Sprinter Carrying Capacity

[nitecapt]

My wife and I are retired and we are looking at Sprinters in the 24' size range. Interestingly, it seems that many have a low carrying capacity. Some as low as 1000 labs. Put 4 adults and fill the tanks ands supplies and you may quickly exceed GVW which taxes the engine, braking and fuel. Is there a way to get listings on these based upon Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC)?
We REALLY like the layout of the 2018 Thor Motor Coach Citation Sprinter 24SS. Can anyone recommend a similar layout with a significant ant carry capacity or any brands that have more CCC? Also, we prefer a diesel generator which I know adds to weight.

Thanks
Ray

[John_S_]

I love my c on the f550. I only get 10 to 12mpg but I am a 19.5 chassis tows 12000 too. Not even close
To overloaded

[pnichols]

Desert Captain wrote:
"With most Ford based specs sheets I've looked at, to carry the full GVWR "legally", all 4 corners have to be loaded to exactly the capacity of the tires. "

I sincerely doubt that statement. I run my E-350, GVWR of 11,500# at or at least very near that max number on almost every trip. My tires are nowhere near their max load capacity which would necessitate running all 6 at 80 psi. If you do you will have the worst handling Class C ever.

Heavily loaded I run the fronts at 65 and the rears at 70-75 and that still leaves a serious fudge factor before getting anywhere near their max capacity. My FAWR is 3,800 and the Michelins are rated for 5,340# {2,670 each}. The RAWR is 7,800 and again the Michelins are rated for 10,680.

Running these pressure my rig drives and rides great. Big rigs do not push me around and wind up to 35 mph is still two finger steering. I'm sure the heavy duty Bilstein's help a lot but it would be hard for me to imagine a better handling motorbhome than mine.... this after 50,000+ miles over the last 6 years.

:C

About X2 here.

We run 75-80 lbs. pressure in the rear and 65-70 lbs. pressure in the front on our 24 foot E450 Class C.

Stock front shocks, original OEM steering stabilizer shock, and original front and rear stabilizer bars are still what's installed at around 75K miles. Koni FSD shocks are in the rear.

Front suspension caster has been corrected with tapered shims - some years ago.

Handling and road control Has been great right from the start (even without the caster correction), and is sill great after around 13 years. We can load it up anyway we want with no concerns. But ... the Koni FSD shocks in the rear did reduce the slightly harsh ride back there due to an E450 chassis under a small Class C.

[Desert_Captain]

"With most Ford based specs sheets I've looked at, to carry the full GVWR "legally", all 4 corners have to be loaded to exactly the capacity of the tires. "

I sincerely doubt that statement. I run my E-350, GVWR of 11,500# at or at least very near that max number on almost every trip. My tires are nowhere near their max load capacity which would necessitate running all 6 at 80 psi. If you do you will have the worst handling Class C ever.

Heavily loaded I run the fronts at 65 and the rears at 70-75 and that still leaves a serious fudge factor before getting anywhere near their max capacity. My FAWR is 3,800 and the Michelins are rated for 5,340# {2,670 each}. The RAWR is 7,800 and again the Michelins are rated for 10,680.

Running these pressure my rig drives and rides great. Big rigs do not push me around and wind up to 35 mph is still two finger steering. I'm sure the heavy duty Bilstein's help a lot but it would be hard for me to imagine a better handling motorbhome than mine.... this after 50,000+ miles over the last 6 years.

:C

[road-runner]

After comparing notes with other Sprinter class C owners, I think there might not be a single one that doesn't bust its GVWR when loaded up for a camping trip. The upside is that the sum of the GAWRs is greater than the GVWR, and it's unlikely that even a loaded up Sprinter will bust either of the GAWRs. This is opposite of what I've seen with a lot of Ford based rigs, where it's easy to stay under GVWR but difficult to stay under both GAWRs. With most Ford based specs sheets I've looked at, to carry the full GVWR "legally", all 4 corners have to be loaded to exactly the capacity of the tires.

[nitecapt]

Leisure Vans Unity or Serenity does anyone know the approximate OCCC on those models? I can't seem to find it anywhere.

