why so few 7'6" (or less) coaches come on chevy & ford cabs

Oh Boy, I have some serious correcting to make in previous replies.....and I just cleaned them up for accuracy.

I learned a lot at the Chicago auto show today. I got a real good look at the cut-away Sprinter and Transit. The Sprinter was bare, the Transit had a utility body on it's back. Here are the pictures and my observations.

The Sprinter has a 2 piece tack welded (and maybe adhesive) box frame. It is made up of two "U" channels, one inverted over the other, with flanges that meet in the middle, one on each side of the beam. The tack welding is done on those two flanges.











The Transit also has a box frame but is different in that it has a single deep "U" channel with flanges at the top. The box is completed by tack welding (and maybe adhesive) a flat top piece, much in the same manner as the Sprinter.








Kicking the tires of each, the Sprinter felt much more durable which is reflected in the higher GVWR number.

I understand now why the Sprinter & Transit chassis are NOT allowed to have their wheel base changed. Cutting a 2-piece tack welded box frame would quickly get unpredictable and ugly.