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What type or class of RV can I get away with? I have an enclosed 24ft standard trailer that I put a miata or 2nd Gen RX7... What type can anyone recommend? Thinking about not leasing a F250 next time and getting something I could save on hotels with and maybe use with my family.
Thanks,
Greg
Greg,
I have a 33ft Gulfstream Ultra 'Super C', which uses the GMC 'Kodiak' C5500 Medium-Duty truck chassis.
It has a towing capacity of 10,000lbs and is available with a Duramax Diesel or 8.1 gas engine. Either engine is backed by the Allison transmission.http://www.gulfstreamcoach.com/ultra...perc/index.htm
They are priced no more that 'van-based' C's, and other manufactures are now using the same chassis. (Jayco, Four-Winds)
Rodney,
What is a good price new and used?
Thanks,
greg
There are some excellent older high end models for sale....I have one.
For towing, consider only diesel, and for my money, a pusher. 300hp is about minimal, and you are ahead with the Cummings 8.3. Check the online listings and look/drive before you buy...[pictures are very deceiving) Good luck, Chuck
I just made the same move. I had a 26 foot enclosed and was pulling a total of about 9,000 lbs. Sold the enclosed and bought an open 16 foot trailer with a tire rack and storage box. Then bought a 1995 Class A motor home with 55K miles for $9400 (not a misprint-insane deals out there). It's in awesome shape and has the banks power pack and transmission controller. Ford 460 EFI and 4 speed. Things I added were new tires and I had the frame reinforced and a 10,000 hitch installed plus the brake controller. Had a trucking repair shop do an total inspection of the unit - has a new trans and new brakes - nice bonus.
Total cost for this setup:
MH $9400
Trailer $1700
Tires $1000
Hitch etc $1400
Total $13,500
Got $7750 for the enclosed so total cash out was $5750
Moving to a motor home will make chilling at the track way more fun - especially in bad weather. Park the race car under the massive MH awning. Don't need the enclosed because the MH has plenty of basement storage and I have storage and the tire rack. My only worry is toungue weight on the rear tires - I will be at the max. Already weighed the MH and trailer at some truck stop scales. If I see abnormally high temps on the rear tires I will buy a trailer toad which is a mini trailer extension off the back of the MH with tires that the trailer attaches to. Those are about $2000.
A Class A deisel pusher is really the way to go but beware of the $10K deisel. You will have to spend about $20-25K to find a deisel that will not be a mess and even that is a Walmart price.
If you keep the enclosed - you really have to go deisel to be safe.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2718/...0e5c95d3_m.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2730/...5f3c7984_m.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/...53a012cb_m.jpg
They are priced 'all over the place' right now.
The diesel tend to command around a $20K premium over the gas.
I have the gas and have never found it lacking for power, even on I-75 in Georgia and Tennessee.
I found mine on ebay, but you can shop and do research at http://www.rv.net/
They have a large classified section and the forums there are a good place to see the strengths and weaknesses of different models and manufactures.
They only started using this chassis in the ~2004 year, so you wont find any as cheap as benspeed's Class A, but the deals are out there.
If you are pulling an enclosed trailer go for the diesel. I've had two class A motorhomes with the big blocks. Five transmissions in the Dodge powered Winnie and on my second in the Chevy powered Southwind. Motors have held up but are gutless with all the weight. Milage always sucks but you've got a cheap hotel at the track. If you can find a diesel with Allison trans, that's the ticket. Pusher bus is even better.
Also - very important - as Ben said, get the chassis reinforced for the tongue weight on the hitch.
Chuck
i am looking at a Lexington Class B 25ft on a Ford w/ a v10......looks nice....am I wasting my time and money. I am an idiot and don't listen...someone talk sense to me... I am willing to tow a 20ft enclosed with a 2nd gen rx7 in it ....plus 2 exta sets of wheels
Thanks
Greg
Go bigger - you'll be glad. RV.net is a great resource - when I was shopping everybody said go as big as you can. I actually wanted a 30 footer - now I'm glad I got the 35 - plenty of room.
If you keep the enclosed go deisel. You don't want to be white knuckling it up every hill and arriving at the track exhausted or stuck on the side of the road overheated.
Ben made a great choice to go with the extra 5ft...... room for 2 more strippers....LOLQuote:
Originally Posted by benspeed
I understand that the Ford V10's (at least the ones in the trucks) have a problem where they will blow out sparkplugs, destroying the threads, which requires the head to be removed to fix.Quote:
Originally Posted by gpeluso
I don't know about the sparkplug issue described above, but I have no problem with the Ford V10. I purchased a 29' Class C Winnebago and tow a 24' enclosed trailer. It is a little slow on some of the longer hills but the best purchase ever made. I agree with Ben to purchase as large as you can (29' was the longest I could get in my driveway and store next to the garage.).
Any web links for one of those toads? I've never seen one.Quote:
Originally Posted by benspeed
That trailer toad looks like a great rig. I had never seen one before. It should also improve cornering in tight places. With the short tongue on my trailer I have to be very careful in tight turns and in backing.
ed,
is your chasis an E350 or E450? did you get a class 5 hitch? thanks
Greg
Check it out - this is my backup plan if my rear tires get too hot or show wear from too much weight:
http://www.rvsafetysystems.com/Trailer%20Toad.jpg
PS - just installed the brass stripper pole this weekend - the harem loves it!
Yes, you are going to pay more for a diesel pusher....because they are rarely entry level RVs. The fit/finish/equipment is usually way above what the entry level gas models are so you get what you pay for.
Gas motors, with good maintenance, are generally good for 75-100 thousnad miles. Cummins 8.3 300-350.
My rig pulls an open trailer, bays stuffed with race gear and gets 10mpg. There are no hills in the South East for this thing. Set cruse at 65 and sit there about 850 miles at a time. Speed will vary 2mph or so and never shifts out of 6th gear.
Even though mine is a 94 model, all equipment is original...this was a very high line RV when new, so, high line water heater, furnace, frige, ice maker, convection microwave, water pump, etc. Also large holding tanks..100 gals diesel, 100gal water, 60ish gray and black water tanks. 7.4kw diesel Onan generator runs everything at one time...both air units, frige, icemaker, and microwave.
One other comment. On all the gas units I drove prior to buying this rig, the motor noise was excessive. Could not carry on a conversation in normal tones. With the pusher, all the motor noise is behind the rear wheels so normal conversation is possible, as is the stereo volume and tv. Freaks people out when they see the NASCAR race on the tv when I'm driving home:eclipsee_steering: Chuck
Greg, I have the Ford 450 chasis and it came with a Class 5 hitch. The prior owner hauled a scooter on a rear platform.
Ben, How does the toad work on grade changes (i.e. driving in/out of driveways and gas stations)? Is it more likely to drag the rear of the trailer?
I followed the source of Ben's photo to figure out if those sorts of questions were answered. Lots of info on that and other approaches here:
http://www.rvsafetysystems.com/Trailer%20Towing.htm
Hi Ed - so far no troubles but I've only got a few test drives under my belt so far. Hope that I don't need to buy that toad extension thing.
Will you be racing ITS this year? Maybe R?
Ben,
Still undecided what and how much to race this year. I have been racing IT so long it is time to try something new. I would like to do some SM and Nationals or possibly rent SRF. But if the BMW doesn't sell I may do some updates and get that back to podium form.
I think this toad is exactly what I need for my trailer just to extend the tongue distance and cornering ability.
Come on out and race spec E36 - er, I mean ITR :-) The Pro IT series has been tops.