Types of RV's

If you take a stripped truck chassis, put a trailer on it, and fix the front so you can drive it down the road, you'll have a crude class A motor home. Another way of describing a class A motor home is as a bus with living accommodations. Most manufacturers of class A motor homes buy chassis with drive trains from an automobile manufacturer then build the structure according to their design.

Advantages: The class A is popular because of its easy access to living quarters from the driver's and passenger's seats. The feeling of openness - much like that of a home - appeals to many. Some like the class A because the height at the driver's seat allows an excellent view of road and traffic. The "box-like" shape of a class A allows the builder to devise a variety of attractive floor plans appealing to the emotional aspect of a traveling home. Because a class A is built on a chassis that comes without any body structure, a builder has a lot of latitude for establishing price range and quality.

Disadvantages: There are some negatives to owning a class A. Although a well-built class A is a pleasure to drive on straight roads, some people find longer ones difficult to back up and turn in close places. The width of the driving compartment gives many RVers problems with judging right side clearance. Class A's have more structural problems than other types of RVs. They also offer little protection to driver and passenger in accident situations.

Choose Right: There are limitations to a travel home, whether motor home or trailer, and some advantages if one can adjust to the lifestyle. It's your choice at the time of purchase that determines whether the adjustment will be difficult or easy.

Type of Use: Snowbirding and fulltiming with class A's should generally be limited to temperatures from the 20's to 100º F. range. Because of the large area of windshield and the usually large picture windows, it may be difficult to keep the interior comfortable beyond these extremes. It is recommend that drapes that wrap as tightly as possible to the windshield and side windows of the cockpit. However, some fulltimers live in their coaches in Alaska during the winter and others in the Sonoran Desert in the summer!

Cold weather camping requires heated holding tanks, a couple of small electric heaters, and excellent venting to keep moisture from collecting on the windows and walls. For boondocking you'll probably want to add a vented catalytic furnace.

If you expect to get caught in the hot country, plan on two air conditioners for any motor home 30 feet or longer. If you plan on boondocking in hot temperatures you should also plan on a 6 kW generator, big exhaust fans in every vent, and lots of torque windows.

Costs Involved: When considering the purchase of a class A motor home, you should review your budget very carefully because this mode of RVing has the highest cost-per-mile factor. If you can afford an overall cost of $.50 to $1 per mile over a five-year period (including depreciation), you'll find that a quality class A motor home is a pleasurable way to see America.

Although class A motor homes can be pleasurable to drive and live in, there are many cautions you need to know in order to make a good choice. A bad choice increases your risk of accident, frustration, and severe financial loss. You need to choose a motor home that will fit your personality, budget, and tolerance for risk taking. With this in mind, let's take a look at some of the issues with class A motor homes.

Look at Construction: Length is more of a safety and durability problem than a legal one. Width is an extremely important subject for those who want to make an intelligent selection of class A's. Motor homes that are 102" wide are illegal on all highways if an awning causes the vehicle to exceed the 102" width. This means that almost all widebody RVs are illegal when driving on the highway. Although law enforcement agencies do not appear to be issuing citations at this time, these RVs are illegal and RVers should be cognizant of that fact.

Structural Integrity: The structural integrity of a class A motor home should be the most important issue for the buyer - but it rarely is. Structural integrity goes beyond chassis modifications and low-speed collision bars. It is widely held by safety experts that the biggest problem is that most motor homes are incapable of sustaining a laydown at 50 miles per hour, let alone a rollover. Although there are little in the way of data to support this opinion with enough statistics to satisfy many, there is little argument from those who know about the structure of class A motor homes in general. The caveat to this is that the RV accident rate in the U.S. is extremely low per number of units and total miles driven. RVers are usually very safe drivers.

Wheelbase-to-Length Ratio: Wheelbase on a class A motor home is a critical measurement. It is wheelbase that gives you stability on the highway. It is the lack of a good wheelbase that causes most motor homes to leave the highway. Theoretically, if you have an extra long wheelbase and lose your brakes on a long downhill grade, you would most probably hold to the road at very fast speeds even with moderate curves.

At Torklift Central RV, we will gladly show and explain all the features and benefits of all types RV's to assist in selecting the type that you feel is "just right" for you.

