RE: C'mon you winter weinies...
Here's a still shot of my previous B, a Quigley 4x4 solid axle 2004 converted Roadtrek 190V
http://photos.imageevent.com/tfrazie/4x4roadtrek4sale/videossnowhandling/websize/CIMG3315.JPG
Click here to see it on the move through 10" of snow (video shot same day as the still photo above)
RE: Hmm...RT 190 4x4: Can ya make it a full enclosed bath???
Hey! In this thread, a 190 RT is being called a 2004....is that so??? I thought it came out in 2006 also
http://www.rv.net/forums/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/18535120.cfm
First page, 3/4 of the way down...by tfrazie. Mistake on their part??
Tim bought the '04 190 as a 2WD, then talked Quigley into converting it to a 4x4 later. They don't usually work on used RV's, but did it to get the experience with a RT. Cost was around $12K, IIRC. That's a large part of what started RT on building the 190 on 4x4 converted chassis in '05 or '06.
Jim, "Error: Keyboard not attached. Press F1 to continue."
Close IIRC. It was either $8,195 or $8,395, can't recall off-hand but paid Quigley a couple or several hundred extra to modify fresh water tank, waste tank dump handles, a removable transfer case shifter (to allow the front seat to rotate), and a slight bit of trimming on front wheel openings (plastic trimming only). Then spent ~$800 on bigger ATC tires. I think by the time I added a front grill guard with hitch and lights I was under $10K. I might have posted this a couple of years ago. So someone tell me I'm loosing it already.
Oh just remembered about $500 for a rear anti-sway bar. So maybe i was a bit over $10K. Did get it settled down though. Sat up 5 inches higher, was a little bumpier with the solid axle but was tame on the highways after they tweaked the steering linkage.
RE: beach driving
Hi I have gone from looking at truck campers to A Roadtrek 170, can these be taken on the beach? has anyone done it? thanks!
Which beach? Daytona? YES (hard packed - hundreds of cars/bikes ride it every day)
Most other beaches? a qualified NO.
Your first problem is lack of clearance. A Roadtrek 170 doesn't have much ground clearance and there are deep ruts at most 4x4 beaches. Actually riding in a rut presents the least rolling resistance. So if you lowered ALL (not just rear) your tire pressures significantly you might be OK w/o 4WD if you rode in the ruts. But that's a might. And crossing the ruts is another matter. And getting into sugary sand, even rutted, is quite another. 2WD on the beach is a big risk.
If you had the clearance, a locking differential on a 2WD vehicle would increase your chances in the sand enormously. Of course a 4WD vehicle (even w/o lockers) and enough clearance and good weight distribution is the ideal.
And then there is the skill needed to ride in the sand. It's not to be discounted. So you can have all the ideal equipment and still get stuck.
Even the new Quigley 4WD Roadtreks don't have much ground clearance. The Quigley conversion to 4WD maintains the Independent Front Suspension and changes stock ride height (thus ground clearance) and comfort level very little. Just riding in a pair of ruts would have you plowing high sand in the center.
RE: Class B Photo Thread (see end 1st Message for Posting Info)
http://photos.imageevent.com/tfrazie/westynudgebarfrontreceiver/websize/CIMG4211.JPG
The B - 2005 Airstream Westfalia Sprinter
http://photos.imageevent.com/tfrazie/4x4roadtrek4sale/exteriorpix/websize/CIMG1882.JPG
The x-B - 2004 Chevy Roadtrek 190 Versatile (Quigley IFS 4x4)
RE: How to Market a Class B Camper Van!!!!
It's an amazing machine with amazing craftsmanship and an amazing price!
I couldn't agree more. I'm coming out of a 2004 4x4 Quigley Roadtrek which I absolutely loved for lots of reasons. I thought I got a lot of looks and comments driving that around. It was still the exception and not the rule. In my Westfalia Sprinter, it's the rule. At first one sees has an incredibly unique exterior look (you either love or hate it). After that it's the amazing interior design that usually gets a big reaction. The compactness took some getting used to. Now I find myself incredibly disappointed that Airstream won't be marketing it in the future. From the looks of that website the Westfalia Sprinter seems even better. This little 18.5 foot Class B has an amazing galley, incredible sleeping space for 4, a large permanent shower, interior standing height almost 7.5 feet, and a big convenient table for 4 (+1 little one). This is just the tip of the iceberg as far as features go. Oh, and 18-20 MPG is just the pièce de résistance.