[MDKMDK]

nitecapt wrote:
Just for clarity, aren't the passenger weights considered part of the OCCC? If so and you have 4, 150 lb passengers on a 1000lb OCCC, you will have only capacity for 400lbs.
And what do you like with the Ford Chassis in a 24' size MoHo

Here are some terminology definitions...
RV weight definitions

- Purchase prices vary, so don't count on always getting a better price or deal with a Ford chassis. However, the MB chassis will usually cost more than the Ford chassis.
- The Ford chassis generally has the OCCC covered better than the Sprinter based chassis. No argument there. Still, make sure you do the homework before buying the Ford - some are also OCCC challenged.
- There's a reason the Ford has a 55 gallon fuel tank - remember, the Ford chassis will average 1/2 the fuel economy of a similarly sized/weighted Sprinter chassis. It will cost you more to drive the same distances in the Ford.
- Contrary to popular myth, not all Ford dealers and service centers can service the larger motorhomes on the Ford chassis, simply because they don't fit in their service bays and on their biggest hoists. Ask your local Ford dealer if they can service your intended purchase. You might be surprised by the answer. I owned a 2016 Sunstar 26HE, one of the smallest class A motorhomes, and had to take it to a truck stop to get the oil changed, because I wasn't in a position to do it myself. It wasn't expensive, but no Ford dealership near me could handle a 27' motorhome.
- Some service is easier and can be done from a DIY perspective, but only if you're a DIY capable person. Not everyone is.
- The power numbers on the 6.8L V10 (2 valve) in the E350-E450 cab chassis are 305 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. The Mercedes-Benz 3.0L V6 turbo diesel numbers are 188 HP and 325 lb.ft of torque. Ford has the edge, but the RPM range required for the V10 to produce max torque is around 3,200 RPM, and the HP range is around 4,700RPM. These numbers explain the fuel economy issue with the Ford. The MB V6 maximum HP/torque RPM range is 1200 RPM to 2800 RPM.
- If stability is an issue, the rear wider stance doesn't seem to do much for it, as there are countless threads on multiple forums about people having white knuckle handling issues with their Ford based chassis - they mod them to the max to try to fix the various handling issues. There are some who feel some of the Sprinter based motorhomes have similar problems, and they also add all sorts of things to them to correct the perceived problems. It's a very subjective situation, so before you buy, take one for a long drive, city and freeway, in crosswinds, up and down hills, and beside passing trucks and other large vehicles. MB has added some electronic stability and handling programming that does seem to eliminate some of the problems, but it's still subjective.
- Also, in the parks/campgrounds/places where generator usage is restricted, you will also draw the ire of your fellow campers by endlessly idling the chassis engine, so don't count on being able to do that either. If you can hear someone's generator, you can hear their chassis engine. Unless you're hearing impaired.

[ron_dittmer]

nitecapt wrote:
And what do you like with the Ford Chassis in a 24' size MoHo

E350 advantages

- A greatly reduced purchase price, more than offsets the lesser fuel economy
- 1000 pounds more load capability than the 2019 Sprinter
- 55 gallon fuel tank that also supports the gas generator
- Easy to do-yourself & easy to find service for affordable maintenance & repairs
- Has significantly more power and torque for the weight of a motor home and also if towing
- Has a much wider rear stance for improved stability
- Can idle the engine indefinitely for battery charging, as well as a/c and heat support, no-can-do with the Sprinter diesel

Given limited generator usage in many places, the last becomes valuable, also if you develop trouble with your generator.

An E450 is slightly better than the E350 for a multitude of good reasons, but a rougher ride should be expected for shorter/lighter rigs, getting you to consider removing a rear leaf spring or two to soften the ride in back.

[ron_dittmer]

Hi nitecapt,

Compare the 2019 MB Sprinter chassis to the 2018 model year. MB increased the chassis load rating significantly for 2019. Along with that increase came all kinds of safety bells and whistles. It's all good stuff but it came at a very hefty price increase of nearly $10,000. It explains why a 2019 motor home built on a 2019 Sprinter chassis is so much more than a 2019 motor home built on a 2018 Sprinter chassis. So if you are price sensitive, you might rule out a new 2019 and go for a lightly used 2018 or older.

As other people here have encouraged you, don't be too quick to rule out the Ford E350/E450 chassis-based motor homes for they have their own list of advantages. But if you have a love affair with MB, then at least you now understand why the recent ~$10k price hike for a 2019 Sprinter chassis.

[nitecapt]

Just for clarity, aren't the passenger weights considered part of the OCCC? If so and you have 4, 150 lb passengers on a 1000lb OCCC, you will have only capacity for 400lbs.
And what do you like with the Ford Chassis in a 24' size MoHo

[bobndot]

nitecapt, I am familiar with your area, I worked in town some years ago.
You need to find a good local repair shop willing to work on your unit.
I would do a little more research on sprinters and the service of. Unless things have changed the needed computer software is only avl at Sprinter dealers and Freightliner dealerships. You can't take it to a MB car dealership.
Google the hourly rate at service facilities.

