Complete newbie seeking advice

[Eric Johnson]

Hello Ryan,
Maximum length for an FC is 35 feet. Regarding fuel use, we average 8 mpg
towing a Jeep
Wrangler, running the generator, on relatively flat terrain. Our coach has the
250 hp turbo
3208. Larger, heavier, faster, coaches don't do as well.

The mid-80's coaches drivetrains were optimized for the 55 mph speed limit
adopted at
the time. We have a 4.89 rear end and run down the road at 60-65 mph and 2600
rpm.
Max governor setting is 2800 rpm so you can't expect to go much faster unless
you have a
coach with a different rear end.

My Powertech generator manual says it will consume 0.8 gph at a full 8 KW load.
I have no
way to verify that number but it has had a negligible affect on our fuel
consumption on the
road.

Regards, Eric
84FC35SBWL2

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Ryan Wright" wrote:
>
> Hello again,
>
> I'll condense my replies into one message this time:
>
> Bob, Eric: I appreciate your willingness to share major expenditures
> with me. It's great to get a handle on what I might be looking at. The
> numbers look a bit higher than I might have hoped, but they don't
> scare me yet. The 4mpg figure on gas does scare me a bit, however. I
> had thought 8 to 10 was a good estimate. Do any FC owners want to
> chime in here? I understand fuel economy can be a sensitive issue, but
> would love to know what to expect here if it's appropriate to ask. I
> also understand my wanting a 40 footer is going to mean a more
> demanding thirst for fuel. How much fuel economy do you lose towing a
> small car (We'd pull a VW TDI Jetta, most likely)?
>
> How's the generator on fuel? It's my understanding these small diesels
> barely sip it. Running a full load of all 3 A/C units in the heat, any
> idea how many gallons it might burn through in a day?
>
> One more question I forgot to ask is speed. Will a coach like an FC 40
> run at 65 to 70 miles per hour easily on typical interstate highway
> driving, or is that expecting too much?
>
> I'm sure maintenance depends heavily on the coach. I'd rather spend
> more up front for a very well maintained, well documented rig. While
> I'll still have maintenance costs, theoretically they should be more
> managable. I can tell you from experience I do NOT want a fixer-upper
> - though with a coach this old, I do expect problems.
>
> Eric, in terms of your maintenance and my abilities, I should be
> capable of doing most of that on my own. The valve adjustment I'd
> probably hire out, as that's quite new to me, and tires would be taken
> care of by the tire shop. I might let someone else install the
> generator depending on costs but everything else you listed would be
> well within my reach (not certain on the air bags - depends on the
> procedure - but the idea doesn't scare me any).
>
>
> Kerry: Thank you again for your comparison of driving. I'm happy to
> hear your comments and it sounds like I'd enjoy the Bird very much.
> Curious what sort of serious undisclosed problems you found and how
> you were able to identify them? That might help me when looking.
>
>
> Bill:
>
> > The FC's came in 31,33,35 feet. SP was 36/37
> > PT's are 40 ft. How will you use the motorhome??
> > Boondocking ? # of months per year? full time living?
> > Some private parks, State or National Parks have size
> > limitations.
>
> My intention is to use it for any out of town trips. First, I'm sure
> it will get an awful lot of general camping use within ~100 miles of
> home. Second, trips to visit family in central Idaho will be high on
> the list. Lastly, it would be used on short vacations (A few days to
> weeks); trips to the coast, to theme parks, to tourist type
> attractions in bigger cities (zoos, etc), etc. No full time living,
> but it would probably see use all year around. Maybe one to two trips
> per month on average, with 2 to 4 of those per year being >~100 miles
> from home.
>
>
> Thank you, all, for sharing your group, your world, and your time with me.
>
> -Ryan
>