Quote:
Originally Posted by DriVer
I saw these rigs for the first time at a Gulfstreamer's Rally in Elkhart. I saw them again in Louisville last year at the RVIA Show.
I'll have to spend a bit more time snooping around and develop some press about the 2010 Super Nova! I know one thing it's the "BIG" dog on the block for Class C motorhomes! 
Manufacturers are not likely to stick larger than required motors in their rigs unless there's a need for it.  |
I've been doing some more thinking about this subject. It seems to me that MDT manufacturers need to change their mindset when using their class 4 - 7 chassis for an RV platform. Most MDTs are intended for local delivery, and I'd bet most users are not running anywhere near the GVWR. Their gearing tends to be on the low side since these trucks seldom need sustained highway speeds.
RVs, on the other hand, tend to be used more on the open road, and it's probably safe to say, at 90% or better of their GVWR. RV owners are looking for OTR class 8 performance, balanced with optimized fuel economy, with the emphasis on the economy. I don't believe you'll get that with a small engine always working near its maximum.
Many folks using HDT class 8 tractors to pull big 5ers will attest to mpg at leat the same as, if not better than, a 1 ton dually diesel LDT, despite that these trucks have 12 - 14 L enigines. Why? Because the gearing, both tranny and rear end, has been matched to the engine's optimum power/economy range of operation, and the drivetrain is not even close to its designed limits. I just don't see this happening in the MDT RV segment.
Just a couple of extra cents for ya...
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