Which Diesel for pulling power?

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

Since there is a fixed relationship between torque and horsepower, I don't think it is any more one than the other when it comes to performance. Horsepower = Torque x RPMS/5252, so if you have more torque at a given RPM, you also have more horsepower. A larger engine usually has more torque (and therefore more horsepower) at lower RPMs, so can climb steep grades without straining at higher RPMs. But the smaller engine producing less torque but revving to higher RPMs can still do the job, cause when the day is done it's horsepower that gets work done.

That's what most people don't understand: HP is purely a calculated figure from the torque with a time factor thrown in.

[ron55]

I own a gas M/H and I have never been passed by a DP
but I would buy one if I could find it a 34=36 footer with 600HP
I been RVing for 10 years and I have yet to see a M/H with enough power to keep up and out of the way going uphill!

[RVNeophytes2]

Originally Posted by Chuck 1935

All depends on torque. IE. a 330 hp Cat and a 350 hp Cat have the same torque at 860 ft lbs.
In my 34 ft Motorhome I can pass just about anything going through through the mountains towing a 3,200 lb Honda CR-V.
They also use that same engine in 40 ft Coaches. I doubt that they would have the same preformance with all that extra weight.

I'm in Santa Fe, at the reknowned Santa Fe Skies. Pulling a Crosstour on a Roadmaster dolly (combined weight nearly 5,000 lbs) in a rig with a GAWR of 31,000 lbs with a 350hp C7, we took nearly all the uphill grades at 55mph even above 7,000 feet.

As a precaution, I used the bulk of my fresh water, dumped the gray/black. Those three actions shed 1,000 pounds off the weight of our 39 foot Excursion.

For grins, I'll also toss in the fact that this weight/torque matchup out-accelerates my buddy's Prevost Liberty. Also, we're looking at the 2011 Ellipse, with an impressive 400 hp and 1200 lbs of torque. But, when you crunch the numbers, that rig pulls 37 lbs of weight for every lb of torque. At present, our Fleetwood hauls 36 lbs of weight with each pound of torque.

[Chuck 1935]

Originally Posted by ron55

I own a gas M/H and I have never been passed by a DP
but I would buy one if I could find it a 34=36 footer with 600HP
I been RVing for 10 years and I have yet to see a M/H with enough power to keep up and out of the way going uphill!

UPHILL ? I'm talking Rocky Mountains. By the time you hit 10,000 ft yours is out of air and 100 miles past that you'll need an engine rebuild. My son has a 36 ft Bounder with a 454 and full Banks System and we frequently run through the mountains together on trips. I will say he can keep up with me, but pass me, no.

[Pogo]

We have one in our 36' MH, It does great when not towimg a car uphill, but when we are towing 4,000 behind us, it does bog down going uphill.
I think that if it downshifted sooner, that would help it. (not sure at all how to adjust that.)