iC-37

Topic: iC-37 (Read 8698 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: iC-37

Reply #25 – June 11, 2018, 09:55:39 pm

I have the east-west bed on a slide. No cross vent flow for air, but do have a 3/4 coach width hang up closet in the back, with washer/dryer on left side. Wife likes that part. Problem for me is, you have to extend slide and lift bed and remove engine cover to get to fwd 1/4 of engine compartment. Pain in the a... Life is one big compromise.

Re: iC-37

Reply #26 – June 19, 2018, 02:27:09 pm

Here is a quote from the Motorcader 2018 Spring Magazine by Mr. Lyle Reed: "Foretravel has its new model year in the works as well as our new model the ic-37, a.k.a. the Iron Colt. John Ragland, a production team member, was the winner of our "name the new model" contest. As its name implies, it will be a 37' motorhome built on a Spartan chassis. While smaller in size (height and length), it will be a Foretravel in all other respects and have a straight-forward audio/video system. The 2-large slide model will be equipped with a 400 hp Cummins engine with an optional 450 hp available. Its MSRP is estimated to be in the low $500s."

Re: iC-37

Reply #27 – June 19, 2018, 05:26:52 pm

I wonder what the up charge will be for the 450 HP over the 400?

Since Spartan is not putting disk brakes on the rear of the lower end chassis, I wonder if they are going to do it for FT.

What do you think straight-forward audio/video system. means?

Re: iC-37

Reply #28 – June 19, 2018, 05:34:28 pm

Turbo....maybe "simple"?

Re: iC-37

Reply #29 – June 19, 2018, 07:29:06 pm

Quote from: turbojack – June 19, 2018, 05:26:52 pm

Since Spartan is not putting disk brakes on the rear of the lower end chassis, I wonder if they are going to do it for FT.

Looking at the Spartan website for RV chassis it looks like all their RV chassis that have the L9 Cummins engine have disc breaks on both front and rear axles. To be sure though we will have to wait for Foretravel to put out the actual specs.

My wife and I are really hoping that the ic-37 will turn out to be a nice coach for we plan to downsize into it to better meet our camping needs.

Re: iC-37

Reply #30 – June 19, 2018, 07:38:18 pm

Quote from: valento – June 19, 2018, 07:29:06 pm

Looking at the Spartan website for RV chassis it looks like all their RV chassis that have the L9 Cummins engine have disc breaks on both front and rear axles. To be sure though we will have to wait for Foretravel to put out the actual specs.

My wife and I are really hoping that the ic-37 will turn out to be a nice coach for we plan to downsize into it to better meet our camping needs.

Accounting for inflation, the ic-37 will have a price comparable to the 2003 u295. Same engine and transmission but with Spartan instead of Foretravel chassis. Hopefully construction quality will be equal.

Re: iC-37

Reply #31 – July 24, 2018, 09:16:50 pm

This just in ....

"I hope this email finds you well. Foretravel will be introducing a new coach called the ic-37 on January 2019, and it will be 37 foot long. We are in the process of building our first one. Please see attached the spec sheet and first floorplan for the Foretravel ic-37. Some items may change as the first one is completed.

I will send you more information and pictures in the upcoming months as the ic-37 is completed. I hope you are having a great week!

Sincerely,

Kristen Conklin
Foretravel of Texas
Factory Coach Specialist"

Re: iC-37

Reply #32 – July 26, 2018, 08:08:12 pm

Quote from: Caflashbob – June 03, 2018, 01:05:00 am

Any aqua hot is great.

I know people love them. As a FT tech, people were running them on low voltage,which caused a multitude of issues. They take lots of DC to run dry camping.
I also had to rebuild and install my share of pumps that leaked. This also caused a bunch of damage to the belly foam/fiberglass.Done that repair a few times.
The baggage compartment of coaches with AH's, always smelled of diesel.
And lastly, we replaced a few complete AH's from people dragging the exhaust coming in Liberty Lake store's driveway in their 42'. But that isn't AH's fault.
We then built skid plates for them
When I was looking for a used coach, number 1 on the list was NO Aqua Hot...Just sayin
Chris

Re: iC-37

Reply #33 – July 26, 2018, 08:35:37 pm

Chris good points. "You pay for every one of your pleasures. If you did not pay as much, it probably was not as much fun was it?" My standard comment to prospective Foretravel buyers when I sales managed the ca store in the late 80's.

I do not recall hardly any posts here about diesel smells or pump issues.

Improper winterization in your cold area may be a contributor.

I am not thin just normal and the temp fluctuations and noise from propane furnaces and the dry air kept me from a sound sleep every night and would talk me out of owning any rv without aquahot.

Turning on the propane furnaces first then the flame and then the runover from the flame shutoff to cool the heater box bothers us.

Sweat then cooler. Too many cold dry camps.. We like the ability to go into full four seasons without doing anything but driving there.

The dc use was not terribly noticeable over other electronic systems and our chest refer underneath being on.

But I do have good batteries.

Sorry. Too many lost sleep nights from laying in bed and going from too hot to too low.

