Is 43 ft too long for boondocking?

[yeloduster]

Originally Posted by tomwootton

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On your original question, "Is 43 ft too long for boondocking?" As you have probably figured out the answer like so many other thins is, "It depends."

I have a 34' gas Class A with a 218" wheelbase. I almost always boondock and the places I choose to go make this size just about the max I could use. As you mentioned ground clearance, turning radius etc are limitation. For the places I choose to go my biggest limitation are height and turning radius. If you choose gas Class A you will get a shorter wheelbase and shorter turning circle. My brother has a 40' DP. He sorta destroys my driveway getting onto my acreage! My 34' negotiates it easily. He could NEVER get it into my favorite Boondocking place. He mostly boondocks, however he sometimes drives 2 MPH for 5 miles to get there!

I rarely camp in cities. When I do I go to parking lots like Walmart. I've never found a problem parking.

With the 34' length and 218" wheelbase I have a fairly long rear hangover. I recently stayed in a campground in a site with a 28' foot limit. I backed into the site. The long overhang stuck out the back of the campsite leaving just enough room for the MH. I even parked the Jeep sideways in front of the motorhome.

For your various desires for usage you will probably find a front engine motorhome more suitable than a DP. More choices in front engine if the engine is drinking gasoline.

[twogypsies]

We had a diesel 40' MH with 276" wheel base and hardly any overhang. It didn't have a tag. Turns were absolutely no problem.

We were full-time and boondocked on public lands 90% of our time when not volunteering in national and state parks.

Honestly, we never had an issue when we decided where we wanted to go. We'd go off pavement up to 20 miles. Yes, you need to do your research. We used BLM and national forests.

All our friends were boondockers and we all exchanged good and scenic parking spaces.

Remember, when you buy a new MH these days you're going to have a residential refrigerator so plan for running it. That would be a deal-breaker for us.

I'm confused when you say you want to park on city streets. Why? That's not boondocking. You're not stealth parking with a 43' MH!

[rarebear.nm]

I always say, everyone has different needs/wants in an RV. So if it fits, use it.


But a little funny story about tag axles.


I saw a long unit with a tag axle that had tried to cross a shallow swell. Well he got his front wheels across just fine, but as the drive wheels came over the low spot the tag axle was still on higher ground. So there there he sat suck in midair with no traction. Normally I see folks stuck in mud, sand or snow but not in the air.

[Rob_M]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Remember, when you buy a new MH these days you're going to have a residential refrigerator so plan for running it. That would be a deal-breaker for us.

I'm confused when you say you want to park on city streets. Why? That's not boondocking. You're not stealth parking with a 43' MH!

Shouldn’t need to give examples of this. Doesn’t matter what you call it.

This past July 4 we parked on the street against the curb close to the city park in a community that we know puts on a great fireworks show. After the show was over, instead of driving home we dry camped with the slides in.

To the OP. Yes the ability to use the RV withe slides in opens up many more choices for places to dry camp. Or stealth camp. Call it boondocking if you like, it’s just a slang term anyway.

And our residential fridge doesn’t keep us from dry camping anywhere we choose. It just requires more solar or more generator run time.

BTW, a diesel generator is usually much more quiet than gas or propane. We’ve run ours for a week straight before in the summer.

Our DP is 40’ and low tree limbs and rear overhang (hitch clearance) affect us more than length or maneuverability. For what we do, a little less length would suit us better sometimes. We probably won’t ever go bigger.

There is also the option to add an air ride-height override system that would allow raising the ride height when maneuvering into places where ground clearance might be an issue. We drag our hitch on asphalt every time we enter our driveway. Been thinking about adding an override.

[tomwootton]

Originally Posted by Nwcid

I know it was mentioned, but I disagree, but it also depends on how long you are. If you are over ~30' you will not fit into back to back parking spaces typically 16-18' (my 1 ton dually does not even fit in a single spot at 22'). This means you will be parking across spaces. Google says an average parking spot is 8-9' wide.

So you will need to park across at least 6 (6x8' =48') likely 7 so that you can maneuver in/out of the spot.

Now that you are parked across spaces you are taking up ~8.5' or roughly 1/2 the available parking space "length". Those spot are not going to be usable by others regardless of your slides being in our out. Even with your slides out you will be under 13' wide leaving a buffer of at least 1.5' on either side of your RV and still be well within the parking spaces you are already occupying.

Interesting points Nwcid. I am thinking of on-street parking taking up a big stretch of a block with no driveways, which is common in cities. Just before the parking restrictions ends (usually during rush hour parking lane is used for traffic), I would pull up with enough room to pull out at the light or stop sign or whatever and take up as many parallel spaces as it takes since nobody else is there yet. I would likely do what I did as a truck driver and just take up the spaces a few minutes before time and turn on the flashers until it is OK to park there. I once stopped in the middle of the street in downtown Cincinnati during rush hour, turned on my flashers like I was making a delivery or was broken down, went into YMCA and did a workout, and when I came out rush hour was over. You can get away with a lot with a big rig ;-) )

I had not considered being able to put slides out, but are you suggesting that if I pull up within a foot of the curb (don't laws say one foot from curb?) I will at least be able to put out the slides on the street side and potentially on the sidewalk side too? Should I be looking for a rig with not too deep of slides or, rookie ignorance, can I put them out only part way and still use them?

In re-reading your comment, I think you mean taking up spaces in a parking lot, but maybe my on-street idea built off of it still works?

