What’s the difference between a View and a Navion?

The short answer (as of model year 2017) is nothing! They are now identical in every way, including every standard and available option, interior/exterior color schemes, price, etc. Only the name is different. But it wasn't always this way...

Winnebago Industries used to run two dealer networks. In the past, they differentiated the networks by different brands (Winnebago and Itasca) much like Dodge and Chrysler having the same parent company, however nearly all Winnebago dealerships are single-brand dealerships (Lichtsinn RV is an exception). With two brands, Winnebago was able to have more than one dealership in the same territory.

Through model year 2015, a dealership would offer either a Winnebago View or an Itasca Navion, but not both. Up until this time, there were differences in available options, colors, etc. In 2016, Winnebago Industries dropped the Itasca branding on the exterior and mirrored all available options starting with the 2017 model, though it continues to differentiate the two dealer networks by keeping both the View and Navion model names.

Views and Navions are produced in the same factory, on the same production line, by the same people. Only after the rigs are painted do they become differentiated with their View/Navion branding.

Is the View/Navion a Class B, B+ or C?

All Views and Navions are categorized as Class C, which is commonly defined as an RV built on a cut-away chassis. Class C motorhomes have cabs with both a driver and passenger door (unlike a Class A), with the "house" built behind the open cab.

Class B motorhomes start as a fully enclosed vehicle/van which are then converted and highly modified both inside and out (like a Winnebago Revel).

Although the View/Navion and the Revel both share the Mercedes Sprinter platform, the former is built on the cut-away chassis (Class C) and the latter is a conversion of an oversized van (Class B).

What's the difference between valve extensions and valve stems?

Valve extensions screw on to the existing valves on the wheel and are prone to leaking air. Valve stems replace the existing valves with a longer version (often made of chrome).

Borg valve stems are the preferred brand by many View/Navion owners. There are different versions of Borg valve stems depending on the type of wheel (i.e. steel, aluminum, etc.). The folks that make the valve stems are very helpful if you call them directly (1-800-300-2674 x 111).

What’s the difference between an amp and an amp-hour?

The simplest, watered-down explanation is an amp is a measurement of how much current something consumes, and an amp-hour is the amount of amps consumed over time.

If an LED light is rated at 1 amp, and you keep the light on for a full hour, then you would consume 1 amp-hour. However, if you only had the light on for 15 minutes, even though the light consumes 1 amp while turned on, it was only on for 25% of an hour. Therefore, you would have consumed 1/4 of an amp, or .25 amp-hours.

The propane furnace consumes approximately 6 amps when it’s running, but it may only run for 20 minutes every hour. If it only runs for 1/3 of the time each hour, then it only uses 1/3 of the operating amps each hour. In this case, you’d consume 2 amp-hours. If, however, the furnace stayed on continuously for the entire hour (maybe a window was left open), then you would consume 6 amp-hours because it used 6 amps continuously for the entire hour.

What's the difference between Trik-L-Start and Amp-L-Start?

Both the Trik-L-Start and the Amp-L-Start serve the same purpose and are made by the same company, LSL Products. The main difference is Amp-L-Start can supply up to 15 continuous amps of charging current to your chassis battery vs. 5 amps with the Trik-L-Start. For rigs the size of the View/Navion, however, Trik-L-Start provides enough current, making the “big brother” Amp-L-Start unnecessary.

Several View/Navion owners who have installed the Amp-L-Start have complained of a continuous clicking sound when the batteries are fully charged. I was one of those affected by this annoying problem. The solution is to add a relay into the circuit, but if I was to do it over again, I would purchase and install the Trik-L-Start.

My propane gauge reads 1/2 full, but it only took 2.7 gallons. How is that possible with a 13 gallon tank?

For liquid propane to turn into gas before it leaves the tank, it needs space — therefore the tank is considered full when it’s at 80%. This equates to 10.4 gallons as a maximum, even though the tank is 13 gallons.

The second issue is related to how the sensors work. When it first indicates 1/2, it means that there isn’t enough propane in the tank to reach the 3/4 sensor. The level could be just a hair below 3/4, but it will read 1/2. It will only read 3/4 if there is 3/4 or more in the tank. As a result, 2.7 gallons is a little more than 25% of the capacity of 10.4 gallons which means the tank was likely just below 3/4 when filled to full.

