Community Forums

glennwest · 09-08-2013, 06:45 PM

Thanks. I posted on another forum and was told 350 hp would be underpowered for a 40' premium motor home. When I saw your signature I figured you be good one to ask. Thanks again.

calhyatt · 09-08-2013, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glennwest

Are you satisfied with the power of the 350hp motor in your unit? I assume you are 39' in length.

We travelled all over the west this summer including the notorious US 95 in Idaho. Our 330 Cat pulled every hill never overheated I never had to worry about getting run over by a truck we feel 330 hp is plenty plenty plenty for us 39 feet towing a Saturn Vue

B Bob · 09-08-2013, 09:36 PM

glennwest - When we bought our coach almost 4 years ago I did a lot!!! of research. The RV Consumer Group puts out a lot of information and one of the things they do is categorize motorhomes into full time, snowbirds, vacations, and I think weekender. I am a bit uncertain about the last two categories, but sure they did full time. The motorhomes they rated full time were the heaviest built ones with durable components.

I can tell you that when we looked there are big differences in ruggedness and likely durability of the materials used. We really liked one particular model of motorhome new. We then looked at the same model with about 30,000 miles on it and were shocked at how badly the carpets, table tops, and walls showed wear. We then went to an older but higher end coach with really well built materials.

Makers of motorhomes that have big variations in cost are going to have big variations in the durability of materials used. Newmar was put forward as a good maker. I agree, but you would find big differences in motorhomes from the bottom of their line at a Mountain Aire or Essex.

So while it is possible to get used to almost anything, motorhomes with durable materials like solid counter and table tops, thick walls with good insulation, aqua hot type heaters, fantastic fans instead of cheap ones, dual pane windows, well made carpets, tile floors, will hold up to full time use better.

As far as chassis makers go. The best chassis is the one made special for your motorhome. Many high quality makers like Foretravel, Monaco, Beaver, Country Coach, and Blue Bird do this. The best motorhome chassis are ones that are monocoque where the house is a structural component and part of the chassis itself.

Dogpatch · 09-08-2013, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glennwest

Thanks. I posted on another forum and was told 350 hp would be underpowered for a 40' premium motor home. When I saw your signature I figured you be good one to ask. Thanks again.

Our coach weighs 33,000 lbs dry and my truck weighs 5000 lbs.
Combined coach weight loaded my Dynasty was 42,000 and with the truck of 5000 my 350 Cummins was moving approx. 47,000 lbs through the mountains.

I can't say what the 330 Cat will do as I have never owned one. I have heard that they are an engine with a lot of torque. A car weighs about 1500 lbs less than my truck I believe.
All I can comment on is what my coach can do. Personally though, I wouldn't want to be moving that kind of weight with anything less for hp than what I have for my situation. Just an opinion.

TRAILERKING · 09-09-2013, 12:27 AM

Mine is a 330hp Cummins and works quite well..........However always nice to have more power.

Mr_D · 09-09-2013, 12:57 AM

Our 2002 Newmar Dutch Star owners manual says it's not rated for full time use, but I wouldn't hesitate to use it that way. In fact, that's exactly the use we bought it for!

Dogpatch · 09-09-2013, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Our 2002 Newmar Dutch Star owners manual says it's not rated for full time use, but I wouldn't hesitate to use it that way. In fact, that's exactly the use we bought it for!

Curious why they wouldn't rate your 41' for full time use? What do they use as a benchmark to rate it so?

What did your banks system cost for your coach? Or did you purchase it with it?

B Bob · 09-09-2013, 09:11 AM

Mr D - That is funny what you said about Newmar not rating DS as full time. If asked to guess I would have thought that was a full time Mhome. I have several close friends with Dutch Stars and they are very nice motorhomes. They seem right in the middle of the quality - expense ratios. Meaning, you get a lot for your money without too much fru fur.

