Community Forums

alpha99 · 03-19-2014, 09:27 PM

We passed many, many morhomes, trucks, and suv's climbing over Vai Pass at 12,000 feet and throughout the northern rockies. Plenty of power with our 340 HP 6.7L Cummins, 2011 model. Allison 2500. 10 to 11 mpg. Cruised at 75 mph all day on the flats.

bluegrassrv · 03-21-2014, 03:09 AM

Well, if you're looking at Country Coach you need to consider your weight. I'm trying to remember off the top of my head so you may want to check some numbers. If you're looking at a non-tag your weight with towed will probably be in the 42,000-44,000lb range. You can get 400hp Cat and I think a 425 Cummins was available in 2007, I know it was for '08. For that coach, just get the one you like best. I don't think you'll notice much difference in performance though the Cat tends to have better throttle response off idle.

Now if you're looking at a tag axle, add 10,000lbs. I would lean toward 525hp or more. A lot of the Allures have 400hp. That'll get you there but you'll have to push it harder. The Intrigue in those years I think were standard with the 400 but also available with the 525. Any CC, Intrigue and up, you can get 525 or more.

I'm also shopping for a CC and have studied this for my own information. I'm a bit of a motorhead and love power. But I finally came to the conclusion that's it's really not about being first to the top of the hill. For me, it's about rounding a bend and not seeing a parade of cars in the mirror waiting for me to get the heck out of the way. It just makes me uneasy to know I'm the one holding everyone up. Yea, it's all in my head, but that's me. That's why I would suggest (for 2007), 525 or more on any CC tag. (Me, looking at 2004, 505hp).

Enough of my long windedness. Hope this helps and good luck on your search.

Passin Thru · 03-22-2014, 09:33 AM

I'm looking for a turbine powered one of say 1600 SHP.

sailwing2003 · 03-22-2014, 09:44 AM

A quick measure might be coach pounds divided by horsepower. Someone mentioned heavier coaches need those bigger engines. They are gaining weight as the number of slides and features are added. Then we owners load them up, and tow too much.

Our loaded weight off the scales, full fuel, water, propane, dog and all we pack, divided by our 325 hp, gives us 87:1, pounds per horsepower. We then add either the 2500# (now 95:1), or 6000# (now 105:1) toad to kill that 87:1 number. Running without the toad, oh my what fun!

Sure might be fun to have the 450 hp upgrade that can be pushed to 500 hp.

AndyZ · 03-22-2014, 08:47 PM

The big diferance is the diesel rated HP is the power it can make all day every day on a gas engine the Hp is rated peak run the gasser at rated HP for a couple of hours and it will be dead

Tobias7000 · 03-22-2014, 09:20 PM

We have a 2008 Country Coach Inspire 360 with four slides and single rear axle. Here are the specs from the brochure:

Powertrain: Cummins® ISL engine paired with Allison 3000 MH transmission, producing 425 HP at 2200 RPM and 1200 ft-lbs torque at 1300 RPM (Meets 2007 EPA emissions requirements)

We lived in San Diego for many years also. Some hills you climb at freeway speed. Others, like on the 15 south coming out of Temecula, you move to the 2nd to the right most lane because you pass the slower coaches and semis but you're not cruising at 55 either.

If I had the choice, I would have gotten a more powerful motor, but in the end we balanced our decision across many factors (read: what the wife wanted) and so we chose what was available based on interior and exterior wants as well as the power.

After four years, we find the 425HP Cummins is just fine for us.

Ray,IN · 03-23-2014, 10:36 AM

Most MH owners agree, the break-point is 1HP per 100 lbs. Bigger engines only help with hill climbing speed, on the flats they don't help any more than the small engine. A 200 HP engine will maintain the same legal speed as a 600 HP engine on flat ground.

phranc · 03-23-2014, 07:43 PM

Is bigger better ? sure it is . There is no debate on what floats your personal boat . If you want more horsepower or torque , go for it . But , there is a difference in price between a coach with a 600 isx cummins and coach with a 330 isb cummins. Whatever you can afford will be the right choice for you

Tobias7000 · 03-23-2014, 11:10 PM

Interesting text I stumbled across in our owners manual.

"In high altitude operating environments, your engine loses power at the rate of one percent per 1,000 feet (305 meters) of elevation. For these high-altitude operating conditions, a reduction in gross vehicle weights and gross combination weights is recommended and results in improved vehicle performance. "

Also, if the 1hp per 100lbs rule is the accepted guideline, and say my GCWR is 55,000 lbs, then I'm already under powered with a Cummins 425 ISL as built by Country Coach. Yet I know the coach performs well by experience. Albeit I've not operated it at GCWR that I know of. Is this guideline a little on the high side? Have I misunderstood it?

Smitty77 · 03-23-2014, 11:26 PM

OP - In addition to hill climbing, also factor the benefit of more braking HP that larger engines provide. Depending upon CC model, go for the BIG CAT or Cummins ISM or ISX. Two or three stage Jake compression braking is a real safety edge when going down hills. At this size, most CC's will be Tag. Which provides more stability, and another set of brakes.

Best of luck on your search,
Smitty

rvjimmy · 03-24-2014, 04:34 PM

I have a DSDP 330 CAT, plenty of power for me. Not the first to the top of the hill but gives me more time to enjoy the scenery.

Jim

cucamelsmd15 · 03-24-2014, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyZ

The big diferance is the diesel rated HP is the power it can make all day every day on a gas engine the Hp is rated peak run the gasser at rated HP for a couple of hours and it will be dead

Yeah, no. Its done literally all the time for anything from a 4 stroke piece of power equipment to gas generators to cars and trucks. With proper cooling and oiling, either motor will last far longer than your average use span, even if run at maximum torque or horsepower output. Fuel type isn't the limiting factor.

Koop · 03-24-2014, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyZ

The big diferance is the diesel rated HP is the power it can make all day every day on a gas engine the Hp is rated peak run the gasser at rated HP for a couple of hours and it will be dead

Sorry, but I can't make sense of this. SAE horsepower is derived from measured torque. It doesn't make one bit of difference whether you are measuring torque from a gasoline spark ignition engine or a diesel compression ignition engine (or a two stroke or four stroke engine for that matter).

SAE horsepower is torque X RPM / 5252. Period. Not one minute, one hour or one day.

**JohnRR** · 03-24-2014, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just For Fun

As a followup to a previous post on "Buying A MH Out Of State" I was also wonde4ing about engine size. And yes, size does matter!!!!

Our plan is to purchase a 40' MH (Country Coach type 2007ish).

While I do understand that:
1. We need to drive the MH to determine on our own what we personally feel is sufficient
2. We live in the San Diego area and almost every direction we travel there are sizable hills/mountains to clime
3. We pull a 5,000 pound toad (no we do not want to purchase/replace with a lighter one)
4. We're not thrilled about struggling climbing up hills at 29 mph

We're asking for suggestions/opinions (yes everyone has one) from those with comparable and larger MH in like situations.

Comparisons will help to determine minimums.

We await your experienced replies.

The highlighted print is the crux of the question without beating a lot of dead horses let's please try and get back to the information requested.