Help me decide!!!! RV or Full-size

[KaiserDTM]

So I've had a 1988 W250 with the 360/4-spd in it for about a year now, it would need all your usual goodies to be what I want it to be as an "overland" vehicle.. (RTT, bumpers, winch, new axles, an EFI setup...yadda yadda yadda..) I was offered a 1976 Itasca C24C as a trade for the Dodge, question is, is the C24C too big both in size and as a project to be enjoyable or even get to some remote spots as an "overlander". The RV would need even more than the Dodge would but once it was set up it would be infinitely more comfortable for those long treks. I'm at a cross roads and can't decide. Give me some pro's and cons or just put some sense into my head!

Pictures of the Dodge

Pictures of the Itasca

 

[vintageracer]

For ME it's all about the drive, the scenery, the hikes, the people, the wildlife and the destination for the evening. As is always the case the destination is the last part of the day and the place you have worked so hard to arrive at all day. Ideally I would like all the above to be available at the destination however rarely is that the case. Now days that means you gotta a vehicle capable of going further into the unknown to enjoy it all!

Did you notice that comfort and convenience didn't make my list? No I am not lookin to go Caveman for my evening accommodations however I also am not going "Glamping" either. That's why a "Groover" makes for a great toilet on the cheap versus all the new expensive alternatives!

For ME the answer is easy as I would suggest you go for the equipment that fits you budget that will "GIT YA" further into the unknown and to better destinations. If you have to give up some comfort's and convenience's along the way so be it. As you can see from all the different sections on this forum there are a lot of folks with a lotta different ways to accomplish the same goal. Decide what's right for you and your budget.

The MOHO would be OUT for me!

 

[LeftCoastKiteboarding]

I may have some perspective....

We had a small 4x4 camper van for years. Loved it. Went anywhere, was reasonably comfortable, and served our needs well. As prices for it went through the roof (Wesfalia Syncro) we decided to sell while the market was hot. I agonized over what to replace it with...small RV....Sportsmobile....new 4x4 Sprinter, etc. We wanted to be able to go most places the van went but have more room and comfort.
Our solution was an older Lance camper. Paid $4500 for it. Everything works and it is COMFORTABLE. Queen bed, stove, oven, running hot water, bathroom with shower, tons of storage, 3 way fridge etc. There is absolutely NO way I could have built anything even close to it for 10 times the price. The appliances alone are worth more than I paid. I added 200w of solar and we can now camp for probably a month or more as long as we have water. There are 2 7gal propane tanks and I’ve never even hit the 2nd one. We run hot water, stove, fridge, and sometimes the heater for weeks and still on first tank.
I converted all lighting to LED for around $100 and the batteries/solar will sustain us forever.
We bought a 2002 F350 to carry it and it works well. Just got back from a remote spot on the pacific coast of Baja that is about 40mi of the pavement. Truck hauled it in and out without drama and we lived like kings.
I did do some work to the truck but all in my upgrades were probably only about $1000 if you don’t count wheels/tires. (I had to upgrade those based on what the PO had on it at purchase)
Overall, for the price we LOVE it.

Here’s what’s not ideal about it.
No tight tree lined trails. It’s 8ft wide.
No extreme rock crawling. Probably can’t make the Rubicon . We have had it on some pretty bad stuff. Just put it in low and go slow.
Will not fit in a shipping container for transport. It’s just too wide/tall.
It is not a Fast/Light assault rig.
Lots of systems to maintain, but not any different than an RV or similar.
Have to store it somewhere.

What is great about it.
You can drop it off the truck and rally around empty. Super versatile.
Truck is useable at home as a regular vehicle.
Get a new truck? No prob. Keep the camper.
Get a new camper? No prob. Keep the truck.
Did I mention comfortable? 2 surf buddies and I just did 10 days in Baja and lived large. Wife and I did a 2 week Oregon coast trip and lived large.
No additional registration or plate needed (at least in CA)
With a little shopping around Truck Campers can be had for pretty cheap.


Hope that helps.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[luthj]

It all depends on where you want to go, and the trade offs you want. A full RV is a level of usability and space well beyond anything that a RTT can offer, and most any truck bed camper.

How is the RV built? Is the body structure strong enough to put up with hours of rattling on washboards?

These are different animals. The reality is that the RV will do fine on any maintained road in good weather. In poor weather a set of chains will get you pretty damn far.

The RV is 24ft long. That's a ft longer than my preference, but will still be able to park in most cities if needed.

Many remote spots are not remote due to the difficulty of the road, but due to the distance from population centers. Sometimes a long washboard or potholed road gets in the way.

Now if you actually "need" to drive down trails and 4x4 "roads" the RV wont work. From my experience that vast majority of folks don't drive these roads, even in their "overland" vehicles. The risk of damage or breakdown, and the effort/time required prevent it.

Despite what Instagram lifestyle accounts and many companies selling $$$$$$$$ "overland ready" vehicles will tell you, you don't need a high clearance 4x4 to enjoy the road and the world. Though good ground clearance is very useful.


