Caterpillar C7 350 HP engine ?

[SuperDad]

Are the 2005 Caterpillar C7 350 HP engine with 860 lbs./ft. torque enough for a 40' coach?

[Old Ben]

3126 CAT with about 330 HP in a 41.5 ft. does great for us

[TonyMac]

I have said coach. It goes fine. I'm not into racing my motorhome, I personally feel only fools are. But it will pull a hill with a 4300 pound toad passing loaded semis, I can gross at 32,000, but loaded to camp weight is just under 30,000. It is rated to tow up to 10,000. I feel as long as I do not hinder the semi drivers, I'm doing good. I'm NOT gonna keep up with the 4-wheelers or the F350s towing a uHaul, and I don't want to.

[SuperDad]

Originally Posted by TonyMac

I have said coach. It goes fine. I'm not into racing my motorhome, I personally feel only fools are. But it will pull a hill with a 4300 pound toad passing loaded semis, I can gross at 32,000, but loaded to camp weight is just under 30,000. It is rated to tow up to 10,000. I feel as long as I do not hinder the semi drivers, I'm doing good. I'm NOT gonna keep up with the 4-wheelers or the F350s towing a uHaul, and I don't want to.

Thanks because we're looking at our first DP. Have had 8 gas motorohomes so I know a lot about them but nothing about DP's. Been looking at a 2006 Safari Cheetah Series M-40PBQ with 48k on it. Says it has the Caterpillar C7 350 HP engine with 860 lbs./ft. torque. I know Monaco and Safari are sister coaches but that's about all I know about them.

It's priced at 63k

[KenZ71]

Like others have said the old Cat C7 is a strong engine.

I tow my Jeep Cherokee as listed in my signature with our 40 foot Phaeton. Yes, we do slow down on bigger hills. But we make it. I pass some of the semis & some pass me.

Plan you journey & fuel stops around best prices stops either found with https://www.gasbuddy.com/tripcostcalculator or TSD Fuel App https://www.tsdlogistics.com/services/fuel-program/

[Skip426]

10 years in , with the 300 HP Cat ( 33,000 lbs coach and toad ) and as other have said ; I get everywhere I want to go .

Never been passed by a loaded semi on a hill .

[Jpiland]

I love my C7.No problems going in and out mountains and I'm towing 4300lbs Chevy truck, with total weight of 31,500lbs. Happy Travels.

[kwittintime]

I had a C7 in an 04 Winnebago that gave me great service
I traded it for my present coach with a 400 hp Cummins.
I think the 330hp C7 was stronger and I miss it.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by SuperDad

Are the 2005 Caterpillar C7 350 HP engine with 860 lbs./ft. torque enough for a 40' coach?

Well Superdad,
This is STRICTLY a matter of opinion. Our coach, an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the CAT C-7 330HP, does good, NOT GREAT but good. We have two different toads for that coach and us. One, a '15 Jeep JKUR and, an '11 GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab 4x4. The truck weighs right at 5,300 lbs. I know because I weighed it. The Jeep, I haven't weighed it YET but, I'm thinking it's very close to around 4,500 lbs.

We also carry a 540 lb. 2018 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports DCT motorcycle on the back of that coach. Needless to say, that 860 ft. lb. producing C-7 works pretty hard keeping that total package going. The coach weighs right close to 30,000. Yeah, it's a bit over for the axle weights. No one's died yet.

For general cruising, flat and very mild grades, that engine does fine. But, depending on the steepness and length of any particular grade, yep, you're gonna loose a lot of steam, without a doubt. It always cracks me up to read when folks say: "I never know the toad is back there", yeah sure. I sure has hell can tell a difference. That coach and engine is CONSIDERABLY more spry when no toad is hooked to it.

