Looking to buy first motorhome Looking at 31 foot class C and A's seems C's get a little better fuel economy. My son races motocross and we will be pulling a 16 to 18 foot cargo trailer any advantages of class C over the A.
Between an A and C in that size, there is a big difference in chassis capacity, especially what is left to use.
A small class A, built on 16,000 to 18,000 pound GVWR chassis, with gross combined weight rating of 26,000 pounds (typical for Ford F-53 chassis) might do well towing a cargo trailer. You might have to beef up the factory hitch, and frame extensions, to get the 8,000 to 10,000 towing capacity in the chassis, but it is there. Most will be rated out of the RV factory to tow 5000 pounds or more (Ford, not Workhorse).
A 31' class C, built on 14,000 or 14,500 chassis, with 20,000 pounds GCWR, might pull 5000 or 6000 pounds (with same hitch and frames extension qualification). Some will be rated out of the factory to tow 5000 pounds, but that will often be a "flat tow" rating with tongue weight restrictions that limit trailer towing to something much lighter. Many class C's come with 3500 pound hitches, and a corresponding tow rating, to meet the towing needs of the RV delivery drivers.
Super C's, built in class 5 to class 8 truck chassis, can have tow ratings anywhere from 4000 pounds to 40,000 pounds. You can find some of these under 30', particularly from DynaMax (F-series Isata F, Freightliner M-series DynaSport). As a class, these tend to be more expensive than van-based C's or entry level A gassers, you are paying for some heavy duty frame and drivetrain components, truck chassis vs RV specialty chassis.
So, how heavy is your trailer? I have a friend in motocross, his little trailer tows behind a minivan. That would be a snap for any motorhome. But if you are hauling 8-10K, that is a different need.
We pulled a 16' trailer easily with our 25' trail lite class a mh. Had 12' boat and a tryke in the trailer. That workhorse engine had no problem. Good luck.
We race MX too and went with the class C and are very happy with our decision. A few points to consider are listed below. This is all we use ours for and race/practice a lot; approx. 10 months a year. We're a family of four but occasionally take a friend for each kid. Our kids are 9 and 10 so they are comfortable with sleeping on the beds up front while the wife and I get the queen. We have a 31' Chateau (Ford V10) and have no issues pulling our 16' trailer with bikes and a youth ATV.
Class C advantages (IMHO):
* Cheaper initial cost in most cases. It's an expensive sport and since this is our sole use I would rather spend the money elsewhere. Our RV is also considered a tool just like our trailer and bikes since that's all we use it for.
* Easier for my wife to drive (at least that's what she said). She didn't like the "driving on the line" feel of the class A.
* Easier to park at most MX tracks around here.
* I like the separation between the drivers cab and the kids... personal preference for sure but when driving long distances it makes a difference to me.
* More functional with slide in while driving then most class A's that we liked. This was a big one for use. Some of the class A RVs we liked were very cramped when the slide(s) were in.
* Easier to cool and heat but make sure you block the cab area to change the sq. footage. I use a heavy blanket between the cab over sleep area to the floor behind the driver/passenger seats. Not pretty but very functional.
* In the winter it's much easier to heat as we keep the slide in, reducing the sq. footage, and still have a fully functional RV with a little less space. Cozy not cramped...
* Easier to clean... lets face it, it's a dirty sport and it's gonna get dirty!
* A huge advantage is that I can run pretty much anything with my Honda EUi3000 generator. Sure I have a built-in genny but I can place the Honda at the rear of my trailer and run it 24 hours a day if I want and it doesn't bother anyone and it's MUCH more fuel efficient then the built-in generator. Not to mention that I don't have the noise and vibration that drives me nuts. I highly recommend getting a quiet external generator! Your dry camping friends will appreciate it as will you. Many class A's have two AC units and have to run their generators all the time to keep it cool in the summer. My single AC runs all day long with the Honda and I have no problem keeping the wife and daughter comfortably cool, watching TV, etc. between motos on long race days. Seeing that you're in TX I can only imagine that having the AC running is a must and the fuel savings alone will pay for a good generator pretty quickly.
Class C disadvantages (IMHO):
* Fresh water supply... a bit limited but you'll learn to work around this by conserving and maybe hauling additional. Depending on the length of the trip I occasionally take more but can usually go three days on the built in holding tank. Black and gray tanks haven't been an issue.
* No self levelers but that's not a huge deal at the tracks we run. I can get it level manually and I can't tell you how many big rigs I've seen having issues with their levelers sinking in the mud and soft parking areas. Not to mention the mechanical problems with them because I don't believe that they're meant to be used in dirt.
* Not as fancy but for what it's used for it doesn't bother me a bit. Occasionally I'm jealous of some of the bells and whistles of the high end class A's but not when I find out how much they cost and/or the headaches they have keeping them working properly. I know this may not be the case for all brands but I have plenty of friends at the races and hear horror stories all the time about this and that not working from outdoor entertainment centers to washers/dryers and even fireplaces. On a side note; I see people (mostly the wives) freaking out because their kid got dirt in the high dollar RV. It's gonna happen and it's easier to take with a "cheaper" RV. We keep ours very clean but kids are kids and accidents (or just not thinking!) will happen.
* Smaller refrigerator but careful planning and coolers in the trailer make this a non issue for us.
Sorry for the long response but this was a big decision for us and I hope this helps. In short; if I had to do it over again after having our class C I would go with a C again without a doubt.
PM me if you would like to discuss more and I'll give you my contact information. Good luck and have fun at the races!!!
Rick
My kids race motocross! Checkout their results. MX Resultz .com
Just another bit of info...
You might also want to consider a Class "C" Toyhauler. Ther have plenty of room for a couple of bikes, tools and a couple of fold down bunks..
Good luck
Given your towing requirement, I feel the Class-A is the safe and sure way to go. Though the drive train of a conventional van front Class-C would handle the job, the chassis would likely be over-loaded. Also consider the brakes are smaller than on a Class-A. A Super-C is another consideration as they are built as rugged as a class-A. But they come at a much higher price than an entry level class-A.
I advise you rule out a typical van front Class-C and focus on a Class-A or Super-C.
You know how life goes.......before you know it, the trailer will soon have the kitchen sink. A true truck chassis will keep it working.
Bought new in June 2007, Phoenix Cruiser-2350
Fits inside our garage.
Dingy towing a red Toyota MR2 Spyder
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