Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

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Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

May 09, 2012, 12:07:13 am

I'm currently in the market for a Foretravel with a Detroit Diesel 6V92TA 350hp engine. I need a motor home that's in good condition and road ready. I would also consider a Vogue or a well done bus conversion with a 6V92 or 8V92 as long as the bus doesn't have a tag axle... I just really like 2 stroke diesels. Thanks for your help in finding one.

Scott
(972) 522-0109

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #1 – May 09, 2012, 01:10:16 am

You've come to the right spot. A lot of DD fans here. Let us know if you need any advise. Will PM you tomorrow.

Pierce

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #2 – May 09, 2012, 09:47:55 am

To up Pierce's welcome,
Hope you can bring 6/8V92 knowledge.
Check with Dave Metzer.
I have a 300 HP 6V92,the two above mentioned are my source of information.

Bill Chaplin

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #3 – May 09, 2012, 12:16:41 pm

Thanks for the warm welcome. My only experience with Detroit Diesels has been industrial engines, mostly generator sets and fire pumps. Where I work currently we have a set of three 20V149TIB engines which are the most powerful two stroke engines ever built. They're 3000 cubic inch engines producing 3000 horsepower with 6 turbochargers with intercoolers and I think they have three superchargers per engine. The three engines together produce enough electricity to run the entire city of Plano Texas, where they're located. We also have a 6V92TA in a genset. There was also a 20 cylinder Detroit genset at another place I worked previously. Almost every place I've worked has had Detroits and I really like them. I'm a data center engineer by trade. I take care of the mechanical and electrical equipment. Our mechanical repairs are usually contracted to Stewart & Stevenson, so I don't do much wrench turning.

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #4 – May 09, 2012, 01:28:10 pm

I was just talking to this gentleman by telephone. He says it's a 6V92 with a turbo and it's rated 300 horsepower. He says it has the radiator in the back instead of the side. He said it has no bulkhead issues and he knows what to look for. I wasn't aware there were 300hp turbo 6V92 engines. Is that because the rear radiator couldn't handle the heat of 350hp? If I mount a motorcycle on the back bumper will it cause the rear radiator to overheat?

1991 Foretravel U300 Grandvilla Unihome, ST PETERSBURG FL - 97270940 -

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #5 – May 09, 2012, 03:00:04 pm

I have the same coach but 40 ft. Yes, '91 and prior they were 300 hp with rear radiator. It will have a 600 series transmission and should have either a retarder or jake brake. Both the engine and tranny are electronic control (DDEC II and ATEC for tranny).
In '92 they made a lot of changes: 350hp, side radiator and 700 series transmission (due to power increase), wide (102") body, HWH computer controlled air leveling, bumpers built into fiberglass cap.
More power is always nicer until it comes time to fill the tank. Increasing the power on an '91 is not an option due to radiator and tranny. A 36' should be a little quicker than a 40'
I actually like the manual air leveling due to it's simplicity: 3 levers on floor in drivers area with heavy duty sheaved cables to the ride height valves, zero electronics.
I haven't had any trouble with the engine or tranny in 11 years of ownership. I have had overheating issues and added a side radiator to solve it - every other owner of similar make/model I speak to says it's been OK for them. I doubt a motorcycle on the back would affect the air flow much - the bumper sticks out way and preventing you from getting it too close. My opinion is the system is starved for air on the other side of the radiator. You do need to consider if weight will be too much for hitch - theres' been topics on that, seach the forum.
My mileage averages at least 8.5 mpg but that's based on "miles traveled"/"gallons in" calculations - not from engine computer. Others seem to get less mpg.
I find the power train likes the 62 mph zone. (national speed limit of 55 mph was in effect when these coaches were built)
Hope this helps.

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #6 – May 09, 2012, 07:39:41 pm

I would much rather have the manual air leveling. Less to go wrong on an already very complex older coach.

Living in Texas, you should be able to get 8.5 mpg overall unless you drive faster than 65. The U300 is glass smooth from 55 to 82 but 62 is also our cruise speed with 10 to 12 mpg on the flat without a headwind. Nice to watch the country go by without having to pay too much attention to traffic or the rear view mirror (or the fuel gauge). Met another Florida U300 in Yellowstone. Averaged 7.9 mpg over 5 years with a lot of mountain destinations. No maintenance issues in all that time except for a cracked exhaust manifold 2 weeks earlier. Petal to the metal gets 6 mpg at 82 mph, 5 mpg in the mountains.

From the decals, it has been sitting outside all it's life. Photos are not good enough to judge the condition. You need high res before making the airline reservation. How many miles? Records/history?

