Community Forums

Jerry J · 02-26-2011, 07:38 PM

My Winnebago has a rear radiator ISL. A service advisor (Freightliner of Az.) told me to stick with a rear radiator because of the cost of repairing the side radiator drive and brackets.
Side makes the engine easier to get to and service.
Rear can suck kicked up rocks into the radiator and also plug up from the dirt it sucks up from a dirty road.
I don't know but I would like to try a side radiator.
I would like to know more about the advantages and disadvantages of each. I hope to keep my current motorhome for many years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimM68

From the recent shoping I've done, at least on modern coaches, 07 or newer, w/cummins engines, it seems the threshhold is 400HP. 400 or less = rear rad. 425 and up = side. And this is stricktly a matter of size and money. 40 footers have ISC's, 360 or 400 HP, and rear rads. 42's have ISL's 425 plus, and side rads.

JManatee · 02-26-2011, 08:10 PM

As I said on another board... I think you should prioritize other features over radiator position, Floor Plan, Size, Slides, etc... are more important then were the radiator is.

I will say I have a rear radiator. No oil clogging issues (slobber tube extension) No rock holes (big shield of expanded metal protects radiator) both factory.

I would like to point out an error from an earlier post Hydraulic powered side radiators take more power then a rear mount radiator. (25 - 75 HP).. The reason bigger motors go to side mounted radiators is because of a space limitation in the rear of the coach.

JMHO

Dadeaux · 02-26-2011, 08:22 PM

My rear mount radiator was soaked in oil from a transmission oil line leak and eventually the radiator became clogged and stopped cooling. It cost me $1,700 to have it pulled and cleaned.

JimM68 · 02-26-2011, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry J

I don't know but I would like to try a side radiator.
I would like to know more about the advantages and disadvantages of each. I hope to keep my current motorhome for many years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JManatee

As I said on another board... I think you should prioritize other features over radiator position, Floor Plan, Size, Slides, etc... are more important then were the radiator is.

I'd prefer a side rad too, cause I like to do my own maintenance and it's oh so much easier when you don't have to crawl under the coach to do it.

But with our decision to go for a late model 4 slide forty footer...
It's gonna have a rear rad, just isn't a choice.

bachler · 02-27-2011, 07:53 PM

We went on several Alaskan Caravans.. I kept bringing the subject up about radietor damage up. I asked 8 different guides trying to find how bad it really is.. It seems over the peroid of 12 years there was 1 incadent of radiator failure. And they wern't sure if it had sucked a rock in or not;; So let's not go by one of those He said A friend told me. It happened to someone he new. If you/I had it happen. OK. Someone told me that The side Cooling Fans are Electric opperated with 2 motors. 1 HP== 744 watts Devide that be 12 Thats a 62 Amp Draw;; Who knows; I'll ask a friend of a friend... Life is good

Ann n Gene · 02-27-2011, 11:58 PM

My side radiator and many others are NOT driven by electric fans. Mine is entirely mechanical with a belt drive off the engine to a drive shaft back to the fan. No electric at all. I have and like the side radiator but I do NOT think that is should be the determining factor in what motorhome you buy. It should in fact be way down the list as for most of us we would find very little difference. Only when other more important factors are all fairly equal, then I would prefer the side radiator. jmho

Jerry J · 02-28-2011, 12:05 AM

Agree.

RonK · 03-04-2011, 04:11 PM

Previous MH was a rear rad., new one is a side. Just as moving from a gas to a diesel I would never go back. Plus the wife would never go across the back of the coach if it was running as the "wind" coming out the back messed her hair. No problem with the side. Life is good....

zampese · 08-13-2011, 11:27 AM

2003 DS with side rad. overheating in mountains, auto repair had to remove because cowling was not installed to keep dirt,grass, leaves out.radiators stacked three deep, remove , cleaning, reinstall, $ 2279.00,new radiator, $2084.00 from spartan only place to buy radiator. newmar, with spartan chassis. no idea what rear replacement would be.

Mr_D · 08-14-2011, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sixpack98

I don't think there is much difference in cooling capacity between the two.

just my $.02

On our 2000 DSDP I looked into uprating the 3126 from 300 to 330. One of the first questions CAT dealer asked was if I had a rear or side radiator. If I had had a rear radiator they wouldn't do the uprate as there was not enough cooling available. We had the side radiator so they said no problem.

Mr_D · 08-14-2011, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bachler

Someone told me that The side Cooling Fans are Electric opperated with 2 motors. 1 HP== 744 watts Devide that be 12 Thats a 62 Amp Draw;; Who knows; I'll ask a friend of a friend... Life is good

Bad info, ours is hydraulic.

Route 66 · 08-15-2011, 05:54 AM

Yep, hydraulic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Bad info, ours is hydraulic.

J Walker · 08-16-2011, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JManatee

I would like to point out an error from an earlier post Hydraulic powered side radiators take more power then a rear mount radiator. (25 - 75 HP).

JMHO

I expert that hydraulic takes more power than direct drive if only because there are more steps powering the hydraulic motor than the direct drive belt. What is claimed for hydraulic drive fans is that they save power by running only as much as needed. Direct drive fans run all the time and can't save power when maximum cooling isn't needed. There are some direct drive fans that employ a clutch that are controlled to close when cooling is needed.

J Walker · 08-16-2011, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bachler

So let's not go by one of those He said A friend told me. It happened to someone he new. If you/I had it happen. OK. Someone told me that The side Cooling Fans are Electric opperated with 2 motors. 1 HP== 744 watts Devide that be 12 Thats a 62 Amp Draw;; Who knows; I'll ask a friend of a friend... Life is good

I hope this is humor. On the electric fans, there is no way an electric fan can supply the 25+ HP needed on most diesel engines.