The idea of a van camper was conceived in the early 1960s when a regular van was converted into a camper van. This worked because vans were versatile, compact, economical to drive, and easy to convert. In the 1970s, van campers were classified by the RV industry as Class B motor homes.

Production of Class B motor homes doubled from 9,000 in 1971 to 23,000 by 1972. The fuel shortage of the early 1970s may have contributed to this increase because by 1977, over 40,000 had been built. Over the years, more choices in other RVs brought a drastic decline in the production of the Class B coach.

Today's Class B motor home is a modified, full-sized Ford, Chevrolet, GMC, or Dodge van. They usually have the following conveniences: sleeping, kitchen, and toilet facilities, 120-volt hookup, freshwater storage, and city water hookup. Most have a top extension to provide more headroom.

Class B motor homes have sleeping space for two, though some can accommodate up to four people. They are best suited for short trips and do not work well for snowbirding or full-timing Much of its appeal is economy, maneuverability, and safety - driving more like the family car than a truck. Over the years the Class B motor home has evolved from a rough, homemade look to a polished, sophisticated design, giving the consumer a highly improved product.

The class C, or mini-motorhome, has been very popular since the early '70s. It started out as a favorite for families and slowly evolved into a snowbirding-class RV in the '90s. Many consider the class C a safer motor home than the class A for a number of reasons - but primarily for the cockpit construction.

The class C is actually built on what is known as a cab & chassis. This means the entire front of the vehicle - which includes the engine, doors, dash, and cockpit area is of the general construction as it is in vans and pickup and full sized trucks. Because the class C chassis has evolved from a standard road vehicle designed for family and commercial use, it has many of the safety features normally associated with those types of vehicles. Because cockpit design is one of the big failures of class A motor homes, more RVers are considering the class C for the safety features built into the cab & chassis design.

A big item that has boosted the class C into the snowbirding class are the newer Class C motorhomes built on full sized commercial truck chassis such as the Freightliner M2 and Columbia chassis. These "Super C" motorhomes are up to 45 feet in length, have up to 455 HP diesel engines with Allison 6-speed automatic transmissions, and some can tow a whopping 40,000 pounds! The construction and ammenities rival any class A on the road. Owners of these Super C's report that they are the envy of the road.

Ford introduced their new chassis in 1996 with a GVWR of 14050 pounds and a V10 engine. This new chassis allows mini motor home manufacturers to build 28 to 30-foot motor homes without overburdening the chassis. Most purchasers report being very pleased with this new Ford combination of engine and chassis.

In buying a class C the most important features you need to look for are chassis capacity and wheelbase. Engine size should also be a primary consideration. If you are considering carrying more than one passenger, you'll want to seriously consider where they'll sit and how they'll be strapped into the seats. You'll need to consider cockpit construction, location of TV, slideout room, and widebody as possible hazards in case of collision or rollover.

If more retired RVers did not have a mindset towards the open space of the class A, or investigate the Super C's, they would stay in RVing longer because they'd feel more confident about their ability to handle a class C. We know of the many disciplines required to maintain an active retirement, such as leaving behind many habits of our youth. Know that the disciplines to accept and adjust to your limitations is an absolute necessity if you want to go RVing, sailing,and fishing to the glorious conclusion of a great life.

The fifth wheel type of trailer has been used in the trucking industry for almost 100 years because it is a safe way of carrying heavy loads. It's safe because the hitch configuration allows approximately 20 to 30 percent of its hitch weight to be exerted on the front suspension of the towing vehicle. Because of its forgiving nature to road and driving conditions, commercial truckers use the fifth wheel hitch configuration to carry extremely heavy loads. A fifth wheel trailer will stick to the tow vehicle through thick and thin. In many adverse handling situations, a fifth wheel trailer will actually enhance the ability of the tow vehicle to stick to the road. Whether in tractor-trailer rigs or in travel trailers, the fifth wheel configuration is popular because of its safety and handling capabilities.