RE: 4X4
I am trying to decide if I should get 4wd. I want to boondock but I really do not have any idea how much I can get by on 2wd. I have only camped in campgrounds or a place set aside for campers before. I have been stuck in the sand before and I really do not know how far off the road I would be going to stop for a night or two. I don't think I will be camping in the snow but may be out in early spring/late fall. Any input on this one way or the other?
Depends mostly on whether or not you want to take it off-road and then how rough, muddy, sandy, or snowy that off-road is. Home & Park offers a 4x4 version (roughly a $11,000 premium is charged) but it's based on the stock IFS configuration. Ride height doesn't change much. If you go that route you'll quickly encounter problems on all but the smoothest off-road ventures from a ground clearance point of view. But to many, with or without the need for true off-road capability, value can be found in having the additional traction available even without much additional ground clearance.
My Quigley 4x4 Roadtrek (same company that converts Roadtreks to 4WD) is a solid axle conversion. Between larger tires (+1") and the solid axle (+4"), I can go places I otherwise wouldn't. That being said, I limit where I go to beaches, snow driving and logging roads at worst. We refer to it as our Beachfront home!
As to it's capability in off road conditions as I have described, I haven't come close to being stuck. Even traversing laterally and climbing hills in deep, soft and dry, sugary sand. There is a lot of weight on all of the wheels. I've pulled several other stuck truck campers and an SUV out of the sand.
Once you determine you have the need for a 4x4, the icing on the cake is the look. My RT looks aggressive and sporty, especially from the front or front quartering view. I thoroughly enjoy it.
Wishing you the best in whatever you decide.
RE: Any owners of a Provan Tiger CX?
Jim, Don't know how I missed this thread. Sometimes, as I told Roger I don't get notified of all new threads (or even posts to existing threads that I subscribe to).
Be that as it may, Congratulations again. I've really got to see this thing when you get it. Pictures won't be enough. Maybe I'll catch you at OBX. Hope so. Keep us posted. If your Tiger handles in the sand like my Quigley 4x4 Roadtrek you'll probably not even think about a winch. On the beach, helping others, I feel like I am the winch.
RE: Is your B is stealthy ...
Again, don't want to beat the point, as I've said it before, but, you're totally kidding yourself if you think any class B, Roadtrek or whatever brand is stealthy, they all cry out, "CAMPING UNIT."
To the extent that you can't fool all people all of the time you are right. But fooling most of the people most of the time a late model Chevy Roadtrek does exceptionally well. Especially one like mine without Roadtrek badges and graphics and with "Quigley 4x4 Van" graphics on it. My grill/brush guard, off-road lights, and white letter big tires also enhance look of a sporty conversion van. Certainly there are give-always for the knowledgeable but the knowledgeable are fewer than I ever imagined. Even before I bought my Airstream Westfalia Sprinter I felt pretty invisible especially in a "crowd" with my Roadtrek. Having not yet begun the selling process for my Roadtrek, both my B's are parked together a lot and my Roadtrek really seems like a conversion van at best parked next to Westy. And the Westy really looks "motorhome-ish" parked next to the Roadtrek. The Westfalia has a significantly smaller footprint in both width and length but it's so "odd-duck" high. Still I use it like a commuter getting the community used to see it doing other things than sit parked. As much as I love my Roadtrek, I can't wait to sell it to get it away from my Westy. I guess I'll get it advertised next week. Just got back from a 2-week 6,000 mile RT jaunt to AZ, NM, UT last week and have been too busy for mundane stuff like selling a motorhom :>)
Context is really important when talking about how well a B blends in. Perhaps more would think my Roadtrek was occupied parked overnight all alone somewhere. But probably very few more. Crowds are better in most cases in blending but location is a big factor too. Of course there are some locations where a plain, sporty van like mine might blend find w/o being in a crowd. The point is, it's damned stealthy to most people most of the time in and out of crowds.
