New Gas Chassis Choices

[tropical36]

Just curious and with Workhorse out of the Motor Coach chassis business, what might be available besides a Ford, for a gas puller chassis and have heard that some Coach manufactures are building their own?

[myrtle_beach_rv]

Having owned both workhorse and now a ford chassis on tiffin motorhomes I would say they are similar. Workhorse was quieter and allison trans shifted smoother on acceleration. Pick up from a dead stop was also better under load. At highway speeds ford tends to drift and porpoise less and has good pickup on the highway.

[kab449]

I had both: workhorse with the 8.1 and Allison trans (2005 Damon) and current Tiffin with the Ford chassis. The Ford wins hands down in all categories.

[timmac]

tropical36 wrote:
I still like the WH, Allison, GM 8.1 engine combo, if you could find a nice one. Still, nothing wrong with Ford and do like that it's chassis and engine are made by the same manufacture,

But Ford does have the 5 speed tow-haul trans in 2006 and newer F-53's, it sure is a good transmission, never drove one with the Allison so can't compare but this Ford tow-haul sure is sweet..

[tropical36]

Thanks for all the input so far and kinda thought Ford was king for now. As for used, I still like the WH, Allison, GM 8.1 engine combo, if you could find a nice one. Still, nothing wrong with Ford and do like that it's chassis and engine are made by the same manufacture, so if you do need a chassis or engine dealer on occasion, one stop should do it and much like our old Chevy coach here.

[fourmat]

Right now GAS A Ford is it

[carringb]

Spartan and PSI had both announced a new 8.1L-based engine last year (8.8L) however both have dropped any information from their websites. So I'm guessing either they couldn't make the dollars work, or they couldn't get EPA approval.

Note: GM sold off all their big-block tooling to PSI and a few other companies, so it probably would not be GM building and new "GM big blocks".

[tropical36]

Goatee wrote:
Gosh, what's wrong with the Ford? My V-10 drives my 37ft with ease and is the second one I've owned. Never once had a problem with cranking, even after I forgot to turn off the batteries when I left for a week or so.

There's not a thing wrong with the Ford, but would like to see some competition and like the idea of Spartan giving it a go. Just wondering what GM engine they might have in mind and also if they might be considering a rear pusher for this. I really thought for a while there, that the WH UFO was going to be the thing of the future and might have been, if not for some initial problems and the downturn in the economy.

[wny_pat1]

Spartan Chassis Announces Timothy Hamm as VP Sales Managing RV Business, CHARLOTTE, Mich., Feb. 18, ...

[Golden_HVAC]

Nothing wrong with the Ford. They are even putting the same engines in the class 6 and 7 Fords now.

Fred.

[Dale_Traveling]

There really isn't much in the Class A world on the horizon from a 'Major' manufacture who can produce a workable chassis with the economy of scale that Ford or GM can or could have. There have been a few potentials that show up with a one of cassis at the major trade shows been I've not seen anything beyond that.

Any start up is going to have very steep hill to climb to get a coach builder to want to take the risk and build on an unproven chassis. Maybe in a few years when new coach sales improve they might be willing to take the risk but I think at the present time it's going to be Ford for a while.

[Goatee]

Gosh, what's wrong with the Ford? My V-10 drives my 37ft with ease and is the second one I've owned. Never once had a problem with cranking, even after I forgot to turn off the batteries when I left for a week or so.

[Goldencrazy]

In the small C class you have Mercedes, Dodge and more versions of Ford. I think you are stuck with the Ford for Class A gas.

[krivanj]

I have heaped Spartan is coming out sometime soon with a gas chassis using a GMC reworked motor. Search and you'll find info on it.