Allegro Bus Basement Storage

[Jurisdictionary]

Please advise if you know how "tall" an object, say a large plastic box, will fit in the basement storage of an Allegro Bus 2016-2019. If you know, please advise what the maximum height of a solid object can be "in the pass-through sliding tray" and "in the basement without the tray", since I know the tray takes up some of the vertical clearance. The kindness of your response will be warmly appreciated. Thank you!

[NLOVNIT]

That will depend on if the coach is on a Freightliner or Tiffin PowerGlide chassis. The PG has 6" of additional height in the bays.

Lori-

[Jurisdictionary]

Thanks. Allegro Bus on Powerglide chassis. So, how much vertical clearance to get things in and out, with and without the slide, if you know, and thanks!

[Lt Dan]

The 2016 Buses did not have the raised rail chassis with taller basement clearance like the Power Glide Phaetons or the new 40IP bus. The bay height will be similar to a Freightliner chassis.

[Jurisdictionary]

Thanks, however that does not tell me what the vertical clearances are, of course. If anyone knows please tell what the maximum vertical dimension of a solid object will fit in the basement with or without the drawers, please.

[lakefront5]

Originally Posted by AmJustFound

Thanks, however that does not tell me what the vertical clearances are, of course. If anyone knows please tell what the maximum vertical dimension of a solid object will fit in the basement with or without the drawers, please.

I have a 2020 AB 40 IP, Powerglide with the raised rail chassis. One manual sliding storage tray bay is 20 3/4" floor of tray to bottom of chassis rail. The other big bay with no tray is 24" from floor to chassis rail. So the manual slide-out storage tray lowers your clearance from the chassis rail about 3.25".

[TXTiger]

Why not call Tiffin and ask them for an answer?

[Jurisdictionary]

Thank you, LakeFront5. So, from your measurements (thank you for that) we should have no problem getting our locking heavy-duty water-tight plastic tubs (15" tall) in and out of the basement ... yes?

We are trading in our little Itasca for an AB (2016-2019) and selling our home to go full-time, so over the next couple of weeks we are loading stuff into those great locking tubs (IRIS USA, Inc. SIA-760D 82 Quart Weathertight Storage Box, Store-It-All Utility Tote, available at $135 for 4 on Amazon and highly recommended) that we cannot fit in our tiny 28-foot Itasca Sunstar. We will leave 3 or 4 of those tubs with our son who lives nearby so he can forward them to us via UPS when we find the AB we want. We could be literally anywhere before we find the 40SP that we think we want. So, it's pretty darned important that the tubs fit in the AB basement. Thank you for assuring me they will fit.

[Lt Dan]

Originally Posted by AmJustFound

Thank you, LakeFront5. So, from your measurements (thank you for that) we should have no problem getting our locking heavy-duty water-tight plastic tubs (15" tall) in and out of the basement ... yes?

Keep in mind that LakeFront's coach is a 2020 40IP on the raised rail chassis. A 2016 will not have that much clearance since they did not starting putting the raised rail chassis on Buses until 2019. I measured when our 40IH was being built and found the raised rail chassis had about 6" more clearance than the non raised chassis. With that, a 2016 should have approximately 18" without the tray.

[TurtleKent]

The height measurements others have given are correct... on the raised rail Bus IP(2019-2020) the height to rail is 24" +/-, with the manual trays you lose about 3.5". The 2018 and earlier Bus without the raised rail only had about 18"+/- height. The same measurements apply to the Phaeton IH(Powerglide chassis, NOT Freightliner). I'm not positive when the raised rail chassis first became available on the Phaeton, maybe 2017?

If you're really concerned about basement storage, get a raised rail chassis. I feel they will be in higher demand at resale time. Plus, it's 6" less you have to bend over under the slides to gain access!!

Also be aware that the 40' and the 45' are about equivalent in basement storage capacity, as adding the tag axle eliminates about 4' in length from the cargo bays. However the 45' does give you different floorplans, and much greater rear axle load capacity. Plus you get two additional wheels for added braking capacity.

The simple answer is buy the coach you want, then afterwards buy new storage tubs to fit. I use the Rubbermaid Roughneck Totes... they come in 3 sizes(heights) with the same footprint, but are pretty much only available online. I've had many of mine for over 13 years and never destroyed one, they hold up well. They 'nest' nicely, but are NOT the same sizes as the 'Commercial Brute' product.
https://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Ro...07R3LQMZX?th=1
I use the 10gal and 18gal sizes. The 18gal(x6 plus extra space) fits nicely in the under-bed storage(non-folding bed). On my tray(raised rail) I can accommodate 8 totes in various arrangements, the 10gal can stack 2-high... 3-high if they don't have to pass under the rails. The 18gal can get very heavy to handle if it is densely loaded. With the smaller tote it is easier to compartmentalize your stuff.

[lakefront5]

The raised rail Powerglide chassis on the Tiffin Phaeton 40 IH was 2017 mid year. We had just taken delivery of our 2017 Phaeton 40 AH on a Freightliner chassis then they introduced the 40 IH XSH, were we sick. We went as far as to see what we could trade for an IH with our coach only having about 5,000 miles, too big a hit. We waited three years and now have a AB 40 IP and love the extra basement space.

[NLOVNIT]

We have these 18gal Husky storage totes in our slide out tray bays. I've got 6 per tray so I have room in the very front of the trays for these smaller bins for easy access to often needed supplies (rags, Wash/Wax ALL kit, slide lube cans, bug spray..etc) & a toolbox as soon as I open the door. These 4gal totes sit on top of most of the Husky ones that I don't get into as often - ones I keep further interior on the slide out tray. Together they are a combined height of just over 20" & easily clear the middle frame rail on our Phaeton.

Lori-

[heathtx]

We have a 2019 40IP Bus with the powered cargo trays. The powered trays are slightly taller, so you only have 19.4" from the tray to the bottom of the chassis rail.

[Jurisdictionary]

Thanks. I know my "tubs" will fit now. Appreciate your response.