bowtiebill
Fillmore, CA
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Joined: 04/14/2005
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RVPappy wrote:
IMHO, the 19,500 lb Kodiak Class 5 chassis is simply NOT enough chassis to carry any model of RV, and most of the builders recognize this fact. four winds IS coming out with what appears to be a class 6 chassis with 30,000 lb GCWR, which holds some promise.
Denny
And the E350/E450 is OK? Lots of RV's built on these.
I think the problem is that the manufacturers try and build too big of coach on the chassis they have.
I feel the 19.5 K is fine for the smaller Super C's. In my case, mine is 15.4 UVW.
But, that is just IMHO.
Bill, Sherry, & Murray
2005 Gulfstream Super C
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morrigan
Bremerton WA
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Joined: 08/19/2008
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I have to admit that the question Bowtie Bill asked was at the top of my list too. If a Kodiak class five isn't enough chassis for any model of RV, then the ford E350 and E450 that 99% of the Class Cs have certanly isn't enough. Class A's are pretty much off the table, so I might as well stay with my Travel trailer... Is that what you're suggesting, Denny?
Morrigan
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RVPappy
Branson,MO
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Joined: 05/11/2002
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Morrigan,
Actually, for what you want to do, that is exactly what I am suggesting...I have owned 4 motorhomes, one class A gasser, two diesel pushers, and now this hunk a junk Four Winds call a Super C... except for the gasser, they have all cost me over $100,000 each, and two of them have fallen apart going down the highway.... as far as the other Class C chassis, it is fairly common knowledge that most of them are going down the highway grossly overloaded, and are accidents waiting to happen. If I put the 1300 lbs in my coach the label says I can put into it, the drivers side rear axle is 300# overloaded. If my wife wants to take a poop going down the highway, we run the risk of breaking an axle... and that is a fact!
Fleetwood had to "recall" 56 Tiogas and Jamborees a few months ago because the front axle would overload when the driver got behind the wheel... with NO passengers or cargo! Guess what the "fix" was... add 800# to the rear bumper!! While they did buy back the ones that had been sold, they were able to sell most of the "fixed" coaches to one company that rented Class C's to the public...believe it or not! I asked fleetwood why they had the problem. It was because the wheelbase was too long, and much of the load transferred to the front axle. On my coach, the wheelbase is too short, and most of the load transfers to or behind the rear axle; when I hit a road bump, the front axle unloads like a teeter totter.
Denny
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Wallik
Norco, CA
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Joined: 09/15/2005
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Well, a bit of confusion going on here.
Kodiak 5500 comes as 19,500 GVWR chassis with 26,000 GCVWR (19.5K/26.0K). This is were most super-C started out a few years ago. Now you will hardly find some with that config.
Usually they are now 22K/26K.
Kodiak always had 26K/26K models, but they were only used as shuttle vans and such, as they had literally no towing capacity.
To overcome this issue Fourwinds has a 09 model with 26K/30K. Actually Weekend Warrior started last year on their super C with that, but WW is more known for their toyhaulers than class c, so it got hardly noticed.
The main difference is the tranny, Allison 2350 instead of 2500. Otherwise still a class 5 truck.
The only real class 6 truck chassis (besides all the truck conversions on class 6, 7/8 trucks) so far is the International by Gulfstream with 26K/33K. Gulfstream looks like they want to switch all their super C onto that chassis.
And of course the new Jayco Embark on the Freightliner M2, but totally different price range.
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ronfisherman
SE Michigan
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Joined: 06/05/2006
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Wallik wrote:
The main difference is the tranny, Allison 2350 instead of 2500. Otherwise still a class 5 truck.
Standard MH transmission on MH Chassis is Allison 1000. The 2350, as stated is the upgrade for 30,000 lbs.
Frame is 80,000 lbs for all 22 and 26,000 chassis.
Here is a link to GM sheet on specs. Chevrolet Kodiak
wheel base length for the MH is max 239". It would appear that any chassis that has a longer wheelbase is modified. Info here. Model comparison
* This post was
edited 08/22/08 04:44am by ronfisherman *
2004 Gulf Stream Endura 6340 D/A
Saf-TTE tire monitor
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RVPappy
Branson,MO
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Joined: 05/11/2002
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On my Dutchmen 33k, the UVW is 17,000#, the CCC is 1364#. On the 34H, I believe the CCC is around 860#... maybe someone that owns one can check for us. I can not understand how they add bunks so the coach can sleep more people, then expect you to carry less of everything to accomodate the lower CCC. If the tires blow, they blame the problem on defective tires.
It appears Four Winds continues to make most of their models on the 19,500# chassis. As Ron mentioned, the MH chassis go out to 239 W?B, but my thoughts were since Four Winds shows the 259", and there is a cutaway with that W/B, perhaps they were putting the new coach on the commercial chassis. I have asked for details from Four Winds, but no answer yet.
I apologize for my argumentative nature... in recent years I have confronted both Thor Industries and Fleetwood on issues of safety involving their motorhomes. The concerns were valid, but only when confronted with the facts and with the support of several hundred other owners, did Fleetwood respond. Thor Industries espouse quality and customer concern, and I know the efforts of a few will eventually reward many, not only with safer and better quality RV's, but also with increased profits for those companies that respond to the consumer's needs.
Sadly, some of the companies that produced the better quality RV's are the ones that succumbed early to the loss of revenues. I have never found an unhappy National RV owner, and I know several Alfa owners that love their coaches. The ones that stay in business do so because they have a better margin of profit, such as Thor Industries, and until this year, Mr. Thompson, CEO, has bragged that they have NEVER had a year without a profit.
Morrigan will do what he feels best doing..and he should. It is his money and his life. I certainly did, as most of us. It REALLY IS a gamble when you buy a coach, and you have no control over what happens AFTER the money is handled over to the dealer. Your ONLY recourse are forums like this one, and hopefully RV.Net will remain neutral. It is really the "last frontier" for the RV'er.
Denny
bowtiebill wrote:RVPappy wrote:
IMHO, the 19,500 lb Kodiak Class 5 chassis is simply NOT enough chassis to carry any model of RV, and most of the builders recognize this fact. four winds IS coming out with what appears to be a class 6 chassis with 30,000 lb GCWR, which holds some promise.
Denny
And the E350/E450 is OK? Lots of RV's built on these.
I think the problem is that the manufacturers try and build too big of coach on the chassis they have.
I feel the 19.5 K is fine for the smaller Super C's. In my case, mine is 15.4 UVW.
But, that is just IMHO.
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