A fifth wheel trailer is particularly popular with RVers who are fulltiming because most of these RVers want to go as big as the towing vehicle will allow. The fifth wheel is easy to connect and disconnect from the truck. It's relatively easy to back up. Its tendency to sway is much less than that of a trailer coach. Because it can easily carry more height, it allows for more storage space - something every fulltimer wants.

Now that we've gone through a litany of praises for the fifth wheel trailer, let's look at the big picture with a bit of objectivity. Fifth wheel trailers are not for everyone. For one thing, you must have a truck to pull a fifth wheel. You cannot hook it onto a van, a sedan, or a pickup with a canopy. You cannot generally pull another car behind it. You cannot generally pull a boat behind it. You cannot generally let the family ride in it as you go down the road. These are very important limitations for some people.

The most serious problem is, of course, the size and weight of the fifth wheel trailers coming off the assembly line. Weights need to be limited because the axles, brakes, and tires have limitations. An example is that the most popular axle assembly has a capacity of 6,000 pounds. Unless you go to three axles, which is somewhat limiting in itself, you will be limited to a 12,000-pound maximum load on the axles. The hitch capacity on this example should be approximately 3,000 pounds (25% of axle capacity), which means the entire trailer should not weigh more than 12,000 pounds at the curb if you want a payload of 3,000 pounds. A weight of 12,000 pounds at the curb means that a manufacturer must limit a fifth wheel's size to approximately 32 feet if it's going to have a 12-foot slideout and a bedroom slideout. And to make it a bit more interesting, the walls and structure must be kept to a minimum to keep the unloaded vehicle weight (UVW) between 11,000 and 12,000 pounds - the average range for this size fifth wheel trailer. Add the average personal payload for snowbirding or fulltiming at 2000 pounds and you'll have a gross vehicle weight (GVW) between 13,000 and 14,000 pounds. This means that this 32-foot fifth wheel trailer will need a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 15,000 pounds. Only the newest 1-ton pickups are rated for this weight class and then only with the appropriate options and gear ratios.

Park Model RV's are unique in that they are a semi-perminent dwelling and not intended for normal highway use. They are built similar to a modular home with stud walls, floor joists and rafter systems, and are on wheels for movement. The weight, especially tongue weight is more than a pickup can handle. They are designed to be your home away from home. They are a great option for snowbirders, mountain get away, or beach houses. They are built to higher standards than the normal RV or modular homes.

They are built on a single chassis, mounted on 2-4 axles, and have a gross useable floor space not to exceed 400 square feet. Each certified Park Model complies with ANSI Standard 119.5, (American National Standards Institute), which lists over 500 safety requirements in the areas of fire, life safety, construction, plumbing, electrical and LP gas.

Park Models normally come completely furnished with an array of optional floor plans, decor and colors from which you can select your favorites. They include residential grade appliance but they do NOT have any holding tanks and need to be connected to the appropriate utilities.

They range from 8 feet wide to the more typical 12 foot wide models and range in length from 25 feet to 40 feet. Dormers, lofts, bay windows, vaulted ceilings, overhead ceiling fans and many more features make the park model the choice for many who want a second home, a getaway, or just a weekend retreat from the bustle of city life.

The trailer coach has been around since the thirties. Coach is an old term used to describe a vehicle for carrying people and supplying limited accommodations. The conventional travel trailer and a class A motor home is often referred to as a coach. The trailer coach is also called travel trailer, tagalong, or trailer coach.

Trailer coaches are not always easy to control. The main thing to remember about pulling a trailer coach is that there is no forgiveness involved. If you don't balance the trailer correctly, you could lose control easily. If you don't hook up the hitch correctly, you could lose control easily. If you don't use the sway controls correctly, you could lose control easily. Trailer coaches are the least forgiving of wheeled RVs.

A trailer coach can be a very safe RV if you follow specific rules. A number of rules (often violated) are as follows:

1. You must have a weight-distributing hitch adequate for the job.
2. The brake-controller lever must be easily reached without taking your eyes off the road.
3. When hitched on level ground, the trailer floor must be fore-aft level.
4. Any friction type sway-control bar must be released when on gravel or slippery roads and should be reduced on all curvy roads.
5. Your towing vehicle must have a wheelbase adequate to control the size of the trailer.

