Greetings from a New Member

[Damon611]

Hello everyone,

I’m new to Class B Forums and glad to be here.

I’m an outdoor enthusiast and have recently developed a strong interest in Class B camper vans. I’m particularly interested in practical aspects like vehicle setup, efficient use of space, long-term travel planning, and low-cost parking strategies.

At the moment, I’m still learning and exploring—figuring out how to balance mobility, comfort, and cost in real-world use. I’m hoping to learn from experienced members here and exchange practical insights along the way.

Looking forward to the discussions.

Best regards

 

[mik mikgil@icloud.com]

Hello everyone,

I’m new to Class B Forums and glad to be here.

I’m an outdoor enthusiast and have recently developed a strong interest in Class B camper vans. I’m particularly interested in practical aspects like vehicle setup, efficient use of space, long-term travel planning, and low-cost parking strategies.

At the moment, I’m still learning and exploring—figuring out how to balance mobility, comfort, and cost in real-world use. I’m hoping to learn from experienced members here and exchange practical insights along the way.

Looking forward to the discussions.

Best regards

IF you have not yet bought one, I have a few beware items. Fiberglass roofs tend to leak over time as the sealant used dries out and crumbles. Look at the interior liner rear corners, for water stains, if parked nose up in driveway. If backed in, look at front corners around the seam and around the visors mounts for water stains. The after market windows have sealant deterioration also and will rust along the bottom of window frames in metal bodied vans. Leaks around the Air conditioner are common also. Leaks around rear doors are another prone area. Water damaged is most important to look for, as it is hidden behind the paneling/interior liner and cabinets. Use a garden moisture meter to check for wetness in hidden areas, especially at floor level under the bed and corner wood flooring. (under carpeting). Dark wood is a sign of water intrusion. Mold and mildew will be hidden behind paneling if it has been not taken care of. Roof fan vents, antennas, black water tank stack, solar mounts and cables are leak possibilities also. The 3 windows in Roadtreks are a known leak problem (but resealable). Wherever up fitter cut into the body for compartments is a rust prone area on steel bodies, if it was not properly treated for rust protection. Up north will be more prone to rust if used during the snow season. Look closely at the rain gutter/drip rail. Old deteriorating seam sealer will trap water under the seam sealer where you cant see it. This is common on all steel body vans, especially Econoline vans, whether converted or not. Avoid the steel body 210 Roadtrek. The rear body was cut off and a 22" extension was added. It it has rust issues around the welded extension. RT190 does not have that extension. The wheelbase is the same on both 190 and 210. The chevy running gear is reliable.

 

[engnrsrule]

What I like about class Bs is that the essential vehicle is a functional platform of itself. I drive a 2006 RoadTrek on a Dodge Sprinter. Storage is a challenge, and you need to determine going in how many people you want carry and accommodate, which might not be the same. Ours originally had 4 seats, but we removed the 2 rear passenger seats and converted the space to storage. In retrospect, I do wish we'd retained at least one seat for a grandchild.

Parking is less of a challenge than larger towables, class As or Cs. I made a place alongside my garage. But across the street, the HOA prohibits RVs being on any property or the street. I do like having it on my property.

I also T'd off my sewage clean out and added a dump station next to my driveway. That is a major convenience after a trip.

While not unique to class b, I have a great Internet setup, consisting of a 5g Netgear Nighthawk M6 hotspot, King Router and a roof antenna.

I have also added 300w of solar with 300 AH of lithium.

 

[TomofBend]

Hello everyone,

I’m new to Class B Forums and glad to be here.

I’m an outdoor enthusiast and have recently developed a strong interest in Class B camper vans. I’m particularly interested in practical aspects like vehicle setup, efficient use of space, long-term travel planning, and low-cost parking strategies.

At the moment, I’m still learning and exploring—figuring out how to balance mobility, comfort, and cost in real-world use. I’m hoping to learn from experienced members here and exchange practical insights along the way.

Looking forward to the discussions.

Best regards

I am older and had been thinking about this for a decade before I pulled the trigger a year ago. I’m retired and am an outdoor enthusiast and some say I am more of an outdoor extremist. For my wife and I we bought a 2016 Roadtrek CS Adventurist. Like others have said, consider how many people you will want to carry. For us, we have no pets or kids, so we wanted comfort and room. We have the MB 3500 EXT which is perfect for us and our gear. I have made a ton of modifications to it. It had lead acid house batteries and a crappy inverter. I pulled out the entire old electrical system and replaced it with a Victron system and an Epoch 460 AH LiPo battery. That was a game changer. I also added small fans (a total of 7) to all the hydronic heat radiators to help move the warm air. Best thing I did for comfort with winter camping. Was in Canada in -14F weather and was comfortable inside. I also replaced the sink. It had a small fold down Dometic kitchen sink. It was not very practical for anything so I replaced it with a stainless steel sink and pull down faucet. Way more practical and used the same space. Lastly I installed a leaf table/cutting board that folds against the wall but lifts ups and locks giving us more space for food prep. I also added USB ports everywhere I could along with cabinet lighting. All of these changes were really worth every penny and has made both my wife and I way more comfortable.

 

[peteco]

I also replaced the sink. It had a small fold down Dometic kitchen sink. It was not very practical for anything so I replaced it with a stainless steel sink and pull down faucet. Way more practical and used the same space.

What sink did you get?

 

[TomofBend]

I posted pictures of the sink and faucet. I top mounted the sink instead of underneath. It was much easier that way and came out really nice.