Hi all
Any one having any information on this 1995 Foretravel U320C SE Unicoach? Vin# 1F97D5402SN054029 Model # F95462240WTBSU320CE22 Date Aug 1994. It did have a Foretravel motor coach number but was removed. You could see the out line of the number what was 2335
http://www.karolinakoaches.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=2515820&p=2&s=Year&d=D&t=preowned&vt=motorhome&fr=xPreOwnedInventory
Went and looked at it. Does need a lot TLC. There was something's that was not the same as the Brochures and specifications found on the web site. The stripe are decals not painted on graphics. GVWR 32000. They are saying motor has 450- 500 horsepower. I didn't see a floor plan for the 1995 Foretravel U320C SE on the page with the Brochures. So I have nothing to compare it to. It does have the Aqua-hut system. Any information on this coach will be greatly appreciated thanks.
Ask Rudy Legett to have a look at the pictures, He has a 95 U320C 40'. The cabinetry behind the Pass seat looks custom. These coaches had decals not painted stripes. Single pane glass, narrower front door than later models. Nice tambour doors. M11 of that era was 450 HP.
The model number you gave says WTBS. WTBS = walk through bath, bed slide (curb side). It might be a WTBI, center island Queen bed.
1995 Foretravel Motorhome (https://wiki.foreforums.com/doku.php?id=through_the_years:specs:1995)
I'm pretty sure that the early 95 U320's had a 400 hp, M11 engine. The 450's were introduced at the end of the 1995 models.
Think u320 was 400 hp and u320 Special Edition was 450 hp
FT spec sheet for the '95 U320C says 450hp. The U300 with the M11 were 350 or 375 bumped up to 400 by FT. What I read.
Was thinking that 1995 U300s had a CAT 3176 with 350hp and a HD4060 six speed.
I was following a U320C SE M11 and know they really take off from a stop light with the six speed.
Pierce
95 U320 SE were 370hp M11 engines uprated to 400hp at the Foretravel factory. 96 were also 400hp. Customers could order the Cat 3176 375hp instead. Jake was standard, trans retarder $10K option until 97.
1995 Foretravel Motorhome (https://wiki.foreforums.com/doku.php?id=through_the_years:specs:1995)
That particular unit does have the Aquahot.
A buddy of mine has a 1995 U320C SE and his is 400 HP.
The '96 and '97 U320 specs show 400 hp and those are screen captures of the original brochure. I doubt Foretravel would offer 450 hp in '95 and then not offer it again until '98.
400HP. Cummins.
Aqua-hot only if late 95. Forced air furnace on propane or if early 95, Primus propane boilers.
With the large propane tank I would bet against Aqua-hot.
My 95 April 94 build. Cat 3176. Stripes on mine are the same different color. Cabinets and sofa different from mine. Mine has Primus.
Interesting.
Pictures of EVERY cabinet, EVERY drawer (all nice wood), EVERY tire and wheel (several), EVERY angle of the outside.
THREE shots of the engine, NONE of the generator, and one of the generator radiator (with some rust in the compartment).
(PC Alert) Glamour gets you (almost) every time.
Is a nice looking set of pictures and a nice looking coach.
This coach was one of the very first built and has been many places and seen many things.I do not believe the listed mileage is correct. Warren Mackenzie at Polk City , Fl. would be able to answer all questions. Warren & Arlie were very active in the Motorcade years ago.
Gary O
I also was not able to locate the fresh water hose reel or the 50 amp shoreline reel.
Warren MacKensie was the Motorcade club manager for many years. Hence his old Travco era club member. If memory serves me ran the Travco club also and transitioned to he Foretravel club when foretravel purchased Travco.
They bought Travco for the clubs members to transition into Foretravels which they did.
I noticed that on the drivers side console under the side window were the toggle switches are located there are blanked out switch locations were the JAKE brake on/off and cylinder settings would be.
Except for a few differences this coach and mine a very similar even the same black toilet.
Looks to be almost all original as far as appliances and furnishings. May require some updates as these appliances are very old.
