Community Forums

ljjohnson99 · 02-11-2015, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gruelens

I have found the info in the RV Consumer Guide to be helpful in vetting a MH purchase. With the guide you can view CCC and other helpful info. The guide was money well spent for me in my last two private purchase MHs.

RV Consumer Group - We Rate RVs

Thank you George. I was wondering about that. Seemed kinda expensive, and didn't know if it was worth it.

Sky_Boss · 02-11-2015, 02:45 PM

In a gasser my experience is that the rear axle will max out before you ever get to any OCCC/CCC. On a DP the front axle will max out before you ever get to OCCC/CCC. FWIW and IMHO gassers will have the rear axle max out quicker than DPs will have the front max out.

In the short wheel bases you are looking at you will have even less of an ability to shift weight forward BUT if you find a 26,000# GVWR chassis at the shortest length available you should have more OCCC/CCC than longer ones because of the lighter coach/house shell.

Assuming what little I know about preppers I will toss a few thought out.

1. You will want room for supplies and unless you have tried to fit all of your basic gear into a small MH don't underestimate the volume (cubic feet of storage) it will take to get it all done. Heck, I can tell you that food for a couple dogs will take up a lot of space. Even if you could find a way to use every cubic inch of your coach, more stuff means more weight. See #2.

2. Take into consideration the total weight. If you plan on being able to go into unimproved areas that will mean the possibilities of poor or nonexistent roadways. The less the weight, the less chance of getting stuck.

3. Going solar will require you to consider not only the weight for the panels but also enough battery storage to meet your needs. You will have to consider either/both the room to add or upsize the standard batteries in most gassers. You can have all the panels in the world but if your batteries won't get you through the night or through a few days of poor charging opportunities you will have to decide if that is acceptable. Of course, if your life style has ways to work around that, you shouldn't really need a lot of solar power either. You just may need to limit usage of "convenience" items like a microwave or coffee maker to days when you have good sunlight and can recover from the use of high power appliances quickly before it gets dark. Of course, use of a generator can be a work around but then you have the issue of obtaining and storing sufficient supplies for emergency situations.

4. You can help reduce some of your water needs with a composting toilet. That could eliminate the need for a black tank and maybe open up some storage if that area can be reclaimed.

In the end, it will be tough to find a gasser RV with a functional 5000# of CCC available for real use and remain within specifications. Even if you did find a coach that after weighed gave you 5000#; because of issues around balancing the weight you will be lucky to get 75% of that as useable. If you don't care about exceeding axle weights then the world is your oyster.

ljjohnson99 · 02-11-2015, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sky_Boss

1. You will want room for supplies and unless you have tried to fit all of your basic gear into a small MH don't underestimate the volume (cubic feet of storage) it will take to get it all done. Heck, I can tell you that food for a couple dogs will take up a lot of space. Even if you could find a way to use every cubic inch of your coach, more stuff means more weight. See #2.

2. Take into consideration the total weight. If you plan on being able to go into unimproved areas that will mean the possibilities of poor or nonexistent roadways. The less the weight, the less chance of getting stuck.

3. Going solar will require you to consider not only the weight for the panels but also enough battery storage to meet your needs. You will have to consider either/both the room to add or upsize the standard batteries in most gassers. You can have all the panels in the world but if your batteries won't get you through the night or through a few days of poor charging opportunities you will have to decide if that is acceptable. Of course, if your life style has ways to work around that, you shouldn't really need a lot of solar power either. You just may need to limit usage of "convenience" items like a microwave or coffee maker to days when you have good sunlight and can recover from the use of high power appliances quickly before it gets dark. Of course, use of a generator can be a work around but then you have the issue of obtaining and storing sufficient supplies for emergency situations.

4. You can help reduce some of your water needs with a composting toilet. That could eliminate the need for a black tank and maybe open up some storage if that area can be reclaimed.

In the end, it will be tough to find a gasser RV with a functional 5000# of CCC available for real use and remain within specifications. Even if you did find a coach that after weighed gave you 5000#; because of issues around balancing the weight you will be lucky to get 75% of that as useable. If you don't care about exceeding axle weights then the world is your oyster.

1. I have done some measurements & I believe most if not all will fit. If not, then it's removing couches in the living area.
2. That is an issue...
3. Actually I have already figured into the #s a couple more batteries and the extra *stuff* that allows not only using the panels on the RV, but extra panels on the ground. That, and getting alternate heat (catalytic propane???) and a powerful fan on top should allow for adequate cooling. Not staying in places that are really hot during the *night*.
4. Actually, I have the toilet seat/6 gal bucket/enzymes already. We'll see how those work.

It will take some working, and maybe some re-working/replacement of interior items, but I think it is worth it.

Thank you very much for your comments. I'll consider them during my search. I've already learned that 3 slideouts are impossible, and 2 might be also. But whatever it takes...