Considering move from class A to C

[ezgoin]

Hi all,

Senior citizen here. I’ve been considering moving to a class C (from class A) thinking it may be easier and more comfortable to drive. However, after reading some of the threads regarding the heat issue around the dog house, I’m not sure I need more heat. (I live in Arizona.)
Is the heat and noise issue as considerable as some mention? Having never driven a class C, I assumed the driving would be less stressful, but now I’m starting to rethink the idea.

Have any of you made the move I’m considering?

Thanks,
Bill

[AJR]

Just my experience with my gas class A…

Driving south down to HWH for a leveler issue. Into the sun midsummer. I had the dash AC on high. I had the funky corner fans that blow on the window on. I had the big front window visors down. I had the generator on. I had the front roof top AC on and I was still not comfortable in the driver’s seat wearing sun glasses.

Great view but driving sucked.

In my current class C. The dog & I do well with just the dash AC on driving south midday in the summer.

Then there where the much higher cost of everything. Think tires, shocks or wiper blades. A heater vale cost over $120 because it was old. Anything that wears out costs more. The replacement of a transmission filler tub was about $800 because they had to do other things and do a full whatever before they did a refill on the Allison to do it right. Ford truck dealer in Madison WI.

None of the above with my class C.

[WinMinnie02]

I like the Class C, Winnebago Minnie, 2002 because it had sleeping capacity for 2 kids and friends. Drives like a large van and I liked the Ford E450 V10, great power, never worried about MPG. If you are worried tenting is still fun :). The class A has a larger view upfront which is a plus. It does get a little hot up front on the Class C but nothing to worry about, been driving the unit for 19 years. Maintenance on this unit is much easier since there is so much room. Overall the Ford chassis held up nicely over the years, engine and transmission still going strong. Pay attention to leaks but easy to maintain and repair. Hope you enjoy many more years RVing.

[IAMICHABOD]

ezgoin wrote:
IAMICHABOD,

Thanks for the link,

Bill

Your very welcome!

[ezgoin]

IAMICHABOD,

Thanks for the link,

Bill

[IAMICHABOD]

Here is just one example that one of the members that has contributed to this thread did to address handling issues.

Suspension Upgrades

[ezgoin]

cbigham wrote:
. Handling issues were easily solved by a few hundred dollars worth of suspension upgrades.

Curios as to what suspension upgrades you made. Could provide a little more info?

[pnichols]

We've never tried eating off the flip-out from the galley counter-top by spinning the barrel chair and then sliding it forward so as to be closer to the flip-out.

That might be a neat thing to try ... but it seems that the flip-out might be a bit too high for easy reach when sitting in the barrel chair eating. :h

[ron_dittmer]

pnichols wrote:
Ron, from your photos above it looks like the captain's chair also slides forward and backward? (as well as swiveling)

If so, note that whoever is using the captain's chair in your RV can also face it at the right hand dinette seat, slide the captain's chair all the way forward to be as close to the dinette seat as possible, and then raise up their legs to rest their feet on the dinette cushion. We do this all the time with our very comfortable stock barrel chair.

This is also a good way, from a barrel chair or captain's chair, to watch a small portable TV screen (or computer monitor screen) that is sitting on the dinette table.

Yes, as I stated before, I use the dinette bench as an ottoman.

A person sitting in that 3rd captain seat has their own dining surface through utilizing the flip-up countertop across from the main entry door. It's not ideal, but works in a pinch.

[DouglasC]

In 35 years of RVing we have owned 7 motorhomes. Started with a 19' Winnebago LeSharo, got all the way up to a 39' Dutch Star DP and then back down to our present Class C 28' Jayco Greyhawk on a Ford E450 chassis with the 6.8L V-10 engine.

We are perfectly happy with our Class C (never felt that there was a heat problem in the cab area as some have mentioned). And as some have stated, the E450 front end does need to be aligned when loaded as you would normally travel. And additional spring support is sometimes needed in the rear.

