Traditional RV modified for Overlanding?

[Bikersmurf]

Although I’m a strong proponent of manual levers, I’ve read of electronic shift being used to select 4wd.

I agree that a shifter in the floor could be an obstacle... probably not worth having in your way.

 

[b. rock]

I currently have a 19' motor home (like the one mentioned above that was converted to 4x4). I bought mine to do the same thing but have since switched to a 2017 Ford Transit that I built out.

.....My BIG issue is that the areas that I need it to travel are too narrow for the motor home so I bought a van. ...

I didn't think those Majestic 19Gs all that much wider than a regular van, maybe 5-6" per side, since they're still SRW. For places accessible by 2wd that's kind of surprising it was a limiting factor.

 

[dreadlocks]

I didn't think those Majestic 19Gs all that much wider than a regular van, maybe 5-6" per side, since they're still SRW. For places accessible by 2wd that's kind of surprising it was a limiting factor.

I think many people over estimate how much they need 4WD, when really they just need proper tires.. You'd be quite surprised how far you can get with 2WD, 95% of Jeeping trails here in Colorado never required putting my Jeep in 4wd.. and the few times I did were like black diamond trails where I had jeep sized rocks to crawl over... in the mountains here, being oversized would stop your progress far before 2wd.. even on a nice and easy forest service road you could quickly encounter switchbacks that would make you regret being in a 20ft long vehicle.

 

[Photomike]

I didn't think those Majestic 19Gs all that much wider than a regular van, maybe 5-6" per side, since they're still SRW. For places accessible by 2wd that's kind of surprising it was a limiting factor.

Compared my motor home with my brothers HUGE diesel truck with towing mirrors and with my mirrors to see around my big back end I was just shy of 24" wider than he was. On mountain roads without shoulders my mirrors are hitting the trees on the right side and hanging into the other lane on the left. If I pulled off to shoot I still took up most of the lane even with shoulders!

On my van I am the same size as other vehicles and my mirrors do not have to go out so far to see around my back end!

I think many people over estimate how much they need 4WD, when really they just need proper tires.. You'd be quite surprised how far you can get with 2WD, 95% of Jeeping trails here in Colorado never required putting my Jeep in 4wd.. and the few times I did were like black diamond trails where I had jeep sized rocks to crawl over... in the mountains here, being oversized would stop your progress far before 2wd.. even on a nice and easy forest service road you could quickly encounter switchbacks that would make you regret being in a 20ft long vehicle.

I fully agree. With the exception like last weekend when I got stuck on a patch of ice trying to turn around on a paved but not plowed road. That was more a senior moment / mistake forgetting that I had rear wheel drive in the van as I was thinking I was in the other vehicle I drive daily with front wheel drive. 4x4 would have been sooo nice

 

[b. rock]

Depends on your definition I guess. I use 4 low all the time on 4x4 trails out here (CO), but generally not on forest service roads.

 

[dreadlocks]

I use 4lo mostly so I could idle up a mountain in 1st gear w/a 5MT, not for tracction.. without it was too much clutch feathering.. automatic vehicles usually never leave 2wd unless they do something stupid or come up with street tires.. there are no RV's going down the trails that absolutely require 4WD, heck I've seen 4wd suburbans backing down the mountain because they were too long for the first obstacle that required 4wd.

bad weather is where 4wd really shines, I've pushed a few big 2wd trucks out of my gutter just because they stopped on ice.. but if you have some serious weight over the wheels it'd be less of an issue, and snow chains are much cheaper than a 4WD conversion if you only need it for bad weather.

Dont get me wrong, I love 4x4/AWD.. I find it a requirement just for piece of mind and let me push my self.. its better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, but the number of times I honestly needed are situations I would have never put my self in w/out it.

 

[b. rock]

Fair enough. I've been wrestling with the threshold of size and functionality in the winter (shorter hours + colder temps = more time in the van) vs useability off road. It's a balancing act.

 

[Photomike]

Fair enough. I've been wrestling with the threshold of size and functionality in the winter (shorter hours + colder temps = more time in the van) vs useability off road. It's a balancing act.