I found the truck shops on the north shore look at rv's as a fun vehicle that can wait for a repair. If a regular commercial truck customer needs a repair, your rv will come off the rack and the commercial truck goes in your spot. That can cut into your rv time as it can push you back days or weeks. Been there a few times.

Having the weight of 2 slides on the Sprinter floorplan that you like is going to be a weight issue IMO. You also need to look into the Thor track record for workmanship.
The FR products like Sunseeker are not top of the line either but I would rather drop down $60/70k opposed to over $100-125k for questionable quality. A good rv mechanic can tweak up things to make it work a whole lot better. Spending less offers the needed wiggle room to tweak it up.

Have you gone to see the Sunseekers at Travel America rt 25 Commack ?
She (Suzanne) can order you one and they do repair them. Located behind Trailer City East. Its a seasonal business now, closes the shop in Nov to March.
My Sunseeker has a 14,500 GVWR and I normally roll down the road at 12,500-12,700. I bought mine out of state where I normally camp and even though I have had the usual issues, it works well enough for me. Travel America happens to have a good relationship with FR reps because she has so many rental units. She can get things done.
I don't know if you know Kevin at Cross country Trailers 670 Ft Salonga rd Northport. Its the round bldg. with a one man rv repair shop in the rear.
He might be a good person for you to talk to as well. Open all year for repair work and won't put you off.

Good luck with your decision, feel free to PM me .
Bob

[MDKMDK]

nitecapt wrote:
his is all good info......I think the Galleria Coachman has a large capacity but they are SOOO expensive

That's a Class B van conversion, and it will have more OCCC than a more heavily loaded Class C, on that basis. If you're after a Class B van, then OCCC is far less of an issue. You mentioned a Thor Class C in your original post, so most of the comments so far have been based on that.
The Galleria will (probably) easily carry 4 adults with full tanks, because it doesn't have all the amenities that a typical class C conversion adds to the Sprinter cab chassis. Might be a little crowded in the class B van for 4 adults, though.
The differences between a B and a C are significant to some, and not a big deal to others. It's up to you, and you're right about pricing. Some of the class B vans are more expensive that their class C counterparts. They often have extra "techie" stuff added that can drive up the price.
If you want to be able to carry 4 adults, all their gear, have full tanks including propane, and tow something as well, you will probably have to look at the Ford E350/E450 chassis. It's more robust, but it has it's flaws, too. The fuel economy with the standard V10 6.8L gas engine is poor, even if paired with the 6 speed transmission, no matter what you read on the forums. I know, I had one in the F53 chassis of my Sunstar.
There's supposed to be a newer Ford chassis/engine/transmission combo coming out sometime soon. You might want to take a look at that before you buy. Some have said it gets better fuel economy, but physics is physics, and you can't create extra power out of nothing. It takes gas to push those pistons and create that power to move the weight of the vehicle and cargo, and that will probably cost you more to travel from A to B with the Ford, than the same route in a Sprinter based motorhome. RPM ranges for torque and horsepower on the 2 types of motors being the main reason for the differing fuel burn rates, but that's the oversimplified version.
As others have said, YMMV, but it's pretty much a done deal, when you compare the two main chassis manufacturers. Diesel is not twice as expensive as gasoline, at least near me, so that common argument is rendered invalid. There was a time when diesel was cheaper than gas, but now they're usually not that far apart. In fact, here in Ontario, you'll usually pay a little more for a litre of gas than diesel. Thanks to carbon taxes?:E

[nitecapt]

You all are amazing. We looked at the Leisures recommended and were so impressed by the Murphy Bed. That's something we really want. I run boats for a living and I know boats like you all know RV's and WHENEVER someone asks me for advice I tell them to get ready to compromise because you never get EVERYTHING you want, but to me OCCC is one of the most important features to get which may cause me to turn away from the Sprinters and start looking at the Ford 350 or 450 as recommended.
Thank you all for you consistent advice. I am getting an education from you all.

[Lwiddis]

Traveling the West without adequate fresh water in the tank eliminates bunches of beautiful campsites but it’s kool to drive a Sprinter.

[MDKMDK]

midnightsadie wrote:
might look at these leisurevans.com we have the freedom serenity 11 has been great ,ours has the MB engine 5cyc and nobody beleaves we hit 20mpg now and then pulls my boat and gets 17teen. its now getting up in age a 2007 but we,ll keep it.

It's hard to beat the old 5 cylinder T1N for fuel economy. After you get the turbo resonator fixed. :W
My NCV3 3.0L V6 gets 15mpg solo, and around 13mpg pulling 2+ tons of Wrangler. :B