RE: Roadtrek 4WD, Airstream Westfalia Sprinter & Marriage
Congrats on the new wife and new B! Let us know how the Sprinter 4WD conversion goes, if you pursue it. With luck, it might be a simple as sourcing the European parts and getting them bolted on... maybe!
some luck will be in order. concerns are weight and voiding the chassis warranty which doesn't happen with Quigley doing fords and chevys. another concern is that I'm spoiled by my RT and it's ability to take me fishing and camping on the beach.
Roadtrek 4WD, Airstream Westfalia Sprinter & Marriage
Has anyone noticed in the 2006 specs on Home & Park's webpage that Four-wheel-drive with IFS is available on the 190's?
For most of the time while my solid axle 4WD was being worked by Quigley it seemed H&P was leaning toward the solid axle in lieu of the IFS version. The IFS version they are offering doesn't raise the ride height therefore doesn't increase ground clearance. Jeff Hanemaayer, H&P's Chairman told me last summer during my visit to H&P that they were likely going to offer the IFS 4WD. I wonder how much that option is and how the logistics are handled (whether or not it goes to Quigley first before conversion to a Class B?)
I still love my Roadtrek solid axle 4WD very much but that didn't stop me from buying a 2005 Airstream Westfalia Sprinter last weekend. I love it too. It might be a little more challenge converting it to 4WD simply due to the limited useful load. THey do convert them in Europe though. Anyway the timing couldn't have been better since I'm going on a 17 day honeymoon to the southwest in January. My son and girlfriend are accompanying us (both to run a marathon in Phoenix) so the "4th level" double bed and the ability to sit 4-5 around the table and not be in anyone's way will come in quite handy. Really this thing has 4 levels and thus 4 zones. (there's a lot it doesn't have too compared to the Roadtrek but it has some incredible strengths). Oh, the permanent bathroom located at the very back will be welcomed especially by the girls (they like the soundproofing for some reason :>) It's only 18.5 feet long. So it's shorter and more narrow than my RT 190 but it's 2 feet taller. I was impressed with it's handling in pretty strong winds too.
Oh and I got married 4 weeks ago to Margaret. Some of you met her in Somerset last summer. So you see that's the most notable of my comments today.
RE: Winter driving in a Roadtrek
Kittie and I went over some of the Quigley conversion issues last May via email.
I haven't been in the snow yet with the 4x4. But the only thing I fear is very deep mud because of the weight. I've come to the conclusion that the weight is one of the big factors in helping me along with so much traction in the deep sand. For fun I've driven in pretty deep sand shifting from 4WD to 2WD and it performend pretty well too. I think the weight gets you down to the hard packed sand where the traction is whereas the lighter cars might stay up higher in the softer sand.
I think the same would hold true in snow unless of course the hard pack under the soft stuff is ice. In that case 4WD, especially w/o limited slip would have its share of traction problems.
Except for clearance issues, prior to my 4WD conversion, my 2WD RT did well in the snow. Although those experiences were all on relatively flat roads, no steep inclines or curves.
RE: My quigley 4x4 Roadtrek in Action
So you know about the bullpen 3.5 miles down the beach. If you are self-contained you can stay overnight there at no extra charge and skip the state park. No dune between the bullpen and ocean this year. It's bigger and allows more ocean breeze.
Yeah, I've kept my rod in the water a few hours. Not much luck yet. I need some pointers. I'm not watching tides, eddys, ripples, birds or any other indicator. I need a mentor. I caught a bunch on a Daytona beach where I took my RT this year. Used sand fleas right from the sand. Thought I knew what I was doing.
See you out there? We're going again this weekend. Look for the Quigley 4x4 van logo. Don't have any RT logos (the three skylights give it away) to keep the HOA police away in my neighborhood. That's one reason why I let Quigley put their logo on there; because is said VAN. not motorhome! speaking of which, it's quite a "versatile" motorhome at that!
RE: My quigley 4x4 Roadtrek in Action
Dennis, bought my 2004 C190 Versatile new in North Carolina at a Roadtrek Dealer. Quigley did the 4x4 conversion and the total cost was around $10,000. The published price is $8,795 I think. But I put on new tires and they had to remove the fresh water tank and modify it slightly and revove the sewage tanks and modify the discharge tube slightly because of interference with the transfer case.
