What is a Class C Motor Home?

Class C motorhomes are often called "mini" motorhomes. A Class C Motor home is one built on a cut-away chassis and sometimes referred to as a "semi-integrated" motorhome. Think about cutting a van or truck off just behind the driver's seat and mounting a travel trailer on the cut-away portion of the chassis. In fact, some of the very first home made Class C motor homes were exactly that: a pickup with the bed removed and a small travel trailed bolted on in place of the bed. Traditionally, Class C motor homes were built on cut-away van or full size pickup chassis, but for a time so-called "micro-mini" motor homes were built on a Toyota pickup chassis. I've even seen photos of a little Class C built on a VW bug! These days, manufacturers (including Dodge, Ford and Chevrolet) provide factory-built cutaway chassis to builders of Class C motorhomes. The Dodge "Sprinter" chassis, powered by a Mercedes diesel engine is a also popular choice that delivers superb performance and fuel economy -- for a motorhome. Today manufacturers are also offering "Super C" motorhomes, built on the heavy duty trucks used to pull semi-trailers.  They are roomy and excellent handling and ride characteristics and huge towing capacity.

  

Class C motor homes often offer spacious sleeping accommodations partially due to the large bed often built over the driver's compartment. This is also one of the most distinguishing characteristic of most Class C motor homes. Class C's are often the foundation for "bunkhouse" motorhomes that sleep 8-10 people.  In some Class C's, the cab over space is used to house elaborate entertainment systems in units designed for couples rather than families. The cab-over bed is sometimes counted as holding 3 people but you'd better be pretty good friends; if not you will be by morning!

Class C motor homes typically have smaller fresh water and holding tank capacities than Class A coaches, often around 25 gallons, compared to 80-100 gallons on most Class A's. This limits the length of any "off-grid" trips. Many, but certainly not all, Class C motor homes are fully self-contained and often come equipped with 120 volt generators.

Super C's are a kind of sub-class of Class C motorhomes built on a heavy duty truck chassis (like those that pull semi-trailers). They are typically, large, powerful, and luxurious. They are favored by people who do a lot of traveling because the chassis and driver comfort is designed for over-the-road truckers. As you might expect, they also have impressive towing capacities.  They are usually diesel powered giving them surprisingly good fuel economy for such a big rig as well as great torque for astonishing towing capacity.

Because Class C motor homes are built on modified truck or van chassis, the driving, performance, and mileage characteristics are usually similar to those of the chassis on which their are built. In deed, sitting in the cab of a Class C is not much different than sitting in a cargo van based on the same chassis. However, one must be aware of increased height, width, and weight of the vehicle when driving and parking.

If you need increased sleeping capacity for a growing family, or the ability to access routes and camp sites with size limitations, a Class C motor home may be a good choice for you. Towing capacities are typically fairly generous so long as the coach itself is not overloaded. Class C's can often negotiate roads to remote forest service campgrounds that would be off-limits to large Class As.

"C" you around!