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Old 03-17-2017, 09:29 PM   #1
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RB vs. EB

There's probably a thread on this but i didn't find one.

Does anyone have any pro's/con's on one vs the other? I always wanted a Ford E-350 RB 4x4 but have passed on a few good vans only because they were extended beds. How much more of a burden is the extra inches of van when parking, wheeling, traveling, etc...

Preciate the opinions!

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Old 03-17-2017, 10:02 PM   #2
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There are many threads on this as I recall.
The difference on the Ford chassis is 22" between the two and the both share the same wheelbase. The GM/Chevy extended vans have a different respective wheelbase.
The Ford chassis EB only has one drawback in my mind and that's departure angle. I've gone on an extensive amount of 4wd trails in my EB's and have only scraped the receiver hitch a few times and once on the rear bumper.
The added length is priceless IMO. After having 2 EB's I'd never have a RB.
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Old 03-17-2017, 10:21 PM   #3
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My EB is my daily driver. I have only driven my Subaru Crosstrek four times in the past two months. Yes, the EB doesn't get into tight places as well as an RB would. But that extra 20" of room inside gives me everything I need. It's EB all the way for me!
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Old 03-17-2017, 10:44 PM   #4
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Which make are you referring to? The Ford Econoline came in 2 lengths, but the new Classic built on an Econoline cutaway will have only one length. I believe the Chevy has two. The Ford Transit, Dodge Promaster, and MB Sprinter all come in 3 lengths. SMB builds only one floor plan for Nissan and they sell only at Nissan dealers. The lengths of a RB vary among all manufacturers, as do the EB and LB. It is not just the vehicle length that matters, but the wheelbase and tire sizes all interact to affect approach angle, departure angle, break over angle, etc. Turn radius and roof heights factor in as well. We can help you better if we know the make and model.
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Old 03-17-2017, 11:06 PM   #5
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I was remiss in specifying that I'm considering the Ford E-350 EB 4x4 platform.

Thanks!
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Old 03-17-2017, 11:23 PM   #6
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I'm an EB guy all the way for reasons stated above... I've had one RB & I'd doubt I'll ever go back, it's more about the extra space for me... like Saline said only drawback is departure angle and it's not that bad . I've been able to go any where an RB can go [emoji106]My EB has turned into a daily drive for about the past year. So I'll be selling my other SUV since it just sits.


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Old 03-18-2017, 12:02 AM   #7
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When I asked this forum this question it was quickly evident that if you want room you get the EB. Pretty unanimous really. I do love the way the RB looks, but with four of us, it's gonna be an EB. 90 cubic feet extra give or take.
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Old 03-18-2017, 02:09 AM   #8
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I'm on my second EB SMB. I don't think I could ever go with a RB even if I was a hard core off-roader. The extra storage space is invaluable.
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Old 03-18-2017, 03:16 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vanderpooch View Post
I was remiss in specifying that I'm considering the Ford E-350 EB 4x4 platform.

Thanks!
I'm guessing you're thinking about buying a used van. Ford hasn't made the Econoline van since 2015. You could buy a used one and do a DYI or you could actually take a used one to SMB and they'll still convert it. You can also look for a used SMB.

Ford does still make the Econoline E-350 (SRW) and E-450 (DRW-duallies) "cutaway" cab chassis and SMB is beginning to build what they call the "Classic" on the E-350 cutaway. It is the same length as the old EB, but 4" wider. (They will not build the RB length.) The entire camper section is a fiberglass add-on shell, reinforced with Al ribs. It is only available with the PH (penthouse aka popup) roof. They have been testing a prototype for a couple of years (trying to figure out how to plug leaks) and the first 2 customer models are on the line right now. They are considering an add on hard top down the line (2 fiberglass pieces bonded together) as well as a one piece tall roof model with plumb (completely vertical) walls. Both of those are just "possibilities" that are still a few years down the road. The price of a new Classic is $125k-$140k.

If you look for a used van, most of them are passenger vans (full of windows). It works best to convert a cargo van, and finding those used is a challenge. Sometimes you'll find an E-250 which doesn't have as beefy of a suspension, although there was a time when they built on them (those may not have been 4x4 conversions-I'm not sure). And Econolines have never come stock 4x4 from Ford.; SMB, like QuadVan and Quigley, have done 4x4 conversions with mainly stock Ford parts for F-350 and F-550 trucks. Anyway, the archives are full of l..o..n..g threads with tons of info to digest. Happy Reading.
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Old 03-18-2017, 08:25 AM   #10
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I went from an EB to the RB and definitely miss the extra space and potential for a 55 gallon fuel tank but it had everything else I wanted besides that.

If you need space or your gonna do a full on interior build I'd go EB.
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