Cruisers Forum
Main Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: Steve on October 10, 2014, 09:56:52 am
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Just spoke to Earl and inquired about any future plans PC has with the Transit By Ford.
He said they hope to have a prototype by Spring of 2015. This has me very excited to see what it might have to offer as an alternative to my on-going 2350 vs 2552/Sprinter vs E350 dilemma. I might put my plans on hold a bit longer just to see what PC comes up with.
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Steve....considering the GVW/GCVW of the Transit chassis I do not see how a 2350 coach could be placed onto it without some major weight reduction on the part of PC. The stats I have seen do not come close to the Sprinter. Perhaps Ford has some "heavier" plans for the chassis.
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Hmmm, I see now that you might be right. I remember seeing a post somewhere, perhaps very old info by now, that the CCC and the rest of the specs were going to be beefier than the Sprinter. I just looked deeper into it and it seems you're correct.
Oh well, excitement gone now. Thanks for deflating me Ragoodsp
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From what I've seen of them while in Europe, it will take a lot of doing to build the larger PC units on them. I see F450 and/or F550 chassis in the class B+ and C futures. Personally, I wish PC had them available now.
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Here is Ford's website on the Transit cut-away chassis: http://www.ford.com/commercial-trucks/transitchassis/ (http://www.ford.com/commercial-trucks/transitchassis/)
Here are the specs: http://www.ford.com/commercial-trucks/transitchassis/specifications/ (http://www.ford.com/commercial-trucks/transitchassis/specifications/)
Cut-Away Transit model 350HD-DRW is offered in 3 different wheels bases, 138", 156", and 178" as illustrated below.
GVWR is 10,360 pounds. (Sprinter is 11,030) (E350 is 12,500)
The GVWR barely makes it with our 2350 no-slide, loaded up on trips with the two of us, water & all, with only a couple hundred pounds to spare.
With a slide out, a 2350 Transit rig would be over-loaded. I wonder if an outfitter adding another pair of leaf springs in-back would be approved by Ford to increase the load limit to get over that threshold.
I also wonder what fuel economy could be expected.
(http://www.ford.com/ngbs-services/resources/ford/transitchassis/2015/featurecategories/cct15_feat_engineering_02_size7.jpg)
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I see no other option for coach makers but to move to the Dodge 3500 or Ford F-550 chassis's as the E series fade out. The Dodge Promaster and Ford Transit will be great options for the B coach market. Winnebago is already offering a small coach on the Promaster with good reviews. As I have stated before on this forum the Dodge and Ford HD options would be super in the PC line up. Perhaps Kermit is going to move PC to a far more European look, feel and weight and utilize the lighter Transit chassis. i sure hope not since i would jump for a 3100 on the Dodge with a Cummins, that is after I win Powerball. thanks and have a great weekend everyone, Ron
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Kermit told us at the reunion that the E350 and the E450 would be available until 2020. So he has no plans to change or add any thing now.
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A very good point I was not aware of.
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Kermit told me the same thing; I guess he is going to retire the same time the E series does!!
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You guys are taking what's available now as set in stone as far as the Transit goes. Back in early June I attended the first Transit ride & drive open to the public in Kansas City, where the Transit is built.
There was a bunch of Ford engineers there that talked to us all and gave us a few hints of things to come, one of which was there were more versions coming along as time goes on. They would not say what or when. I took that to mean a T-450 and maybe a 550 (less likely) version eventually.
By the way, I drove 5 different versions, all vans, 250's & 350's & duallys, diesel and EcoBoost, loaded with 3500 lbs of cargo, and I can say I was impressed. I drove our 2013 Sprinter class B RV van over there for a back to back comparison experience which cemented my feeling that this current RV would be our last Sprinter chassis in an RV.
Another point, Ford is currently saying the E series cutaway will be available until 2020. The RV and fleet market for them is small as auto manufacturing numbers go, and being a 35 year auto industry employee, I'll believe it when I see it.......
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BoBoJay.....I do not doubt that Ford has other ideas for the Transit for I do not see them letting approximately 70% of the Class C market that they control go away. With that said I do not see how a unibody chassis could ever see GVW's in the 14500 lb range but I guess anything is possible.......I see the Transit being used for B's and smaller C's and the F series for the larger Class C's but this is obviously my 2 cents and probably all its worth! Thanks
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To compete in what is now the E series, the Transit will have to widen the frame and axles by a good amount for the larger models. As it is, the comparison is closer to the Sprinter specs than to the E series (European models are virtually identical to what will be offered here unless changes are made for the MH market).