Here's a link to the Roadtrek site that will show you, in moving panaroma even, the inside of my RT (except mine is the mocha color). link to interior RT pix
Just came back from yet another weekend trip to Assateaque Island last weekend. This time warmer weather and a lot more truck campers. It was awesome. I drove the full 12 miles down the beach through thick deep sand to the VA border at Chincoteaque that you can't cross. I can't properly communicate the joy we get being on and camping on that beach all weekend or all week and waking up to the sunrise over the ocean and the sounds of the breakers crashing on the beach. The dogs just love it too. There's something about campfires on the beach combined with evening ocean breezes that just can't be beat. This has turned out to be a fantastic decision for us. As for the cost, I'm relatively certain, I'll get it back when i sell. The Roadtreks hold their value well and I got mine at a steal too boot.
I saw one class C on the beach last weekend. He had changed his dual rears to singles but they were really wide tires. Bridgestone Revo Duelers too like mine but bigger.
Another fellow was telling me how there is a class C out here sometimes that removed the outside dual on each side. Dual rear wheels are not allowed on the beach at Assateaque. Also not allowed are vehicles over 10,000 GVW and vehicles over 26 feet.
I love seeing the truck campers all grouped together with their flags waving and partying with all the families. Lots of them have more room than a B but they just don't have the versatility of a 4x4 B. I can carry the same fishing platform for rods and cooler both front and rear as they can. But I don't have to leave the living space to drive the vehicle, I'm not nearly that topheavy, and don't have to go through the pain of taking the camper on an off if it's not a dedicated vehicle. So I made the correct choice for my druthers. You'll have to figure out yours.
I made my movie after my first trip out there. There was less to see. This past weekend there was a lot more to see with how people are "wheelin" on the beach. I could make a more colorful movie now. There was one very small class A (maybe only 22feet) modifies with a top loft but only on the front half of the roof. It had a very short 4x4 wheelbase. It traveled slowly, but surely, because of the added bobbing up and down due to the short wheelbase. I took some pix that I'll post soon. It was fascinating!
Good Luck!
My quigley 4x4 Roadtrek in Action
For those interested in watching a 4x4 Roadtrek perform on the beach, here's a link to a 6 1/2 minute movie I made using "Movie Maker ver 2.x.." that comes with Windows XP. It's high enough quality to see in full screen mode.
And even if you're not interested in the 4x4 aspects, you still might want to see what you can do with your digital camera (still photos and/or movie clips) using Windows Movie Maker. I hadn't even desired to do this before until I thought I would look for some software that would enable me to string my little movie clips together. I discovered Movie Maker (the updated version in the Service Pack 2 upgrade for XP) and got carried away trying to use, but failing miserably, every single built in effect/transition in the software.
Anyway, the movie is not exactly riviting but is cool in it's own right.
If you don't have high speed internet access of some sort, you'll have a tough time watching this movie because of it's size. I made, but didn't post, a compressed movie accessable via dial-up but the text/captioning is almost unreadable at that size. You can still see the Roadtrek beating around in the sand and hear the music but some of the text will be blurred. If anyone wants me to post a dial-up version, let me know.
RE: Rethinking this "B" Thing
Here's what you do, go on out and buy the new PW, Dean might send you a jacket, go to the beach, park your B in a regular spot, go down the street and rent a jeep for a few hours. Once the thrill is over, you may want to do it again, but I doubt you will ever spend anywhere near $10,000.00 to do a little 4 wheelin, it is fun. Over the years, I've driven up and down motorcycle paths that other 4x4's feared, those were the Black Velvet days, I'm lucky to be alive today, I also Buried one at Cocoa Beach, being stuck in the sand is not a picnic. I for one like the B's just the way they are. The Quimby 4 x 4 at the rally brought back some memories, most of them good, but some of them, Well I'm glad they are just memories. Last summer I finally gave up on 4x4's and bought a new crossover vehicle in all wheel drive, it does just fine in the winter.
This might be rationalization but spending a significant amount of money (that I'm likely to recoup upon sale in 3-4 years or so) to take my Roadtrek up to 12 miles down the beach (at least at Assateaque) and wake up with few people around to the smells, sights and sounds of the Ocean so far has been the right decision for me. We all have our priorities and various thresholds of pain ($ outlay) to make those priorities reality.