Will that engine haul that coach you're thinking of, of course it will. Is it gonna do burn-outs doing it, nope, ain't happening. Everyone, at least most of us, would like more power, especially when it comes to grades. Not so much to beat everyone to the top. It's more of feeling better about not straining an engine so much and using less throttle to go either the same speed or even a tad faster. And, typically, when less throttle is used up grades and, the speed is good enough to keep up with most traffic, then the engine temps are normally down a bit too.

So, again, it's all subjective. Am I happy with the power of our C-7 330HP, in our coach, pulling OUR WEIGHT, yeah, it is what it is. Not a whole heck of a lot I can do about it anyways. WE get there, maybe not as fast as the next guy, but, we get there, every time.
Scott

[MO Fred]

Agree.... that motor should serve you well... good quality and durable. I, however, prefer having a bit more power especially going up hills. I was fortunate to stumble upon my coach..... 40 foot, C12 455 Hp, 1550 torque. It can actually accelerate going up some of the steeper grades pulling our Equinox.

[vito.a]

The issue is where do you plan on traveling? If it's east coast over mild hills and in mild temperatures, you're fine. If it's towing from Phoenix to Flagstaff on I-17 in 115 degree summer heat, it's not fine.

If you are asking then you are concerned about it. I would keep looking. There are some great coaches out there. Open your search up nationwide.

[robertkathy]

Originally Posted by vito.a

The issue is where do you plan on traveling? If it's east coast over mild hills and in mild temperatures, you're fine. If it's towing from Phoenix to Flagstaff on I-17 in 115 degree summer heat, it's not fine.

If you are asking then you are concerned about it. I would keep looking. There are some great coaches out there. Open your search up nationwide.

Thats funny and wrong cause my coach is 340hp 455torq i tow 7700lb trailer (loaded) weight, past july vegas too showlow no problem showlow to durango no problems to cheyenne wy to sturgis no problems to iowa to kansas to ny to fl to az never an issue with power.

When i say no problem with power we went up and dowm grades up to 8% down is more stressful.

It would have been better with a diesel but even with a gasser it is plenty, i do have a banks system and yes my w24 chassie is beefed up with extra leafs trac bars steering stabilizer custom made class III wd dual anti sway hitch ect.

[CountryB]

Originally Posted by SuperDad

Thanks because we're looking at our first DP. Have had 8 gas motorohomes so I know a lot about them but nothing about DP's. Been looking at a 2006 Safari Cheetah Series M-40PBQ with 48k on it. Says it has the Caterpillar C7 350 HP engine with 860 lbs./ft. torque. I know Monaco and Safari are sister coaches but that's about all I know about them.

It's priced at 63k

That Coach is built on the Roadmaster RR4R chassis. This
chassis has some known problems (cracking trailing arms). I have a little more detail on this problem in my "Chassis Info PART 2" document (linked to in my signature line) if you're interested.

The Coach is 42,000 lbs gross combined weight. Personally, I would look for another rig with at least the 8 air bag suspension. And for me, I think the C7 is too small for a 40 ft coach. That's the engine that is used for a pickup truck.

I would want the C12 (or C13 in later years) for a Coach of that size and weight. But that's me. I like to have some extra torque available in case I need/want it.

https://library.rvusa.com/brochure/2006_cheetah.pdf

[MO Fred]

Originally Posted by CountryB

That Coach is built on the Roadmaster RR4R chassis. This
chassis has some known problems (cracking trailing arms). I have a little more detail on this problem in my "Chassis Info PART 2" document (linked to in my signature line) if you're interested.

The Coach is 42,000 lbs gross combined weight. Personally, I would look for another rig with at least the 8 air bag suspension. And for me, I think the C7 is too small for a 40 ft coach. That's the engine that is used for a pickup truck.

I would want the C12 (or C13 in later years) for a Coach of that size and weight. But that's me. I like to have some extra torque available in case I need/want it.

https://library.rvusa.com/brochure/2006_cheetah.pdf

Yep... C12 in a 40 foot coach is the best ticket. You will have the power, much higher torque, and the C12 does not have the HEUI fuel system... which you hear a lot about in this forum.