paddock_rat
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Re: Best diesel pusher chassis ?
Are you are advocating for a solid steer axles vs. IFS because of fewer moving parts? I am old enough to remember solid front axles on the Dodge M-series chassis as well as the Rockwell front axle used on vintage Newells and I believe on older Prevosts. On the bigger coaches of the mid-to-late 1970s (like a 1976 Executive) with the Dodge chassis, unless an aftermarket Positrol spring-loaded front suspension stabilizer was added, crossing railroad tracks often induced a front end shimmy that required stopping and starting again. The Rockwell axles axles required the bearing to be repacked on a scheduled basis. After Rockwell went to oiled front axle bearings, oil would seep out in hot weather at highway speeds, never enough to cause a mechanical issue but unsightly to be sure. The IFS systems were much more maintenance free right from their introduction on motorhomes, they ride and steer better, and they allow for a greater steering cut angle for a shorter turning radius. The next steps include computer controlled active suspension, active tag axle steering, and Dana electric column drive steering. But as I recall, this thread started with the search for a great used coach, so that last good stuff may have to wait.1.3KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Best diesel pusher chassis ?
Ivylog wrote: 10 airbags...Prevost, Newell, Foretravel, Monaco Roadmaster which includes 2004+ Beaver, HR, Safari all on the RR10S for the handling and 9,000+ of CCC. The newest Monaco is NOT on a RR10S chassis. At this time, there are only four three axle pusher chassis available in the motorhome market, Freightliner (owned by Daimler Benz), Spartan, Prevost, and Newell. 10 air bags? No currently available chassis uses 10. Nor I suggest is this relevant to the "best chassis" discussion. ZF (Germany) manufactures the most advanced coach suspension systems in the world, and are used world-wide by top-tier coach builders. ZF suspensions are available to the motorhome manufacturers (optionally) with computer-controlled suspension, and active or passive tag axle steering. (Only one chassi/motorhome manufacturer includes either ZF computer controlled suspension and active tag axle steering--guess who). But back to the number of air bags. ZF independent front suspension has two air bags, their highest capacity drive axle suspension has four air bags (mounted outboard ahead of and behind the drive axle), and their tag axle has two air bags. That is 8 air bags total. For those wanting 10 air bags, where would the other two go?1.3KViews0likes0CommentsRe: rating RVs
Ivylog wrote: Sorry but quality in a trailer is hard to find. Last winter I was at several shows and looked at a bunch of big DPs...I'm not going back to a trailer. My two biggest impressions were they need to put these DPs on a diet and I'm full of it but I do not need a bath and a half. It was hard to find a big DP that was not a bath and a half and many had 365/80/22.5 tires on the front and some even on the tag axle. As for quality...between the dark colors and lots of mirrors, it was hard to tell unless you looked carefully. I can tell you this, none had better woodwork than my 04 Dynasty (three from the top in the Monaco lineup). No, I did not look at any Prevost, Newell, or even Foretravel DPs as I'm not going to spend that amount of money on anything other than maybe a big house on a lakefront lot. Bottom line...I'll keep what I have. Everybody has a point of view, so I'll share mine. We simply can't ignore market forces when considering what new big diesel pushers offer. The actual buyers of new big DPs dictate what is offered, not those that are not buyers for whatever reason. So put DPs on a diet? How? The driving force in the weight of 40 to 45 foot three-axle DP products is buyers demanding horsepower when they can afford it. Buyers of these products want powerful, heavy 15 liter 600 and 605 horsepower engines. That means the big, Allison transmission is required. The combined weight of this powertrain means a (heavy) tag axle. Until and unless similar power is available in a much lighter engine/transmission package, taking significant weight out of these coaches is an unattainable goal. Don't want a half bath? Most DP brands offer floorplans with and without half baths so this really should not be an issue for those who don't want it. Everyone has a preference, but in fact most actual buyers prefer half baths, voting with their checkbooks. 365/80/22.5 tires on the steer axle and tag axle? The 365s are the tire of choice on the front because they simply don't have the catastrophic blowout issues that the 315 tires have had when loaded to rated capacity. The 365s offer a big margin of safety. And the tag axle? In the event of a front axle tire failure, one of the tag axle tires can be moved to the front to limp in to where a replacement tire can be found. As far as a Newell, Foretravel, or Prevost costing as much as a big lake home, many people spending their social security checks at Walmart would envy ownership of a Monaco Dynasty and a Dynasty would certainly be a lower priority than a home.547Views0likes0Comments
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