Ford Transit Van Info December 14, 2011, 05:18:09 pm Yahoo Message Number: 127336http://www.examiner.com/rving-in-national/europe-s-ford-transit-van-rv-platf orm-coming-to-the-usGlen w/SOB[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Ford Transit Van Info Reply #1 – December 14, 2011, 07:59:20 pm Yahoo Message Number: 127338Well, let's see... Ford's spec sheet says the Transit van has a GVWR of 5,005 pounds, compared to 14,500 pounds for the E450 chassis that Lazy Daze is using now. This doesn't sound like something Lazy Daze could work with.Andy Baird http://andybaird.com/travels>
Re: Ford Transit Van Info Reply #2 – December 14, 2011, 09:34:35 pm Yahoo Message Number: 127339According to this, some of the motorhomes built on the "latest new Ford Transit chassis" have a GVWR of 3500 kgs (7700 lbs): http://www.toddsmotorhomes.co.uk/online_shop/Trigano/trigano_ford_tribute_t720_n5703.aspIt looks pretty nice inside (23' exterior length), so it'd be interesting to see it in person. With a 140 hp diesel engine, and 7700 GVWR, it should get really good fuel mileage, and about the same performance as a 14,000 lb motorhome with a 300 hp gas engine. Don't try to carry as much stuff or tow a trailer that's heavy!Eric
Re: Ford Transit Van Info Reply #3 – December 15, 2011, 08:13:49 am Yahoo Message Number: 127342"Don't try to carry as much stuff or tow a trailer that's heavy! And don't forget the average European is a lot smaller than the average American. Euro RVs mostly have small everything including batteries, water and holding tanks, not the ticket for the dry camping style so many of us like to engage in. In reading the various articles, is appears that Ford will continue building E450 cutaways for a few years for use in RVs and possibly large delivery vans, which is good because the Transit is not ready for American RVs and roads.Larry
Re: Ford Transit Van Info Reply #4 – December 15, 2011, 09:49:46 am Yahoo Message Number: 127344"Larry" wrote: the Transit is not ready for American RVs and roads. --- JMHO, but most American RV manufacturers don't seem to be able to get past the "load it up and jigger the specs" mindset of "box building" on *whatever* chassis is used as a platform; a GVWR limitation seems to be regarded only as a rough suggestion. Obviously, this build practice is due to most "I love shiny stuff" RV buyers wanting all the bells and whistles possible, e.g., slides, tow capacity, a boatload of add-ons, and plenty of NCC (if they're aware of this figure at all), regardless of the effect on the overall GVWR. (Oh, yeah, 20+ mpg, too!) I don't know what the GVWR of Ford's "American Transit" cargo van (not the teeny-weeny Turkish-built "Transit Connect" delivery van that's used now) will be, but if it's indeed 7700 pounds, that's 1800 pounds *less* than the GVWR of the current E350 commercial van, 53% of the GVWR of the E450 motorhome chassis, and 76% of the MB Sprinter chassis GVWR. I can see a bunch of porked-out Transits, already at max before a can of beans and a six-pack are stashed in the cupboard, waddling and swaying off dealer lots across America.....As ever, YMMV.Joan
Re: Ford Transit Van Info Reply #5 – December 15, 2011, 11:53:43 am Yahoo Message Number: 127345"Don't try to carry as much stuff or tow a trailer that's heavy!"Might as well tell me "Don't be a fulltimer!" ;-) Hey, I'm not saying the Transit chassis doesn't have a place in RVing. There will always be people who want a small, economical rig for weekend travels and vacationing. For that matter, despite what I just said, there will be a few who use it for fulltiming... just as there are now a few hardy souls who full-time in vans. But Lazy Daze hasn't catered to those smaller markets in several decades now, and the company's only experiments outside of its current product family have been larger, not smaller--the '86 class A Lazy Daze and the '09 Kodiak-based "super-C" Lazy Dazes. I didn't say that Transit-based motorhomes won't find at least some buyers in the US--just that this isn't something Lazy Daze is likely to be interested in building.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Ford Transit Van Info Reply #6 – December 15, 2011, 12:18:18 pm Yahoo Message Number: 127346Quote "Might as well tell me "Don't be a fulltimer!" ;-)" My take on the Transit chassis is that it fits into the category of Class B or maybe a B+. If you want to down-size then maybe it would be something you should look into. As for me, I have absolutely NO problem traveling and living in my 30' Lazy Bones!Steve S. Lazy Bones & Jiggs
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