Rear radiator also means a less than 30 second hydraulic belt change turns into a much longer process. Everything is much easier to get to through the rear door with the side radiator. Even our side radiator is marginal on warm days combined with grades. No problem at any speed on the flat but a couple percent grade brings it off the thermostat.

Ours has more than enough power at sea level. Can always use another 100 hp up at 8000 feet.

Jake works very well even on the steepest grades. Even with toad, we never heat the brakes.

Much different floor plan than our 36' so can't comment on livability.

$15K cash will probably bring it home if it's nice. Print buyer's checklist from previous posts here.

Pierce

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #7 – May 09, 2012, 09:06:59 pm

We have a 1993 Foretravel Grand Villa 6v Detroit Diesel. 150,654 miles. 40 ' power tech diesel generator. Clean good dondition inside and out. Has some minor problems, but really needs tlc. the front itres are new and bothe house and engine batteries are new. We are asking $40,000 but would consider something else. Our address is Holdenville Oklahoma and telephone number is 405-379 5392. Give us a call if interested in discussing specifics. Lee and Odie Weatherred.........Age motivated sellers

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #8 – May 10, 2012, 01:36:58 pm

John, please tell me more about your overheating issue and installing a side radiator. I live in Texas where it gets up to 114 degrees sometimes. I'm planning to drive to Florida to buy the 36' 1991 model this weekend if it's as nice as the seller described. Is the 1991 model narrower than later models? I couldn't find any evidence of that in my research. I thought all U300s were the same height and width but only varied in length. Am I correctly understanding that none of the air ride Foretravels have jacks and that they level themselves with the airbag suspension even while parked with the engine off? That would explain the little electric compressor in the basement. I was wondering what that was for... Sorry to be so uninformed. I'm new to motor homes and I only know what I've read on the internet and what a few of my motor home friends have told me.

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #9 – May 10, 2012, 01:53:46 pm

Scott, Don't get in a hurry to buy a coach until you have looked at several. The later Grand Villas are wider 102" vs 96" for the 92 and prior. also the side mount radiator is much better because you can get to the back of the engine without the radiator being in the way. Unless you must have a motorhome in the next few weeks keep reading and learning about Foretravel Motor Coaches. I have a 1994 that I purchased 1n 1997 and it only had 30,000 miles on it, one owner, air conditioned / Garage kept. There are some hidden jewels out there take your time. Also I would pay a little more for a low mileage coach.

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #10 – May 10, 2012, 02:44:07 pm

@Scott the easy way to tell if it's a 96" or 102". If the space between the grills is very narrow it's a 96" if about 8" wide it's a 102". I can tell the difference from across a parking lot.

Mine's a 92' and it's a 102" so not all 92' are 96". If at all possible get the 102". Without slides the 6" makes a world of difference. That 6" comes right out of the aisle where you need it the most.

I too second the side radiator. Access to the engine from the rear is very desirable. Doing greasy engine work from under the bed is a pain and a sure way to put your DW (that stands for Dear Wife since you're new to the forum) in a bad mood. Sometimes for days... Don't ask how I know.

see ya
ken

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #11 – May 10, 2012, 03:08:15 pm

Echo Gerry. At 114 degrees, a lot of RVs get hot. At 62 mph, it takes an upgrade for my side radiator to start to get hot in warm weather. Others have complained of heating on the flat when it gets really warm outside. Some members install PVC water sprayers for the radiator to help cool on the hills. Rear radiator and 96" don't disqualify it, especially if the rest of it is nice and at $15K or less. With only you living in it, you probably won't miss the extra few inches but with the two of us and Koda, its a real plus.

Often thought it would be nice to run a couple of 1 1/2" pipes up to the front and mount an additional radiator up there. So much space goes unused in the nose and there is already a large grill just waiting for it.

Again, like Gerry says, don't be in a hurry and don't be afraid to call members if you have any questions and do go through a checklist before handing over $$. At that age, fridges, roof airs, lot of other stuff starts needing attention so make sure EVERYTHING works. I would pay a Florida member to fly or drive and take a look with you. So much to discover later.

Sure nothing wrong with either a Cummins or a Cat in a Foretravel either. The 5.9 will use less fuel than any other rig. I love my DD but could be happy with either of the above.

Pierce

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #12 – May 10, 2012, 05:47:23 pm

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – May 10, 2012, 03:08:15 pm

Often thought it would be nice to run a couple of 1 1/2" pipes up to the front and mount an additional radiator up there. So much space goes unused in the nose and there is already a large grill just waiting for it.

