Community Forums

Old Grape · 08-22-2020, 06:17 AM

Howdy all. We have had a 40' class A DP for about 6 years now. We have really enjoyed it. The room came in handy when our granddaughters went with us. They have grown out of that phase. So now we are considering downsizing to a super C. We will loose one slide and 8' to 10' of length. We will gain more towing capacity and a smaller foot print. We also like the added safety while driving of the truck cab front end. Have any of you out there done this type of downsizing? If so can you comment on your satisfaction or dissatisfaction on your decision?

richf · 08-23-2020, 10:39 AM

I've had 3 class C units a DP and now a Super C. Super C advantages: easier and less expensive service and oil changes, usually more power in the mountains, overall cost, less complicated systems, etc. Super C disadvantages: larger turning radius, more wind and engine noise, not quite the ride of full air suspension, etc.
We are very happy with our Nexus Ghost.

Old Grape · 08-23-2020, 09:55 PM

Thanks for the response. I thought the Ghost had a form of air ride? I have heard the noise is a little worse in the cab of a Super C. Since we drive our DP with the front mounted generator running so we can have the house AC running, the noise level might be similar. I guess I need to go out and drive a few to see if we like them or not.

petrel · 08-24-2020, 04:09 AM

The Class-8 truck conversions have rear air ride, along with an air ride cab and front seats. I am not sure about the Class-6/7 chassis conversions. Front air ride axles are available as an aftermarket kit for Semi trucks, but I haven't read of any installed in a Super C/Truck Conversion.

WorldCat25 · 08-24-2020, 08:20 AM

Yes, our Ghosts (Rich) have air suspension in the rear only, but even without airride seats, we are comfortable in it.

You do hear a lot more engine noise particularly climbing or descending steep grades. My specific Ghost also has a lot fo wind noise which I believe has been eliminated in the newer models on the M chassis. I finally solved that with some noise canceling headphones.

I do believe driving is much easier. My wife would not even consider driving a Class A but is very comfortable driving our rig even with a fullzise SUV behind it. My 29 yo niece drove it last week and even pulled it into the fuel lane at a truck stop.

But as you noted, you do lose a lot of room up front.

vanlieremead · 08-31-2020, 05:03 PM

I also now have a Ghost 33’. I guess I should have asked you about yours before buying mine. I drove it back from Texas to Arizona a few days ago. It is very comfortable to drive. Sometimes it gets noisy from what I think is an auxiliary fan starting for air conditioning. The fan shuts down and it’s pretty quiet. But ... it is a truck after all.

bhammond1980 · 08-31-2020, 08:22 PM

We've owned 2 super C's. First, a Dynamax, was based on the Freightliner M2. It was extremely nice with every bell and whistle but, it weighed too much for the chassis. Air ride on the rear and leaf spring on the front, it could really get wild over certain road surfaces. My wife and I always kept our seat belts tight just in case. Other than that, it was a very nice coach.
After 5 years we traded up for one based on a class 8 truck. Our new coach rides unlike any other RV that I've driven or ridden in. Smooth, not effected much by cross wind or Semi's passing. Very pleasant to drive. Only down side is the large turning radius.
We have friends that just bought the new super C based on the Ford F550 chassis. So far they love the smaller size, maneuverability, and the likeness to a pickup truck so his wife will drive. It does ride a little like the chassis isn't heavy enough for the load. Just like most RV's, you do have to pay attention to how you load it.
We have never owned a class A but rented several before we decided on our first super C.

Old Grape · 08-31-2020, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhammond1980

We've owned 2 super C's. First, a Dynamax, was based on the Freightliner M2. It was extremely nice with every bell and whistle but, it weighed too much for the chassis. Air ride on the rear and leaf spring on the front, it could really get wild over certain road surfaces. My wife and I always kept our seat belts tight just in case.

Why do you say the Dynamax was to heavy for its chassis? And what do you mean by wild? Was it just bouncy like a truck if the surface was rough and uneven? Very curious cause I've been reading many threads where a lot of current Dynamax owners moved up to them from Senecas due the lower weight limit of the Seneca chassis. The RVs on the class 8 chassis like the Show Haulers are really nice but a bit above my pay grade unless I go several years old.

So the Dynamax Force HD and DX3, used of course, are on my short list of possibilities. I appreciate your details.

WorldCat25 · 09-01-2020, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanlieremead

I also now have a Ghost 33’. I guess I should have asked you about yours before buying mine. I drove it back from Texas to Arizona a few days ago. It is very comfortable to drive. Sometimes it gets noisy from what I think is an auxiliary fan starting for air conditioning. The fan shuts down and it’s pretty quiet. But ... it is a truck after all.

Nice looking Ghost. You have the new M chassis which is a big improvement over the Durastar. The fan noise is the engine fan to cool the radiator. This happens when coolant gets hot from a combination of pulling or descending long grades and/or hot exterior temperatures. As soon as the coolant temps come down, the fan shuts off. This is normal operation.

bhammond1980 · 09-01-2020, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Grape

Why do you say the Dynamax was to heavy for its chassis? And what do you mean by wild? Was it just bouncy like a truck if the surface was rough and uneven? Very curious cause I've been reading many threads where a lot of current Dynamax owners moved up to them from Senecas due the lower weight limit of the Seneca chassis. The RVs on the class 8 chassis like the Show Haulers are really nice but a bit above my pay grade unless I go several years old.

So the Dynamax Force HD and DX3, used of course, are on my short list of possibilities. I appreciate your details.

Ours was a Grand Sport 380 with a GVW of 35,000. Bought it with 14K miles and drove it to 40K. We would normally weigh about 33,500 on most trips. The wild ride happened whenever we hit a decent bump, like the transition at the end of an overpass on the freeway. The front axle / springs / shocks would launch you and the rebound could be just as intense. We tried new shocks and tire pressure changes. The only thing that would helped was the damper on the air ride seats.
Another thing I really didn't like about the Dynamax was the workmanship behind the very nice cherry woodwork. Since I do most of my own service and upgrades I had several occasions to get into the bones. Ours was a 07 which was when they still had a good reputation so I can only imagine how they build now. Sorry but I'm not a fan.

Old Grape · 09-01-2020, 09:11 PM

Thanks for the details. It's funny but people say the same about workmanship on the Seneca and upgrading to the better built Dynamax. The Haulmark you upgraded to I believe is a whole nother level of coach compared to the Dynamax. Many folks mention bad craftsmanship on many manufacturers. I guess all we can do is inspect what we are buying as best we can and then fix as needed.