mowermech
Billings, MT
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Joined: 06/28/2003
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If you are concerned about "safety", the last place you want to be is in a motorhome when it crashes.
But then, you really don't want to be in ANY vehicle when it crashes, if you are REALLY concerned about "safety".
Even the "best" of them are not and never will be truly "SAFE"!
Ever see a Volkswagen that was hit by a Cadillac? Not pretty!
Ever see a Cadillac that got hit by a Peterbilt? Not pretty!
Ever see a Peterbilt that got hit by a freight train? Not pretty!
Ever see a freight train that got hit by a snowslide? Not pretty!
It is all relative, nothing is truly "safe".
Good luck.
CM1, USN (RET)
'94 Dodge 3500 4X2 CTD, 5 speed, 4.10 LS diff., Jacobs Rambrake, 275,000 Miles
'95 Tioga 29H Ford-based Class C
Daily driver: 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Hemi
Toad: 2006 Jeep Rubicon LJ
"When seconds count, help is only minutes away!"
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ron.dittmer
Northern Illinois
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Joined: 02/26/2007
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The "van" cab portion of a conventional class B+/C would be safe in a roll-over crash "IF" and only If the motor home manufacture did not cut the rear-most frame member of the van for the easy entry feature. This cut-out either offers a more spacious interior as I have in my B+ or it has a removable insert in the cab-over bed in a typical C.
Unfortunately most motor home manufactures do as shown below. Note the rear-most white metal support beam has been cut away across the roof which significantly weakens the front cab in a roll-over crash. The van doors will simply collapse in toward the occupants if they make contact with the ground or other obstacle. You are left to rely more heavily on the window frame and house for protection. Still this type of construction is much safer than a class A.
Here is my B+ with the above pictured cutout all finished.
Here is a conventional class C with cutout for easier pass-through. This one has neumatic lifters, but most are a finished board and cushion dropped in place.
* This post was
edited 01/26/12 10:58am by ron.dittmer *
2007 Phoenix Cruiser model 2350, with 2006 Jeep Liberty in-tow
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rehoppe
Denver
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Joined: 01/30/2009
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mowermech wrote:If you are concerned about "safety", the last place you want to be is in a motorhome when it crashes.
But then, you really don't want to be in ANY vehicle when it crashes, if you are REALLY concerned about "safety".
Even the "best" of them are not and never will be truly "SAFE"!
Ever see a Volkswagen that was hit by a Cadillac? Not pretty!
Ever see a Cadillac that got hit by a Peterbilt? Not pretty!
Ever see a Peterbilt that got hit by a freight train? Not pretty!
Ever see a freight train that got hit by a snowslide? Not pretty!
It is all relative, nothing is truly "safe".
Good luck.
Thx for the laugh!
Snowslide and Freight Train! I like it.
Hoppe
2011 Dodge 1500 C'boy Caddy
2000 Jayco C 28' Ford chassis w V-10
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tatest
Oklahoma Green Country
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It will not crush like a beer can. It will more likely collapse like a corrugated box that is taped at the edges. The greater danger to the occupants will be fixtures like cabinets and TVs coming loose, and cabinet contents flying around freely.
Tom Test
Itasca Spirit 29B
2001 Ranger Edge
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joanne0012
Boston, MA
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Lazy Daze also has built-in rollover bars, but they're not visible. Here are a couple of stories about Lazy Dazes surviving rollovers:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/lifewithalazydazerv/message/108968
http://www.pawstravels.com/buy_your_rv.htm
And photos of a LD that was broadsided by an 18-wheeler which merely embedded itself in the kitchen. Not pretty! as noted above, but also the driver and passenger walked away. The rear window didn't even break.
Joanne
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mowermech
Billings, MT
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rehoppe wrote:mowermech wrote:If you are concerned about "safety", the last place you want to be is in a motorhome when it crashes.
But then, you really don't want to be in ANY vehicle when it crashes, if you are REALLY concerned about "safety".
Even the "best" of them are not and never will be truly "SAFE"!
Ever see a Volkswagen that was hit by a Cadillac? Not pretty!
Ever see a Cadillac that got hit by a Peterbilt? Not pretty!
Ever see a Peterbilt that got hit by a freight train? Not pretty!
Ever see a freight train that got hit by a snowslide? Not pretty!
It is all relative, nothing is truly "safe".
Good luck.
Thx for the laugh!
Snowslide and Freight Train! I like it.
Very possibly the worst part of it was that it had cars loaded with corn. Since the corn wasn't salvageable, they buried it. It fermented. Grizzlies dug it up and ate it.
Ever been around a bunch of drunk grizzlies?
This happened years ago on the (then) Great Northern main line near Glacier National Park.
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rehoppe
Denver
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Joined: 01/30/2009
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Mech
Worse yet, did they wake up with a 'hangover'?
Now that's not a pretty picture.
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Coach-man
Florida
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Joined: 08/02/2008
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Francesca Knowles wrote:There are NO Legislative passenger-protective standards for the construction of Recreational Vehicles of any kind/class.
You must rely on your own assessment of the methods used by each manufacturer.
The cheapest new car has more passenger protection than the most expensive new Motor-home.
In my opinion, the safest RV's are those that are towed (unoccupied) behind a vehicle designed for the safety of its passengers.
Why on earth would you want to get some idiot from the Government involved? We have many different RV manufactures some safer than overs. If Safety is a big concern, as it should be, then you should do your homework before purchasing the RV! The government will issue a "one size fits all rule" that may or may not make the rig safer. If most people buy "safer RV's then the other manufactures will have to come along. your statement "In my opinion, the safest RV's are those that are towed (unoccupied) behind a vehicle designed for the safety of its passengers." is exactly the "one size fits all rule" I was talking about. No class A's, and I guess no bus service either local or over the road, and no class C's you have a choice a 5th wheel or a trailer!
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the_armadillo
SE Texas
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No sure I agree with the towed trailer being the safest RV. If you strictly consider the trailer with no one in it, then possibly. However, I've seen enough pictures of accidents involving heavy trailers that have nearly wiped out the tow vehicles, many involving severe injury and/or deaths. Especially true when the trailer weighs in substantially more than the tow vehicle whose tow ratings and brake systems have been grossly over-exaggerated by the vehicle manufacturers.
One of the reasons that I purposedly chose a Class C was due to the safety factor of a big heavy engine and substantial frame/body between me and the front bumper.
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Francesca Knowles
Port Hadlock, Washington
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Joined: 02/23/2011
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The O.P.s threadstarter indicates concern with the very construction others have such confidence in:
trailernovice wrote:Is the typical 'framed box built aftermarket on a 350-series chassis' small Class C engineered to withstand rollover/collision impact, as is the case with cars and trucks? or if rolled over or struck anywhere on the 'box' part above or outside the frame rails, will the thing just crush like a beer can?
As he points out, most tow vehicles are designed FIRST for the protection of passengers in accidents.
In RVs, in-transit passenger (especially behind the cockpit) safety is a secondary concern after campability.
" Not every mind that wanders is lost. " With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien
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