Community Forums

-Gramps- · 06-04-2021, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avfordguy

Must be a workhorse 8.1!

Yes, in the back of the coach.

Tha_Rooster · 06-04-2021, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Gramps-

Yes, in the back of the coach.

I stand corrected I had forgot they made a rear gasser.

edgray · 06-04-2021, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Gramps-

All Vacationers are not created equal. Mine does not drive like a truck, more like a tour bus and with some new Sumo springs, it should drive enven better soon.

Since nobody else has mentioned it, I will add the REASONS the R-26 "UFO" gas pusher rides so well and takes curves like it is on rails.

1. front springs are elongated mono leaf.
2. rear springs are coil.
3. the robust "torque box" mounted between the frame rails and welded to the rear axle assembly, nearly eliminates roll, and is much more effective than a rear trac bar at controlling sway (push from passing trucks).

It also has very powerful WABCO hydraulic brakes, and a 2000 series Allison, and a totally flat floor from stem to stern.

Tha_Rooster · 06-04-2021, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edgray

Since nobody else has mentioned it, I will add the REASONS the R-26 "UFO" gas pusher rides so well and takes curves like it is on rails.

1. front springs are elongated mono leaf.

2. rear springs are coil.

3. the robust "torque box" mounted between the frame rails and welded to the rear axle assembly, nearly eliminates roll, and is much more effective than a rear trac bar at controlling sway (push from passing trucks).

It also has very powerful WABCO hydraulic brakes, and a 2000 series Allison, and a totally flat floor from stem to stern.

Pretty sure according to brochure it came with a Allison 1000 series world transmission.

-Gramps- · 06-04-2021, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tha_Rooster

Pretty sure according to brochure it came with a Allison 1000 series world transmission.

Brouchure was wrong it is an Allison 2000 6 speed with grade brake.

edgray · 06-05-2021, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tha_Rooster

Pretty sure according to brochure it came with a Allison 1000 series world transmission.

Must be a brochure from a coach builder, IRDK, because the 1000 series tranny isn't rated for the 30,000 GCVWR of the R-26.

I'd like to believe that all the WCC printed R-26 brochures would not contain such mis-leading info.

UFO Pilot · 06-05-2021, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edgray

Must be a brochure from a coach builder, IRDK, because the 1000 series tranny isn't rated for the 30,000 GCVWR of the R-26.

I'd like to believe that all the WCC printed R-26 brochures would not contain such mis-leading info.

So much misinformation about the R26 UFO Chassis exists and some of it just won't die. Those of us who own one of them know the truth.

-Gramps- · 06-05-2021, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UFO Pilot

So much misinformation about the R26 UFO Chassis exists and some of it just won't die. Those of us who own one of them know the truth.

Another Ditto from me.

Massparanoia · 06-06-2021, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lockinload

I have never understood why they haven't had diesels in the econoline chassis on the class Bs.

Because Ford stopped making them after the 7.3. They had a short run of 6.0’s but they were garbage. Even the E series ambulances are gas.

tropical36 · 06-07-2021, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FPengineer

With the cost to jump from gas to diesel drivetrains, diesel’s present challenges with emission system’s control reliability/longevity (mainly DEF heads). and gasoline’s cheaper cost (compared to diesel) in the marketplace, why don’t manufactures offer mid line class A coaches with gasoline drive trains in the rear of the coach? Wound give owners the quietness of a diesel pusher at a lower cost.

They did or at least Workhorse did with their UFO and if they would have decided to stay in the RV chassis market, it might have been continued.
Question is, why hasn't Ford done it, which is about the only company that's highly invested in the gas chassis market.

harleyjt · 06-07-2021, 04:18 PM

I don’t think Ford is that interested in the market anyway. Thankfully they did some upgrades to the F53 last year with some chassis changes and the new 7.3L v8. But I suspect that part of their business is minuscule comparatively. I find it interesting that in the last 5 years there have been at least 2 gas chassis ventures that were publicly announced but never came to fruition. One was going to use the 8.8L PSI engine that looks almost identical to the old 8.1. I think that was announced by the current Workhorse group. Then a couple years ago I remember reading about Freightliner getting into the gas chassis market. I don’t remember much about the details on that one. Point is I’m thinking there is really only room in the market for one viable manufacturer. I think the others fizzled out because they couldn’t make a good business case to proceed. And certainly (unfortunately) there’s no good case to manufacture a rear gasser.
Jt

edgray · 06-07-2021, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tropical36

They did or at least Workhorse did with their UFO and if they would have decided to stay in the RV chassis market, it might have been continued.

Question is, why hasn't Ford done it, which is about the only company that's highly invested in the gas chassis market.

WCC was not allowed to buy the rights to continue making the 8.1L motor that GM abandoned as part of their Federal bailout deal. Without a big block gasser, WCC just couldn’t make it using the Navistar diesels and Navistar shut down the RV chassis business because it wasn’t profitable enough.
The other chassis builders decided not to go ahead with their announced gassers because Ford made it clear they would defend their market share at any cost necessary.