Lynne, you'll obviously have to decide what's important to you.
For me, this decision to convert was simply not a desire to take any ole' vehicle out on the beach while admittedly that would be most enjoyable. But it's not the kind of fun for which I would have laid out too much money even if it was likely that I'd get it back upon the sale of the vehicle.
Like I said, it's about getting away from crowds at the beach and experiencing all the deeply visceral feelings simply being there. It's also about taking my two cherished dogs to the beach with me. There aren't that many dog-friendly beaches but I've found that most the the beaches accessible by 4WD are dog friendly. It's about surf-fishing too. It's just not about 4 wheelin' for 4 wheelin's sake. Then there are other bennies incidental to my original consideration like snow traction and extended winter camping that I also enjoy. Also the beaches in the late fall/winter/early spring are incredibly beautiful and wide open with not too many others around. I hope to take it out west to Moab, Utah and other areas where trails of various degrees of difficulty exist to take you deep into areas where 2WD vehicles with low clearance wouldn't think about exploring.
I've been surf-fishing on some of these beaches for several years now although I've walked with my gear to the closest spot I could reach. Until last week I had never seen anyone stuck. Last week a 4WD truck camper (and there are lots of these 10,000 lb monsters in the sand) was entering the bullpen (the area where you can stay the night). This entrance is where the sand is deepest, driest, "sugary" and heavily rutted and tracked. This truck camper lost it's 4WD capability turning the corner just upon entering the "quicksand". He was definitely stuck but he stopped spinning his rear wheels preventing digging himself down to the frame. As the guy was further digging a track out rearward (easy digging) several other 4 wheelers came immediately over to lend a hand. (It's better to back out on tracks you already made). They hooked up a 25,000 lb 3" tow strap and easily pulled him free from the rear. He had no problems even w only 2WD driving off the beach in the tracks of others on his way to get repaired. To be on most of these beaches you are required to carry a few things, like a shovel, a tow strap and a 12x12 base for your jack. They tell me if there are others around they will be happy to give you a pull. I know I would gladly do it for others.
BTW, I had no difficulty getting through the entrance to the bullpen with my Quigley Roadtrek. I even stopped in the middle of it confident I could start w/o momentum. I don't even have a limited slip rear end.
To do this one has to learn a few things: understand that momentum is your friend, that your contact patch increases by ~250% by lowering tire pressures, and to stop spinning (digging) your wheels until you're buried down to the frame and back out before you're really stuck requiring a lot more digging.
Just to have a backup plan, I called about 20 towing companies in the two areas where I have taken the Roadtrek out onto the beaches. I found 4 that will pull you out of the sand. When I asked about cost it was typically $45 for the hookup and pull out and $0 for 0 miles, unless of course you need a tow completely off the beach for mechanical reasons. That's where it gets expensive. Some of the wreckers are 4WD. One of them was a Chevy Suburban.
I've really enjoyed the past 15,000 miles over the past year in my 2WD Roadtrek. I could hardly imagine I could have enjoyed it more but the couple experiences I have already had on the beach has really been satisfying. I may not have an ocean front home but I have an ocean front motorhome.
RE: Rethinking this "B" Thing
GAS MILEAGE - so far I've driven about 1000 miles with the Quigley 4WD conversion but mostly using 2WD. Of those miles in only 20 of them was I using 4WD (19 last weekend at Assateaque Island in deep sand). The engine definitely works a lot more plodding through the sand. On the first nearly full tank I got 12.5 MPG, on the second nearly full tank I got 12.8 MPG and on the 3rd partial tank I got 12.8 MPG. I haven't filled up since the 20 miles on the beach; I expect to see a little less MPG on that tank. In my MPG calculations I had to increase the odometer reading by 3.9% to account for larger circumference tires. Before the conversion my MPG ranged from 12.4 to 14 (I only got 14 once coming back from Daytona (850 miles) pulling a motorcycle on a trailer (1200 lbs). Mostly I was in the high 12's low 13's. I ALWAYS, before and after the conversion, stay up with traffic on interstate driving so I'm not conservative on the accelerator. That's usually around 70 MPH.