Similarly, when the gauge first reads “empty”, you still have 25% left which is likely several more days of dry camping depending on how much propane you’re using everyday. I don’t fill up my propane tank until I hit “empty”.

How can I tell when my batteries are at 50% when my only battery level indicator is displayed in volts?

This chart can help translate resting voltage into state-of-charge (i.e. percent of battery remaining). For an accurate voltage reading, however, your batteries must be resting for a couple of hours after either a heavy load or a heavy charge.

Typical usable amps for wet cell batteries is 50% of the battery’s rated amps, so if your batteries are rated for 210Ah, your useable amps are 105Ah.

While under charge, the voltage can read as high as 14.7 volts. Even a few minutes after charging, the batteries can still read 13.x volts. Conversely, when a heavy load like your inverter + TV + fan + lights are running on your batteries, the voltage will drop. It is not unusual for a battery to show less than 12.0 volts while under load even though the battery is not significantly discharged.

As a general rule of thumb, if your batteries are not under charge (via generator, shore power or solar), and you have lights and/or other small appliances turned on in the coach, then your actual voltage is likely .1 to .4 higher than indicated.

Why are two 6 volt batteries preferred over two 12 volt batteries?

The short answer is when two 6 volt batteries are wired in series (vs. parallel), they make one large 12 volt battery system that can last longer under load. Since 6 volt batteries are typically taller, heavier, contain larger cells and thicker lead plates, the result is greater capacity (more usable amp-hours).

Additionally, the 12 volt batteries that Winnebago includes in the View/Navion are not true deep-cycle batteries, so they aren’t as resilient to the typical discharge rates.

If you want a deep dive on this subject, check out this website.

What’s the difference between GVWR and GAWR?

The GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) is the maximum total allowable weight of the vehicle when fully loaded with fuel, water, passengers and cargo. This rating limit is set by the chassis manufacturer (Mercedes in the case of the View/Navion).

The GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) is the maximum weight rating on an axle, with each axle (front/rear) having a separate rating, also set by the chassis manufacturer.

On the 2014-2018 Mercedes Sprinter chassis (2015-2019 View/Navion), here are the ratings:

GVWR: 11,030 lbs.
GAWR: 4,410 lbs. (front)
GAWR: 7,720 lbs. (rear)

It is important to note that all three are individual limits. It is possible to be under both GAWR, but simultaneously over GVWR. Example: a View/Navion with a front axle weight of 3,900 lbs. and a rear axle weight of 7,600 pounds would indicate that both axles are under their respective GAWR limits. However, the combination (total gross weight of the vehicle) would then be 11,500, which is 470 lbs. over GVWR.

It is also possible to be under GVWR but over on one of the GAWR limits. Example: a solo traveler with a front axle weight of 3,200 lbs. and a rear axle weight of 7,800 pounds, for a combined (total gross weight of the vehicle) of 11,000 lbs. In this scenario, the GVWR is 30 lbs. under the limit, but the rear axle is 80 lbs. over its GAWR limit.

Why is the maximum cold tire pressure listed on the sidewall of the tires different than the tire pressure recommended by Winnebago on the sticker in the door jam?

Since tire manufacturers design tires to go on a variety of vehicles, and not a specific one, they don't know the weight or any other parameter of the vehicle that will utilize their tires. The max cold pressure rating is just that — the maximum rating — not the recommended rating.

RV manufacturers choose tires that are capable of carrying more weight than necessary, resulting in tires that are intentionally over-engineered for the size and weight of a fully-loaded RV. As a result, the tires aren't maxed out, and therefore the RV manufacturer's recommended cold tire pressure is lower than the maximum allowable.

To determine the proper level, RV manufacturers refer to the tire manufacturer’s chart for load capacity and inflation. The recommended cold tire pressure (printed on a sticker inside the driver’s door jam) is based on the RV at maximum gross weight. The resulting number provides an acceptable ride and handling with an adequate safety margin.

Winnebago's cold tire pressure recommendation for my 2018 Navion is 61 psi in each of the six tires. For those that run their rigs above the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating), an extra 2-3 psi in each tire is a prudent measure since the psi equation is based on weight.