Ford Gas Chassis for 38 footers ?

[Devocamper]

Looking again at a switch from fifth wheel to motor home again, looked around last year and was very disappointed with quality. My current question is for those that have larger gas motor homes on the ford chassis 26K and how they handle the load? It seems from my test drives of coaches in the 36 foot range were taxing the chassis. I have found two floor plans that we like but they are 38 footers, the Winnebago adventurer 38 Q and the Itasca same model as well as the newmar canyon star 3914 . Just looking for real world advise on how these coaches handle long grades towing a small suv or should I be looking at a diesel in this size?
Thanks
Mike

[irishtom29]

usersmanual wrote:
Dynamat or not your V10 at 5000 rpm pulling mamouth mountain ca will out scream my ISL at 2100 RPM all day long my friend mark my words on that

It takes all day to climb that mountain?

[Bruce_Brown]

Devocamper wrote:
Didn't want this to get nasty just wanted the facts from those that have had or have large gas coaches towing 3k worth of car. Lots of Good information here thanks again . I think one of my problems when test driving the diesels is the expectation for them to be as responsive as my diesel truck is towing my fifth wheel, both the 340 hp coaches we drove seemed like they couldn't get out of there own way never mind a long steep grade . Maybe this is the nature of the beast I have only driven two diesels both 340 hp and both drove the same, pedal to the floor to get up the entrance ramp onto an interstate and up to speed ? For all I know 400 hp may react the same way . Thanks again for the help .
Mike

I own a '16 Super Duty diesel. For off the line quickness there is no comparison between my truck and our MH. Diesel MHs aren't quick, but once up to speed ours does just pull and pull and keep on pulling.

My truck pulls amazingly well too, but it pulls a much lighter load comparatively.

[usersmanual]

427435 wrote:

usersmanual wrote:
OK back to reality!
anyone that thinks their 3 slide 38 foot ford 460 lb torque class A MH
loaded and towing is in any way comparable to a mid to upper end 40Ft 4 slide 450HP 1250 lb torque Diesel pusher are living in a fantasy world
IT will and can out power you on hills hands down, Out brake you coming down hands down, out GVW you hands down, never mind a much quiter ride, never mind far far superior suspension's, never mind better and more options, never mind more storage, never mind a superior build and quality all around
but you beat the hell out of us on Price

But we see the same scenery!!!! 🙂


As for a quieter ride, the one DP I drove (a Monaco of about the same vintage as my gasser) wasn't any quieter. Of course the $150 worth of Dynamat helps a bunch.

We agree on the scenery for sure. Dynamat or not your V10 at 5000 rpm pulling mamouth mountain ca will out scream my ISL at 2100 RPM all day long my friend mark my words on that

[Devocamper]

Didn't want this to get nasty just wanted the facts from those that have had or have large gas coaches towing 3k worth of car. Lots of Good information here thanks again . I think one of my problems when test driving the diesels is the expectation for them to be as responsive as my diesel truck is towing my fifth wheel, both the 340 hp coaches we drove seemed like they couldn't get out of there own way never mind a long steep grade . Maybe this is the nature of the beast I have only driven two diesels both 340 hp and both drove the same, pedal to the floor to get up the entrance ramp onto an interstate and up to speed ? For all I know 400 hp may react the same way . Thanks again for the help .
Mike

[irishtom29]

mtofell1 wrote:

As I read, shop and learn my main fear with the gasser is that I don't want to be a hazard out on the road going up a hill 30+ mph slower than traffic...

You won't be alone in the right lane, what with the semis and such.

[mtofell1]

The F53 chassis with the 6spd tranny is getting some really good reviews so there is a bit of apples and oranges in the comparisons to the older gassers. There are also lots of reports of better sound deadening with the newer units. Of course, it's not going to pull like a 450HP/1250torque diesel - either power-wise or noise-wise.

As I read, shop and learn my main fear with the gasser is that I don't want to be a hazard out on the road going up a hill 30+ mph slower than traffic. Also a note on the HP change from 362 to 330 - the majority opinion is that it's the same power but the 330 comes at a lower RPM than the 362. I believe it has something to do with some emission or regulation. Basically, it's the same engine as before but, again, the 6spd is great.

[427435]

usersmanual wrote:
OK back to reality!
anyone that thinks their 3 slide 38 foot ford 460 lb torque class A MH
loaded and towing is in any way comparable to a mid to upper end 40Ft 4 slide 450HP 1250 lb torque Diesel pusher are living in a fantasy world
IT will and can out power you on hills hands down, Out brake you coming down hands down, out GVW you hands down, never mind a much quiter ride, never mind far far superior suspension's, never mind better and more options, never mind more storage, never mind a superior build and quality all around
but you beat the hell out of us on Price

But we see the same scenery!!!! 🙂


As for a quieter ride, the one DP I drove (a Monaco of about the same vintage as my gasser) wasn't any quieter. Of course the $150 worth of Dynamat helps a bunch.

[usersmanual]

OK back to reality!
anyone that thinks their 3 slide 38 foot ford 460 lb torque class A MH
loaded and towing is in any way comparable to a mid to upper end 40Ft 4 slide 450HP 1250 lb torque Diesel pusher are living in a fantasy world
IT will and can out power you on hills hands down, Out brake you coming down hands down, out GVW you hands down, never mind a much quiter ride, never mind far far superior suspension's, never mind better and more options, never mind more storage, never mind a superior build and quality all around
but you beat the hell out of us on Price

[rk911]

427435 wrote:
Smoking brakes???

I came down those same roads from 10,000' without any smoking brakes. You just need to know how to use compression braking, the right gear, and the right way of using your brakes.

X2

[427435]

Smoking brakes???

I came down those same roads from 10,000' without any smoking brakes. You just need to know how to use compression braking, the right gear, and the right way of using your brakes.

[usersmanual]

hanko wrote:
Geez, with only 310 hp, Im sure your brakes were smoking. surprised you made it with out 400 hp

well look at it this way Had he had a ISL 400+HP he would have had a engine brake and made it down the mountain pass with no Brake overheat at all:B:B

[hanko]

Geez, with only 310 hp, Im sure your brakes were smoking. surprised you made it with out 400 hp

[427435]

The usual gas vs DP stuff.

All I can say is that my old, under powered at 310hp, and under geared 4 speed MH has climbed 10,000' passes pulling a 5000 lb toad without problems. The noise issues from a front engine were resolved with $150 worth of Dynamat, leaving me at least $19,850 in the stock market earning dividends compared to buying a DP. :B

It also handles fine with 4 good shocks and airbags on the rear.

[hanko]

yep front brakes smoking comming down the hill really has alot to do with it being a gas motorhome. Sounds like driver inexperience to me

[timmac]

Goldencrazy wrote:
Always amazed at how many responses of people who don't own one. I have a 2016 38Q. It is fantastic and plenty of power. I had smaller gas before the six speed and they were fine but this is fantastic. Up and over Monteagle without trouble. Haven't been west yet.

The mountains in the West is where you will see how the V-10 works on a 38 footer with a toad, I live in the West and travel these large mountains a lot and it will work the he## out of any gas motorhome/toad that weights over 26000 lbs.

But it will get over any pass except the one north of Yosemite, cant remember the road but I did it in a 27 foot motorhome towing a Jeep and boy did I regret it, I made it but sure was hard.
{front brakes were smoking coming down}