JohnT · 09-09-2013, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glennwest

I currently pull a 32' drv 2006 and live in it full time. We want to upgrade to larger unit and had't considered Class A diesels before. We don't want to spend over 80,000 so used would be what we seek. Really have never researched them before so know little about them. What units would hold up to full time usage in the 40' range. Don't want to start a war on brands but some units are likely not suited for full time. I don't snow which ones.

You own a top of the line 5th wheel and I suspect you're not wanting to downgrade on interior or structual components and design. So you need to look for mh's with similar features.

Most will say floor plan is #1. IMO for your intended use, I would say storage capacity and towing capacity are most important. Older, higher end mh's are worth investigating.

calhyatt · 09-09-2013, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dogpatch

Our coach weighs 33,000 lbs dry and my truck weighs 5000 lbs.
Combined coach weight loaded my Dynasty was 42,000 and with the truck of 5000 my 350 Cummins was moving approx. 47,000 lbs through the mountains.

I can't say what the 330 Cat will do as I have never owned one. I have heard that they are an engine with a lot of torque. A car weighs about 1500 lbs less than my truck I believe.
All I can comment on is what my coach can do. Personally though, I wouldn't want to be moving that kind of weight with anything less for hp than what I have for my situation. Just an opinion.

Our 2003 KSDP is a really well built unit. It has every upgrade available in that year model and it shows. 10 years old, everything still works as new. The upholstery looks like new, the cabinets, countertops, shower all still sparkle like they day they were built. I did replace a front roof air after 10 years and had the HUEI pump fail on the Cat 330 about 10K miles ago. The paint and the graphics are still bright and look new. I drove all over the west this summer and the Cat 330 with the Allison transmission pulled every hill, never overheated and got a solid 8.8 mpg over the 8000 mi trip. We were towing a Saturn Vue at 3200lbs. Some may look down on the KSDP as the bottom of the Newmar line but I feel you would be very surprised if you paid a visit to our coach and compared it with others in the Newmar line from 2001-2006. It is a solid machine that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone who is looking for a good motorhome at a good price point. Just my thoughts...

glennwest · 09-09-2013, 10:47 AM

Ones i saw on line were very nice. Even 2000-2003 units still look nice.

Mr_D · 09-09-2013, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dogpatch

Curious why they wouldn't rate your 41' for full time use? What do they use as a benchmark to rate it so?

What did your banks system cost for your coach? Or did you purchase it with it?

No idea why it isn't rated for full time use.
I bought and installed the Banks kit about 6 years ago, when you could still get them. The no longer have them. Cost was about $3,300 as I remember.

Coma · 09-10-2013, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dogpatch

I have a 8.3 ltr 350 hp Cummins Turbo Diesel in my 2000 Monaco Dynasty 40'. Just recently, filled up coach so it was full of fuel and I towed my 4x4 back through the Rocky Mountains behind the coach.
On small regular grades, it didn't even wince, but on a long steep grade up to the summit of Rogers Pass, she dropped to about 42 mph and held. I can easily live with that. Temp gauge only came up about 5 degrees through the long climb with Turbo gauge between 20 - 25. Temp dropped back to normal as soon as I was over the pass.

They say once you've had a diesel, you never go back to gas. I know I wouldn't.

Great report! We just set up our Silverado 1500 4x4 to tow with a Ready Brute Elite. I've been over Eisenhower without a towed and was wondering how it would go. Is this the rogers pass in MT?

Dogpatch · 09-10-2013, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coma

Great report! We just set up our Silverado 1500 4x4 to tow with a Ready Brute Elite. I've been over Eisenhower without a towed and was wondering how it would go. Is this the rogers pass in MT?

Actually, I was wrong, it was the Kicking Horse Pass I went through first in Banff National Park. Elevation 5320 ft. It crosses the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains. Then after that it was Rogers Pass with elevation of 4350 ft. going through the Selkirk Mountains. Both are in British Columbia on the Trans Canada Highway.

You are going to love the Ready Brute towing system. Are you also using the Ready Brake? So simple to hook and unhook. 2 minute set up and go!

I drove about 6.5 hours for 300 miles through the mountains and only burned about 1/4 tank of fuel pulling the truck through the mountains.