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Old 11-19-2015, 01:32 PM   #29
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What I have never understood is why they never put the newer more fuel efficient small diesels such as the baby cummins into the gas chassis.Workhorse would have had a beast with a 5.0L cummins in that chassis or even a Duramax connected to the allison.
I certainly can be wrong about this, but I don't think the 5.0L "baby Cummins" was around when Workhorse was still making the UFO.

We were told that there simply were not enough "Duramax" engines available from the GM joint venture that was making them.

We were told WCC determined the Cummins ISB, which was originally announced as a UFO diesel option, was found to be unusable because it would not fit low enough to allow the totally flat floor that was a hallmark of the UFO marketing scheme.

IMO, it also was because WCC was owned by Navistar, and they were not too keen on WCC buying engines from their competitors. WCC did use the Navistar Maxxforce 7 engine in the W-22D chassis (FRED), but I don't remember "why" they did not offer that engine in the UFO, even though it was included as an option in the earliest versions of the marketing brochures.
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Old 11-19-2015, 02:52 PM   #30
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The only thing wrong with the Workhorse UFO gas pusher chassis was that customers didn't buy the coaches built on them. Extra cost for little perceived gain, I guess. The RV makers stopped making them, so Workhorse stopped building the chassis. Ford, being no fools, did not try to offer something buyers clearly didn't want.

Same thing happened to the front diesel chassis, aka FRED. A good machine, but customers who wanted a diesel seemed to go all the way and get a rear diesel pusher, aka "DP".
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Old 11-19-2015, 03:07 PM   #31
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When GM stopped production of the 8.1 Workhorse didn't have a gas engine to continue production. Those of us (most) who have the UFO won't let go of them, that is why you don't find many for sale. The only thing "missing" from the UFO chassis in my opinion are air bags. They don't overheat (no matter how many times you say it or see it written) and they get an honest 7 MPG.

I think the demise of the UFO was due to two things, the loss of the 8.1 and the collapse of the RV market. If someone is smart they will offer the PSI 8.8 in the UFO designed chassis.
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Old 11-19-2015, 03:07 PM   #32
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My wife and I barely missed out on a well priced Monoco LaPalma with the 8.1 Gas pusher setup. Coach was beautifully maintained and equipped just as we would have wanted it. It was offered for sale down in Florida and I couldn't get there in time to make the deal.
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Old 11-19-2015, 09:00 PM   #33
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What about a gas engine pusher chassis

I suspect the reason is cost as to why they don't. By the time you upgraded to an air suspension, air brakes etc.. the cost would increase to the point that you could have a DP. I don't think that the engine is the sole reason that a DP is so much more expensive.....it's all the added goodies.


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Old 11-19-2015, 09:10 PM   #34
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I don't believe they did have air brakes or suspension, just a rear gas engine.

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I suspect the reason is cost as to why they don't. By the time you upgraded to an air suspension, air brakes etc.. the cost would increase to the point that you could have a DP. I don't think that the engine is the sole reason that a DP is so much more expensive.....it's all the added goodies.


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Old 11-19-2015, 09:28 PM   #35
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Quote:
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...If someone is smart they will offer the PSI 8.8 in the UFO designed chassis.
The loss of the mega big block gas engine "might" be coming to an end, see:
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f57/big-b...in-268614.html

And interestingly, see:
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f57/workh...et-246927.html

PSI is touting thier 8.8L V8 is now on-road legal, see:
On-Highway Engines | Power Solutions International, Inc. – Cleantech Engine Manufacturing

IMHO it's about time Ford had some competition.

Safe travels
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Old 11-20-2015, 02:17 PM   #36
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My wife and I barely missed out on a well priced Monoco LaPalma with the 8.1 Gas pusher setup. Coach was beautifully maintained and equipped just as we would have wanted it. It was offered for sale down in Florida and I couldn't get there in time to make the deal.
In case you are still looking, the exact same floor plan was offered as a Holiday Rambler. I think the model name was Vacationer XL 38PLT . "GRAMPS" here on iRV2 has one.
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Old 11-26-2015, 02:12 PM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scarab0088 View Post
The loss of the mega big block gas engine "might" be coming to an end, see:
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f57/big-b...in-268614.html

And interestingly, see:
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f57/workh...et-246927.html

PSI is touting thier 8.8L V8 is now on-road legal, see:
On-Highway Engines | Power Solutions International, Inc. – Cleantech Engine Manufacturing

IMHO it's about time Ford had some competition.

