Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > RV LIFE STYLES FORUMS > Full-Timers
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 09-01-2014, 03:04 PM   #15
Senior Member/RVM #90
 
MSHappyCampers's Avatar


 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 54,622
Personally, I would not go over 40' because most if not all over that have tag axles. I don't want to spend the extra $2500 for those four tires!
__________________
Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
MSHappyCampers is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 09-01-2014, 03:13 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Gordon Dewald's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 14,885
IMO it is sort of like a shed. You cannot build a shed too big! There is some limits to practicality but if space and comfort is what you want generally longer is better.

I am looking forward to seeing the double deckers come out that raise the second floor. I have seen pictures of a few custom MH but have not seen one up close.
__________________
Gordon and Janet
Tour 42QD/InTech Stacker
Gordon Dewald is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2014, 03:14 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
Tom-NC's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Ford Super Duty Owner
Carolina Campers
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Murphy, NC, USA
Posts: 1,117
Hi,

Does the 45' unit you are looking at have a tag axle? If so can it be lifted from the drivers seat? If not the turning radius would be huge and you would be dragging tag axle tires while turning.

By your last comments you don't expect to go into campgrounds however you must at sometime to empty your tanks and take on water. I have a 35 footer and am used to driving Prevost buses and maneuvering in a campground can be a problem with all the trees and other peoples campsites. You would really need a pull thru site for sure and not a backin.

BTW some states have restrictions on your overall length so I would also check that out.

In my personal opinion a 35-40 footer would be sufficient. We stay in our 35" for 4 months out of the year at one campground and find plenty of room and storage plus we
spend a lot of time outdoors. I even purchased a Coleman Canopy with four side panels and use it.

Good luck!

__________________
2014 Winnebago Adventurer 35P,Ford F-53, V-10
2011 Ford Escape,2000 Roadmaster Tow Dolly
"Have a Great Day, Enjoy RVing."
Tom-NC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2014, 03:18 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
rsha's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Palacios, Tx
Posts: 174
I have a 40' and I wish I had purchased the 45'. Its like a few other things in life, size matters.
__________________
40' HR Navigator
rsha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2014, 11:01 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Gordon Dewald's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 14,885
Quote:
Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers View Post
Personally, I would not go over 40' because most if not all over that have tag axles. I don't want to spend the extra $2500 for those four tires!
A tag only has two wheels. It is unpowered.
__________________
Gordon and Janet
Tour 42QD/InTech Stacker
Gordon Dewald is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2014, 11:14 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
Mr_D's Avatar
 
Country Coach Owners Club
Solo Rvers Club
iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
If you want to "camp" in Forest Service campgrounds then yes it's too big, but then so is a 40' in most cases!
We're looking at 43-45'ers ourselves and I asked at our favorite campground, they said no problem, but that's just for their campground.
__________________
2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
Mr_D is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2014, 02:12 AM   #21
Senior Member
 
Selah's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,328
There are a lot of 42-45 foot Motorhomes out there on the highways. They may be too big for some older parks but there is always a park or resort nearby that can handle the bigger rigs. I have never had to pass on a "area" due to the size of my MH (42).
You will find that the longer wheel base of a 42-45 foot coach will not turn as sharp. As a 36 footer but it is not a big deal. The smooth stable ride to the tag axle MORE than makes up for that little inconvenience. If you have doubts about driving a rig that size, take a short driving course. The two day course at Lazy Days is cheap, has great pointers, and chance to drive one through the narrow campground streets.
If you really like the 45 foot but don't get it because you think it's too big you will regret it later.
__________________
Paul, Kathy, and Tux the Mini Schnauzer
2014 Tiffin Phaeton 42 LH, 2013 Honda CRV
"When the time comes to look back, make sure you'll like what you see"
Selah is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2014, 02:16 AM   #22
Senior Member
 
Vsilvester's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 231
Quote:
Originally Posted by MRUSA14 View Post
No, it is not too big. I worried about the same thing when I traded my 40 for a 45. I needn't have worried. It has very been slightly more restrictive but well worth it for the added space and the improvement in ride.

