Class B - Older Dodge Xplorers

[Ralph Furley]

I am looking for a Class B RV and I need 6'6" clearance to stand inside. 

When did the Dodge Xplorer 224 stop installing the trench/lowered dropped down floors and how deep are they, a foot? 

Of course, there will not be a Xplorer to meet my height requirements, hence why I will like to start with one with the drop down floors.  My idea is to find a decent Xplorer with the lower flower and replace the high top for a taller one to meet my needs as I had noticed that the high tops on the older Xplorers are rather short.

How much taller/higher of a high top, don't know yet but will like to have this figured out on paper first by learning how deep is that trench + the standard height of a Dodge Van of that era? 

Next, where could I find a used hightop and from what RV?  Maybe from a newer Dodge RV?

 

[rm.w/aview]

The tallest Class B that I've come across has an interior height of 77", which then brought to mind the Fiberine Super Camper high top add on for conventional vans. A thread in this forum found in Conversions and Modifications titled "Ford E350 Extended with Fiberine Super Camper Top" by Schwoebs may be helpful (currently 6'8" at interior high point). The possibility of a Fiberine High Top added to a Class B could give 107" or one inch shy of 9' of interior headroom.

 

[frater secessus]

I am looking for a Class B RV and I need 6'6" clearance to stand inside. 

Xplorer (and roadtrek) trenches were there to facilitate in-aisle showering;  it's a drain trough, a few inches deep if I recall correctly.

Class Bs are so crammed with hardware that they are difficult to modify.  I suppose it could be done with enough time and money.  

Lots of tall folks are building their own class B out of a Transit High Roof;  they are a little over 6'9" in the raw state.    In theory there is a taller Sprinter mega roof, but I've never seen one in real life and the thin translucent roof (like on a uhaul) is delicate and cannot support weight. 

Next, where could I find a used hightop and from what RV?  Maybe from a newer Dodge RV?

Dodge vans were said to have the same roof footprint from 1971 to 2003.   Junkyards are the usual place.

 

[Ralph Furley]

Thanks!

 

[Ralph Furley]

Still looking for help on how deep is the lower level/trench?  Please check out the picture I've attached.

 

[frater secessus]

What year is that? The ones I saw had a central trough in the aisle, a few feet long.

 

[Ralph Furley]

I believe the central trough in the aisle you had been talking about was from between the model years 1998-2003?  The 1998-2003 have the much taller/higher tops too, compared to the shallow ones from the previous years.  I want the "best of both worlds", the deeper trenches and higher tops.  Now, your question is similar to mine, as i like to know what year did they stopped building them with deeper trenches, 1997?  
Will the "best of both worlds" give me enough room for my standing clearance?

 

[exitinn]

I don't think they put the two together .

 

[Ralph Furley]

I don't think they put the two together .

You're correct, but if I had that done on my own, how much standing room should I have?

 

[B and C]

I don't know about the Explorers, Roadtreks have a 3" deep pan between the frame rails about 5' long by 32" wide.  They can't make them any deeper because of the driveshaft and exhaust system.  The pic you attached shows a dropped floor outside the frame rails which when standing would be very near the vertical sidewall of the added top.  You may could find a wrecked Roadtrek and get the pan out of it.  That with a 24" top might give you standing height.  I think the standing height in mine is only 6'2" but I am only 6 foot so not a problem for me.  The top on mine is not 24".

Just thoughts to hopefully help with the decisions.  Good luck.

 

[Ralph Furley]

I don't know about the Explorers, Roadtreks have a 3" deep pan between the frame rails about 5' long by 32" wide.  They can't make them any deeper because of the driveshaft and exhaust system.  The pic you attached shows a dropped floor outside the frame rails which when standing would be very near the vertical sidewall of the added top.  You may could find a wrecked Roadtrek and get the pan out of it.  That with a 24" top might give you standing height.  I think the standing height in mine is only 6'2" but I am only 6 foot so not a problem for me.  The top on mine is not 24".

Just thoughts to hopefully help with the decisions.  Good luck.

I did not realize that Roadtreks have 5'x32"x3" pans in them that help yield 6'2" standing clearance.  Maybe I can either get a pan from a Roadtrek or Xplorer to install inside my Dodge van followed with a nice 24" top.  Thanks for your input!