WEIGHT AND HEIGHT ADDED BY THE CONVERSION: ~375 LBS AND ~5 INCHES. I actually expected to get a little less MPG than I'm getting due to those two factors, especially the height increase. There is more room for air to get under the vehicle too which I'm sure adds some additional drag. But with the hubs unlocked and the shifter in 2WD there is little additional mechanical drag. There might be something turning in the transfer case - Handbasket will have to chime in here. I'm guessing but if I were to drive around in 4WD High for a full tank (The conditions where this would happen would be VERY few) I would expect a 3-4 MPG penalty.
CCC IS REDUCED by ~375 lbs. This fact is transparent to me, especially since I rarely fill up more than 2 seats with people, If I used up all 6 seatbelts then I'd have to be more careful as to the weight in all the cargo holds. Although some parts of the front suspension are "beefed up" as omjones notes (there a dana 60 solid axle in the front now in lieu of the stock IFS), some are not and you're only as strong as your weakest link. 9,600 lbs is still my gross weight allowed.
RE: Rethinking this "B" Thing
I have heard comments that the Quigley is not as nice to drive as stock, but still comparable to the '98-'04 Superduty pickup. If you want to have 4x4 without any drivability compromises, check out Quadvan (www.quadvan.com). They have an IFS system (all Ford parts).
How a Quigley 4x4 conversion drives varies between their solid axle configuration and their Independent Front Suspension (IFS) version (at least for the Chevys; don't know about the Fords). The solid axle version yields ~4-5 inches of increased ground clearance and the ride is definitely more truck like (stiffer). The IFS version is closer to the stock ride in handling but yields no increase in ground clearance. I think the PleasureWays have more stock ground clearance than the Roadtreks, (not certain) but if you're going to buy a 4WD for more than riding around on paved roads you're going to want some more ground clearance.
It turns out that Quigley, who did Tim's conversion, is probably about a mere 1 hour drive from this particular dealer, and they have done 4x4 conversions on Pleasure-Ways. My wonderful salesman, Paul, told me that he's had about 3 customers that have taken their PW's up to Quigley.
Where are these people? Sure would like to hear about their adventures. I regularly lurk around these two groups:
Yahoo 4x4 van group
Yahoo Sportsmobile group
I've never read about any 4x4 PleasureWays there either. There are a lot of Quigley conversions there that you could inquire about the ride characteristics.
Paul told me that I will never again be able to drive my Pleasure-Way with one hand on the steering wheel if I were to commit to this atrocity (how did he know that I drive with one hand?). ...So, Tim, the obvious question becomes...how much did the conversion affect the ride of your Roadtrek on "ordinary" roads?
I have the solid axle configuration with coil springs in lieu of leaf springs. I've got ~5 inches more ground clearance but the calculated center of gravity (CofG) is raised significantly less due to the added weight of the 4wd drivetrain and suspension is carried down very low. No doubt I feel like I sit higher and the ride is somewhat less cushy on bumpy Paved roads. On smoothly paved roads it's not much different. I'll have to get back to you on other ride characteristics when Quigley finishes the final tweaks next week. I'm taking it in next Tuesday for some tweaking of the suspension to get it closer to stock handling in high crosswinds. The suspension was set-up with virtually no weight in any of the tanks including gas and no weight in any of the cargo holds. When I take it in Tuesday it's going to be loaded for a trip. Improving the handling may only require a caster change (a front suspension alignment adjustment) but could involve heavier front coils, a rear sway bar and/or another ply in the rear leaf springs. These guys know what they're doing. I've been very impressed with their support and their workmanship.
As for the ride and traction off-road (in the deep, soft sand) you'll have to wait for the release of my movie! But I can't stop smiling about it!
As Handbasket so accurately mentioned...there is no test drive before committing the big bucks (although Tim would probably let us drive his).
Lynne, I meant to say in in response to Handbasket's comment about not being able to testride your Class B 4x4 before you commit the bucks that you certainly can drive mine whenever you want. You can give it a shot in the sand too when I see you down this way. You know there are 4WD accessible beaches in NJ too!
And about the expense... I thought a long while about it but now I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I looked at the Sportsmobile site and compared the used 4x4 Sportsmobiles to similar makes and models of 2WDs. The price differences seemed to be at least the full cost of the Quigley 4WD conversion. And this was on used vehicles. I think that fact results from supply/demand economics where the return as sale equals at least the original cost of the conversion due to the relative scarcity of 4WD Class B motorhomes.
