Re learning to drive a motor home.

[GHOST1750]

I began driving motor homes in 2000 when I bought a 35 ft.National Tropical with the Tritan 10 then moved up to a 39 ft. National Tradewinds with the 330 CAT a year and a half later. I drove it for 14 years without a problem then things began happening. In January I traded it for a 40 ft. Newmar Canyon Star. I had heard many good things about the Newmar. It is beautiful and so very comfortable BUT Switching from diesel to gas is like learning to drive a rig all over again. It walks up the hills as well as the diesel but the noise bothers me. Sounds like it is hurting itself. :h The overhang on the rear is something else, I swung too wide and scratched the rear corner while putting it into the same covered storage I have used for the past 12 years without a problem. But it all buffed out by hand.( I was sick when it happened. For you who drive the gas rigs do you have problems finding places to refuel? Enough rambling for this morning, have a great day, see you along the way.

[MrWizard]

Seating on gassed, varies more than it does not DPs
On our Bounder, the steering wheel is almost centered over the tire
And sitting position is too the rear of the tire

Much like yours
If you want to call that 'over' , well..ok

[Dutch_12078]

wallynm wrote:
In a DP you sit in front of the steering wheels and gas rigs you sit behind the steering wheels. Geometry has changed and you brain has not adjusted.

Not exactly... I'd say a gasser has the driver sitting more over the steer wheels than behind them. I've never had any problems adjusting from one to the other.

[MrWizard]

Recently went from a 34 ft DP
To a 36ft gassed
Yes more tail swing, shorter tighter running radius

But the fuel fill , went from being right next to the driver on the DP
To dead center rear of the coach behind the license plate on the Bounder

The getting in and out of the station drive way is the same
But positioning the coach at the pump, to get the fuel has changed
And I have to make sure the pump hose is long enough

So far I use the same fuel stops I did with the Safari DP
But not the ones I used with previous smaller 30ft gasser ,
We had before the DP

The local chevron, and 76, have pump hoses and positions that make them hard to reach the centre rear of the Bounder unless I back the coach in at an angle, forget that I'll drive a few miles to the one that fits, the one I've been using for the DP

Changing from 39 ft to 40 ft, is nothing
It's the different location of the tank fill
That is throwing you off, you will get used to it

[GHOST1750]

wallynm wrote:
In a DP you sit in front of the steering wheels and gas rigs you sit behind the steering wheels. Geometry has changed and you brain has not adjusted.

At my age my brain adjusts very slowly sometimes:B

[wallynm]

In a DP you sit in front of the steering wheels and gas rigs you sit behind the steering wheels. Geometry has changed and you brain has not adjusted.

[GHOST1750]

Drew E. Yes both of those would make a difference, I have about 10 ft on you and am towing. I'd be happy if I could always find Flying J's.with RV islands.

[DrewE]

The Ford V10 does rev high (and make noise) when it's working hard. It's normal, even if it sounds like it is about to shred itself to pieces. It is perfectly capable of operating like that for reasonably extended periods; you just have to have a bit of faith in the engineers who developed the engine.

Longer rear overhang does mean greater tail swing; there's no way around that, it's just the physics of turning. (Well, I suppose one way around it is to limit the turning radius, but that's none to useful.)

I haven't had any trouble finding places to fuel my gas motorhome, nor found very many gas stations of any description that I can't fit in, but mine is considerably shorter than yours and I don't two anything behind it, both of which I can only assume make things somewhat simpler. Probably the trickiest part for me is judging how far forward or back the gas filler is and getting it lined up with the pump. Still, I suspect you won't have much difficulty finding places you can refuel, though it may mean waiting for an outside pump and giving some thought to your exit strategy before driving in.

[Dutch_12078]

The key to refueling a long gas rig is simply to plan your exit before you commit to entering the pumps. I usually favor end island pumps if the station is a little tight. I've never been in a gas station I couldn't get out of, and never had to unhook our toad to do it. Once in a great while I've had to wait for someone that came in and illegally parked to move to safely get out though. You'll get used to allowing for the tail swing eventually.

[jplante4]

I went form a 28 foot gasser to the Sahara (35 feet). The first time I backed it out of the driveway to reposition it, I backed into a tree and took out my mailbox. Something to do with that extra 7 feet. Cost me a couple of hours grunting and swearing under the coach with my hydraulic jack trying to get the bumper/radiator back into position so the fan wouldn't hit the shroud.

The overhang also got me when I parked too close to the stone wall lining the driveway. That only cost me a tailpipe.