Why would I do all that for one night where I would need to leave early to avoid parking ticket in the morning? I would go out dancing, sleep until I had to leave, drive to another part of town where I could park for the day, and either leave for an outdoors boondocking site, be a city tourist for a day or many, go out dancing again with the night parking trick, etc. Not your typical RV person, but I never met a truck driver who did that either, yet I did all the time ;-) I once on a trip from Chicago to LA took hwy 12 through Boulder Utah and pulled up to Bryce National Park in my Semi with 48 ft trailer and asked where to park. Spent the next day hiking before going on to LA. They assumed I was delivering to the National Park concession and let me in for free without even asking what I was doing.

[tomwootton]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

I'm confused when you say you want to park on city streets. Why? That's not boondocking. You're not stealth parking with a 43' MH!

I think I answered that in my previous post just above this one, but having driven a semi it is amazing how stealthy something huge is. People see it and assume it is there for a reason. The club I am dancing in and parked in front of will assume it belongs to the band. They might even put cones out for it ;-)

Boondocking, stealth parking - it is all the same to me. Boondockers Welcome has some pretty urban settings in industrial neighborhoods for a brewery or other business that lets RV's 'boondock'. - the same area also might have a dance club for me to go to, but I am sure bigger is better for parking on the street and getting away with it. I get away with it for my 30 ft C-Class, but only for one night as my plan entails.

I once drove my semi with 48 ft trailer into downtown Chicago. The signs said 'no semis', so I stopped in front of a cop, turned on my flashers, walked up to the cop and asked where I could park for the night. He looked at my rig and said "do you have a delivery in the morning" and I said "yes". He told me where to park in front of the entrance to the downtown zoo and assured me they would keep an eye on it so I was safe. I went out dancing for the night, got up before rush hour and drove to suburbs for my delivery. I didn't lie, I told him I had a delivery in the morning. I didn't say where. Ultimate stealth parking ;-)

[Nwcid]

Originally Posted by tomwootton

Interesting points Nwcid.

In re-reading your comment, I think you mean taking up spaces in a parking lot, but maybe my on-street idea built off of it still works?

Why would I do all that for one night where I would need to leave early to avoid parking ticket in the morning?

I was not taking street parking into consideration since that is not something we have done. I was thinking about parking lots which we have done a lot.

You would have to decide what layout works best for you and how you plan to use it. We do pull with an HDT (Volvo 630) and for truly quick overnight stops we just sleep in the truck sleeper.

[L2D2]

We've been full-time for a couple of years in a 40 Tiffin mostly booning. There have been some interesting "roads" but we have managed so far. Urban is definitely the bigger challenge especially making corners. My motto is if a city bus can do it..... Use a spotter when it gets tight and watch overhead.


Much prefer the wilds!

[ArkRVHog]

Originally Posted by Nwcid

You say you currently boondock in a 30'. Would a long rig get into and fit in the places you have been to and want to go back to?

I am 70' long and we mainly boondock. Has our size limited some of our options, sure. On the flip side we have always found a place to stay, never been stuck and it gives us the space we need/want.

Here is just one example. I did have to back in about 200 yards over very uneven road surface with a wash that ran though it. I did have the wife spot as I backed. Had a great 2 weeks here.

I hope you got permission from John Dutton (Yellowstone) before boondocking on his ranch. Rip and his cowboys can be pretty tough.

[dives2little]

Originally Posted by Camp CA

Welcome to the forum!!

Suggest going to dealers and looking at Class A motorhomes and try to envision how you would camp and entertain in it and ask yourself..............do you want/need opposing slides for living room space, front to back or side to side bed, queen or king bed, 1 or 1.5 bathrooms, laundry, extra couch(s), theater seating, large walk around bathroom, etc. We recently traded in a 30 ft Class A for a 35 ft Class A that better suits our space needs at present.

Also a good idea to look at ground clearance. It doesn't take much a hump to cause a high center issue. Also, tight corners, off-road, may pose problems, when you're over 38'!

[Medicus]

Originally Posted by rarebear.nm

My concerns would turning radius and wheel base length/ground clearance. Going through low or high spots on dirt roads may become an issue. I've seen some long Class As off the road but mostly shorter rigs. I guess as mentioned above it depends on where you want to go. If you boondock just off well maintained gravel roads you "probably" will be OK. Start to get back further on more dirt and lesser maintained roads and it all depends.

Amen to the ground clearance. I own a 30' TT and have put in some pretty tight spots boondocking. The challenge (concern) I've had was getting clearance of my stabilizers when traveling over undulating backcountry roads. On more than a few occasions, I had to "break-out" my shovel and throw some 2x4s down. But, man is it worth it!

[Papaslick]

Our coach is 45’ long and we pull a 30’ trailer with us which holds our smart car and two Honda trikes. We don’t boondock in town, never have. We find a park that will accommodate our 75’ coach and trailer then explore on the bikes or car if we take our dogs.

[Tuscany3680]

I did some boondocking in my Class A. That’s our preference. I have found the Super C I have works a bit better. 4x4, lower height, and turning ratio makes it easier to get fuel and get in and out of spots. Yes it can be used with slide in.

[Nwcid]

Originally Posted by ArkRVHog

I hope you got permission from John Dutton (Yellowstone) before boondocking on his ranch. Rip and his cowboys can be pretty tough.

Not even the right part of the county, this is in AZ outside of Cottonwood on BLM.