mileage/h.p.

[vapoppa]

ok---- i've got a question which i think will prove interesting to answer/discuss--- here goes--- at 60 mph you are burning a constant rate of fuel on level land at a steady speed with flat road---- right? so how much fuel will a 300 hp burn in these conditions? say x amount-- ok--- now how much will a 550 hp burn in the same conditions {the coach body is identical}? wouldn't they both use the same amount?---now the only place i see a larger fuel amount is when the larger hp motor using more fuel is when you use more torque/hp than the 300 is capable of putting out????? right or wrong????---ok jump in --- i really want to know how you all think----- ohhh-- my last tank from destin fl to ellijay to birmingham al twice and atlanta one was 10.00 flat even and thats with the diesel hot water heater and the gen. some.---- ok--- tell me---- mase

[WERA]

My experience has been that higher HP pulling a load tends to use less fuel. My theory is it doesn't work as hard accelerating to hwy speeds. They do use more running around town but that's mostly my right foot.

Same flat road - I'd guess they should use the same if the weight of the motor and rig is the same.

[Warpath]

Could be hard to get an accurate answer since most of the lower HP motors like a 300 would probably be hooked up to a automatic trannie versus a manual or manual automatic that the bigger motors have. It would be hard to compare apples to apples.

I will say that my Cummins M11 350 hp & 1200 ft/tq with the original Fuller 10 speed averaged 11.5 mpg. That motor had 550,000 miles on it and well broke in. When I swapped the trannie to the Super 10 speed it killed my MPG & power quiet a bit. That might have returned as the trannie got some miles on, but by then I had sold it. My weights are probably pretty close between my new and old motorhome.

I hope to have my engine monitoring system later this week and I will have lots of info to give you once that is installed for my 300 hp setup now. If I remember I was getting approx 8 mpg when the engine was new and I think if I remember it creped up to 9 or 9.5 during one of my later trips and that was at 280 hp. It will be curious to see what the increase in horsepower does to my MPG.

[vapoppa]

bill you've got mail--- jusy sent you donvel's lit..--- about mileage, i was using the same rear gear and the same high gear, {therotically} for the sake of comparison, --- realizing that if say the coach weight is 32,500 for both coaches and the tires are the same size, then the power to move the unite should be the same,? the difference as i said initially would be when the h.p. and torque exceeded the limits of the smaller motor.????--- mase

[vapoppa]

bill, i just sent you the back of page one--- guys i hope bill posts these-- i'm gonna try it fo' sure- the gentleman's name is don yates, the web page dosen't do his product justice, IMHO---mase,---oh yeah, it's www.donvel.com

[Warpath]

Here is the Donval Information:

First the intro letter

---------------------------

Enclosed is information on the Donvel Active Ride Control and Stabilizing System. This is a
unique air ride system for which Donvel has received two patents. There is nothing else like the
Donvel Stabilizers on the market, because these units are controlling constantly and take away bounce, dip, snap and sway.
Each set is built for the truck it goes on. They are shipped assembled and have the normal
control needed built into them to give quickness of response to each bump. However, should the customer desire a softer ride, or a quicker, finer ride, we can change the control and give them anything they need. The driver adjusts the pressure needed for each load balance, fifth-wheel setting, and trailer axle setting. We build internally how fast the units are reacting to the pressure the driver gives them. The holding and releasing effect automatically flattens the steer axle's response to bumps, bad bridges, wind sway, body roll and road walk.
Most trucks have fine front springs, but steel springs by nature react to impacts in a certain way that can be very harsh (dips, bridges, pot holes, etc.). Donvel addresses this point of impact at the source (the steer axle) with air stabilizers designed to react very quickly to the spring when it compresses and snaps back. This reduces the workload that shock absorbers are subjected to. This improvement reduces back slap, steering wheel shake, and wear and tear on the cab and sensitive electronic accessories, not to mention the most important component, the driver.
There are many fine products on the market striving to improve the ride farther back on the truck. Why not make their job easier by solving much of the problem at the source with driver- controlled Donvel Ride Control Stabilizers? Because some older models of trucks may have had suspension changes, we are enclosing a measurement sheet which enables us to build a custom unit for such trucks. If this applies in your case, please fax or mail us this sheet any time at your convenience.
If sleeper rock and bounce is a problem, take a look at the unique new cab and sleeper controls by Donvel. Once installed in the air lines close to the air springs on the sleeper, they take all the excess sleeper roll and bounce away and never wear out or need replacing. This control is also available for
drive axles and seats. Thanks again for your interest, and feel free to call me if you have any questions.

----------------------------

PROBLEM

When a truck hits a bridge or cross rib, the steel springs load up with energy and then immediately snap back with considerable force.

This load up action is made worse when the fifth wheel is slid forward and additional forces come into play. First, there is the increased weight on the steer axle as well as the forward inertia of the entire vehicle. These combine in a leverage effect to force further load on the steer axle when a bridge or pothole is hit.

SOLUTION

Donvel driver-adjustable air stabilizers are installed in the right location to give the best possible control of excess spring and body movement. When a bump or bridge is hit, the resulting forces are controlled and greatly reduced, so that shock absorbers have less work to do.

PROBLEM

A nose heavy trailer bouncing on the fifth wheel, making the front end leap and bounce.

SOLUTION

Carry more of the front end weight with Donvel stabilizers by increasing the air pressure to 45 - 65 p.s.i. This will give a more stable ride with less bounce.

When trucks hit cross ribs, bridge ramps and potholes, etc., extreme forces are transferred to the steering axle. The load balance, trailer axle settings and fifth wheel settings have a profound effect on how these forces are directed to the steering axle.

[Gary Atsma]

This sounds like a well-thought-out product, going by the mfr's literature above. NOT just a simple air-ride, but a carefully-controlled and damped air suspension system. What are your thoughts Bill?
Gary

[Warpath]

Not sure that I need it.

My rig is super stable, in it's current configuration. The ride is real good, yeah the sharp bumps will jar things a bit, but not that bad.

Not sure that I am at the point of messing with the chassis at this point.

We handle Air-Ride products which is very similar but for lighter duty application and it is a good product.

Alan seems to like it and would love to hear more feedback as it sounds like mase is going to install it as well.

[DrFun]

My rig, like Bill's, is super stable. But, the ride was also super rough.

There's one significant characteristic that probably contributed to the rough ride -- we're way below the GVW: just under 23k pounds with a 29.5k GVW. So, while stable, the suspension is lightly loaded. I believe this contributed to the rough ride.

In any case, I am pleased with the Dovel air stabilizers as they greatly improved the ride!