RE: Rethinking this "B" Thing
I thought I loved my Pleasure-Way Excel-TS, and thought I would love the new ones even more since they opened up the interior, but then tfrazie sent me some pictures of his 4x4 Roadtrek on the beach...and I couldn't sleep last night.
This is not good.
What are the options in a stock 4x4 Class B, if any? Would it be possible to get PW to build a TS on a 4x4 Ford E-350? Does Ford do the 4x4 conversion, or does the van have to go someplace else first and then on to Pleasure-Way?
How much does it add to the price of the van to have it converted to 4x4?
Tim...I loathe the day you joined this forum...I am jealous...really jealous.
:W
- LJZ
Lynne, I finished my little 6 minute movie of my weekend at Assateaque Island National Seashore in Maryland. The high quality version (for cable or DSL) is about 55 megabytes. The low quality version (for dial up) is 2.5 megabytes. Soon as I fine a free video hosting site I'll post a link to it. I put in all the pix I sent you and more in addition to the video clips showing the Roadtrek plowing through the sand for miles.
I played around last night with the Movie Maker that comes packaged with Windows XP. It's a great program. I made this movie w/o RTFM (Reading The Fine Manual according to Handbasket). It's set to an Allman Brothers tune.
Quigley Motor Company (in Manchester, PA) converts new Ford and Chevy/GMC vans to 4WD for the manufactures when a customer wants a 4x4 van. They occasionally convert a slightly used vehicle like mine if they thought there would be enough potential interest down the road.
I don't know that a Pleasureway has ever been done. If they would do it the cost is around $9000.
If you're interested in some information you can call Larry Yates at Quigley 800 233 9358.
Ideally, if the Class B manufacturer would decide to offer 4WD as an option the Ford van would go to Quigley first then on to the Class B manufacturer to build the motorhome around the additional 4x4 drivetrain and suspension.
I'd stay and chat some more but have to run to my daughter's graduation from Johns Hopkins U!!! There would be a lot more exclamation points had I little debt from it all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RE: Some pix of my quigley 4x4 Roadtrek
awesome,
when looking at your pics. i see that quigley 4x4 was advertised on the door.
did you ask that they give you a break on the conversion for being their driving bill board...
i have issue with roadtrek stamped all over my vehicle..seriously considering removing them...
take care be well,
No, I asked them to put the "advertisements" on. I took off all of the Roadtrek graphics and identification so as not to arouse the HOA police of my neighborhood that prohibits motorhomes parked outside. BUT the Quigley graphics says "Quigley 4x4 VAN". Just the message I want to convey. And besides it looks cool and unique. Once I get the black grill/brush guard (with integrated front receiver) installed I'll have that Sportsmobile look (and function) that I admire so much.
RE: Some pix of my quigley 4x4 Roadtrek
Congratulations!!!! I'll bet you're at the beach about now, playing in the sand ! Just don't forget to air it down! I'll look forward to future reports, and more photos. quote]
Jim, It was hard not to go to the beach right away. BUT, I had a long standing appointment at the local Roadtrek for some warranty work and to have my yearly Dometic refrigerator service to keep from voiding the warranty. So I had to deliver my new toy to the dealer Sunday for today's appointment. I hope to try out the beach next weekend.
I did work on experimenting with airing down Saturday in the driveway. I have a big compressor here. Mike Quigley recommended that I not go below 20 PSI due to my weight. He has some experience on the exact beaches where I'm headed. He says the lighter vehicles go down in the 10-12 PSI range. I have a great detailed empirical article discussing the relationship of an increased tire footprint as relation to a percentage of normal sidewall height (at normal pressure). The procedure recommended in this article is to measure the from the ground to the rim (sidewall height) while fully loaded and at normal pressures and air down until you get to 75% of that height. This theoretically results in a footprint that is 250% bigger than the the fully aired up tire. I did this and the number came out to 20 PSI. I aired down to 15 PSI anyway to see if I would hold air and it did. Of course I didn't drive it around at 15 PSI.
I'll be sure to post some more pix and adventures. Thanks for your encouragement!
