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01-02-2014, 04:29 PM
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#1
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Home Base: Northern Virginia
Posts: 9
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Question About A Chassis
I'm still new to this RVing universe -- just bought our coach in September. I have a 31-foot 2004 Itasca Spirit with a Ford V-10 engine and a Ford E-450 emblem on the side. So I thought I have a Ford chassis.
Today, I was looking into buying hydraulic levelers and was told I'd have to pay an extra $200 above the cost of the system because, according to the manufacturer's email, "There is an additional $200.00 for the Sprinter due to the fact there are special brackets required for a proper installation."
So, first of all, what's a Sprinter? A kind of chassis?
And, second, how do I know if I have one?
Thanks for any assistance in clearing up my confusion.
__________________
2004 Itasca Spirit -- The Darlin' Dot II
A big fan of Jimmy Buffett, The Boston Red Sox & The Open Road
"It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark ... and we're wearing sunglasses."
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01-02-2014, 04:43 PM
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#2
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VAParrothead
I'm still new to this RVing universe -- just bought our coach in September. I have a 31-foot 2004 Itasca Spirit with a Ford V-10 engine and a Ford E-450 emblem on the side. So I thought I have a Ford chassis.
Today, I was looking into buying hydraulic levelers and was told I'd have to pay an extra $200 above the cost of the system because, according to the manufacturer's email, "There is an additional $200.00 for the Sprinter due to the fact there are special brackets required for a proper installation."
So, first of all, what's a Sprinter? A kind of chassis?
And, second, how do I know if I have one?
Thanks for any assistance in clearing up my confusion.
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The Sprinter chassis has been sold under the Mercedes, Dodge, Freightliner and Volkswagen nameplates and I believe all their engines used in RVs are diesels.
If you have a V10 with the ford logo on the front grill and a E-450 label on the sides, you have a Ford. They are very different chassis.
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01-02-2014, 04:56 PM
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#3
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Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Altoona, Iowa
Posts: 419
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You can download the brochure (go to the specifications page) for your unit from Itasca's website:
Itasca Motorhomes - Brochure Archive
As StringFellow says, you have a Ford E-450 chassis which was standard for your unit. There was no other option offered for your unit and the Sprinter chassis was not offered for any Spirit that year. By the way, nice unit!
__________________
2010 Itasca Sunova 33C (a lot of modifications)
2004 Jeep Rubicon, 34K miles (highly modified)
Three cats and the wife
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01-02-2014, 07:31 PM
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#4
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Living The Dream
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Deep In The Heart of Texas
Posts: 367
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StringFellow
The Sprinter chassis has been sold under the Mercedes, Dodge, Freightliner and Volkswagen nameplates and I believe all their engines used in RVs are diesels.
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Volkswagen? I don't think so. The Sprinter, which has always been made by Mercedes, has been badged as a Dodge and as a Freightliner, but only when Mercedes owned them. As soon as Mercedes unloaded Dodge, that nameplate disappeared from the Sprinter.
Winnebago, beginning with the 2006 model year, was the first manufacturer to build a motorhome on a Sprinter chassis (View and Navion Class C, then added ERA Class B). Now many manufacturers build on a Sprinter chassis. In 2008 for a short time, you could get a View or Navion with a gas engine ... 3.6 liter. Not popular, was quickly dropped. Winnebago now also builds a Class A on a Sprinter chassis, Via and Reyo.
__________________
Warren and Debbie
2018 Winnebago View 24D
2014 Tiffin Breeze 32BR, 2012 Winnebago Navion 24G, 2006 Winnebago View 23H
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01-03-2014, 06:49 AM
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#5
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SeeTheUSA
Volkswagen? I don't think so. The Sprinter, which has always been made by Mercedes, has been badged as a Dodge and as a Freightliner, but only when Mercedes owned them. As soon as Mercedes unloaded Dodge, that nameplate disappeared from the Sprinter.
Winnebago, beginning with the 2006 model year, was the first manufacturer to build a motorhome on a Sprinter chassis (View and Navion Class C, then added ERA Class B). Now many manufacturers build on a Sprinter chassis. In 2008 for a short time, you could get a View or Navion with a gas engine ... 3.6 liter. Not popular, was quickly dropped. Winnebago now also builds a Class A on a Sprinter chassis, Via and Reyo.
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VWs based on the Sprinter chassis do exist but in Europe. They are used for some of their commorcial vans, not RVs though. LT/Crafter is one example, rebadged Sprinter chassis with VW powertrain.
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01-03-2014, 07:04 AM
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#6
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Winnebago Watcher
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VAParrothead
I'm still new to this RVing universe -- just bought our coach in September. I have a 31-foot 2004 Itasca Spirit with a Ford V-10 engine and a Ford E-450 emblem on the side. So I thought I have a Ford chassis.
Today, I was looking into buying hydraulic levelers and was told I'd have to pay an extra $200 above the cost of the system because, according to the manufacturer's email, "There is an additional $200.00 for the Sprinter due to the fact there are special brackets required for a proper installation."
So, first of all, what's a Sprinter? A kind of chassis?
And, second, how do I know if I have one?
Thanks for any assistance in clearing up my confusion.
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It sounds like whoever you went to does not know what their talking about. Take your motorhome to a reputable dealer who does.
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01-03-2014, 11:28 AM
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#7
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Home Base: Northern Virginia
Posts: 9
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Thanks to all for clearing this up for me. After hearing from you all, I asked the rep to check the specs on my rig and, yep, I have a Ford chassis. So that's going to save me a few hundred bucks on the installation. Niiiice!
__________________
2004 Itasca Spirit -- The Darlin' Dot II
A big fan of Jimmy Buffett, The Boston Red Sox & The Open Road
"It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark ... and we're wearing sunglasses."
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