My 95 did not have a fresh water hose reel or a 50amp power cord reel either.
Same 320C SE model.
Hello everyone,
I have a 1995 Se late model with a 450, at least thats what the PO noted. Runs like new.
There is a decal on the engine to confirm your horsepower
Craneman,
Thank you, I will look for it next time I go out to check on everything.
As far as we know my build #5132 in February 1997 with an engine produced in late 96 was one of the first 450/1450 m11's
Cat 3176 was much faster btw. Engine distributor or foretravel I think turned them up.
After reading Cranemans post I checked the "plate" on my Kitty Kat 3176 and it's rated @ 365hp instead of the 350hp. :) :) :) :)
Yea. Bet it's reallly 450+ hp.
Cat man told me long ago that some states tax trucks on the manufacturers rated road hp.
In their best interest in selling more engine to show them with less hp.
A 325hp? Rated 91 40' beaver Marquis with a 3176 cat and a 745 Allison and a hydraulic side drive radiator fan at 37,000 pound GCWR actual load went up all six percent interstate highway grades on cruise in 5th gear(high gear) at 65mph and got 8.25 mpg average.
My 450/1450 will not climb 6 percent grades at 65 more or less without a downshift at 36,000 pounds combined.
Mid to upper 50's in fourth full revs
Will anyone's?
Bob,
Sorry, going to have to call you on that one. I really hate to have readers set unrealistic standards for how their coach (actually any heavy vehicle) should perform.
That must have been a VERY optimistic speedometer! This chart from Caterpillar Corp's "Understanding Coach/RV Performance" Document: ***Understanding Coach /RV Performance*** (http://forum.dieselrvclub.org/index.php/topic,6594.msg15141.html#msg15141)
You can download this very informative document from the bottom of that page.
Figure 5. Wheel Horsepower Demand on 6% Grade / No Wind
On a grade, the sum of the horsepower required to overcome Air Resistance, Rolling Resistance, and Grade
Resistance constitute the
Wheel Demand horsepower. This horsepower demand increases dramatically
with vehicle speed and weight.
Grade Resistance horsepower is by far the most significant contributor to the Wheel Demand horsepower.
MPH GVW (lb) Total HP Demand AT THE REAR WHEELS55MPH
Coach – 34,000 402
Coach – 40,000 462
Coach – 52,500 587
The chart does not even go above 55 MPH for 6% grade, as very few could even achieve 55 MPH.
If actual coach weight is 34,000 pounds, it would have to have 402 HP AT THE REAR WHEELS (so right at 500 HP at engine in a 34,000 pound coach).
For that 34,000 pound coach to go 45 MPH on that same 6% grade requires only 310 HP AT THE REAR WHEELS. Big drop in HP demand for just 10 MPH slower.
My math is too rusty to extrapolate on what it would take to run 65 MPH on that 6% grade, but assume it would be a VERY VERY unworldly number!
My last coach 500 hp 1550 ft pounds torque 32500 lbs. By silverleaf 100% load, 460 hp, 1530 torque 32.5 lbs boost. On 6% grade I was passing all the trucks, my speed 48 mph.
Fan was on high, so probably using 50 hp there.
Got to go with Brett here. Our U300 350hp is pretty quick at sea level but 65 on a 6% grade is not in the cards even with our shorter and lighter coach. We might see 45 or so if lucky. With toad, we do 55 with a couple of drops to 50 going up Highway 58 from Bakersfield to Tehachapi. That's at fuel cutoff 2100 rpm in third. Any steeper and we would have to drop from 3rd to 2nd and that's a big gap in ratios. Foretravels with 6 speeds are really nice in the hills.
Pierce
Almost missed the topic about '95 u320c SE. That coach is very similar to ours with the main difference found in the forward lounge/ours is a J couch. Ours was built in Nov. '94, just a few months after the coach being described. Ours is Primus, but we do have Jet Black Porcelain were it counts.
The build on this thing is so solid. Someone give me an amen.
Another thing on the rated horsepower is that insurance companies rate vehicles on horsepower.
