 Upcoming camping and trips - (just some coffee talk this morning) [message #352064] |
Sun, 09 February 2020 08:12  |
tgeiger
Messages: 518
Registered: February 2006
Location: kansas city
Karma: -1
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Good morning. Just a little coffee talk this morning.
I've got a 76 26 Eleganza 2 motorhome that I've had for close to 20 years. Never really used but in Missouri for fishing and more so at the local state parks with other camping friends for little weekend trips. I've now retired and am looking at larger trips out west. Looking at dessert camping and of course spending much more time snow birding and boon docking in the desert. Now I've seen these gravel roads that lead out to the camping sites that are beautiful desert camping sites. I can see us spending a month or more out stomping around out west. Could have other family members joining us for certain parts of the trip staying either in the motorhome or in tents we have with us.
Now I've loved this motorhome for what we used it for these past years but am questioning if it can be used in these longer trips and if it could handle these off road gravel roads that lead out to these open dessert camp sites? Just wondering if its time to get into something else.
Thanks, just some coffee talk here.
TG
PS: There are alot of material to read, here below is a short write up that kinda gives a bit about this guys experience in doing this kind of thing.
https://winnebagolife.com/2018/02/off-road-in-a-class-a
Tom Geiger
76 Eleganza II
KCMO
[Updated on: Sun, 09 February 2020 09:23] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Upcoming camping and trips - (just some coffee talk this morning) [message #352069 is a reply to message #352064] |
Sun, 09 February 2020 09:24  |
Scott Nutter
Messages: 782
Registered: January 2015
Location: Houston/San Diego
Karma: 4
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You will never know for sure until you try it. The two of us take the month of May off and spend it in Florida in our Motorhome. It is plenty big enough for the two of us. We could easily spend 3 months in it. But we do not dry camp.
Keep the tents handy if you have quests!
Scott.
Scott Nutter
1978 Royale Center Kitchen, Patterson 455, switch pitch tranny, 3.21 final drive, Quad bags, Dave Lenzi super duty mid axle disc brakes, tankless water heater, everything Lenzi. Alex Ferrera installed MSD Atomic EFI
Houston, Texas
[Updated on: Sun, 09 February 2020 09:27] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Upcoming camping and trips - (just some coffee talk this morning) [message #352073 is a reply to message #352064] |
Sun, 09 February 2020 10:57 |
6cuda6
Messages: 975
Registered: June 2019
Karma: -6
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I personally think these units will do fine on all road surfaces as they have a well balanced foot print. The only problem i can forsee is soft sand as the tire width is a little to thin for that.
So my plan is to install 6 of the same brand tires but go to a slightly more aggressive model on the front....so all season on the rear and all terrain on the front....not to noisy and handle well but slightly different tread for odd road surfaces like gravel, sand etc.
Worse case i plan on having tire chain with us anyways...
Have to remember these units were designed way different that todays box on a truck frame class A's
Rich Mondor,
Brockville, ON
77 Hughes 2600
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| Re: Upcoming camping and trips - (just some coffee talk this morning) [message #352076 is a reply to message #352064] |
Sun, 09 February 2020 11:10 |
roy1
Messages: 2126
Registered: July 2004
Location: Minden nevada
Karma: 6
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Just be sure that gravel road is hard packed with out soft or sandy patches. Deep dips would also be bad you don't want to get high sided. That Winnie can go places you can't go. A friend of mine with a 43 ft American Eagle got high sided in a campground a year ago . He got high sided backing into the campsite ( dirt) his drive wheels loss traction because his tag axel was on hard dirt and the drive wheels were on soft dirt. His towing insurance refused to pay because he was a little more then 100 ft from the parking lot. It cost him $800 to get towed 10 feet! He probably should have demanded the camp ground move his rig because he was blocking the entrance to a bunch of camp sites. It is always best to have another rig with you when you go off the beaten paath.
Roy Keen
Minden,NV
76 X Glenbrook
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| Re: Upcoming camping and trips - (just some coffee talk this morning) [message #352080 is a reply to message #352064] |
Sun, 09 February 2020 11:30 |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Some will reccomend against leaving pavement, but we do it all the time. One of out favorite campgrounds is Burro Mountain Homestead, just south of Silver City New Mexico. It requires us to drive about 7 miles of mountain dirt/gravel road to get there. Also, my anual trip to the Imperial Sand Dunes has a dirt road (sand and gravel) to get to it, and I tow a trailer with the Jeep on it down that road.
Another place we have camped was along Loy Butte Road between Cottonwood and Sedona AZ, a long dirt road with free BLM campsites along it. The GMC handles roads like this just fine with the only potential issue being questionable traction. I DO have a 3.70 limited Slip final and wider tires on wider wheels on the front. I'm sure that helps. The GMC's air and torsion bar suspension handles rough or washboard roads better then a truck chassis based motorhome.