The E series duals stand out from the PC body by 1-1/2" per side. The Sprinter wheels are 5 to 6" less than the body per side.
I do not see a near comparison of the Transit vs. the E series as they are now.
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I hope Ford would consider a cut-away Transit that is 500 pounds more capable than the current day cut-away Sprinter. I think that would provide a platform the RV, box truck, and first responder industries can work with much better. The E350 rear axle is already in hand. Ford could simply install it on the cut-away Transit, add a leaf spring or two, increase the gauge of the framing like is currently done for the E450 today, and they have it. Not much effort for much to retain in this market segment.
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Gut feeling at this time, Ron, they won't. From that, we'll probably see smaller Ambulance units, which is very feasible. The MH end of the business just isn't that big.
I'll also predict the F series will see cutaways suitable for the MH business. It won't take much and the F series is a very capable platform. Actually, better than the E series. Front seating is also better with more legroom and less heat on the Passenger side.
Time will tell and if I'm still around after 2020 or so, I'd enjoy seeing the evolution of the MH industry.
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Several of the public service, EMS, fire etc around here have went to F series chassis for their "box" units. Speaking to a couple of the drivers the last couple weeks, they don't like the extra length at all, but like the cab room. Both these folks work for cities that are glued to Ford chassis for some reason for all their public safety vehicles. Could be both have BIG Ford dealers in them make a difference?? Who knows.....
Our local small city has went to Chevy/GMC 4500 series in their ambulances etc. They like them better than the E series they used to always get. Less maintenance and repairs, more power, more cab room.
Wonder if Phoenix has looked at the 35-4500 GM van chassis lately, or at all???
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I would have to agree 100% with Bob, in the large picture the RV market is just not significant enough for Ford and they will force the larger Class C's to utilize the F series, they will "tweak" the Transit around the edges by increasing spring ratings, etc and they will hold onto their market share. I do not see even their new twin turbo Ecoboost V-6 being strong enough to move 14,000 lbs. down the road, perhaps a diesel plant would work fine but extending a stamped frame to handle a 31 foot coach is not going to be easy to accomplish, why do you think Mercedes does not allow their chassis to be extended or cut into? I am sure we are going to see some very nifty European influenced small coaches based on both the transit and Promaster Dodge in the coming years and that is great for the industry in general.
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I am not talking 14,000 pounds, just 500 pounds more than the current day Sprinter to provide a little more edge and a better stance.
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I hear you Ron D.; 500 lbs added to the GVW on a small coach is significant. My concern is in regards to the larger Class C coaches and what chassis choices will be out there when the E-series is retired? I hope we not going to be forced into a small Class A? Thanks
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And I think I understand your point in that the industry may end up reverting back to what it was in the 70's. Class C's will become "Minnie" motor homes again if the heavy duty cut-away chassis platform is not maintained. Anything longer than 24 feet will be a class A like it was in those days. The F-Series can fill much of the gap, but sacrificing house for hood.
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I am sure we will be seeing far more european styled coaches that will get significantly better MPG than the old V-10 but at a cost. Having traveled Europe in and RV I can say that those coaches are great for sleeping and drive very well but the american RV user is going to have to change their RV habits and not tote/haul as much "stuff" as they do now!
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I am sure we will be seeing far more european styled coaches that will get significantly better MPG than the old V-10 but at a cost. Having traveled Europe in and RV I can say that those coaches are great for sleeping and drive very well but the american RV user is going to have to change their RV habits and not tote/haul as much "stuff" as they do now!
True that.....
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I'd hate to have to "sacrifice house for hood." I love my setup exactly as it is, but 25 feet is the max that I want or need. It fits so nicely into even relatively tight camping spots and I have so much room for all that schtuff! (nod)
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I'd hate to have to "sacrifice house for hood." I love my setup exactly as it is, but 25 feet is the max that I want or need. It fits so nicely into even relatively tight camping spots and I have so much room for all that schtuff! (nod)
Our first motor home was extremely tiny at only 17.5' end-to-end which had a mini pickup truck hood that ate up significant length. It did make maintenance extremely easy, but now-a-days the Ford E-Series chassis is so reliable, I am banking on "Limited Need To Dig In" the engine bay, figuring I'll do whatever it takes when it's time. In the mean time I am enjoying more house. I hope never to have a long hood on our motor home ever again. We too love the length of our rig at 23'-8", though I could surely manage the little extra length of a 2450 to gain the benefits.