34/35' diesel pusher question. Newbie

[Scootyr1025]

I have a 02 27'sightseer, tow a 20' box with a rail and 2 quads. I'm looking to move up to a dp 55000 max cost range. I hear stories of these having short wheel base and can be a pain to tow with. Are there any with longer wheel base? Is the freightliner chassis what I should be looking for? Anybody have any input id appreciate it
Thank you
Scott

[msturtz]

discovery4us wrote:
36' DP 275 HP Cummins and 6 speed Allison with a Freightliner chassis. No stability issues towing. A little underpowered but not an issue. LP generator with its own tank and will run everything in the MH. Diesel generator would be easier but LP was not a deal breaker and it is quieter than any of the gas or diesel generators in camp. Most DP that size will have a 5,000 lb. hitch so plan on reinforcing it.

I choose to stay at the 36' length so I could stay under the 65' total length with trailer or toad. Lots of good rigs available in your price range.

Our 33.3 34.5' has a 10K hitch but as a practical matter, we are restricted due to GCWR to less than that.

[Blackdiamond]

dalenoel wrote:
You can get a 5500 diesel Cummins Generator in a 36' Class A. I have a 36PBD Monaco Neptune and it has a 5500 diesel generator. Don't know what year they stopped putting it in but that is what we have.

Sorry for my bad info, when I had DP is had a 7500 and I thought based on the manual 6500 was the smallest.

W

[dalenoel]

You can get a 5500 diesel Cummins Generator in a 36' Class A. I have a 36PBD Monaco Neptune and it has a 5500 diesel generator. Don't know what year they stopped putting it in but that is what we have.

[Blackdiamond]

Scootyr1025 wrote:
Thank you very much for the input. Looks like 36 is going to be the length. Is there a differnce with a freightliner chassis vs something else?
Is there that big of a differnce between 5500 and a 7500 genny?or does that only matter if there are two roof top ac's. Lastly. Is a LP genny something to stay away from? Sorry for all the questions I just dont know. look

You will not get a 5500 gen in a diesel and you want to stay away (would be hard to find in a diesel anyway) from a propane gen just because they burn through the propane pretty quick. Based on what you are using it for (looks like same as me) you will be dry camping and need your propane for the fridge and heat.

Freightliner is what most companies use, esp in the size range you are looking. Spartan is good but harder to find and them some companies have their own proprietary chassis.

[eheading]

We downsized from a 41' to a 34' motorhome and have been very happy. It may not do quite as well as the 41' in a cross wind, but it is more than acceptable. We have been very happy with ours and have put over 41,000 miles on it.

Ed Headington

[discovery4us]

36' DP 275 HP cummins and 6 speed Allison with a freightliner chassis. No stability issues towing. A little under powered but not an issue. LP generator with its own tank and will run everything in the MH. Diesel generator would be easier but LP was not a deal breaker and it is quieter than any of the gas or diesel generators in camp. Most DP that size will have a 5,000 lb. hitch so plan on reinforcing it.

I choose to stay at the 36' length so I could stay under the 65' total length with trailer or toad. Lots of good rigs available in your price range.

[folivier]

I would look for a Foretravel U320 model with the 450hp Cummins in either 34' or 36'. These will have a 10,000# towing rating. I have a 1999 36' and the 450 Cummins really moves it with my full-size truck behind tagging along. Foretravel made a few 34' models and many more 36'. The factory is still alive and well in Nacogdoches, TX. Motorhomes of Texas in Nacogdoches is a preferred used dealer. BTW Foretravel made their own chassis with 8 outboard air bags which give it more stability and better ride than most others.

[CA_Traveler]

A 5500 gen can run 2 A/Cs and less total load than a 7500. LP gens use a lot of fuel and I wouldn't even consider one with a diesel rig.

At $55K the chassis is less important than the overall condition and the appeal to you.

[msturtz]

We have a 33.3 DP. It’s actually 34.5’ long. It is on a Freightliner SC-R straight rail 28,000 chassis. It has a 300HP 660 lb ft of torque. It was de-rated to 26,000 pounds GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) and 30,000 pounds GCWR (Gross combined weight rating) due to the Allison MH2100 transmission. I would never purchase a DP with an LP generator. They use way too much fuel for what you get plus the QD series Onan generators use inverter technology to dramatically reduce the noise and fuel consumption. The LP generators run at 3600 rpm and the QD versions run at 1800 rpm or lower. Lower rpm means less noise and lower fuel use.

[Scootyr1025]

Thank you very much for the input. Looks like 36 is going to be the length. Is there a differnce with a freightliner chassis vs something else?
Is there that big of a differnce between 5500 and a 7500 genny?or does that only matter if there are two roof top ac's. Lastly. Is a LP genny something to stay away from? Sorry for all the questions I just dont know. look

[FIRE_UP]

Sir,
There are 32' and 34' diesels out there. They're not that easy to be had. I myself have never had one. We have an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the CAT C-7 330HP engine. We've owned it now for 8 years and, we've put a mere 50,000 miles on it, and it's got a total of near 90,000 on it. I have driven multiple 34' diesel coaches and have NEVER, EVER experienced any handling problems what so ever.

Keep in mind, the shorter the coach, the more of a compromise in floor plans you may have to make. And also, in many, many cases, the shorter the diesel coach, the smaller the diesel engine. In rare, really rare cases, you'll get a larger diesel in a smaller coach, think "Travel Supreme" for instance.

If it were me, I'd go for at least a 36' like ours. You'll get a great choice of floor plans, most of the time, you'll end up with a least a 330HP CAT or Cummins but, not always. I have ZERO problems maneuvering our 36' unit in and around campsites, RV parks, parking lots, into and out of our RV garage and a lot more. Your choice.
Scott