4x4 / 4WD -- high clearance -- high CCC & Tow

[Gthree]

Has anyone got a 4x4 class-A or class-C? Bought or built?

I REALLY want to own this configuration, but I've found nobody anywhere to convert my Itasca Sunova (27' class-A) at any price.

I've seen the Dynamax (almost no useful load -- CCC).
I've looked at expedition vehicles (either $$$$$ or noisy ex-military)
I believe Thor made a 33SW, but I don't have the specs. I think it was on a F450 chassis, too light.

I want the following:
- good ground clearance (which means 19.5" wheels or larger)
- factory or well-done 4x4
- good CCC, at least 2000 pounds, preferably more
- towing capacity 7000 pounds
- highway speed 70-75 without working hard
- reasonably quiet cabin (no worse than typical class-A)
- no longer than 30'

I know it's a tall order -- that's why I don't own one yet. I'm thinking about building a custom on a Ford F-550 chassis.

Any thoughts/experience would be much appreciated.

[BirchyBoy]

What’s your budget like? Here are some that may be what you want:

https://earthroamer.com/pre-owned/

I think there’s a company here in Denver that will add a camper body to an existing chassis if you have one. I can try and find their info if you want.

[ThePowells]

Here ya go...First Google result

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAaZ_bXSdsg

[Gthree]

Thanks guys...

My budget is 100-150K. (If the Isata 5 had any decent carrying capacity, it would be a clear winner. But with half a tank of water and me and my wife, it's already at max GVW. Too bad.)

One possibility is a near-new F550 4x4 long wheelbase ($50-60K), with some kind of custom chassis-mount camper on it ($75K?). BIG PROJECT though. But I'd be interested in a source for good-quality BIG chassis campers.

Those military-based vehicles are tempting, but VERY compromised. They top out at 60mph or so, and you can't hear yourself think in the cabin, even if it's soundproofed. I drove one, and I've read the owners' reports. Love the self-inflating tires and the high-clearance specs -- but I'd surely hate driving it.

[Clomok]

Any class C could be converted pretty easy, swap out the I beam 2wd front, to a TTB Dana50 front end from a F250, super simple and cheap or a SAS, still a fairly easy swap to do

[Gthree]

Yup -- I took a good hard look at these. There are at least one or two outfits that will convert a class-C to 4x4, for about $13K.

HOWEVER -- what you get is ONLY the 4x4. You're still stuck with anemic weight limits (14,500), and BTW pretty small tankage, like 35-40 gal of water. And then there's the 16-inch wheels, with the slender ground clearance.

There are VERY FEW 19.5"-wheeled class-C vehicles out there. They tend to be built on the bigger chassis, and have really long boxes, like 34-35'. That's where the Isata 5 lost it for me: excellent F550 chassis, exactly what I wanted, but they overloaded it even in their 30-foot version. Dang.

[Clomok]

International and I think freightliner both make 4x and 6x versions of their chassis, with a slew of motor and trans options. With 54k capacity on the 6x, the railroad uses them and never seems to have a issue. Might be another route to look at. I’ll see what I can dig up