Throw the covers off. Then doze. Then cool. Covers back on. Doze. Furnace kicks on. Even colder. Then hotter.

Repeat cycle.

Especially in the older coaches with the bedroom furnace in the cabinet under the tv and blowing across the hallway.

So you make its setting too cold. Not good if you are younger and heathy and like romance.

Been a long time since Foretravel sold a non hydronic heated coach...

Re: iC-37

Reply #34 – July 26, 2018, 10:09:14 pm

Quote from: Caflashbob – July 26, 2018, 08:35:37 pm

Chris good points. "You pay for every one of your pleasures. If you did not pay as much, it probably was not as much fun was it?" My standard comment to prospective Foretravel buyers when I sales managed the ca store in the late 80's.

I do not recall hardly any posts here about diesel smells or pump issues.

Improper winterization in your cold area may be a contributor.

I am not thin just normal and the temp fluctuations and noise from propane furnaces and the dry air kept me from a sound sleep every night and would talk me out of owning any rv without aquahot.

Turning on the propane furnaces first then the flame and then the runover from the flame shutoff to cool the heater box bothers us.

Sweat then cooler. Too many cold dry camps.. We like the ability to go into full four seasons without doing anything but driving there.

The dc use was not terribly noticeable over other electronic systems and our chest refer underneath being on.

But I do have good batteries.

Sorry. Too many lost sleep nights from laying in bed and going from too hot to too low.

Throw the covers off. Then doze. Then cool. Covers back on. Doze. Furnace kicks on. Even colder. Then hotter.

Repeat cycle.

Especially in the older coaches with the bedroom furnace in the cabinet under the tv and blowing across the hallway.

So you make its setting too cold. Not good if you are younger and heathy and like romance.

Been a long time since Foretravel sold a non hydronic heated coach...

We use a Mr Heat blue flame heater, leave window cracked, vent cracked. Blows you out of the MoHo in winter while on the ocean. No voltage use.
Have electric base board for land line hookup
I bet I rebuilt, repaired, replaced 25+ AH burners, and pumps during 2 yrs. Also replaced at least 15 boards.There was a re-call to boot...

But that was then, may not be now. It still left a bad taste in my mouth (diesel) LOL
Cheers

Re: iC-37

Reply #35 – July 26, 2018, 10:45:04 pm

your experience is a great resource.

If you told me my 20 year old aquahot would require replacement to last another 20 years I would unhesitatingly buy the aquahot coach.

A new ic-37 has an aquahot In it.

I marvel that I can own a similar piece of technology to a new $1 million dollar coach for twenty cents on the dollar of its then new 1/3 price then.

Would not own a coach without hydronic heating. But we want and have used coaches in deep winter and 120F at the river.

Most do not use their coach that way.

I wanted a Foretravel rv, not park model. No paint. Too hot. Propane? No heated tank bays. Temp swings. Dry my eyes. Propane limits the staying time. 19 gallons versus 192 to run the heating system. Propane is odoriferous.

Re: iC-37

Reply #36 – July 26, 2018, 11:53:21 pm

In floor heat and hydronic heat from an AH. Sounds like a winner to me. Our AH is about 18 years old. Most AH failures result from lack of use, not so much from misuse. Ours gets run on diesel at least once a month and we go about three years between "annual" service.

Everyone gets to play with the toys they choose. Once we had an AH (after 36 years of propane furnaces) we would be very hard pressed to have anything else. Others have had different experiences.

Re: iC-37

Reply #37 – September 07, 2018, 09:22:11 pm

Looking at the specs. We are not dry campers so the all elec coach with a residential fridge is what we want. We live in the Deep South so a third ac unit would be nice. Need a dishwasher. Would like theater recliners instead of a couch. Wife is disabled so a seated vanity in BR would help.

We are currently in a 2016 Allegro Bus (40AP) which is bigger than we need. This coach many well meet our needs.

Ron

Re: iC-37

Reply #38 – September 08, 2018, 12:28:04 am

An installation using a tankless or normal RV water heater could pump hot water everywhere an AH does and with almost no maintenance. Plus, what do you do if traveling in the winter and the AH stops working? How long to wait until someone can reach you to fix it (from several states away) plus it's really cold outside and all the motels won't take your dogs?

Pierce

Re: iC-37

Reply #39 – September 08, 2018, 12:53:20 am

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – September 08, 2018, 12:28:04 am

An installation using a tankless or normal RV water heater could pump hot water everywhere an AH does and with almost no maintenance.

That's an interesting idea. I wonder what the BTU output from an Aquahot is and what size tankless it would take to match it? The Aquahot is nice, but not a fan of the exhaust smell.

Re: iC-37

Reply #40 – September 08, 2018, 01:36:26 am

We had a diesel boiler with hot water through the house for years. Lots of fiddling with it compared to a hot water storage propane fired heater. We have a tankless now but it's not trouble free compared to the tank heater that sits there year after year.

Diesel has about 40% more BTUs but propane is super inexpensive even compared at the BTU level.

