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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / April 2008Taking an RV on rough roads
In the summer of 2006 my wife and I rented a 23' RV from CruiseAmerica for a one month trip in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. It was just a spectacular trip - one that we will never forget. We want to do the "sister" trip and go south into parts of Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona in 2009. When we took our CruiseAmerica rental out it was fine except on gravel roads that had gone into a washboard type of surface. It was nearly undrivable so we didn't take those kinds of roads and missed out on some things we would have liked to have done. The RV was built on a truck body. In fact it had cab for two people and you had to exit a door and walk around to the side to get into the eating and sleeping area. We are wondering if all smallish RVs are like that (there will be just the two of us again). We are thinking maybe we should rent one of those camper vans. I think you can sleep in them but you probably can't shower. Not sure about cooking. We can always bring our tent and outdoors camp stove which is fine if the weather is good but if it is raining.... Been there and done that too many times with the kids. So what do you think? Is there something that has the space of a small RV like we rented in 2006 but which doesn't jar your fillings out on washboard roads or are motels and tents in our future? TIA. Dick Snyder > In the summer of 2006 my wife and I rented a 23' RV from > CruiseAmerica for a one month trip in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > get into the eating and sleeping area. We are wondering if all > smallish RVs are like that Most Class C motorhomes have direct access to the house part between the driver and passenger seats, so no, most are not built like the rental unit you got. ALL Class C & Class A motorhomes are built on truck type chassis and ride bad on "washboard" roads. Just slow way down and see more scenery!! That's what we do. When you rent the next time, ask about driving on gravel secondary roads, because some have restrictions that are very costly if they find rock damage. Tom J >ALL Class C & Class A motorhomes are built on truck type chassis and >ride bad on "washboard" roads. Just slow way down and see more >scenery!! That's what we do. The Cortez class A was all hand-made, steel body one-piece iirc. No truck chassis. And each wheel was independent with three types suspension each. Leaf spring, coil spring and torsion bar. Felt like a very large Lincoln. But alas, they don't build them like they used to do. Eddie >Tom J > In the summer of 2006 my wife and I rented a 23' RV from CruiseAmerica for a > one month trip in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. It was just a spectacular [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Dick Snyder I have found that a GM chassis has a more comfortable ride, I had a class A MH and found that to be so. The Ford is like having no cushion what so ever in their ride. I have a Dodge now and can take a lot more rough treatment than the GM but is not as bad as the Ford is for comfortable ride. As for the requirement to exit the cab by the side doors and entering the coach in an outside door, never seen one like that. If you happen to get an RV so small that it does not have a shower, there is always the RV park facilities.  SignatureBILL P. "Dick Snyder" sez. > In the summer of 2006 my wife and I rented a 23' RV from CruiseAmerica for > a one month trip in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. It was just a spectacular [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > didn't take those kinds of roads and missed out on some things we would > have liked to have done. To us it seems the CruiseAmerica units were designed for renting to foreign tourists and beginners. We see so many broke down on main roads, we wonder why you'd take them in risky off road places. FWIW gravel road maintenance is deteriorating as local budgets dwindle. Motor patrol graders hit many roads only twice a year - early summer after dry out to remove winter ruts for loggers and fall to remove washboards for deer hunters. Local politicians usually care less about tourists' washboard road complaints. The RV was built on a truck body. In fact it had cab for two > people and you had to exit a door and walk around to the side to get into > the eating and sleeping area. We are wondering if all smallish RVs are > like that (there will be just the two of us again). As stated they are designed to make it easy on the company - not you. We are thinking maybe we > should rent one of those camper vans. I think you can sleep in them but > you probably can't shower. Not sure about cooking. We can always bring our [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > like we rented in 2006 but which doesn't jar your fillings out on > washboard roads or are motels and tents in our future? AHA! So you want something you can ride in comfortably while you drive like a bat out of hell on washboard gravel roads. Well the Arctic Fox and Desert Fox trailers, campers and 5th wheels are specificially designed for such off road RVing, but not fast driving. Unless they are graded, ALL gravel roads will eventually become washboards, axel dragging ruts and bottomless mudholes. If you are going to put lots of miles off road you might consider four wheel drive. Perhaps a Fox dealer or private party will rent you a tow truck and rig for a month or you can buy and sell back. If you DO NOT rent or buy a rig specifically designed for your intended use then you can always rent a plush tow vehicle (e.g. Cadillac SUV) that will smooth out the washboards and you can rent and pull a tent trailer behind. When you drive like a bat out of hell and something gets trashed, you can always use your OnStar to help rescurers get you back on your way. Good luck! John I see where "Dick Snyder" <REMOVE-dicksnyder@comcast.net> contributed: >So what do you think? Is there something that has the space of a small RV >like we rented in 2006 but which doesn't jar your fillings out on washboard >roads or are motels and tents in our future? Start shopping for motels & tents. Will Sill The self-appointed Curmudgeon of Sill Hill >I see where "Dick Snyder" <REMOVE-dicksnyder@comcast.net> contributed: > >>So what do you think? Is there something that has the space of a small RV >>like we rented in 2006 but which doesn't jar your fillings out on washboard >>roads or are motels and tents in our future? >Start shopping for motels & tents. And bug spray for both! . . . along with an air-ride Lincoln Town car. > In the summer of 2006 my wife and I rented a 23' RV from CruiseAmerica for a > one month trip in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. It was just a spectacular [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Dick Snyder I've never seen or heard of a motor home where one had to exit the cab section before entering the house section. Very unusual. Motor homes, class A and C, are mounted on truck a chassis due to the heavy weight involved, and a tend to be quite stiff. They don't handle very rough roads very well. Have you ever heard the phrase "rides like a truck"? That said, my pickup truck rides smoother pulling our 5th wheel trailer over rough roads than it does without pulling the trailer. ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com ** |
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