Thor has a reputation as having some QC issues, but this new van is very interesting to me
https://www.thormotorcoach.com/build...steps/?p=44613
Thor has a reputation as having some QC issues, but this new van is very interesting to me
https://www.thormotorcoach.com/build...steps/?p=44613
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Didn't feel like I needed to start a new thread and figured I would leave this here.
These tires, Castlerock 8 ply/Load D, were on my travel trailer, purchased new in April 2018. I check pressure and set them at 66 psi before every trip. I have never driven over 65mph and really stay between 50 and 55 mph. We putt along.
In April 2021 I took the empty trailer to the dealer for a yearly checkup. I have to assume during that trip one of my tires shed a small chunk of tread and I noticed the day prior to our trip in late April. So it was around 3400 miles and 3 years old. Strike 1. I installed the spare tire (3 years old with zero miles) and bought the only tire that would show up the next day, a Travelstar.
Oh yeah, glad I bought a sweet jack/jackstand combo. We pulled this trailer for 2 years and I assumed the F-150 jack would suffice.https://www.amazon.com/Powerbuilt-62...6218599&sr=8-3
This one is cheaper... not sure why: https://www.amazon.com/Alltrade-6409..._t1_B00GJJZ5NI
This happened last Thursday. Strike 2.
So I installed the Travelstar. Once at camp in Charlottesville, VA, I was able to get a Carlisle for a spare.
On Sunday this happened to the "newish" spare tire installed in April. It had probably 650 miles on it. Strike 3.
Just a friendly reminder for those of you that bought COVID travel trailers, eyeball those tires and check pressures. I was hoping to get 4 years on these and then swap. Almost made it!
On the Forest River forum they call these things China bombs. Well there is only 1 trailer tire made in the US for this size, a Goodyear Endurance and they are out of stock (Walmart says they have them and I ordered). Everything else is from China or Thailand. The Carlisle tires that people like are also made in China.
You RV owners have much better options for tires, like Michelin etc.
Hope you all have safe trips this summer.
I’ve got a buddy looking for something like that sleeps four with a pop up loft. Is there such a thing?
#RESIST
Absolutely, given the understanding that once you pop the top, ac is probably a non-thing. Most appear to be built on the RAM chassis, which is the same as ours, and which is my least favorite, but has some advantages (FWD gives you a lot more interior room on an otherwise shorter OAH than other chassis, and also has the most interior width).Originally Posted by LittleLebowski
Something else to look at is the total number of seatbelts, potential for car seats (if needed) and even with total seatbelt count, how many of them are 3-point? Many class b vans still have lap belts only.
The Winnebago Solis is probably the most common, and value model. There’s two versions, a short and a long. IIRC only the long has an ac option, but again once the top is popped…
https://www.winnebago.com/models/pro...mper-van/solis
Pleasureway (same brand as our Lexor model) has the Tofino. No bathroom, which some prefer and for some (like me) that makes it a no-go
https://pleasureway.com/models/tofino/
Thor, of whom I’m generally not a fan, has their Tellaro is kind of their Solis competitor. They have some interesting floor plan options, Including a rear wet bath, which has some advantages (easier access from the outside, for one, larger space for another) and some disadvantages (no place for cargo).
https://www.thormotorcoach.com/tellaro/floor-plans/
Thorhas some new models as well. The Rise and Scope (for some reason a lot of RV brands sell identical models under different names. It’s weird and confusing). These two models, IMO, make no sense. Lack of good riding position for passengers makes me question the need for extra beds. Although, the lower beds are so horrid that perhaps the attic is the only place anyone could functionally sleep.
https://www.thormotorcoach.com/rize/
https://www.thormotorcoach.com/scope/
A couple of other options….
The new Winnebago Ekko is technically a Class C, but many people call it a “B+” and it was designed to maximize the interior space while maintaining the footprint of a B. There are LOTS of neat things about this van.
https://www.winnebago.com/models/pro...s/class-c/ekko
And they are coming out with a pop-too version. If I wanted a pop top, this is what I’d be looking at HARD.
https://www.motor1.com/news/533157/w...pop-top-debut/
Finally, there are short-ish, class c campers that can sleep up to 6. We are actually considering going from our van to one of these because having the ability to to sleep at least all four of us, under air, would be a major benefit in Florida. Even leaving Florida, it takes us 4-5 hours to get out of the state, and a good day to get anywhere cool-ish.