When we were on the ocean, we had a diesel heater that was super simple with a hand pump pressure tank and coils the diesel traveled through before it dripped on the burner. It never gave any trouble plus no nozzles to clog. Just a restriction of the diesel at ambient temps, a filter and the hand pump every couple of hours. In high latitudes off Japan in winter, it kept the boat warm. No other controls or any kind of electronics.

The Toyo OM-22 is about the only diesel fired direct vent heater that is pretty reliable that I have ever heard of (we have one). Still requires maintenance but would work well in an RV. Blower uses some juice.

Pierce

Re: iC-37

Reply #41 – September 08, 2018, 01:47:41 am

My '81 has 2 Red Hunter diesel heaters Foretravel must have had a source for these. They were used in the sleepers of OTR trucks back in the late 70's and early 80's It only has 2 zones, living room kitchen and bathroom bedroom.

Re: iC-37

Reply #42 – September 08, 2018, 09:52:50 am

Diesel Aqua Hot heaters are 50,000 BTU. That's a lot of heat for no more fuel it uses. The electric element is usually1600 watts.

Jim

Re: iC-37

Reply #43 – September 08, 2018, 10:33:11 am

I've seen some diesel heaters for OTR trucks but they were really expensive. The Toyo would be good for an RV as it's small, very efficient and is direct vent so it has a 3" hole right behind it where the intake and exhaust are in a single tube. No smell or water vapor but it does use 110V for the fan. No hot surfaces so you can put your hand on top or the sides.

Note: this has been replaced by the OM-23

At the low setting and 8000 btu, it only uses .06 gallons of diesel per hour. See specs below.

Pierce

Re: iC-37

Reply #44 – September 08, 2018, 05:27:42 pm

Jim, I think they are using a smaller AquaHot in the iC37. Two zones, much smaller hot water capacity. I am pretty pleased with the one in our U320.

MODEL 400D

Aqua-Hot's 400-series are the Most Compact System for Diesel Motorhomes
Features

- Continuous on-demand hot water
- Quiet, clean, even, moist interior heat
- Adds thousands of dollars to the value of an RV
- Two sources of energy for heating comfort
- Uses AC shore power for light duty heating and hot water use
- Uses diesel fuel for heating in colder temperatures and continuous hot water
Specifications

- Maximum Interior Heat Exchanger BTUs 65,600
- Continuous, Tank-less Hot Water 1.25 GPM
- Engine Preheating No
- Electric Elements 1-120VAC, 1650W
- Fuel Diesel
- Max Fuel Usage .41 GPH
- AVG Fuel Usage /Day Dry Camping 1-4 Gallons
- AVG Fuel Usage/Day Shore Power 1-2 Gallons

Re: iC-37

Reply #45 – September 08, 2018, 05:52:25 pm

One thing I hadn't seen mentioned in this thread is kind of leveling system used in the IC-37. The spec sheet that I saw posted lists an HWH hydraulic leveling system instead of air leveling. I would miss air leveling...
Don

Re: iC-37

Reply #46 – September 08, 2018, 05:56:04 pm

Bummer there's no separate black and grey tank and combined as is, it's 130 gal.

I have a 36' with 96 gal. fresh, 103 gal. grey and 51 gal. black. Just under normal use with full hookups, it doesn't take long to fill up the grey tank with showers and such. And... I flush the sewer hose with grey water after draining the black tank...

Re: iC-37

Reply #47 – September 08, 2018, 06:02:25 pm

Quote from: Don & Tys – September 08, 2018, 05:52:25 pm

One thing I hadn't seen mentioned in this thread is kind of leveling system used in the IC-37. The spec sheet that I saw posted lists an HWH hydraulic leveling system instead of air leveling. I would miss air leveling...
Don

I love the air leveling because it is automatic. The Monaco Sig. I had was equipped with hydraulic auto leveling, push a button and it leveled. The down side was putting pads under the feet, the upside was being able to pull wheels at the touch of a button. Wonder which one will be in the IC-37?

Re: iC-37

Reply #48 – September 08, 2018, 08:38:50 pm

I wonder how they get away with a 24,000 lb single rear axle?

Re: iC-37

Reply #49 – September 08, 2018, 08:49:01 pm

Quote from: Bill & Kim – September 08, 2018, 05:56:04 pm

Bummer there's no separate black and grey tank and combined as is, it's 130 gal.

I have a 36' with 96 gal. fresh, 103 gal. grey and 51 gal. black. Just under normal use with full hookups, it doesn't take long to fill up the grey tank with showers and such. And... I flush the sewer hose with grey water after draining the black tank...

Bill,

Once you have a combo black/grey tank you would never want to go back to separate tanks. No need to flush out the tank for there is enough combined liquid to empty it out very well. We have a 140 gal combo black/grey water tank and have never had an issue with it. I only use a little downy flushed down the toilet once in a while when on the road traveling. When I empty it goes to "0" no problem. If you are somewhere where emptying grey water is allowed we have a grey water bypass valve that will let only the new grey water to the ground. Not sure if the ic-37 has a grey water bypass valve. We full-time so we use the combo black/grey tank a lot!

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