Low HP Diesel pushers vs. higher HP DP vs. V10

[ie2special]

I want to tow my SUV. Hubby is fine with the Nissan versa (currently my teens car)

Are the V10 models really that slow on a climb? We may move anywhere based on where hubby gets a job, I'd hate to be in the mountains one day creeping up a hill at 10 MPH.

[TLGPE]

If you are seriously expecting to be in mountains, definitely get a diesel. They are all turbo charged. This gathers more air into the engine and compresses it to keep the power from dropping off as the air gets thinner at higher altitudes. Nearly all gas engines do not have turbos.

I agree with earlier statements that an 05 or younger dp will do just fine. We have and love our Newmar KSDP. It has the ISC 330 hp Cummins, and is great on the highways as well as the hills.

Tom

[Rockwood27]

Originally Posted by ie2special

I want to tow my SUV. Hubby is fine with the Nissan versa (currently my teens car)

Are the V10 models really that slow on a climb? We may move anywhere based on where hubby gets a job, I'd hate to be in the mountains one day creeping up a hill at 10 MPH.

We don't have a DP, but I will give you my thoughts on a gasser. We have a 36 foot, 3-slide MH on a 22K GVWR on a WH with 5 speed Allison (about as big of a gassed as I would want). Our friend has a 40 foot, 4-slide Tiffin Phaeton with 35K GVWR and Cummins ISL. We both tow Ford Focii on a dolly (about 3,800 combined). Last fall, we were caravanning from Cape Cod to central CT. He stated he had trouble keeping up with me at times. At least on the east coast, I don't creep up any hills. But, I would rather have the Phaeton for the extra size and creature comforts!

However, also having a teen daughter, would your teen really want you to take their car away from them? As others have stated, I would look for a used DP with a 10K tow rating and tow your SUV. Leave the teen's car at home.

Fran

[pasdad1]

Originally Posted by ie2special

I want to tow my SUV. Hubby is fine with the Nissan versa (currently my teens car) Are the V10 models really that slow on a climb? We may move anywhere based on where hubby gets a job, I'd hate to be in the mountains one day creeping up a hill at 10 MPH.

If this is a rare occasion , then simply unhook the SUV and you DRIVE the SUV while Hubby drives the coach. Problem solved!
When past the steep mountains, simply hook back up again. :-)

[stuhly]

Gees folks, we pulled 80,000 lbs with 220 horses for years. Had a Discovery with 275 Cummins and pulled 4200 lb Jeep Liberty just fine. You are not going to spend all day going up hill.

[CJ7ole]

I drove my 310 hp V-10 rig out west last summer 9000 miles. Seldom got passed in the mountains. No you don't need a big diesel to tow in the mountains, but then I was pulling a 3600# Jeep, not a 5500# SUV. By the way, horsepower gets you up the hills, not torque. Common misconception. Torque just lets you do it at a lower engine rpm. The higher the torque, the lower the rpm for a given horsepower.

[ie2special]

Maybe a dumb question but I found a gas that has a 6k difference between GCVW and the other one (sorry such a newb I forgot the acronyms) anyway could I upgrade the 5k hitch and be ok, with the caveat that I may need to unhook it and drive it in serious hills?

[akeyzoo]

Originally Posted by ie2special

Maybe a dumb question but I found a gas that has a 6k difference between GCVW and the other one (sorry such a newb I forgot the acronyms) anyway could I upgrade the 5k hitch and be ok, with the caveat that I may need to unhook it and drive it in serious hills?

In short, NO. And you don't want to come that close anyways. You need to have margins of safety for cargo carying capacity (CCC) in the coach.

If you are towing the SUV, find a rig with a 10,000LB towing capacity. I imagine that is not uncomoon on DP's, and more rare but available with gassers.

You and your hubby have been asking a lot of questions for a while, flip flopping and what not. No offense meant by that at all. It's GREAT you are doing research. As others have said, GO RENT AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU THINK YOU WANT. Even for a weekend. Go drive up a hill. A MH with the towing capacity needed (10K) will climb any grade you encounter. At what speed and noise is a factor. I can tow my TOAD or boat and literally cannot tell it is there. When you buy, get a nice used example of what you like.

Chris

[GaryKD]

Hi ie2special,
It all depends. There are more things to take into consideration than GCWR minus GVWR. Chassis capability, brakes, engine/transmission, etc. If I may, you still have the $s in your pocket. Purchase a coach that meets your needs the way it was built. Consider the following priorities:
1. floor plan (usually the wife's decision)
2. Will it carry all the people and stuff you want to carry GVWR-unloaded weight rating (different brands have different names unloaded weight)
3. Will it tow what you want to tow. GCWR-GVWR, receiver, tow bar ratings

This eliminates most all your concerns and questions. I'd feel a bunch more comfortable if you were asking creature comfort questions than messing with the chassis and receiver. This is not an area a newbie usually jumps into.

The reason I suggest this is when you find the floor plan that the wife loves the coach will, most likely, be okay with #2. If #3 does not fit, one can then decide to walk away or purchase a toad that the coach can tow and meets your needs as a vehicle.

My current coach is an example. I started looking for a gas powered class "A" coach. Gas is all I had ever owned and I didn't want to change to diesel power. Couldn't find a gas powered coach floor plan that met our requirements and would tow our toad. Not being able to meet #1 and #3 mentioned above, started looking for diesel powered coaches. The floor plans that met our requirements were all diesel powered. The wife found what she wanted. #2 and #3 fell into place because the coach was diesel powered. The rest is history (well at least for the last 9 years).

[ie2special]

Originally Posted by akeyzoo

In short, NO. And you don't want to come that close anyways. You need to have margins of safety for cargo carying capacity (CCC) in the coach.

As others have said, GO RENT AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU THINK YOU WANT. Even for a weekend.

Chris

I want to but it is a lot of money, I hate to spend 6 months of motorhome payments on it. I agree that you are right, we need to.

one more thing, can you find a hill in New Orleans

[ie2special]

Originally Posted by GaryKD

This eliminates most all your concerns and questions. I'd feel a bunch more comfortable if you were asking creature comfort questions than messing with the chassis and receiver. This is not an area a newbie usually jumps into.

Good point, I thought it may be as simple as upgrading from a class 3 to a 4 on a car. Guess not

[Tha_Rooster]

My personal experience is my rev with a cat c-9 400 hp will pull the same vehicle in 3rd that a previous v10 flat out in first up a mountain. So yes more torque and hp is better.

[DD788Snipe]

Buy a rig with a Cummins ISL engine you will not be disappointed. These engines are the workhorses of the trucking industry. I would also buy used if you can find a floor plan you want. Try Winnebago, Newmar or Tiffin. The ISL is produced in 350 to 425 BHP with 1050 to 1200 ftp of torque and the ECM is programable. That's what makes the difference in the horsepower and torque numbers otherwise they are all the same engine. Good luck.

Craig Roberts 2006 Newmar Kountrystar KSDP3910, Spartan Chassis, 370ISL Cummins

[akeyzoo]

Originally Posted by ie2special

I want to but it is a lot of money, I hate to spend 6 months of motorhome payments on it. I agree that you are right, we need to.

one more thing, can you find a hill in New Orleans

I would hope you could rent something short term for a grand or two at most. Might seem like a lot, but then again, owning a motorhome is expensive. Buying the wrong motorhome is VERY expensive

Have a friend with one you could do a weekend with?

Chris