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07-10-2019, 08:05 AM
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#169
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Chicago Area
Posts: 1,361
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richard5933
How are all those improvements in your exhaust system going to help you control that coach in emergency maneuvers and coming to a stop when someone pulls in front of you while you're driving 80+mph?
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The OP seemed the discussion was about mileage, hence primarily addressing the mileage question.
To understand the handling, a few things need to be stated about the coach. The suspension was designed by Peter Bryant, famed engineer in the heyday of Can Am. Handling wise, the coach was very different from any other coach out there. It was a custom chassis, front wheel drive, low profile, very low center of gravity. I was told by a former GMC owner that my coach handled way better than his GMCs. Even though the coach was 31 ft, it only weighed 13,000 lbs. It ran 16 inch LT tires rated for 106 mph. The tires were also a softer compound than your typical heavy truck tires. I had converted the rear axle to disk brakes that were rated at twice the capacity of the actual load on the rear axles. As it turns out, the braking was phenomenal. That coach would stop like a car - better than many cars. ( It would out accelerate many cars, but that is another story) Even hitting the brakes hard at 100 mph, I had absolutely no brake fade. In many ways, it reminded me of my Mini Cooper.
That coach was very different from the coach I drive now. It has taken me a long time to get used to driving this conventional production coach I have now. I drive it very differently.
__________________
2004 AllegroBay 34XB Nov 2017 Banks, Front & Rear Trac bars, Konis
Sold:'83 Revcon Prince 31' FWD GM Performance 502 w/Edelbrock MPFI, Thorley Tri-Ys & Magnaflows, 4L85E 4 spd. Tested to exceed 100 mph.
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07-10-2019, 08:12 AM
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#170
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Chicago Area
Posts: 1,361
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RV_Road_Trip
ItalGerBrit: By what you say you do, that accounts for ROAD RAGE! If the speed limit is 65 then those driving 85 are what defines dangerous drivers and should not be driving. Driving 60 is the sign of a sane and safe driver that cares about his life, his wife's life and the lives of drivers around him unlike the ones that don't like "dodging poky old people" are DRIVING HAZARDS, not to mention inconsiderate and bad mannered drivers..........
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It needs to be pointed out that the speed limit is not always the definition of safe. There a well established study regarding speed as it relates to accidents. It was found that traffic that travels within the 86th percentile of the nominal traffic speed it the least likely to be involved in an accident, regardless of what the speed limit was, regardless of if the vehicle was going faster or slower than the average speed of the traffic. As such, the safest speed is normally the same speed as the traffic, regardless of the speed limit. Of course if you coach is all over the road at that speed, you should not be driving your coach in those conditions at any speed.
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2004 AllegroBay 34XB Nov 2017 Banks, Front & Rear Trac bars, Konis
Sold:'83 Revcon Prince 31' FWD GM Performance 502 w/Edelbrock MPFI, Thorley Tri-Ys & Magnaflows, 4L85E 4 spd. Tested to exceed 100 mph.
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07-10-2019, 09:34 AM
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#171
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,991
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richard5933
I would be fairly certain that he was pushing the limits of the tires on that coach - probably had been doing that for some time. That, combined with the heat on the road is not a great combination. Glad to hear that he was able to maintain control, as the stories often don't have a good ending.
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That's what I was getting at. It's very possible that bus driver had been driving without incident for many years. Over time, he got cocky, complacent, and didn't think anything bad would ever happen. Well SURPRISE,,, it did!
Like I said, he did well to get it under control. But that would not have mattered if there had been a vehicle next to him at the time the blowout occurred. Thing is, there's a good chance the blowout wouldn't have happened at all if he hadn't been pushing it.
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03 Itasca Sunova, Workhorse P32 with the 8.1 and 4L85-E
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07-10-2019, 09:47 AM
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#172
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Grapevine, Tx
Posts: 5,736
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walt Graham
For those that would like to understand the Federal Speed Rating Code I suggest that they get on the internet and go to Tire Rack and they have a list of the speed ratings. Note that 2 or 3 years ago the Fed require all trailer tires to have their speed rating raised from 65 mph to 75 mph. That and a majority of cars on the road have a speed rating letter S that is 87 mph unless it has performance tires that could go over 150 mph or higher if it's a V tire.
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Speed rating S is 112 mph.
