Class-C Specific questions...

[yomin66]

Hello all,

I did take the "Introduce yourself" tour, and, for the inquiring minds, my background info as to the why, what and when can be found here: http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php?topic=9415.0
Thanks to Tom and Gary for the welcome wagon! 

So I have a pretty good idea of what I will invest my euros in, but a few questions remain at this time:

Levelling jacks: Sounds like a grand idea and apparently one can equip a Class-C with one of these marvelous gadgets. I visited a few of the recommended manufacturers websites, what's missing though is a price idea. Since I can't specify my year, make and model yet, I just need a ballpark figure: hundreds, thousands, what? They also claim, that these are to be installed by a dealer. A dealer of their product? An RV dealer? Has anyone installed these by themselves? What is your experience with them? Manual, Automatic? Troubles?  :

Trailer hitches: Since RVs are very indiviual creatures, I would like to know, where to get a hitch specific to a particular model. The manufacturer of the RV? Weld-It-Yourself? Any trailer or RV-shop?  :

Microwaves: If I get a unit without one, can one retrofit a microwave without having to remodel the area above the stove? Is there ANY standard, as far as overhead cabinet measurements are concerned? What about fridges or fridge combos? Would replacement just mean pulling out the old one and installing the new one or do sizes differ for equivalent units?  :

Eager to hear from any and all from you!  ;D (anybody from Alberta or BC here?)

Cheers from Germany (and hey, we too got some snow today!  ),

Volker

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Leveling jacks: Think in terms of thousands of $, probably about  5 of them. Fancier systems may run more, but you should be able to get a decent system for around $5000.  The price won't vary much by RV make, so ask for a price quote on any coach you can think of and that should bet you a good idea of the cost. Get several quotes - pricing will vary at different shops.  Most RV dealers could install them, or most any mechanical shop, but I suggest asking the jack manufacturer for a recommendation. "Automatic" usually means the system is self-leveling - you just push the start button. Is that what you meant? Those will be pricey.  If you meant simply one that is electro-hydraulic but you control the leveling process, that would be considered powered but manual. Not to be confused with manual-manual, where you get out and crank the jacks by hand.  The price I suggested is for powered-manual. It could be somewhat off, though - I haven't priced a system like that in several years. Used to be about 3500-4000, so I added a $1000 for inflation.

Trailer hitches: Nearly all Class C motorhomes will come with a receiver for a hitch, with a rating of 3000-5000 lbs.  The receivers are standardized and the various couplers or tow bars you may need will attach easily - they slide in and lock with a huge pin.

Microwaves: Alas, no standard sizes - anything but! Microwave manufacturers  changes sizes at a whim, so even finding the same make and type may not help.

 

[yomin66]

Thanks, Gary.

Leveling jacks:

• On a 10-12K MH, the cost for a set of leveling jacks to the tune of 4-5K may prove prohibitive, unless the unit is in such good a shape, that I would keep it over a longer period of time (e.g. upwards of 5 years). It would also make some sense, if the "kit" would be of universal nature, removable without unsightly marks on body and interior, and thus reinstallable on the next unit.
• Manual-manual would also be an option. Convenience is one thing - the effect is the primary concern though (e.g. the fried eggs stay where they're supposed to be)  .

Hitches:

• That's good news on the trailer hitches  . I cannot remember how to interpret the rating in North-America though. Here in Germany there are additional ratings for the load on the hitch itself (weight distribution) and a "brakeable" load (...and I don't really know how to translate that one correctly) as opposed to a "pullable" load. Are there such ratings in NA?

Microwaves:

• I take it, that your statement regarding Microwaves also hold true for fridges, stoves, etc.?  :-\

Cheers and thanks for your input!

Volker

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Retrofitting powered jacks on a used Class C is probably not cost justifiable.  Manual stabilizer jacks, which steady the coach but can only lift it a small amount, are very practical. Probably several hundred dollars for front and rear.  Here's an example: Class C Stabilzer/leveler

A fully powered system: Big Foot Quadra for Class C

US hitches are rated for for their weight carrying capacity (trailer tongue weight) and their weight towing  capacity.  There are two types of hitches, weight carrying and weight distributing. A weight carrying hitch supports the entire downward weight (tongue weight) on the hitch itself and thus primarily on the tow vehicle's rear axle.  A weight distributing hitch uses a spring cantilever mechanism to distribute some of the downward pressure forward to the front axle of the tow vehicle, so it can handle more tongue weight.  I've never seen a rating concerning "brakeable load" and don't even know what that might represent, if it is different than the towing capacity. I suspect that the US rating for "towing" includes both "pulling" and "braking", but I've never sen it explained that way.  Trailers over about 2000-3000 lbs require brakes on the trailer (regulations vary by state)

Fridge sizes are somewhat more standard, but the standards have changed a couple times over the last 10-15 years and the two major brands (Norcold and Dometiic) are often slightly different, enough so that they are not easily interchangeable. Both companies usually offer at least one model that is sized to replace the previous generation's most popular model, so there may be an upgrade/replacement path if you have a mainline model. There are also replacement cooling units for older fridges, so you can replace the working parts without replacing the box itself.

Stove tops and ovens are pretty much standardized and it is usually easy to get an exact replacement, though rarely required.

 

[Wendy]

Microwaves - There was no microwave in our Class C when we bought it. We bought a $30 microwave at Wal-Mart and set it on the kitchen counter, behind the sink. We did once measure the cupboard above the stove and the MW would have fit but decided I liked having the cupboard space better.

 

[ArdraF]

We had the Big Foot Quadras on a couple of coaches and loved them.  They don't sink into dirt or soft soil as easily as those with narrow "feet" and are quite stable.

ArdraF

 

[purduepete2]

I just got a quote from Big Foot for a 29 ft BT Cruiser @ $2875 plus $500 for factory installation.