Pierce

Just as an additional thought regarding the addition of an auxiliary radiator, I added a 24" by 24" aluminum racing radiator purchased through eBay to the front of my 1993, U225 to help cool the rear radiator unit. All that was required was making a bracket and installing two "Ts" in the return line for the dash heater. It is a 3/4" hose. That addition reduced the coolant temperature by 10 to 15 degrees on those very hot Oklahoma summer days. I installed it behind the condenser and still got that much reduction in temperature. Remember, this was on a Grand Villa.

I also included a shutoff valve to take the aux radiator out of the heater loop in the winter.

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #13 – May 10, 2012, 06:55:22 pm

Thought my idea was original.

Love the OK ingenuity. How about some photos when you get time? Nice to be able to relax instead of watching the temp gauge every 30 seconds.

Pierce

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #14 – May 10, 2012, 09:57:32 pm

Pierce I will have to shoot some photos of Kent's OK upgrade, as I have the coach now.

I also have cleaned and will work to keep shiny the charged air cooler and the rear of the radiator that I can see. The parts between I can only guess at how clean they might be. But we have since towed after the engine detail and temps are lower now.

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #15 – May 10, 2012, 09:58:40 pm

Do all air ride Foretravels use the airbags to level the coach when parked? None of them have jacks for leveling like other coaches? Is that what the little electric compressor in the basement is for?

So overheating issues with the 1991 model can be overcome with an auxiliary radiator, or a water misting system, or a side radiator retrofit?

The Allison transmission is durable enough for 300hp but no more?

I'm okay with a 6" narrower coach. It's still gonna be huge! (laugh)... It's just me with no wife or kids.

The seller said the dash air conditioning doesn't work currently. He said it used to leak refrigerant, possibly from an o-ring, and he didn't bother to fill it up anymore because Florida is so hot he had to run the generator and roof air while driving anyway. I'll fix the dash air because I don't want to run the generator while driving except in very hot weather.

Is anyone in the St Petersburg area willing to look at the motor home with me? I'll probably be there Monday / Tuesday next week.

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #16 – May 10, 2012, 10:18:22 pm

Scott,

I've been a newbie/wannabee since '09 but recently purchased(march) a 1993 U300 DD6v92TA. It's a rare 36' just like Pierce's(WTB). It has issues like any coach of that age but most are minor and the overall condition is great with only 81000 miles. I was reluctant at first because of some opinions on the Detroit , but after driving it just fell in love with the sound of that 2-stroke and was surprised at the power, smoothness and handling. Reminds me of the old Greyhound buses and the price was right too! Drove it home from alabama with no problems and it sits in my driveway where I can work on it and give it the TLC she deserves. It may take a while and a lot of searching to find yours, but they are out there.

Keep reading the the forum religiously for a wealth of knowledge from some very smart and witty members who will go out of their way to
help you. In my case it took 3 years so be patient.

Sorry to take so long but this my first post and I wanted to say something meaningful for all those still looking.

Many thanks to all the members for their insights and wisdom especially Don Hay, Jimmy Freytag, Bill Chaplin, Brett Wolfe, Dave Head, Pierce Stewart, Kent Speers, and all the Detroit lovers. Hope to see all of you sometime down the road!

Jerry Maddux
1993 U300/36'WTB
Gulfport, Ms
(228) 229-5492

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #17 – May 10, 2012, 10:22:29 pm

R Radio,

I had a four air bag 1990 ORED Gran Villa with a 300 hp 3208 Cat turbo that had jacks. I now have a eight air bag 1995 U320 with a 400 hp Cummins M11 with a 4060R transmission that is good for well above 450 hp. I now have air leveling and no jacks. I much prefer that type of leveling over leveling with jacks.

Neither of my Foretravels have had an over heating problem and both have side radiators.

Both of my Foretravels had/have working dash airs that work fine. I have topped each one every two years or so with 134A to maintain cold output air.

I also prefer the extra room and storage of the 40 foot 102 inch U320 over the 36 foot 96 inch ORED Gran Villa.

Sure would like to go to St Pete with you Monday but a skin procedure calls then, too much sun when young.

All the best in your search.

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #18 – May 10, 2012, 11:03:12 pm

Just another bit to add: The older, narrower GVs also had a narrower wheel stance than later 102" models. Most semis on the road today are also at 102" wheel stance. This can cause a bit of "hunting" the ruts in the highway created by the high volume of semi traffic.
Our '89 GV front end was toed out 3/8" and should have been toed in 1/16". One hairy ride until we got it to FOT and had them perform their magic on alignment. Strangely enough, the front end alignment specs were right there on the glove box door when you opened it.So why would anyone set the toe-out to 3/8"??

