Diesel Engines/Chassis - Preferences and Why?
It'll probably take me a while for my search...I'm pretty methodical about looking and the right one has to all but fall in my lap! Looking for something in the 10 year old or less category in a 36'-...
Forum Discussion
In the 36 to 42 foot range you need a diesel and they will all have a 6 speed Allison transmission...all very good. Most will have a Cummings engine as Cat gave up on meeting pollution requirements in 2010 after lots of problems, especially in the larger engines.
For extended use in retirement you need plenty of CCC, cargo caring capacity for all of your stuff. 40 foot rigs after 2003 (they started gaining weight) can have very little CCC unless it has a tag axle which improves the handling dramatically and gives you 9000 lbs of CCC instead of 1000.
I made the mistake of starting with a 36 foot rig because that was supposedly the biggest for public campgrounds and as you can see in my signature I found that not to be true so I now say buy more motorhome than you think you need, one time...Not like me.
When I upgrading recently (sold my Dynasty to my son) I went back with much the same rig on a Monaco 10 airbag suspension...RR10S. Prevost, Newell, Foretravel...$$$$$ all use a 10 airbags suspension/chassis for the great handling with plenty of CCC.
Most rigs up to 42' will have the ISL 400/425 1200ftlbs torque...the max for the Allison 3000 tranny. Cummins had a wrist pin problem BETWEEN OCTOBER 17, 2005, AND APRIL 18, 2006, WITH ENGINE SERIAL NUMBER RANGE FROM 46543077 TO 46603939. I recently talked to a owner of one that failed (put a hole through the block) at 45,000 miles and put it out of service for years and with legal help Cummins finally gave him an engine for $15,000.
The reliability, fit and finish, and overall quality of my 04 Dynasty was very good based on the 14 years I owned it...so yes, I'm biased towards the big Monaco/Beaver/Safari/Holiday Rambler which were all built on the same assembly line after 2004.
For extended use in retirement you need plenty of CCC, cargo caring capacity for all of your stuff. 40 foot rigs after 2003 (they started gaining weight) can have very little CCC unless it has a tag axle which improves the handling dramatically and gives you 9000 lbs of CCC instead of 1000.
I made the mistake of starting with a 36 foot rig because that was supposedly the biggest for public campgrounds and as you can see in my signature I found that not to be true so I now say buy more motorhome than you think you need, one time...Not like me.
When I upgrading recently (sold my Dynasty to my son) I went back with much the same rig on a Monaco 10 airbag suspension...RR10S. Prevost, Newell, Foretravel...$$$$$ all use a 10 airbags suspension/chassis for the great handling with plenty of CCC.
Most rigs up to 42' will have the ISL 400/425 1200ftlbs torque...the max for the Allison 3000 tranny. Cummins had a wrist pin problem BETWEEN OCTOBER 17, 2005, AND APRIL 18, 2006, WITH ENGINE SERIAL NUMBER RANGE FROM 46543077 TO 46603939. I recently talked to a owner of one that failed (put a hole through the block) at 45,000 miles and put it out of service for years and with legal help Cummins finally gave him an engine for $15,000.
The reliability, fit and finish, and overall quality of my 04 Dynasty was very good based on the 14 years I owned it...so yes, I'm biased towards the big Monaco/Beaver/Safari/Holiday Rambler which were all built on the same assembly line after 2004.
