class c motorhome 4x4

[jacksprat1599]

Has anyone ever converted a class C motorhome to 4x4.The kind that usually has a one ton van cab.I am looking at a 25 ft fleetwood and was wondering if the front coils and a-arms could be cut off and weld on some leaf spring mounts abd throw a sixty under it.Has anyone done this or considered it? I think it would make a great beach camper or for 4x4 trails in state and Nat. parks.Let me hear your Ideas or if you have pics of something like this I want to see them.

 

[mountainexplorer]

I've considered doing it to a Class A Motorhome even. Just a little 20 footer.

Here's someone who HAS done it:
http://www.alpinesurvival.com/4x4_motorhome.html

 

[u2slow]

Do some searches for "pathfinder" 4x4 van conversions to get some ideas.

Just like a 2wd pickup, the whole suspension crossmember comes out as a unit, so you need to fabricate an engine support. After that, its a matter of welding in some leaf spring mounts and mounting your axle. Plan on crossover steering - the existing steering box lends itself well to this purpose.

 

[ntsqd]

Since you're going to be nearly sitting over the axle, ride quality or the lack of it, will be magnified. I wouldn't dump the coil springs, I'd make up a simple radius arm axle linkage and keep the coils.

 

[camiswelding]

yep... I used to see these at the rv shows.....

then... the warranty stuff came in with panels separating, body mounts breaking and people tearing anything and everything off the undercarraige...
then I stopped seeing them...
I wonder why....

then 150k for the turtle... the f450 chassis mount camper....

the motorhomes dont lend themselves well to body twist and other off road stuff... thats why other than pathfinder vans and quigley and custom stuff there isnt much out there

 

[diesel4me]

I seen some "homebulits"

I have seen a few motorhomes converted to 4x4's,one was an older winnebago,the "shoebox" style one....another guy I know made his dodge motorhome with the "B" series van nose into a 4x4 using his wrecked dodge powerwagon drivetrain(got rear ended,so he used it for the parts)..I almost bought it from him,it went great down the road,and on the sand dunes on cape cod--he kissed a tree right behind the driver and peeled the aluminum siding back,and he got disgusted and parked it--when I heard it was for sale,I asked a friend of his to tell him I was interested in it,but he said he had junked it!!

I have also seen a few "P" series bread trucks converted to 4x4's,one guy used a pickup chassis from a one ton,he cut the frame halfway under the cab on both trucks and married the two into one..that rig was cool,it had 38.5's and he buffed the aluminum body with compound until the entire truck looked like it was chrome plated!--and the interior was very nice,all velour seats,a bar,and a huge flat screen TV-
-it was for sale for 15 grand at a swap meet when I saw it--454 motor,205 T-case,dually rear end--I think it was one of the best looking rigs I've seen,it had a rounded nose with horizontal grille bars,split windsheilds,I think it was a Chevy "Curbmaster" or something like that the nose was similar to a 50's chevy pickup,only flat..I'd love to have something like that--having seen many RV's buried in mud at swap meets,I think a 4x4 one would be nice..

 

[camiswelding]

"it was chrome plated!--and the interior was very nice,all velour seats,a bar,and a huge flat screen TV-"


wheres the hot tub????

actually sounds like a cool project.... and alot of work for 15k

 

[u2slow]

I have seen a few motorhomes converted to 4x4's,one was an older winnebago,the "shoebox" style one....

That's what a guy down the street has. He's a Mopar nut, so no doubt that old Winnie has Dodge powertrain. Looks weird alright... sitting a good 6" higher than normal.

 

[skelly1]

I'd go with a 4X4 van that has some amenities like a stove and a table, maybe a fridge, otherwise, I would use a light pop-up camper on a truck 4X4, or do what I do and get a toy hauler trailer and tow it with a 4X4 truck. I don't like motorhomes though, so I guess I'm biased. Trouble with the 4X4 vans is that the only ones that I have seen new are F#$%'s.

 

[skelly1]

BTW, why aren't there more van 4X's on the road? Just that vans are out of style, no demand? Is it a socal thing, meaning there's more of them where it snows and there's weather? Don't get it. Seems like it should have been a factory option since god created Chevy. And a good day that was.

 

[u2slow]

Fullsize passenger vans are pretty much finished unless its being used as a bus or for cargo. Mini-vans and SUVs have taken over.

I was looking for a fullsize passenger van for a while. Would have liked a Savana/Express with a 6.5TD - they basically don't exist. Now switch over to Ford and you can find a few E350's with diesel.... but the price You can get a diesel 4x4 crewcab with a camper for that kind of money.

 

[diesel4me]

not many 4x4 vans...

Even here in snowy new england I have seen only a few 4x4 vans,most of them home built conversions,once in a blue moon a Pathfinder conversion is spotted,but for the amount of bad weather you would think they would be more popular...maybe they are too top heavy and "tippy" or something...or burn too much gas...

I would like to have a 4x4 van--the closest thing I had to one was a 72 Chevelle wagon on a 69 suburban4x4 chassis with a 454 in it!--but the car was difficult to get a sticker on it(everyone was scared of it,thinking they would lose their inspection licence if I got pulled over)--so I sold it...

A 4x4 van would be handy,(diesel if possible!)it would carry several passengers,double as a mini motor home for camping,and I'd put a plow on it--then I could sell my plow truck and my 2wd "summer" truck,and have one rig to maintain,insure,and register- -Too bad they dont have a factory setup like that--everyone wants SUV's and ghey mini-vans now I guess...