As a gear head, I get the draw of the fully equipped and personalized off-road machine. The romance of the remote camp atop a mountain etc. If you don't have much experience, it can be really hard to tell what you will want need.

What do you plant to do with these vehicles? Where would you go? For how long? With how many people? Is this a weekend warrior, or a year long outing?

 

[KaiserDTM]

All good responses for sure I appreciate it!

Vintageracer, I kind of agree that the view and remote area at the end of the day would be worth it and a part of me would feel empty if I didn't get to do some cool wheeling on the way..

Leftcoast, I hadn't given much a thought to a slide in mostly because its a gas powered truck and feel like it would struggle a lot on the highway stuff or some of the more technical stuff but it is kinda the nice in between option for sure just might be something more suited for use when I move back out of the midwest I think.

Luthj, a large part of me feels like I would want to drive up the narrow passages and trails that get you to those remote spots but at the same time I'm not sure how much of that actually exists since I've never done this sort of thing before. I have a decent bit of 4x4ing experience and from what I've experienced has all been tight trails that mark up the side of a 4Runner but I'm sure thats not everywhere.

Overall my biggest goal is to go see all the to-do list sights in Colorado mainly, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and possibly Utah or whatever else is around the Nebraska area as thats where I'm located for now before I get placed somewhere else. I've sat on my ass long enough since I've lived here and I'm ready to get out and see what the midwest has to offer ESPECIALLY Colorado.... Colorado is the main theme here if you can't tell lol.

 

[plumber mike]

I would definitely choose that RV for the travels you described. Being comfortable has more value the older I get. Putting a street legal dirt bike on a rack on the back will allow you to pre ride some trails to see how far you can get that class C into the back country. If that truck had a Cummins I wouldn’t even consider a trade.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Question for those with slide-in campers on their pickups: I've always wondered how practical it would be to use the slide-in camper in the same way you would a trailer, i.e. to set up a "base camp."

IOW, get to somewhere you want to camp, find a nice level spot, put the camper jacks down and drive the truck out from underneath the camper. Then live out of the camper while you take the now camper-less truck for day trips.

Is that practical though? Can most campers be easily separated from the truck in a rugged environment (as opposed to at home where you have a nice flat concrete driveway?)

 

[Buliwyf]

If your base camp isn't too off road, a TT blows a slide in away. But yes, you can un-mount a slide in and drive off while still camping in the slide in. You'll need the big foot pads under each jack, and maybe braces between the jacks. Lower the camper as low as it'll go to reduce leverage in the jacks. And walk around gently, no horse play.

Slide in camper dealers rest campers on pads or pallets for a reason though.

Wobble stoppers:

This saw horse pic would be way better if that guy cut those horses down so the campers rear bumper only inches off the deck. Lower is better without the truck.

I would also go truck and camper. 1wd motorhomes just don't cut it for me anymore.

 

[Buliwyf]

I'd use another brace across the front as well, unless I was using saw horses. Even 5'er toy haulers have aftermarket landing gear braces now.

 

[plumber mike]

Spendy but hear this is a good style for a truck camper....

 

[Buliwyf]

I'd wack that on a curb and rip up the camper. LOL.

 

[plumber mike]

Supposed to suck up to the frame and act as the tie down for the camper as well

 

[STREGA]

Forget the class C. I would find the smallest slide in camper in either a hardside (Lance) or popup (Northstar) mod the suspension and get tires that will handle the weight and call it good.

 

[Buliwyf]

Capris.

Camplite if any are left. FWC. Also.

 

[GoinBoardin]

That RV would make it to 2 of my camp sites of the last year (both were state parks): I wouldn't even entertain the thought. I would figure out something for a 4x4 pickup. Yes, I'm biased, because that's what I have. But, I've got a lightweight pop up camper (old FWC) on an older gas powered half ton truck. Locked rear axle, and air compressor, with 32" tires. Rather unimpressive looking, but I take this thing almost anywhere, short of true hardcore Jeep roads (i.e. no Holy Cross Jeep Trail for me, but Schofield Pass, Mosquito Pass, etc. are just fine). Just can't be concerned with the paint.

Now, I'm not saying any truck camper would be good for this. I've driven a diesel Ford SD with a monster S&S camper around CO, and it was the scariest thing I've ever driven, and that was on dry pavement. Backcountry exploration in a rig like that? Forget about it. But keep the weight down, and you can really have some fun exploring. If the weather is fair, nothing wrong with a tent and cooking on a tailgate. Better to do that and get out there than spend all your time & money prepping for luxury.

Something to keep in mind, the most challenging thing I run into in the backcountry is not gnarly rocks, too deep of mud, etc., it's the off camber roads. Typically old mining roads. I don't know at what point my truck will flop, but I've had to have been close this summer several times. That's been the biggest limiter on where I can go, or at least the biggest source of fear, and I seem to explore the areas you've expressed interest in going.