It is. I have a van that I LOVE for driving. Have a hard time saying I would like to spend a number of longer nights in it as I have it built for an emergency place to stay. With it getting dark at 5pm I would like a table to sit at and full kicthen to cook at. PLUS with the extra space etc of a motor home it does feel more like home.

 

[Coachgeo]

want something similar in size to opening photo....... go larger ambulance.... and convert that. 4x4 ambos are out there too. Safe, strong as any massively high dollar expedition truck, cut a wedge off the rear box from tires to floor of box to improve rear departure angle (same way done on expo campers) and your set for years....

 

[Cyrull]

I currently have a 19' motor home (like the one mentioned above that was converted to 4x4). I bought mine to do the same thing but have since switched to a 2017 Ford Transit that I built out.

For me I went from a truck camper to the motor home for health reasons. I needed something I could go from the front to the back easily and a TCer would not do that. Bought the motor home and I love it for the features. My BIG issue is that the areas that I need it to travel are too narrow for the motor home so I bought a van. I have the motor home for sale but honestly I am not that interested in selling it as I really like it. Would I turn it into a 4x4? Not for rough roads as you really feel the roads. It is not light and even a washboard road you can feel your bones rattle, I could not imagine a 4x4 road with the bouncing and twisting on me or the unit. For sand I could see it but understand that you have weight and lots of it but if truck campers can drive on it I could see a 4x4 motor home doing fine.

The big change for me was the noise. The truck camper you heard nothing from the camper. The motor home you hear all the rattles and squeaks on rough roads.

Mine is small so departure angle is amazing.

If I could add a full time 4x4 on mine I would go that route. For me half my driving is in snow so I think that would be cool. I am not a fan of where they are putting the 4x4 shift lever as that is in my way and defeats the purpose of easily moving from the front to the back.

I think if I keep mine I will upgrade the suspension. Maybe the tires (it has aggressive tires on it already). Change out the front bumper and add a winch and use it for what it is and what it has and no more without four wheel drive.

Thanks for the insight Photomike. My spouse also has health issues so a TC will not work for us. My spouse is no stranger to roughing it however her health isn't what it use to be and its only going to worse unfortunately. I've always leaned to doing a van conversion, been thinking about what it would take to replicate a Sportsmobile (hard to import into Canada) otherwise the Transit is still pretty high on my list for preferred platforms.

 

[Bikersmurf]

Something like this might be worth looking at...
https://portland.craigslist.org/clk/rvs/d/vancouverx4-motorhome/6790765644.html
It would be pretty useless when it comes to 4x4 trails, but could go anywhere a logging truck could.

 

[68camaro]

My two cents.....

Last year I bought a 2001 2wd 21' Chinook Cooncourse built on a Ford e-350 chasis, good gearing with limited slip diff. My goal was to use it as a basecamp for boonedocking close to my fishing spots several hours from home. This way I can show up at night, boonedock, fish all day and drive to next location and repeat. Worse case will be fire roads, some can get steep and narrow but generally in decent shape with with little to no off-camber.

Yes, I could do this with tent but at my age I am done with tents and sleeping in rear of jeep, I have done tons of that in past with family, scounts, SAR, and alone.....now I like creature comforts of home and drive-in, drive-out quick and easy.

My RV was stock so I had it lifted 4.5", bigger tires, bigger brakes, fox shocks, radius arms, steering stabilizer, etc. but no 4wd conversion (yet). The RV now drives much better than stock, it might be bumpier but not much, but handling is way better. I was very surprised how well it now drives. My desire for lift was for better general clearance, better approach and exit angles, RV's are crazy low especially with black and gray tank plumping, the lift coupled with Goodyear Duratracs on a 10,0000 lb vehicle give me so much more functionality. I am looking at bumper and wench as added insurance.

The negatives, height. I live on east coast and fire roads are in forests so the height is limiting factor, not so much weidth. However, with any vehichle platform choice you will be making sacrifices. In my search I could not find perfect platform to check all my boxes, my choice was best for me only.

Now 4x4, last year I did not do the 4x4 conversion due to cost and not sure if I would need it. So I decided to give it a year or two, and if I find I really need it then I will head down to Ujoint for the conversion. Chris does great work, super nice, personally accessible and has great reputation.