NEW GAS CHASSIS? DRIVEFORCE From FCCC

[Dutch Star Don]

Well....I guess no one here has stood next to a modern diesel in a pickup truck!

[DryCreek]

Originally Posted by nothermark

The engine is part of it. With a motor home you also have the generator. How much does upgrading from gas to diesel cost there?

Either way I'm not all that interested in moving from a naturally aspirated gas engine to a turbo boosted anything let alone also going to diesel.

Uhmmm, you seem to be forgetting the cost cutting route most entry-level diesel pushers take - LP Gas powered generators. And the cost difference? basically, none.

[JeffAZ]

Competition will only help the consumer, and will cause Ford to improve the F53. For instance, why should the consumer even have to perform the CHF on the F53?

Hopefully this is just a start, and FL will also introduce a larger 26K chassis later.

[dezolen]

I'd be happy if Ford would only change the 60s style butt ugly steering wheel

[DryCreek]

Originally Posted by PbdBlue

Looks like a good start but 19.5K GVW is not going to be nearly adequate for the majority of rigs currently on the market. Anything over 30' needs at least a 22K in order to have adequate CC unless there's a serious effort to get the weight down.

Have you noticed the trend lately? Even Winnebago is going toward smaller Class A entry level offerings to fulfil the newest and fastest growing segment. The 23' to 27' market seems to be pretty hot right now, the Thor A.C.E seems to be the leader, for now. Even smaller, the Thor Axis line is starting to pick up volume too. I looked at a Winnebago Via the other day. It is probably the smallest Diesel Class A unit currently in production. The M-B FRED platform was very nice. I know that they also make gas engines too, so how long before they have a VIA gas model out? The newest offering from WBI is the Intent - it only goes up to what, 31 feet?

[nothermark]

Originally Posted by DryCreek

Uhmmm, you seem to be forgetting the cost cutting route most entry-level diesel pushers take - LP Gas powered generators. And the cost difference? basically, none.

I'm not forgetting it. I consider a propane generator a sucker move for first time buyers who don't know better. I almost feel sorry for the folks who buy them then try running the generator while traveling so they run out of propane every few days. That would be on the small diesels with small propane tanks. Automatic no sale for us.

I also question the reliability slams. The Onan gas generators have been around for a long time. There number of units out there is huge. That leaves me wondering why people think we would not have as many or more help questions if all those gas units were diesel instead.

[A Traveler]

Originally Posted by JBDALHB

...As a previous owner of a '14 F53 chassis...Ford is the reason I now drive a DP....

AMEN!

How anyone can enjoy the bone-jarring, teeth-rattling, truck-like ride of that engine-screaming Ford chassis is beyond me. Been there and done that...once.

Never again.

[Scarab0088]

No one is asking DP owners to want to consider this option.

And to restate...RV Business reports 4 gas motorhomes are sold for each Diesel, so there is a BIG market out there for an improved gas chassis. Or at least, everyone could celebrate competition in the segment like Diesel owners already enjoy.

We LOVE our gas RV...so affordable to drive and maintain.
And with a garage in the back end, a DP would never work for us.

Safe travels

[DMiner]

What I’ve noticed about the noise of gas engines under a load can be loud, especially when it down shifts to lower gears. But what I’ve also noticed is in my old Fleetwood storm the noise was so loud that I could barely maintain a conversation with my wife or listen to music. I’ve since upgraded to a Tiffin Allegro Open Road, with the same Ford engine, and the quality of the insulation and sound dampening made a HUGE difference. I can barely hear the engine running even under max load.
My point is all engines make noise but the lower end motorhomes aren’t as well built or insulated thus, the sound is transmitted through and into the passenger area.

[rockymt]

Think I'll keep my workhorse - vortec 8.1 a while longer 🚆

Sent from my XT1585 using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app

[aauummm]

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

It is BIG news (if they actually come to market) because the gas chassis will always have a lower price point over the Diesel...and after a 7 year monopoly, Ford FINALLY has some competition.

I agree 1000%. The Ford F-53/59 chassis is actually assembled by Detroit Chassis, LLC, not Ford. http://www.detroitchassis.com/

In 2016 Detroit Chassis held a dog and pony show for Ford executives to show them what new upgrades that THEY, Detroit Chassis, had for the F-53 for 2016. This is backwards to me, Ford should be telling Detroit Chassis what changes will be made. The Detroit Chassis website refers to Ford as a "stakeholder". What? I thought that Ford was the owner, not just a stakeholder.

This makes me wonder, who is in charge of the F-53, Ford or Detroit Chassis, and who has control over quality control? Nice setup for Detroit Chassis, they assemble it yet the responsibility for it is Ford's and the Ford nameplate is put on it. Not much incentive for Detroit Chassis for quality control or upgrades.

Detroit Chassis told Ford that the only significant change from 2015 to 2016 would be the upgrade from a five speed to a six speed transmission. Big deal, the six speed had been out for many years and Allison had theirs for many years before that. There has been no innovation from Ford for the F-53.

In my mind, there should be no F-53 come out of the factory without a steering stabilizer, a rear trac bar and extended rear tire air valves. A Ford diesel engine option should be available. It's been in the pickups for quite a while, why not in the F-53? Why not an eight speed transmission? Why hasn't the gas tank been upgraded from 81 gallons to 100 gallons and placed mid ship instead of hanging out behind the rear axle. This alone would shift more weight toward the front axle, balance the load and improve stability.

Ford will not do anything with the F-53 because they have no competition. To me that spells disaster. Kudos to Freightliner, the industry has to have someone to challenge Ford, make them take ownership of the F-53 and the consumer will benefit.

[Scarab0088]

Times 1000% too.

The Detriot Chassis -》Ford relationship has always struck me as odd too

Great post

[forest]

What I would like to see them do is lower the frame rails, and get these things lower to the ground. There is no reason that these coaches have to sit so high off the ground.

[stepside454]

Originally Posted by forest

What I would like to see them do is lower the frame rails, and get these things lower to the ground. There is no reason that these coaches have to sit so high off the ground.

So lower frame rails mean less basement storage , less flat floor area & more opportunity to drag the tail on the ground if there's overhang