Class A motorhome:
Class A RVs is a style of motorhome with front end that is pretty much flat with huge windshields. The entire body is built by the RV manufacturer, and the chassis consists of:
- Medium-duty or heavy-duty truck components. This style of motorhome has the greatest capability for the manufacturer to design lots of large under-floor storage compartments.
- Sub-classes of Class A motorhomes include Rear-engine diesel (also called Diesel pusher), Front-engine diesel, front engine gas, bus conversion, and truck conversion.
- Front-engine gas engine Class A is the most popular class of motorhome. The gas engines and leaf spring suspension systems provide low initial cost and inexpensive routine maintenance. In the old days before electronic fuel injection, gas engine motorhomes were notorious for horrendous (think about 5 MPG) gas mileage and blown engines at 50,000 miles. But the modern engines have changed all that. It is rare to see motorhomes that cover many miles, so now gas motorhomes rarely need to have the engine replaced during the life of the motorhome. A reasonable expectation for the life span of the gas engines offered in motorhomes is now close to 200,000 miles, and gas mileage above 8 MPG and up to 13 MPG is normal, depending on the terrain, amount of stop & go, and how fast you drive.
- Rear-engine diesel is nick-named “diesel pusher” because the engine being in the rear seems to be pushing the vehicle. Diesel engines are usually mounted in the rear of larger motorhomes because the engine is so big that it is not feasible to mount it between the front seats. A bonus of this design is that the engine in the rear is almost imperceptible (noise and vibration) to the driver and passengers.Most rear-engine diesel motorhomes are equipped with air suspension, which gives a better ride than leaf springs. There are a few rear-engine diesel motorhomes, especially those with smaller engines, that have leaf springs. Leaf springs are cheaper for the manufacturer, and will usually be less costly to maintain during the life of the motorhome, but they do not ride as smoothly as air suspension. Some motorhomes from bygone decades were equipped with a rubber torsion (Torsilastic) suspension, which had an outstanding ride, but new replacement springs may not be available anymore for some of these models. Depending on the size and make of the diesel engine, it was designed to have a life span of 200,000 to over 1-million miles, which far exceeds the typical use of a motorhome in its lifespan. Fuel mileage between 8 MPG to 13 MPG is normal, depending on the horsepower of the engine, terrain, stop & go and how fast you drive.<br><br>The biggest benefit of big diesel engines is that engines with torque ratings over 800 foot pounds make mountain roads seem flat, whereas smaller diesels and any gas motorhomes will slow down substantially when climbing long grades. Mind you, a smaller engine won’t fail to get you there, but you may find yourself being passed by most of the other traffic on that long grade. So if you plan to do a lot of traveling in the mountains and high altitude, a big diesel would be nice to have.
See Charlotte RV Center’s entire inventory of Class A RVs for Sale.
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