One thing that's not been mentioned is the additional safety that a Class C chassis provides (vs a Class A), with real front bumpers and air bags. Nice to have if you should ever get involved in an accident.

Our Class C has a large front bunk which we've used to sleep grandkids - - or it's a great storage space as well. Our rig also has a walk around queen bed in the rear as well as lots of storage inside and out. We have almost 80,000 miles on our rig now and don't miss the larger Class A's at all.

[pnichols]

Ron, from your photos above it looks like the captain's chair also slides forward and backward? (as well as swiveling)

If so, note that whoever is using the captain's chair in your RV can also face it at the right hand dinette seat, slide the captain's chair all the way forward to be as close to the dinette seat as possible, and then raise up their legs to rest their feet on the dinette cushion. We do this all the time with our very comfortable stock barrel chair.

This is also a good way, from a barrel chair or captain's chair, to watch a small portable TV screen (or computer monitor screen) that is sitting on the dinette table.

[ron_dittmer]

cbigham wrote:
I would suggest (works for me as I get older) you get one with at least 2 different places to sit. Sitting at a dinette gets old, I shift to the barrel chair, you may have a couch. Two places to sit. Its very versatile

Yes Indeed!

Our rig has a dinette and a 3rd seat, originally with a barrel chair that I changed with a 3rd matching captain chair. That was one of my better modifications that cost me around $400.

Before with barrel chair.


After with the matching captain seat.


The front-most dinette bench seat is used as an ottoman here.


Here, the front passenger seat is the ottoman.


Needless to say, we fight over this seat. It is also a nice seat for a third passenger. When adjusted out into the isle and swiveled forward, the passenger can look out the windshield fairly well.

FYI: Our scaled-down 93" wide rig has no slide outs. This is our interior, the picture taken from the rear corner double bed.

[pnichols]

We keep the floor cool in our Ford chassis Class C by setting the dash air conditioning so that some cool air exits down at the floor. This a simple solution using the Ford dash controls right there in the cab.

(Our cab floor never got real hot anyway, maybe because Winnebago or Ford mounted heat shields underneath between the exhaust pipes and the cab floor.)

Using the cab controls keeps any floor heat nicely at bay in any case. However, our cab controls are not "labeled clearly" as to how to do this - I had to discover this on my own: Turn the air flow control to the "MIX" position and turn the air temperature control into the blue air conditioning range. Set the fan speed high - on setting 3 or 4.

Doing the above causes nice cool air to flow over us into the cab from the windshield defrost vents, and ... nice cool air to blast down at the floor by our feet! Control how cool this feels by how far into the blue range you turn the air temperature control knob.

[cbigham]

Not going to wade into the chevy vs ford debate, but we did downsize from a 40 ft diesel funmover. The 23u Chateau we bought is fantastic for getting into smaller campgrounds. It's easier to get gas, maneuver in tight highways. We tow a 4 door wrangler for longer trips, hang a motorcycle off the back when wanted.

I would suggest (works for me as I get older) you get one with at least 2 different places to sit. Sitting at a dinette gets old, I shift to the barrel chair, you may have a couch..etc. 2 places to sit. Its very versatile, lots of storage and if a guest comes we dont want sleeping outside, there's that bunk. Any ford place will handle repairs.

Handling issues were easily solved by a few hundred dollars worth of suspension upgrades.

[timmac]

IAMICHABOD wrote:

TechWriter wrote:

IAMICHABOD wrote:

I would suggest that you look into one on a Chevy Chassis there you will have none of the heat problems from the doghouse,a larger cockpit area,better handling, and a much smoother riding RV.

Why Chevy? What's the matter with a Ford engine/chassis?

If you read THE CLICKY it pretty much spells it out.:S

That's a old thread..

I have a 2021 Ford E-350 Super Duty with the 7.3 and zero heat from the doghouse..

I also own many work vans for my business and Chevy and Ford has near the same leg room..

The new Ford E-350 Super Duty has good leg room and the best V-8 ever made, Godzilla 7.3L