Also, having a 4our wheel drive dinghy is a plus just in case you get into a traction situation you need a little help with. We went down a two track road to find a camping spot one time and got kind of stuck at a diagonal washout on the road. Kathy got in the towed ( a 2003 Chevy Tracker, put it in four wheel drive, and pushed me past the rough spot without issue. I have gotten stuck at the dune campsite a few times, but a little tug from one of the other vehicles got me going easily each time. Momentum is your friend on dirt roads with the GMC.
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: Upcoming camping and trips - (just some coffee talk this morning) [message #352091 is a reply to message #352064] |
Sun, 09 February 2020 19:40 |
dsmithy
Messages: 210
Registered: July 2012
Location: Lincoln Nebraska
Karma: 0
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We've been on gravel a lot. No problems at all when you drive conservatively.
But there are a couple of things to remember:
First, you are a front wheel drive vehicle with a lot of weight not on the drive wheels. Stay away from the slippery if you can and covet your momentum if you're caught in a bad spot. We have gotten stuck and needed a tow in wet grass only because we were stopped. All this is not any kind of a problem if you stay alert to your situation and avoid soft, slippery, and loose sand, etc.
Secondly, dust is an annoyance if not a problem. On gravel or dirt we always pressurize the coach. Use dash air if it works, or if it doesn't, like ours, we put the forward Fantastic fan on medium IN, and close everything else. That means no dust in the bathroom, no grit on the bed, no problem with singing down a country road where no Winnebago would ever dare to go.
We got these things to have fun. Remember?
Douglas & Virginia Smith,
dsmithy18 at gmail,
Lincoln Nebraska,
’73 “Sequoia” since ‘95: "Wanabizo";
Quadrabag/6 wheel disks/3:70 final/Paterson QuadraJet/Thorley’s/Alloy wheels/Sundry other
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| Re: Upcoming camping and trips - (just some coffee talk this morning) [message #352093 is a reply to message #352064] |
Sun, 09 February 2020 20:16 |
tgeiger
Messages: 518
Registered: February 2006
Location: kansas city
Karma: -1
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Senior Member |
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Thanks for the cool responses guys. I was wondering how the GMC handled the off the beaten path roads. When I did my research many years ago on this motorhome was the fact the size of it enabled it to be used in those smaller parks that length was limited. So in that research I never realized its challenges it had on the front wheel drive if it got on soft terrain. Great to hear it works out fine if you are cautious. I have been looking at getting a set of ice cables to get better traction in icey or snowy conditions. I read about someone who took theirs on ski trips with a set of cable chains on the front wheels. He said he got around great with that setup. Anyhow very cool to read of your experiences, love to read them.
Thanks,
TG
Tom Geiger
76 Eleganza II
KCMO
[Updated on: Sun, 09 February 2020 20:18] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Upcoming camping and trips - (just some coffee talk this morning) [message #352099 is a reply to message #352093] |
Mon, 10 February 2020 09:30 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Tom,
We have been off paved roads on many occasions and had no difficulty. I will admit that that traction on slick surfaces is a very real issue, but taking the coach places with snow and ice has another issue that has plagued many. The frame, while entirely adequate to the purpose, is relatively light wall. As such, it does not take much corrosion to have it become a very serious issue. While the frame(s) can be replaced, it is not a trivial operation.
So, snow is fine as long as they are not spreading salt (aka fender solvent) as thick as the snow.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: Upcoming camping and trips - (just some coffee talk this morning) [message #352100 is a reply to message #352064] |
Mon, 10 February 2020 10:08 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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I had a real problem going up a gravel county road in southern Missouri a couple years ago. The coach wanted to spin both wheels even though the loose gravel had a solid under surface. Wasn't steep, just an up slope on a gentle curve and I entered it too slowly. The dure was to back up and get up to about 25- 30 MPH and pull it.
--johnny
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: Upcoming camping and trips - (just some coffee talk this morning) [message #352121 is a reply to message #352064] |
Tue, 11 February 2020 08:40 |
tgeiger
Messages: 518
Registered: February 2006
Location: kansas city
Karma: -1
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Senior Member |
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Johnny, yes know what you mean on roads in southern Missouri. I had a bit of trouble down in Bennet Springs at a camp ground I stayed at. There was a section of their gravel road that had a pretty steep transition from lower to upper camp ground areas and it took me a couple attempts to get up the hill. Really had no business going down to the lower camp ground area in the motorhome anyhow.
TG
Tom Geiger
76 Eleganza II
KCMO
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