David I pull a 26' Pace with 3000 lb car and gas golf cart and more tools and spares than most local racers. MH is 33' Winnebago 454 Inj not real big hills and it does OK but with 13.5' overhang you have to stay on your toes driving and gets bout 7MPG. Later J.Smith 4621 racing

[RonOwensRacing]

Dave I have towed with both .
with a 30 foot trailer the less over hang on the back the better but they are not bad if you use the stabilizer bars the mileage will not be a lot of difference with either engine really .
But let me give you a little bit of a advantage right now I do a lot of buying and selling for a large car dealer and a auto auction and don't just go to a dealer and buy a motor home and let them tell you how good of a deal they are giving you there is a lot of motor homes at the auctions now from repos and dealers trying to get rid of them and they are cheap now.
for perfect example last Thursday they was a 99 winnebago road master 32 foot with 24k miles on it with a 454 sold for 8500.00 dollars and a 98 ford cruise liner with 27K on it with a V-10 and it sold for 11.200.00 they are really cheap right now that market is really struggling now and around here we have a lot of motor home dealers that would love to sell one .
hope this helps and good hunting. Ron

[qtrmile2]

When I bought my RV I test drove a gas and Diesel . When I drove the diesel the air ride suspension sold me. Plus the diesel power to tow an enclosed trailer. I get 7 to 9 miles to the gallon with the diesel. My enclosed trailer is 32' with a 5' tounge which is important for clearance when turning. My RV is 37'. You'll be happy with a class A or C but my choice for the extra room and the fact you can put alot more miles on a diesel is a Class A. That's important to me because I don't think I will ever sell it. I also haul a 3400 lb car, alot of tools, cabinets full of parts and a golf cart. Alot of great deals out there so spend alot of time looking. It took me 3 months. What ever you buy you'll love it and wish you did it a long time ago. It's great comfort at the track and vacations.

[3dracing]

I used to have one just like that, traded in on a pusher. I pulled a 28 foot trailer and sometimes the rear bins would unlatch when you hit a big bump. They wouldn't fly open but people would pull up beside us and wave to say the bins were not latched. You will need to beef up the hitch on it.

[TheRabbit]

Either will pull fine, but get a trailer toad and it will make a big difference how much better they haul.

http://www.racingjunk.com/category/110/RVs_and_Motorhomes/post/1610069/Trailer-Toad-for-2-500.00-plus-shipping-.html

[kod99]

Been looking at motorhomes and had a few questions

Looking at a Class A's and Class C's

My questions
What is max over hang from tires back you suggest for pulling 30ft enclosed trailer ?

Why a Class A over a Class C ?

What kinda gas mileage should I be thinking to get with a
Class A
454-
460
V10

Class C
454
460
V10

I was thinking a class A would pull a trailer better but then was thinking the class C may have more power (and better gas mileage) being a little smaller. Wifey likes the Class C because A is to big but would like to show her the plus and neg of both.


This is a local one I am looking at
http://www.haylettnorthcountry.com/rv/damon/classagas/493.htm
thanks

Ain't it nice to have a wife to "discuss" things with?

[zipper06]

I just looked at the one you were checking out, i would definately pass on that one. Price is too high, and too much over hang and i'd almost bet money you would have too spend another $1,000.00 to beef up the rear frame. I bought a 35 foot with tag wheels a couple yrs ago to use while working out of state. I figured i could then use it to pull my 26ft. halmark inclosed. What a frekin joke, i looked under the rear chassis, and it wasn't nearly as well built/beefy as my Chevy duelly. What jimmy Smith said was right, but what he didn't say was that he had a 22' baga class A that he dearly loved and towed his trailer much better that the 33 ft. he now has, but his wife wanted bigger more comfort. If i can ever sell my 35ft. i'm going to buy a 22' to 26' max class A.

But what ever you buy, look at the rear frame close and be sure to use an equlizer hitch, otherwise the trailer will toss you alover the road.

JMO

Zip.

[nofear57]

I'm just a one man show with a family,wife and 2 kids age 2 and 5. I have a 1979 A class Empress 21' from bumper to bumper pulling a 24ft enclosed trailer with either my 23T-altered(low 8 sec) or 56' Chevy(low 9sec). The motor home has a 440 dodge engine and gets 7 to 8mpg at 60 or 70 mph no mater what the conditions are and what car I have in the trailer.
I'm thinking of rebuilding the engine with an RV cam,alum. intake and headers,wonder if my mileage would improve?
I'm just small time but I bring the family with me all the time and they love it!

