JimM68 wrote:
ET2, your pickup truck, towin any currently manufactured fiver, did not weigh 43,000 pounds! Not even close.
It gets confusing these days with the pickup truck motor's HP rating overlapping the cummins ISC 8.3 liter...
The 8.3 has one thousand fifty foot pounds of torque. This is computer limited due to the rating of the Allison MD3000 transmission (the engine can actually put out much more)
These engines were rated anywhere from 300 to 380 HP, depending on application, always with that same 1050 torque rating.
Ours, a 360, struggles some up the big passes in the west, down to second gear and 40mph sometimes.
After having driven a v10 gasser over these same "hills" at 20 mph, 5500 rpm, in first, I just thank my lucky stars for that big ISC.
While Fleetwood must know what they are doing putting the ISB in the 34 and 36' versions of this motorhome, I personally would get the forty footer just to get the bigger engine.
Jim, I understand the weight difference. However, the fiver and dually with a 90 gallon aux fuel tank weighed every bit of 24,000 lbs combined. My motorhome loaded is almost 28,000 lbs and the toad is now 3900. So combined its 31,000. A 7000 lb difference - not 17,000 lbs as you've suggested.
The max GVWR for the MH is 32,400 and a " combined" or GCWR of 42,400lbs. I,m well under the allowable weight specs. So based on what the OP asked - I'm running within the designed platform of my rig with the same engine inquired about.
Based on past experience with the same engine designed for a lower hspwr and torque with somewhat similar towing I had zero problems towing the big hills out west. This engine has been upgraded to 360 hspwr and more torque than the pickup combination I had at the time. There are some other differences as well. One being the Allison 3000 transmission. Far superior to what was put in my 2010 pickup. If I'm not mistaken there is a lot more cooling capability in the motorhome vs the engine in the pickups. So there are some benefits and upgrades to the engine and drivetrain in the motorhomes.
I'm not saying it's the greatest mountain pulling beast - but I feel 100% comfortable I'm capable of pushing this MH and toad over any hill out west. Given, it'll be 30 - 35 mph, but so what.
So the real answer is YES it will do what the OP asked - even in a 42' MH. I didn't buy mine with mountain driving in consideration. I knew if I stayed within what the manufacture specs are one way or another I could do it. We considered the Discovery which had the ISC and bigger engine. But what we would have got for the extra $70,000 wasn't worth it to us. So we saved a boat load of cash.
To the OP - yes it'll do it loaded properly - take your time - enjoy.
