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Old 12-27-2018, 04:36 PM   #1
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Ride quality - 37 vs 40 ft.

We just sold our 37 ft., 2005 Beaver Montery. Great coach, 400 Cat, etc.
Looking for a newer coach, DP only. We always had 40 or 42 footers, tag and single axle in real. I have loved all my Monacos. Our 37 Beaver was a little darty, or busy when driving. My other coachs were all nicer to drive.
Am I just nitpicking, did my 37 need some alignment work, or what. I am thinking about a 34 ft Berkshire, but I am just looking for other opinions.
I know short coachs are busier, but what is to busy??? Very annoying, but I may end up with another 39-40 footer.
Just looking for input on short coach drivability.
WE had a 32 Breeze, drove ok, but the space was horrible.
Please input opinions, thanks, the Muffin Man( that's the long and the short of it )
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Old 12-27-2018, 09:44 PM   #2
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I have a 34' Palazzo. I'm happy with the ride. However, I've never driven anything else. So, I can't give a comparison.
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Old 12-27-2018, 09:46 PM   #3
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Overall length doesn’t really matter. Wheelbase matters.
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Old 12-27-2018, 10:00 PM   #4
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Two feet?

Can there really be any noticeable difference in two feet (38 vrs 40)?
I’m sure going from a tandem to a single rear axle would be.
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Old 12-27-2018, 10:03 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markarbogast View Post
Can there really be any noticeable difference in two feet (38 vrs 40)?
Not if the wheelbase is the same.
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Old 12-27-2018, 10:49 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RiverBurt View Post
Overall length doesn’t really matter. Wheelbase matters.


A total wheel alignment, all axles, really reduces the "busy" part of the OP's question.
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Old 12-28-2018, 08:42 AM   #7
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One of the alignment angles that needs to be checked is Caster... in simple terms Caster is the forward (-) and rearward (+) tilt of the king pin.... this is a angle that does NOT contribute to tire wear.... the more + caster your vehicle has the better it holds the road and goes straight down the road.... this is what causes the wheels to go straight when you turn loose the wheel..


If the caster is close to 0 or negative than the vehicle will wonder down the road...


You would recognize caster on the front wheels of your shopping cart at the store... that caster helps the cart go straight....
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Old 12-28-2018, 09:05 AM   #8
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If your Beaver had a Roadmaster chassis they are known to have some issues. Read the two posts shown here http://www.irv2.com/forums/f115/mona...on-249622.html
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Old 12-28-2018, 05:55 PM   #9
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I'm driving a 35' Itasca Meridian 34H. My first DP but have had several gassers. The ride is great and I don't find it busy at all; very stable.

Wish you the best in your decision - Richard
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Old 12-28-2018, 07:33 PM   #10
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I'd have to say yes, there can be handling differences between a 37 and a 40 coach. The overall length of our old coach was a 36, the new coach is 41, so 5 feet of difference in length. The wheelbase on the new coach is 4 feet longer than the old coach so it rides better at highway speeds. (the new Freightliner V ride also contributes to the better ride.) There is some validity to the total length/wheelbase ratio to ride quality.
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Old 12-29-2018, 05:42 AM   #11
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It’s all in the chassis manufacturer not just the length.
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Old 12-29-2018, 10:13 AM   #12
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Agree - the length itself is not a factor. It's how well the chassis is configured for the size of the coach. Generally, the longer the wheelbase is with respect to the overall length of the coach, the smoother the ride. Handling, though, includes other factors beside wheelbase, e.g. suspension, alignment, fore/aft load balance, tire size & pressure, etc.
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