[zipper06]

Now that's what i'm talking about, the guy i built the 468" 66 biccayne for has an older 21ft 440 dodge class C, he said i can have it for $3500.00 with equlizer hitch. It gets about 9 to 10 mpg towing an open trailer and it's like new inside. It has towed a 26 ft. inclosed trailer alover La.,Tx, and Ak. He's owed it for 15 yrs and taken very good care of it. I'm even a less than a 1 man show, single, but it will be my next ride when i sell my 35 footer.

Zip.

[I972Nova]

Well I dunno what to say. I have a 33 foot that I have pulled a 30 foot trailer that weighed 11,700 loaded. It is a Chevy chassis with a 454 gas motor. I just had to beef it up a little but not much, I did it with scraps from around the shop. It pulls my 28 with 3000 pound Nova, golf cart, scooter, big tool box, generator and all at 75 with one hand on the wheel smooth as silk.

I say the bigger the better but for a gas unit I wouldnt recommend over 32 or 33 feet. If diesel go nuts...lol... To me that looked like a fair price for a unit in that good of shape.

http://static.racingjunk.com/63/ui/3/31/4218838130380.jpg

I couldnt imagine going to the track with one shorter than mine and especially not with a truck after having the MH...

[nofear57]

Here is a picture of my old unit aka "The Toaster" because the dash a/c stopped working one weekend and the wife said we were a little toasty.....and well it is kinda shaped like a toaster,lol!

We even have a little fun with it once in a while at our local airport track!!!!!
Check my profile!
http://static.racingjunk.com/63/ui/0/23/0219181458149.jpg

[hammertime]

Made the deal on a 99 Forest River Sunseeker, got it from a buddy on drr.com Class C 24ft, V10 with 20,000 miles, air bags, steering stablizers and very little over hang from rear tires back. Very clean unit and he used it to tow a 28ft with a door car and had no issues.

Hope to get it by end of weekend.

[shawnp]

BRACE THE HITCH!!!

On the way home we came across 224 into Ohio. At 224 and RT 1 coming out of Indiana there was a crest in the road that was not visible as it blended in with the road. Gump had the Bounder and trailer airborne!! If the hitch was not braced, it would have been real ugly.

[hammertime]

BRACE THE HITCH!!!

On the way home we came across 224 into Ohio. At 224 and RT 1 coming out of Indiana there was a crest in the road that was not visible as it blended in with the road. Gump had the Bounder and trailer airborne!! If the hitch was not braced, it would have been real ugly.


Shawn it is already :D you may know the motorhome some little fellow from Chicago area :wink:

[hammertime]

Here is a few pictures of the Motorhome I ended up with, 1999 Forest River by Sunseeker, 25ft length, 21,000 Miles with a V10, Lots of power, little over hang from rear tires back, unlike most motorhomes I've seen this has a frame just like a truck. Very well taking care of unit. Purchased from a fellow racer that I trusted got what I felt was a good deal.


http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa306/Dragster387b/100_1308.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa306/Dragster387b/100_1309.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa306/Dragster387b/100_1311.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa306/Dragster387b/100_1315.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa306/Dragster387b/100_1317.jpg

[curtisreed]

Looks nice David, I've been looking at class-c myself so I was watching this thread. Let us know how it works out for you.

Curtis

[DirkaDirka]

That is a really nice motorhome. Congrats on getting it

[TheRabbit]

NICE!! Looks like you got plenty of room for all your RJ buddies!!

[TheYellaBrick]

The ONLY issue I have with a smaller Class C (as mine is) Is that the older ya get, the more difficult it is getting up that liddle ol ladder to that bed that has limited head room !
My new crew chief has a real bad knee so it's a real challenge for her to climb that ladder.
The bigger Class C's have a master bed room in the rear.

[hammertime]

thanks guys,

I didnt care for the bed in the back of the class C .. mos thad a lot of overhang on the rear and lost lots of bathroom/kitchen area. Plus the bed that will be used most is the couch that folds down. Will get its first tour with my trailer this weekend I hope :D