Take two pickups one with a six and the other with a high horse power V8 and the rates vary, this
might be true for MH's too?
I knew of one engine, in a truck, that would run up hills in N.C. and Tenn. like a car and that was
a Detroit V12. They had problems keeping u-joints and fuel in it.
Carter
Thought I would get everyone's attention. I regeared four 91 Marquis for customers from 55 mph gearing of 3:91 to 3:21 brand new.
Unitrax in Anaheim did the swap for labor and oil as the old gears were new. $350.
One of you doubters need to drive one of the 3176 cat Foretravels here including the one is sold to joe margueritas and was purchased with only a very low miles a few years ago here.
"What hills" was always the drivers comments.
Those coaches and the Monaco n14 1850 pound feet signatures of the same year would bring a grin like the old ored 300 cat 36' sbi's.
That's why I have spent four years and a lot of time and money to make sure my m11 is running as well as the original design allows.
If any of you has driven a 3176 in the hills or and ored 300 like b3 has down under they need to chime in here.
You are all quoting the best you have driven. So far.
Customer(dick and Judy Engle) brought me a photo of the back or his ored 300 with a Demco tow dolly behind it with a Ford ranger four cylinder pickup on it.
He had written on the back "the ORED climbs the cajon faster with the truck in the back than the truck will do it by itself."
Showed the picture to a lot of happy future customers.
Search the posts here from the former foretravel of Tennessee mechanic redtractor. He refers to them as "the hotrod".
10mpg and unlimited slow acceleration up 6 percent grades.
90@2950 rom floored. 8mpg wide open.
Ask b3. No bs.
20k wet weight empty. Tiny box.
Lots of older, faster coaches.
My m11 is disappointing versus the older highlines. Sorry.
The n14 444hp/1850 torque signature got 10mpg also.
Cummins got busted on smog violations back then. Public info back then. Google search this.
So they turned their products way back. Enough to offset their past excess emissions maybe?
I was in the heart of the highline biz from 84-96 and sold and drove everything. And went rv'ing on my days off with all the nice used late model trades and some new. Normally not new as that was not fair.
Jcus thanks for the actual quote. My m11 seems faster. Truely.
The foretravel cat could have set at 1550 torque of more.
Foretravel had the inhouse to turn up all the engines since 1988 with the first DDEC11's.
Remember I am the guilty party to turn the 1988's 300 unihomea from 277hp and 840hp to 300/820 as it was costing me sales.
Detroit man was fine with it and the Allison guy loved me as the trans was rated for 780.
Light weight allowed the over power.
Side by side race the 840 was two coach lengths faster to 60 side by side
I know sometimes salesmen tend to exaggerate, but it is really hard to argue with actual physics.
Made a nice living off of skeptics back then.
Figure backwards using the physics to determine what the engines were actually set for?
Cat used to turn up their 525 hp c12? For 45' Marquis at the FMCA rally's. I drove them and sold them.
55 otherwise up not steep slopes.
Like an 89 Marquis with a 300 cat up cajon pass. 40 in the right lane. Not fun in and out of the trucks.
Mentioning this can cost me personally as if new possible owners feel their possible purchase is slow my value drops.
New Cummins 450/1250 buddies 2013 tour is faster up hills than my 10k lighter 450/1450. Go figure.
Most of this random techno-babble has little or nothing to do with Busnut's original post. Maybe it should get put in a separate thread (and stay there) for those who are interested in it or not.
X2 Roger
western owners who drive the Rockies normally are interested in power to weight ratios.
Seen many owners who drove around the scenic road up a mountain versus creep up it.
A reason for my interest is just to see if my coach is running like other similar models do up the same hills.
Used to drive every new and used coach I had just to make sure they were ok.
Never driven another m11 450 so it's hard to know for sure.
Or tell me how well your ISM does up,interstate grades at what weight?
I agree with Roger and Bill-- let's call it quits on the "First to the top of the hill" posts in this thread.
I want to thank you all for your replies. I do hope I'll hear from Warren Mackenzie
Yes, What Roger said!
Ditto. Move on to next topic