E450 Cutaway Dirt Worthy?

[Scottosphere]

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/4832215891.html

I need advice from more experienced BLMers than I. 

I am looking for a rig I can walk around in (I'm 6'5''), and so I figure my options are narrowed to Class A, Class C, Travel Trailers, 5th Wheels, Step Vans, and Box Vans.

My style of travel is Walmarts, Free Campsites.net, BLM, and Forest Service land. 

If I get the E450 Cutaway in the link above, will I find myself with too few peaceful, out-of-the-way boondocking options? I want a really comfortable, long-term rig, but I don't want to be confined to pavement.

Thank you for your input.

 

[wagoneer]

nice, low miles a little wide for some roads,even my standard high top is too high for some roads the solar panel rack gets whacked by branches.

 

[cdiggy]

Very cool truck ! Looks like a pretty low clearence and kinda long. You would have trouble on some of the more remote roads. I don't think it would handle the rutted out roads that take you to the more remote places. Would do well everywhere else though. I am not familiar with these trucks so I don't know how feasible a small lift kit with bigger tires would be. Some places you just need 4wd.

 

[karl]

The only reservation I would have is the long cantilever behind the rear axle- my step van has roughly half that overhang and drags more than I like in dips and ruts, even on paved streets and driveways.

 

[LowTech]

The only reservation I would have is the long cantilever behind the rear axle-

That's the problem I see w/ it also.
I do have a shuttle bus w/ less overhang and I am totally willing to get it out on the dirt. I did put some good AT tires on it first off. Have run it on some out there forest roads, through washes, haven't yet gotten it stuck, but I do keep out of the soft stuff.  

 

[cdiggy]

The only reservation I would have is the long cantilever behind the rear axle- my step van has roughly half that overhang and drags more than I like in dips and ruts, even on paved streets and driveways.

Yes. It would not handle any steep inclines very well and the ass would drag. My step van hangs past the tires less then half of what that can does and it bottoms out more then I would like it to. Being able to raise it some would help but I don't know if that is an option for it. She is a beauty though. I like the price/low mileage diesel. Seems like a good deal.

 

[akrvbob]

No doubt about it, you will be much more limited than a van. But there are still lots of places you can go. So the question is are you willing to give up that freedom in the backcountry for the big jump in comfort and room?

You have to answer for yourself but for me the answer is a certain NO!

One more thing, I have a friend with a box van very much like that, including the 7.3 diesel. He gets 10 MPG no matter the driving conditions. Can you live with that?

Bob

 

[corky52]

The unit is very similar to my TransVan and I find limitations to be there, but not as bad as some here are making out.  I'll trade living in comfort for a few limits on where I can get to.  I tow a Tracker that will get me to the far out places and come home to long hot showers, space to live in, not out of, and what I see as a better way of life.

I would not recommend the unit without a towed, but if you want a Mobile Living Unit, then it has great potentile.


Corky

 

[cdiggy]

The unit is very similar to my TransVan and I find limitations to be there, but not as bad as some here are making out.  I'll trade living in comfort for a few limits on where I can get to.  I tow a Tracker that will get me to the far out places and come home to long hot showers, space to live in, not out of, and what I see as a better way of life.

I would not recommend the unit without a towed, but if you want a Mobile Living Unit, then it has great potentile.


Corky

+1 on that! If you are staying out of the back country roads this is a great vehicle. I would own one in a second as long as I had something else to get me where I want to go.

 

[corky52]

Cdiggy,

Using the towed I scout the roads in while the TransVan waits, I can usually find far off the beaten path places, just can't drive blindly in.  I also don't have to make the trip in and out more than once in the MLU, so super slow isn't a big deal for me.  The trade-offs need careful consideration of your camping style.  I usually setup and stay for a while, explore the area, living in my MLU and enjoying life.


Corky

 

[LowTech]

The shuttle I have, w/ a '93 7.3 diesel, gets 12mpg, 11 around town. That seems to be normal for that engine.

 

[bcbullet]

My friend if your were to buy that and build it out right you would not care where you were; you would be home...

 

[Scottosphere]

Thank you, all of you, for providing such valuable input.

Prior to making this thread, I didn't consider the distance between the rear axle and bumper to be prohibitively long, but your comments have enlightened me. The same goes for its mpg. Box vans don't get more aerodynamic than this diesel one, and I thought I'd get closer to 20 mpg than 10.

The search continues . . .

 

[akrvbob]

If getitng remote is a top priority I'd consider a 4x4 pickup with a small camper, as low as possible and no longer than the bed.

The distance from the rear tire to the furthest point of the body is called the departure angle and it extremely important on rough roads.

If you put a locker on a van and a body lift with bigger tires, they are very competent in the back country.
Bob

 

[highdesertranger]

so that rear over hang is way to much to be off road capable and anything under the rear is going to get beat up. however with the dually tires a rear locker will make it almost as good as a 4wd. I don't recommend lifting any 2wd, as far as body lifts go 1 inch max in my book. highdesertranger

 

[wagoneer]

I suffer from the exact same issue E350xL NICE AND LONG BUT A BIG OVERHANG bigger tires help.

 

[wagoneer]

I suffer from the exact same issue E350xL NICE AND LONG BUT A BIG OVERHANG bigger tires help.

 

[akrvbob]

In this picture of a Runaway camper you can see the rear end is just barely starting to drag although it has a fairly extreme angle. That's because the axle is far enough back to give it a steep departure angle. (you can see my review of the Runaway trailer here: http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/can-afford-vandweller-runaway-trailers-ideal-home-many-nomads/)

In this picture you can see the other problem with trailers, the jack dragging up front. The Runaway has a folding jack so it goes away entirely. Notice the back-end of the Jeep. If it were any longer it would be grinding into the hill behind it. That's one reason why Jeeps are so beloved, there is very little behind the axle and it's up high.

 

[Scottosphere]

This is all very helpful. Thank you for the departure angle info, Bob. I'll not look at RVs the same again. In fact, I don't think I'll give a second look to any rig over 24 feet. Maybe 22.

I'll need to figure out exactly how far back and in what backcountry I'm happiest boondocking. I don't yet know enough about my needs to rule out a short Class C, a short cutaway, a truck camper, or a pop-top cargo van.

Until I figure that out (or more likely, a cool rig catches my attention), I'll consider adding some ground clearance to my subcompact. As I remember you writing somewhere about AWD minivans vs. RWD cargo vans, Bob, one loses ground clearance before traction.

 

[LeeRevell]

A schoolie might be of interest, perhaps a shorty on a real schoolbus chassis, not the van platform. The real schoolbuses have good ground clearance. I once saw one driven over a largish log in the dirt road. Rear overhang is long, but up high. You wouldn't be rock-crawling and mudbogging, but it would still get you off the beaten track.