L 75 mph 120 km/h Off-Road & Light Truck Tires
M 81 mph 130 km/h Temporary Spare Tires
N 87 mph 140km/h
P 93 mph 150 km/h
Q 99 mph 160 km/h Studless & Studdable Winter Tires
R 106 mph 170 km/h H.D. Light Truck Tires
S 112 mph 180 km/h Family Sedans & Vans
T 118 mph 190 km/h Family Sedans & Vans
U 124 mph 200 km/h
H 130 mph 210 km/h Sport Sedans & Coupes
V 149 mph 240 km/h Sport Sedans, Coupes & Sports Cars
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2004 Fleetwood Southwind 32VS W20 - SOLD!
ReadyBrute Elite towing a 2017 Ford Edge Sport
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07-10-2019, 10:14 AM
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#173
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Colorado High Country
Posts: 360
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"How about we think that maybe the designers of the vehicle made good decisions on what brakes, and steering was needed on any particular vehicle?"
Engineers don't make the final decisions. If they had they would have spent the $6 per Pinto and many horrible outcomes would have been avoided. Similarly the Corvair.
On the other hand, they can't make 'em idiot proof.
I
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'02 7.3 Powerstroke F350 DRW, Ford AIS
6.0 Cooler, PacBrake, Flashpaq tuner
2011 Eagle 320RLDS/Equalizer WD Hitch
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07-11-2019, 08:29 AM
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#174
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 661
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cekkk
"How about we think that maybe the designers of the vehicle made good decisions on what brakes, and steering was needed on any particular vehicle?"
Engineers don't make the final decisions. If they had they would have spent the $6 per Pinto and many horrible outcomes would have been avoided. Similarly the Corvair.
On the other hand, they can't make 'em idiot proof.
I
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So you're saying you and I are responsible. Because we're the final decision makers, we're the ones buying the rigs.
The engineer designed it, the administration set the price point they'd build them to, and we decided it was good enough and bought it. The buck stops with us!
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07-12-2019, 12:03 AM
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#175
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 6,882
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bucks2
So you're saying you and I are responsible. Because we're the final decision makers, we're the ones buying the rigs.
The engineer designed it, the administration set the price point they'd build them to, and we decided it was good enough and bought it. The buck stops with us!
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More likely The engineer designed it, the bean counters cut it, and management pushed it out the door faster than prudent. The customer was kept in the dark.
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2020 Forest River Georgetown GT5 34H5
2020 Equinox Premier AWD 2.0L/9-speed
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07-13-2019, 08:06 PM
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#176
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 202
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On and On
I know, just short of snarky, but it seems to me that the most mundane topics just never end. This cruise speed thing reminds me of the ladder question that went on and on. Topics on how to fix things would help a lot more than how fast or slow your cruise and what you gas milage is. And the ladder thing--Argghhhh. Best way to get good gas mileage is do not start the engine! You are going to roll down the road anyway so why bother about gas mileage? Back to the cruise speed. Try to move close to the average speed of the truckers around you and better still, tuck in between two trucks and they will protect you. They generally run close to the speed limit. 65 is not too slow, will keep you out of trouble, and will help prevent blowouts. 60 out West is asking for someone to rear end you on the Interstate! Take a side road and get out of the way! I know, I know, snarky.
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07-13-2019, 08:48 PM
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#177
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 4,985
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ItalGerBrit
Try to move close to the average speed of the truckers around you and better still, tuck in between two trucks and they will protect you. They generally run close to the speed limit. 65 is not too slow, will keep you out of trouble, and will help prevent blowouts. 60 out West is asking for someone to rear end you on the Interstate! Take a side road and get out of the way! I know, I know, snarky.
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I'm curious on the "prevent blowouts" comment? I'm not sure how that would apply to a RV following a truck. In fact a following RV/vehicle would be placed in a higher risk level from flying debris kicked up by the truck or debris from the truck tire blowout which are common.
Or are you saying that 65 is a safe speed for a blowout not to happen? I had a front tire blowout at 55 and it immediately jumped into the left lane with the fifth wheel on 2 wheels. At 65, the outcome would have been different and probably on it's side.
I recently drove I-10 across Texas at 60 MPH and I was very comfortable at that speed, even though the speed limit was 80. Faster traffic had no problem getting around me. Drive the speed you are comfortable driving, that is the safest situation for everybody. Don't worry about the other drivers out there, that's their job.