2nd


05 MADP 4301
2014 Ford FX4 Crew
Blue Ox tow bar
Air Force One
Billy & Jeannie & Clyde The Poodle
Vsilvester is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2014, 07:09 AM   #23
Senior Member
 
darstar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Marquette, Mi.on the shore of Superior
Posts: 644
Quote:
Originally Posted by Selah View Post
There are a lot of 42-45 foot Motorhomes out there on the highways. They may be too big for some older parks but there is always a park or resort nearby that can handle the bigger rigs. I have never had to pass on a "area" due to the size of my MH (42).
You will find that the longer wheel base of a 42-45 foot coach will not turn as sharp. As a 36 footer but it is not a big deal. The smooth stable ride to the tag axle MORE than makes up for that little inconvenience. If you have doubts about driving a rig that size, take a short driving course. The two day course at Lazy Days is cheap, has great pointers, and chance to drive one through the narrow campground streets.
If you really like the 45 foot but don't get it because you think it's too big you will regret it later.
Actually the 45' will turn in a tighter radius than shorter coaches because with the tag lifted the WB is shorter.
darstar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-03-2014, 12:40 PM   #24
Senior Member
 
Gordon Dewald's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 14,885
Also depends upon the steering cut. Our MH has a 60 cut. Have yet to see how it gets into really tight spots but have made some interesting turns with the curbs in Walmart parking lots.
__________________
Gordon and Janet
Tour 42QD/InTech Stacker
Gordon Dewald is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2014, 06:34 AM   #25
Senior Member
 
smack2020's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 570
No


Scott
__________________
2013 Itasca Ellipse 42 QD
2014 Jeep Wrangler
Full time in 2013
smack2020 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-07-2014, 01:24 PM   #26
Senior Member
 
Diesel Diva's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 297
I'm with Selah. After selling our 4k sq. ft. S&B, bought a 45. Only been full time since late June and have not experienced any major issues due to length. And I LOVE that we have 1.5 bath and king size bed.
__________________
Michael & Debbie Kennedy,fur babies Smokey & The Bandit
2014 Aspire 44B 2018 Aspire 44W
2012 Grand Cherokee Hemi , Air Force One
Diesel Diva is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2014, 09:19 AM   #27
Senior Member
 
Gordon Dewald's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 14,885
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gordon Dewald View Post
Also depends upon the steering cut. Our MH has a 60 cut. Have yet to see how it gets into really tight spots but have made some interesting turns with the curbs in Walmart parking lots.
Went to a campout last weekend. Campground was older and spots were on the tight side but had no issues with getting in or out of the assigned campsite.

IMO the length of the campsite will be the determining factor in most cases. That and low tree branches. There will always be some campsites with narrow roads and parking spots that will be an issue.

Unfortunately moving the MH to different locations to test the "parkability" is the biggest issue. Cannot go to every campground to check how the parking is.

IMO there are many campgrounds who decide arbitrarily on a length. Some of those decisions are made based on what they 'think' is the max length. The decisions may have been made because someone was unable to get into their campsite. Rather than fight with folks they administer a cutoff to reduce the stress for the staff.

Some folks get to these areas without any experience or practise in parking their unit. When they are unable to park in their campsite the easiest thing to blame is the unit or the site.

I have watched campers attempting to back their unit into wide open campsites (accompanied by much arm waving and gesturing) and end up sideways or in the next campsite. Backing up is not the easiest thing to do and is a skill developed by analyzing the mechanics and then practising until you are competent.
__________________
Gordon and Janet
Tour 42QD/InTech Stacker
Gordon Dewald is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-18-2014, 01:19 PM   #28
Senior Member
 
OB-One's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 323
IMHO a 45ft coach is not too big. We are now full-timers and this is our first coach. I would make sure that you can lift the tag axle from the driver's seat. Some coaches only unload the axle, and while this works, IMHO lifting the tag is the best.

We are presently staying in the Denver area in state parks, Chatfield & Cherry Creek, and have no problems in these parks.

Some private RV parks we've used have been fairly tight, but lifting the tag axle made them easy.

Prior to selling out and going full-time we had a 25ft Arctic Fox TT that we pulled with a 3/4 ton 4x4 pickup. The trailer was lifted to match the truck and we pulled it anywhere the truck would go. Obviously, there's no way our 45ft coach will go to the places and routes that we drug the TT, but that's the compromise we made for the comfort and space of our coach.
OB-One is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Wiring Coach vs Engine batteries lpasekof Winnebago Industries Owner's Forum 6 05-20-2014 05:48 AM
Back from first trip in coach to Disney campgrounds... Bad Bolt Class A Motorhome Discussions 16 03-16-2014 11:26 PM
RV of the Year Awarded to Thor Motor Coach Class A RUV Motorhomes DriVer RV Industry Press 0 12-12-2013 12:00 PM
Big Boy and BIRD - Learned Something Not in the Documents distaff Monaco Owner's Forum 4 10-27-2013 09:46 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:00 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.