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #19 – May 11, 2012, 12:23:00 am

Quote from: nitehawk – May 10, 2012, 11:03:12 pm

Just another bit to add: The older, narrower GVs also had a narrower wheel stance than later 102" models. Most semis on the road today are also at 102" wheel stance. This can cause a bit of "hunting" the ruts in the highway created by the high volume of semi traffic.
Our '89 GV front end was toed out 3/8" and should have been toed in 1/16". One hairy ride until we got it to FOT and had them perform their magic on alignment. Strangely enough, the front end alignment specs were right there on the glove box door when you opened it.So why would anyone set the toe-out to 3/8"??

Oshkosh mentioned that the different caster setting on the right front axle king pin was to compensate for the crown of the road. Did not remember toe in only caster. Which was on the glove box door.

Remember Old roads were more crowned

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #20 – May 11, 2012, 05:18:22 pm

Are there any members in the St Petersburg area willing to look at this Foretravel with me on Monday or Tuesday?

Scott
(972) 522-0109

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #21 – May 11, 2012, 05:44:05 pm

Quote from: nitehawk – May 10, 2012, 11:03:12 pm

Just another bit to add: The older, narrower GVs also had a narrower wheel stance than later 102" models. Most semis on the road today are also at 102" wheel stance. This can cause a bit of "hunting" the ruts in the highway created by the high volume of semi traffic.
Our '89 GV front end was toed out 3/8" and should have been toed in 1/16". One hairy ride until we got it to FOT and had them perform their magic on alignment. Strangely enough, the front end alignment specs were right there on the glove box door when you opened it.So why would anyone set the toe-out to 3/8"??

A rule of thumb is that RV to race car, toe out means a wandering vehicle. If you can't find the spec, 1/16" toe in will be a good starting point for anything that rolls. The reason they set it at 3/8" toe out is the same reason they cut the coax cable and then tried to tape it together. Good way to tell is when you look down to change radio stations, check the GPS and when you look up, you are headed a different direction, it's probably a toe issue.

I remember those eastern highways with lots of truck traffic. As you turn the steering wheel, vehicles want to stay in the slow lane grooves until they leap toward the next lane. Don't think they pay any attention to load limits there.

Pierce

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #22 – May 11, 2012, 07:54:01 pm

Post moved to new thread, sorry for the mispost.

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #23 – May 11, 2012, 11:38:13 pm

I strongly suggest Koni FSD's. ch less fatiquing to drive. Then again if you already have them, I am baffled. Made a world of difference in my 1997 U-270 and 2000 U-320. Made the "dead spot" in the steering wheel tiny, and i feel much more in control and less wander. then again if you already have them I am baffled.

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #24 – May 12, 2012, 12:26:55 am

Quote

John, please tell me more about your overheating issue and installing a side radiator. I live in Texas where it gets up to 114 degrees sometimes.

I lived in Tucson back then so I've seen a little heat. Like I mentioned before, many other owners of the same model and year said they didn't have any overheating issues. Why me? I don't know. I used the radiator mist system for years before I decided to add the second radiator. There was never an issue on the flats even on hot days, just grades on hot days. As I understand it, one thing you do not want to do is overheat a 2-cycle Detroit: the O-rings between liner and block go and you get oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil.
My understanding is '92 is when they went to the wide body for U280/300 - forgot to mention that in my original post. '92 saw a lot of changes.
The only good thing about a rear radiator is the simplicity of the fan drive. Simple belt drive with air clutch. Side radiator will have a much larger hydraulic system to drive the fans. The only thing the hydraulic pump does on my coach is the power steering.
All Unihomes and Unicoaches (U270,280, 295, 300,& 320) are 100% air bag leveling and don't have jacks. And yes they need an aux. air compressor to keep air pressure up when parked. Mine is a 3/4hp 120VAC unit (HWH systems use a small 12 volt compressor) that runs once every 2 days. Air bag leveling is nice because you can do it anywhere: street, parking lot, etc. and it doesn't look like you're "camping". I'm very strict about being completely level for the frig.- I've had it for 11 years and the cooling unit is still good. I also will tilt the coach when I dump my tanks sometimes.
The nice thing about a 40' vs. 36' is that extra 4' is pure storage - depends on how much stuff you want to haul if it's important to you.
I agree with others about looking at lot coaches so when you do buy you really know what your getting. Sorry it took my so long to post - I'm still part of the working class.

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