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07-13-2019, 09:13 PM
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#178
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 202
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grindstone01
I'm curious on the "prevent blowouts" comment? I'm not sure how that would apply to a RV following a truck. In fact a following RV/vehicle would be placed in a higher risk level from flying debris kicked up by the truck or debris from the truck tire blowout which are common.
Or are you saying that 65 is a safe speed for a blowout not to happen? I had a front tire blowout at 55 and it immediately jumped into the left lane with the fifth wheel on 2 wheels. At 65, the outcome would have been different and probably on it's side.
I recently drove I-10 across Texas at 60 MPH and I was very comfortable at that speed, even though the speed limit was 80. Faster traffic had no problem getting around me. Drive the speed you are comfortable driving, that is the safest situation for everybody. Don't worry about the other drivers out there, that's their job.
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The blow out thing slipped in and does not directly relate to the topic. My mistake. I always pull a heavy trailer with race cars in a stacker or a utility trailer with a Hummer on it so either way, heavy trailer and the trailer has the blow outs. Did have two blow outs on my Amer Trad tag over the years. Pressure senders installed and no warning in either event. Dumped the wallowing whale Amer Trad and now drive a Truck conversion so my comment was out of bounds more way than one. My apologies.
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07-14-2019, 07:47 AM
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#179
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 4,985
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ItalGerBrit
The blow out thing slipped in and does not directly relate to the topic. My mistake. I always pull a heavy trailer with race cars in a stacker or a utility trailer with a Hummer on it so either way, heavy trailer and the trailer has the blow outs. Did have two blow outs on my Amer Trad tag over the years. Pressure senders installed and no warning in either event. Dumped the wallowing whale Amer Trad and now drive a Truck conversion so my comment was out of bounds more way than one. My apologies.
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Not meant to be critical, just curious on your reasoning, no apologies needed. I also have had trailer blowouts and even at 65, they would not have been a problem to handle. It's the front tire that has my new founded respect. I agree that my TPMS was also useless for any pre blowout warnings.
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07-14-2019, 03:02 PM
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#180
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 202
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grindstone01
Not meant to be critical, just curious on your reasoning, no apologies needed. I also have had trailer blowouts and even at 65, they would not have been a problem to handle. It's the front tire that has my new founded respect. I agree that my TPMS was also useless for any pre blowout warnings.
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I have had two blow outs on Amer Trad tag. 30mph when a rear blew and only 55 when a steer blew. When a steer blows you are in serious and immediate trouble and a crash or big off in the weeds event is likely. All you can do is hang on to the wheel with all your might and despite your best efforts, it will still pull violently toward the blown out tire. Just hope that you never have a steer tire blow out. You have very little control when it happens.
A TPMS system is a little better than nothing only in that you can check tire pressures without using a gauge at each tire, It might alert you to a tire going down slowly, and in that sense give you an early heads up to fix the tire, but do not expect it to tell ahead of time that a tire is about to blow out. I will install a set on my trailers only to let me know that I HAVE HAD a blow out or that a wheel has ripped off the hub. Both have happened to me and I had no way to know about it other than a passer by signalling me. I always run near other big rigs because they let you know if there is a problem. Might have mentioned that I traded my diesel pusher for a Freightliner truck conversion. The type that racers and rodeo people have to pull heavy trailers and to stay at the track or rodeo on site. Not as luxurious as the MH but I feel far safer in it and it has far more power than the pusher. Loud, stiffer suspension, larger turn radius, so certainly not for everyone and most women do not like them. But, I needed more grunt and less luxury. I realize that my experience does not relate to most of you. Haulin the heavy stuff pretty much dictates my rig requirements.
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07-14-2019, 08:31 PM
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#181
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Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Texas
Posts: 36
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We drive 62 mph and get 7.2. It's not fun to rush through life.
__________________
2008 Tiffin Phaeton, 2016 Jeep Wrangler
M&G Brake System, Safe-T-Plus,
Koni Shocks
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07-14-2019, 09:53 PM
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#182
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Naples, FL
Posts: 973
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2007 Monaco Knight, 40' DFT
8.3 liter Cummins, 330 hp
Cruise at 63. (Toad limited to 65)
Mpg 7.5 on avg.
__________________
Stan & Jacquie
2007 Monaco Knight DFT 40', 750 watts Solar
2021 Traverse w/Air Force I, Blue Ox Alpha & Base.
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