Community Forums

Rascal3 · 08-30-2017, 12:56 PM

We are looking at purchasing a new motor home but we like to visit some of the more out of the way spots which are sometimes on gravel roads.

We have been told that the diesel pushers have radiator problems like rocks causing pinholes in the rad from driving on gravel roads.

I'd like to hear from diesel pusher owners on if this is a problem or not?

Thanks in advance.

CountryB · 08-30-2017, 01:00 PM

Not a PD owner (yet) - but I would think with the radiator in the back it would be more "protected" than if the engine/radiator was in the front.

gerdutch · 08-30-2017, 01:04 PM

Rear radiator gets pummmelt from gravel kicked up. Side radiator is safer, stays cleaner in any just about any environment [i think]!

windsorbill · 08-30-2017, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rascal3

We are looking at purchasing a new motor home but we like to visit some of the more out of the way spots which are sometimes on gravel roads.

We have been told that the diesel pushers have radiator problems like rocks causing pinholes in the rad from driving on gravel roads.

I'd like to hear from diesel pusher owners on if this is a problem or not?

Thanks in advance.

As a rule of thumb, rear radiator coaches have a lot more debris and dirt in the radiators vs a side radiator. Many people take off the rear rock flap (full with flap that sometimes has a logo or name on it) to help keep rocks and debris off you toad.

Have you considered going with a side radiator?

Ron_H · 08-30-2017, 01:28 PM

As stated above, go with a side radiator and all will be good.

Tha_Rooster · 08-30-2017, 02:38 PM

Not only do the rear radiators get hit with debris, air intake sucks up all the dust.

Ed Headington · 08-30-2017, 03:13 PM

We have driven to Alaska 7 times with diesel pusher motorhomes. Most of our personal experience was with side radiator motorhomes. We never had a problem with our radiators. The only experience we participated in was a rock in a friend's side radiator. We also took 4 RV caravans to Alaska with lots of motorhomes as well as 5th wheels and trailers. No on one our caravans had any radiator problems, front or rear in motorhomes, or in trucks towing tag alongs. Personally I wouldn't let the problem of rear radiators bother me in purchasing a motorhome. Find one you like and can afford, and go for it!!

Ed Headington
2013 Ventana LE motorhome

Cousin Ed · 08-30-2017, 03:14 PM

We put 75,000 trouble free miles on our last rear radiator DP. It does kick up a lot of dust but go slow. The side radiator is better but is going to be on a much more expensive motor home.

ladagobago · 08-30-2017, 04:01 PM

It must be that "side radiator" pusher owners don't know much about a "rear radiator" . The only way a rock can get to the radiator is if it goes through the fan after it gets past the engine and the CAC. The radiator is in back of the CAC and sometime the TRans cooler. What you may end up with is a lot of debris such a leaves which can follow air currents through the fan.

Look at radiator replacements within irv and see what can accumulate between the CAC and Radiator. here is what I found in mine last year. Also drive on a lot of dirt road, gravel roads and autumn leaf covered woods roads
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f101/clea...ac-341232.html

Mr_D · 08-30-2017, 04:13 PM

I bought and installed an expanded metal shield for the side radiator in our '02 DSDP with Spartan chassis. Spartan had it in stock when I was there but wouldn't install it for me. When I cleaned the radiator stack I took it off and never put it back. It's still out on the back deck although it did crack in several places and pieces have fallen off.
Sometimes rocks can get in and bounce off the fan blades. Sometimes that breaks the blades, sometimes the ricochet off and hit the radiator or sometimes they miss altogether.

les.warden · 08-30-2017, 04:55 PM

If you search the forums, you'll find many talking about the rear vanity/mud flap kicking up debris on the road which gets into the radiator and peppers the toad. We've been at this MH&Toad game only about a year so don't have data ourselves, but it concerned me enough that I removed our flap. We're a rear-radiator family.

saddlesore · 08-30-2017, 05:07 PM

One thing to consider ... is that with a side mounted radiator you will have direct access to your pusher engine without having to "work around" the rear mounted cooling systems... just a thought......

vsheetz · 08-30-2017, 05:09 PM

Tear radiator here. We often boondock down dirt and gravel roads in the Southwest. No problems to date.

Tony Lee · 08-30-2017, 05:21 PM

We have done thousands of km on gravel and dirt roads and when I had to remove the radiator to replace the water pump there wasn't a single rock caught down the bottom of the shroud next to the radiator/CAC and that is where they would end up if indeed they could get to hit the radiator/CAC in the first place.

Urban myth.