Study the variety of hitch weight percentages. An RV manufacturer should be able to keep those hitch weights between 8% and 12% - the acceptable range whether dry or wet.

A trailer coach can be a good instrument for doing all the things you want to do as an RVer. A poorly-hitched and out-of-balance trailer coach is not forgiving to adverse road conditions and lack of concentration on driving techniques. We stress the importance of preparation whenever you take your RV onto the highway or into the wilderness.

The Slide-In Camper is a unit designed to fit into the bed of a pickup truck. In its basic form, it provides a place to sleep (usually in the cabover section of the camper), cooking arrangements, and eating space. In today's slide-in units, every amenity found in in travel trailers or motorhomes can be found in a slide-in camper - from microwave ovens, refrigerator/freezer combinations to air conditioning, bathroom with shower,stereo and TV systems, and, with slideouts, offer an amazing amount of room.

Top of the line slide-in campers can sleep up to 5 people, have fresh water and waste water holding tanks large enough for several days of camping. Many have a complete bath with shower, some are a "wet bath" where the full room is a shower and others have a "dry bath" where the shower is fully enclosed. Coupled with a generator, the slide-in camper offers a degree of freedom most other RV's cannot match.

Another plus for the Slide-in is the ability to tow a trailer, boat, horse trailer or other form of towed unit behind the pickup. Upon reaching a campsite, many owners extend the jacks (most are electric) and unload the camper. This allows them to use the pickup for local sightseeing or shopping or to launch their boat. Once on the ground, the slide-in is a stable RV, you need not keep it on the pickup for use.

A great degree of care must be used in selecting a slide-in camper. The larger units can have a GVWR (maximum Gross Vehicle Weight) of 3,000 - 3.500 pounds. A unit of this size requires a one-ton pickup to safely haul the camper. Many users have dual wheels (recommended on larger Slide-in units and air bag auxiliary suspension to augment the truck suspension and inhibit swaying. Read your owners manual to determine the allowable cargo capacity of your pickup and the maximum CGVWR (Combined Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) to determine the maximum weight of a slide-in camper for your unit.

TENT TRAILERS

Tent Trailers, or Pop-Up trailers, are a unique melding of a hard-side Travel Trailer with a tent's sides. The sides and roof are most often fiberglass but some may be aluminum. Ranging is size from about 8 foot long to more than 18 feet , this is the least expensive RV available and is the start of RVing for many young families.

Amenities range from the basics, a 2-burner stove, sink, and a few storage areas plus two beds located in the extensions over the ends of the trailer to a complete self-contained camper unit with potty, refrigerator, furnace, stove, oven and more. The beds may be queen or king size and one model recently included a shower!

The low-profile when collapsed insures easy towing and there is a tent trailer that will meet the towing capacity of most any vehicle, from subcompact to full sized SUV. Light weight means you will not pay a large penalty in fuel mileage either.

Erecting the Tent Trailer once at a campsite is usually a matter of using a crank to raise the top to its full height, or, in the case of newer units, simply pushing a switch and an electric motor does the work.

Once extended, the end units need to be folded out, the tent sides snapped into place, and the braces under the bed inserted. All this takes less than 15 minutes and you are ready to enjoy.

HI-LO UNITS

The Hi-Lo unit can be found on both slide-in truck campers and in travel trailers. The description here applies to the travel trailer but the same principals apply to the slide-in camper.

This type unit combines a low profile of a tent trailer with the hard body of a travel trailer. The Hi-Lo unit extends to a full height trailer but when you are ready to travel, a simple push of a button starts the top half telescoping downward. The top half of the trailer actually fits over the sides of the lower half, decreasing the height by almost half.

While this style reduces wind resistance and makes towing less susceptible to strong winds and passing trucks, it will weigh the same as a regular travel trailer. Hi-Lo's travel profile gives greater stability at all speeds by reducing sway and buffeting caused by large vehicles and cross winds. The low center of gravity and aerodynamic efficiency improves safety, ease of use, and increases fuel efficiency.

This unique type RV is gaining popularity as it provides the best of both the full sized travel trailer and the towability of a low profile tent trailer. Ranging in size from 17 feet to 31 feet there are even models with a slideout to increase interior space.