Today I took out a 2006 Holiday Rambler Navigator 43PDQ for a test drive, and here is my report.
This is the first time I have driven a Detroit Series 60 equipped Motorcoach, and the difference was noticeable immediately with the different noise this engine makes. The series 60 sounds like a Jet engine!
The detroit is a 14 Litre Motor rated at 515HP., and 1650Lb of torque.
Horsepower to weight ratio of 1 HP per 1,000 pounds of coach weight is up on this coach, for example companies usually try to get it close to this formula, my coach has a 330HP motor for 32,000lbs of weight.
This coach has 515HP for what I guessed would be a gross weight loaded of 45,000lbs. The gross weight I calculated on what we currently carry in our coach.
So, as you can see the HP to weight ratio is higher which in math should equate to better pick-up.
Something not talked about, but more critical to a diesel motor is torque, and this engine produces 1650 lbs, compared to my 950 in mine.
The allison 4000 series transmission is maxed out at 1650, in 2007-8 you will see the Allison rated at 1850 to handle the new Cummins ISX which will be rated at 600HP.
2007 also saw new laws in relation to pollution controls, so this motor will be the last of those.
This was also the biggest coach that I have ever driven, although just 4 feet longer, the wheel base was only 14 inches longer than mine.
However, the wheel cut is a few degrees more than mine, so in tight situations they most likely would equal out.
This coach also is a tag axle equipped rig, so it was also my first time to use the tag dump switch in a tight turn in a parking lot.
It is also equipped with a 2-stage Jake, which is new for me as My coach has a Pac brake.
Leaving the yard, after swinging wider than I usually do, I noticed still a lot of room on my right side as I cleared the corner, but heck better safe than sorry right?
My 6 year daughter now practises this in shopping malls when pushing the shopping buggies!
After shifting up through the gears which takes awhile, as 6th gear usually does not happen till your doing between 60-65.
Navigating through a small town, the length of 3-4 feet longer really did not seem apparent at all.
After driving another 10 miles I came up to a stop sign that I have approached a hundred times before, and started my slow down procedure at about the same place.
This coach with its 2 stage jake can slow you down very quickly as I found out.
1st lets back up a bit.
I have owned 2 coaches with 3000 series Allison transmissions.
This coach has a 4000.
The difference between the 2 is huge, the 4000 shifts up and down a lot smoother, handing off the shifts like butter.
Slowing down using the Jake is alot different than using a Pac on a 3000.
When engaging the Pac with a 3000, the downshifting is immediate,violent and at times not so comfortable.
With the 4000 and the Jake, the downshifting is not as violent, rather nice actually!
Now, the chance to also test the 2 stage feature.
After turning on the Jake, I then switched on the 2 stage feature to low, which closes 3 of the Detroits 6 cylinders exhaust valves.
This slowed us down in a nice uniform manner, and no violent downshifting like I am used to!
I decided to switch it to high, which now closed all 6 cylinders, and the pitch forward of my body could be felt immediately.
The braking horsepower applied was so great, that I ended up switching back to Low, then turning it off altogether. I then had to accelerate a little bit before the stop sign!
After using the jake a few more times I discovered a method of using it that can help you to slow down smoothly and safely and help save your brakes also.
When approaching a stop sign or point, I turned on the jake on low, and after the initial g-force shove forward in your seat, I switched to high. This gets the coach slowed quickly, and even on hills the deceleration that is felt is linear, unlike the forces felt from a pac equipped coach.
How about the power you ask?
Yes it has more power than my coach, but not like comapring a Hemi to a Honda.
Pulling away from a stop, you could drive it like a car, the extra torque was apparent. Was it a huge difference in power? not really, a better test would be when we hook up our tow vehicle which will add another 3600 pounds to the coach.
But wait a minute, wont a bigger coach mean you cant get into smaller places?
A 40 foot coach is big enough, wont a 43,44 or 45 footer mean it might not fit in some campgrounds or Nascar Tracks?
Personally, I am more concerned with the wheelbase increase vs the extra 5 feet.
This is where things are getting a little blury... or confusing maybe for some people.
A 40 footer is a 40 footer correct?
Well maybe in name only.
My coach is called a 40 footer, but is actaully 2 inches short of that. Unless you add the tow bar, then its 41 feet.
Look at a new Sceptre, and you will find that a 40 footer is almost 41 feet.
But, look at the wheelbase of a Sceptre. This so called 40 footer has a longer wheelbase than a 43 foot Navigator.( which is almost 44 feet)
You cant do anything about the length, if you can only squeeze in 40 feet, then thats it.
But, in owning 3 coaches, and travelling around, how many times have I been in a situation where I was measuring by the inches allowed into a spot? ....Never.
Nope, not once.
But, what is more important is how many times have I had a tight corner to get around?
TONS, this is the more critical thing to worry about.
This is also where this coach and all Tag Axle coaches shine.
This tag axle 44 foot coach has a smaller wheelbase than a 40 foot coach manufactured by the same company!
How is this done you ask?
Well to begin with, a tag axle's wheelbase is measured from the drive axle, not the tag itself.
And, if you are in a tight turning situation, you can raise the tag, so you are not dragging it around corners.
Plus, on this coach, the steering radius is tighter due to a wheel cut which is greater than non tag axle coaches.
Also with this coach is a 1 piece windshield, which can really give you a better view and better judgement on picking a turning point.
All in all, the point to remember here, is longer is not always harder to drive.
You are probably noticing so far I have not said anything about the inside of the coach, its tv's etc...
Personally this stuff does not matter as much to me as to how it drives,handles,power etc..
That can be for another time, but at the end of a 1 hour test drive, I have to admit it was one of the nicest driving coaches and Navigators I have ever driven. Is a 43 footer in your cards?
Thats all for now folks, as always see more on our Nascar Website, we have added more goodies today, check out the " news" section to see whats new.
Our Nascar Camping website can be found at NASCAR CAMPING IN OUR 43 FOOT BUS!
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