Safe travels

This has been discussed at length on here and the last I heard was that WCC had backed off of starting production in the coming year and that the UFO chassis, which BTW was a great idea and an awesome chassis, would not be produced sadly. If you go the their web site there is no mention of starting production of the W series chassis. That's a sad state of affairs. WCC has some great proven engineering at their disposal and now have an engine available to power it.
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Old 11-27-2015, 05:37 AM   #38
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I'm sure the manufacturers read the forms or people that work for them can give some input on this thread. Hopefully one or two of them add to the comments.
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Old 11-28-2015, 09:04 AM   #39
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Workhorse introduced their rear gas pusher (R26, aka UFO) chassis in 2006 and made several hundred of them ( something less than 1,000 ) thru the 2009 model year when the GM 8.1L motor became unavailable. 5 different coach builders offered at least one model built on the UFO. WBGO probably used "most" of them. The engine was mounted low in the rails to allow a totally flat floor from front to rear, and could not be heard from the driver's seat. Many "old timers" claimed it would not work due to overheating, but that proved to NOT be an issue.

IMO, it is the best handling gasser chassis ever built due to its unique suspension system, which included a "torque box" between the rails which was welded to the rear axle housing. The front springs are single parabolic leaf, with coil springs in the rear. The hydraulic brakes were quite powerful, and no air brakes or air suspension was ever offered on the UFO.

Use the search feature in the Workhorse chassis forum here on iRV2 to see many threads about the UFO.
I certainly thought the UFO to be the future trend, when it was first introduced and the problem that they had with the cooling fan shaft or whatever, was either resolved or could have been resolved. Now with this talk of WH coming back on the market, I'd like seeing it reintroduced. You'd think that Ford would get in the game as well and most sure, there's a lot I don't know, for the reasons why not.
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Old 11-28-2015, 06:21 PM   #40
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I looked real hard at the UFO based coaches, as a planned 3-5 year coach until we were going to then buy our retirement coach DP.

I have a few opinions on them:

-> I do feel the comment about many did not see the extra costs being warranted, vs just going with a DP was a partial contribution to them not catching on. But I feel a bigger reason for the UFO not catching on, was just bad timing. They were just getting rolling when the economy took a nose dive. Many, many coaches just plain stop selling in those days, as can be seen by the closing down of many many well thought of manufacturers.
-> The Winnebago models were the most prevalent, but I know personally was very unimpressed with their quality. Walked into many of them at RV shows, and at dealers, where trim pieces were falling off, floors were badly scraped from the slides not clearing as they came in. One coach the front of the coach cap was literally falling off (duct taped on in many places) just from the delivery process. These were what could be seen easily without crawling around and looking too hard. Sure, the bugs may have been worked out by 'dealer final quality control and repair' - but was not a good thing to see in such an expensive coach.
-> I did feel the Monaco Holiday Rambler that was mentioned, was a better built coach, with a good layout.
-> I was even less impressed with the Forrest River UFO. Poor build, and the layout to be polite, had problems.
-> I also like much of what I saw on the Rexhall UFO coach. One of the most progressive and modern looking coaches I've ever seen. The T-Rex dual big slides on each side, made even the smaller 37' coach large enough to square dance in. (This is the coach we were closest to considering, and still feel they ar future rolling classic, soft of like the GMC's of old are today.)

IMO, I feel that if the economic downturn had not dried up almost all demand for newer RV's - that the UFO platform would have picked up a stronger following. That might have made a difference on additional engine choices to replace the 8.1. And as mentioned, the diesel vs was available too.

Price? The savings over a DP on a air like chassis, were not proportionately represented in the pricing - this too, hurt sales.

One thing the UFO proved, was that it could be built and run over the road very safely without major problems (one some of the early teething pains were resolved). I also feel with more and more manufactures utilizing lighter weight materials, that a rear gas powered engine could work it's way back into the market again within the next 10 years. We'll see!

Best to all,
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Old 11-28-2015, 07:38 PM   #41
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......... And as mentioned, the diesel vs was available too.........
Smitty, I'm just trying to keep the facts straight here...Workhorse didn't produce any UFO's for sale to a coach builder with a diesel motor . There were a couple of prototype chassis, but nothing made it to market.
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Old 11-28-2015, 11:54 PM   #42
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I often wonder how many diesel motors are blown because the engine is in the back and they can't hear the thing getting ready to explode until it's too late. I also wonder since a gas engine usually starts making all kinds of noise just before it blows does a diesel motor that is always making all kinds of rattling suddenly get quite just before it dies?
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