This is the model that’s Currently top of my list. On the new E450 chassis it should allow for 8k lbs towing, which gives me the ability to tow a Jeep, should we want to, and easily tow our golf cart. This model is 23’-10” while the Ekko above is 23ft, and the longer version of the Solis (as well as our current van) is 21ft. I’ve seen other (non-pop-top) class b vans that are up to 24ft, so this shortest C is actually shorter than the longes Bs. But with the slide out becomes far more spacious inside, and with the cab over bunk gives a lot more sleeping options.
https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/class...e/2251SLE/4423
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Another option, and something we are still considering, is adding a teardrop to tow behind the van for situations where we (a) would like the kids to have conditioned space to sleep and (b) would like to have a little bit of extra cargo space.
This is one we have been considering. Very lightweight (which matters a lot on the Ram based vans which have the lowest towing capacity. Ours is around 2k max, iirc) and the ac is 110 so we could plug it in to the power pole along with our 30amp. Could possibly even daisy chain it off the external 110v outlets in the van (not sure if they are 20amp or not, but most campground power poles have 50 amp, 30 amp, and then a duplex 20amp, and the latter would easily power the window shaker in the teardrop).
https://www.runawaycampers.com/rangerunner
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Thank you, @rob_s.
#RESIST
Recently became aware of these guys. @GJM or @RJ have you guys come across any in the wild?
https://www.modvans.com/cv1m
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Not yet
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
I have not, but we stopped looking for vans last year when our house build started. We actually went down to look over a 16' Bambi Airstream the other weekend. I looked at my wife and asked her if she was nuts after they said they wanted $62K for a new one.
We did see quite a few 4x4 Sprinters out and about in WY/MT during our 2 week trip to Glacier NP last July. They seem to be especially popular in Kalispell MT, I bet we saw 4 of them driving around town, and on the way to the Park.
This medium height Transit is probably a solid base for a B. The gas-powered engine (can fill up at Costco) is a big deal. Yeah diesels are cool (had a Cummins in the Ram) but fuel cost at the time was high, and locating a diesel pump with a 30' trailer hanging off your hitch was a pain.
This new van seems to be market driven towards younger, more active buyers. They probably shower in the campground (no shower that I see) and don't mind a cassette toilet (no potty in the coach). For older couples like us coming from a Class A or a TT, we are Not Thrilled with the idea of hand carrying a stinky toilet cassette to a dump station, or walking in flip flops to the camp shower.
On the other hand, if you want a drivable, basically hard-sided tent (bears!) with some creature features, it might make sense.
Edit to add: One of the reasons upfitters choose high-roof vans to start with is the added cabinet space. Opting for a medium height vehicle as a base such as this, means less room for "stuff" in the Class B. Sure, it allows additional payload capacity in the same chassis length, but the trade off is reduced cargo carrying capacity by volume, as well as a shorter interior height. Not saying you have to be Quasimodo to live in one of these, but interior standing space is a big concern for taller folks than me (I am 5'6", below average, so have no problems.) Our Roadtrek pictured for comparison:
Last edited by RJ; 11-10-2021 at 07:56 AM.
well, they do have a "dry flush" toilet option which may be expensive but doesn't require dumping a cassette.
Our current B has a shower but we don't use it. We use the hell out of the toilet in the wet bath. Wife and kids use the outside shower, I use the campground showers.
We also use our B Van as much for activities and such as for "camping". Last night I took it to take my daughter to cheer practice and hung out in the back while I waited for her to be done. tomorrow the wife will take her norwegian relatives and our daughters down to the beach, and I'll meet them for an early dinner. The neighborhood Xmas parade is coming up, and we'll park it on the route and put the awning out. We drive it to the sporting clays range and/or (when I'm able) to pistol matches and it's great to have your own little "house" in those situations. I've taken the van to visit jobsites and on work trips, and having the mobile office has been great (even staying in hotels).
So all of that said, the modvan may work for a lot of that. Even the camping.
However, living in Florida, I'm still looking for solutions that allow four to sleep under air. Without that, and without the alternate uses, frankly having a camper here is almost a waste. Anywhere you could go over a long weekend is unbearable and miserable, and anywhere you could go that would have tolerable weather is too far a drive for a weekend and with kids in school we can't travel long distances during the school year.
All of that to say, I'm actually looking to try and split the use cases across two vehicles. If I could find a Transit or Sprinter to buy, and someone to do some basic mods in a timely manner (bathroom, induction, AC, 'fridge, maybe a microwave) and for a reasonable cost, that would give us our "activity" wagon and then we could go buy a small C with a rear bed, convertible dinette, and cabover bunk that would sleep all of us and seem palatial coming from the Pleaseureway.
Something like this, NOT on a RAM, would be great. Our current van is a RAM and I don't want another one (plus I'd like an AWD/4WD for visiting jobsites).
https://www.thormotorcoach.com/rize/floor-plans/18m
This would be a good option, but the price is creeping up and I suspect a lot of the features are not needed for our local adventures/activities.
https://www.thormotorcoach.com/sanct...oor-plans/19p/
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