FRED vs. rear diesel MH's

I am a relative newbie and have a question.
What are the advantages/disadvantages of rear diesel engines vs FRED's?
My husband and I are in the market to bump up to a diesel from a class C and it's confusing enough with all the floorplans and options!
We have narrowed it down to the Tiffin Phaeton,Winnie tour/expedition or Gulf Stream Crescendo.
Any opinions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Beth

FRED will be a little more loud in the drivers and passenger seat. Not sure if a FRED has air suspension. All three companies are solid and with good reputations. I have a Gulf Stream I have found the factory extremely friendly and helpful.

Thanks for the info, Jm & Di.
Glad to hear you like your GS, that is the model we are leaning towards.
Beth

Front engine diesels are normaly smaller engines than rears.>>>Dan

I'm guessing there also might be more heat in the front with a FRED than with a DP.  On a hot day after a long run we usually open the back end of our DP to let some of the heat from the engine dissipate more quickly.  In the rear bedroom we have a seat that is right over the engine and I often sit on it to change shoes.  I can feel the warmth there after a long run, so I would think the FRED might do the same to the front end.  Incidentally, the front of a motorhome also is more difficult to cool in the summer because of the large windows.

If anyone owns a FRED it would be interesting to hear what you have to say about my guess.

ArdraF

Any front engine coach is going to be noisier and hotter up front, simply due to the location of the engine.

Also, the Freightliner FRED chassis (and also the front diesel Workhorse W22D) have solid front axles and leaf spring suspensions, while just about all the rear diesel chassis have air suspension and many have Independent Front Suspensions instead of a solid axle.

I have driven , FRED's, rear end diesels and gas (Ford & Workhorse),they all have certain disadvantages. Fred's were very noisy and a lot of vibration, rear end diesels get very warm in the rear....... The Ford was very warm up front and the Workhorse is the least of the heat and noise for me. I have a W-24, and the dog house is not anywhere near as prominent as the Ford was. Thus, I think, the reasons for less heat and noise.

Someday I suppose I will have another coach and it probably will be a rear end  diesel, simply that the chassis offers more interior room and GCVW.

Of course all dependent on "mother's" approval 8)

The Fred may have the same 6.7L engine that some DP have.
Except they usually put the smaller Allison transmission(2500) in it. And thus derate the engine down to around 600 lbs torque.
And the DP may have up to 750 lbs torque with the same engine and Allison(3000) transmission.

Something real important (maybe) not mentioned so far is the available floor plans. Many FREDs have a residential entry and if you will use the coach full time or spend a lot of time using it, the residential entry can't be beat. It wins over the front doorway entry hands down.

With an engine in front you will get a nicer back end for storage and space. Some FREDS also have a rear window, something those of us get used to not having but having had both, that rear window does something for openess and a rear view that no camera and come close to matching.

When the weather turns rainy, no front door awning is going to provide the coverage at the entrance that a residential entry with a FRED will provide.

If you are buying new, the diesel engines made today are much quieter than those made just a couple of years ago. My Journey is so quite people think I'm running my generator, not the engine. So don't be put off by the noise issue, with newer engines it isn't near the concern that was present as recently as 2007/08 in a lot of models.

On the heat issue, think about this. When you stop somewhere, lifting up the engine cover is super easy and that will exhaust a lot of heat real fast. That rear engine is cooking although I have to say the Journey has never made it warmer than comfortable even after a full day of driving. My point is that the heat probably isn't that much of an issue and besides, once it cools down, who cares? It will probably be cool a lot longer than hot anyway unless you drive a few hours, stop a few hours in high temperatures.

The power of the engines might be an issue but that depends on how much stuff you carry, how fast you need to drive over hills (and how often) and the weight of the vehicle you will tow if any. Once moving, the weight of a toad isn't the biggest issue unless you get to maximums.

The cockpits of FREDs seem to be easier on the passenger as they don't have to deal with that entry way in design. The driver never needs to walk past the passenger to go anywhere.

The front entry of most rear engine coaches is wasted space unless the stairwell cover is out and then you can't walk in/out without operating the cover.

Had the Journey 34Y been available with a FRED I'd have opted for that.

I have worked at a dealership for several years. They carry the Allegro so I have driven the FRED and Phaeton on many occasions. The newer FREDs are much better in acceleration than the first units produced. They are noisy but not much more than a front gas engine. The ride between the two cannot be compared. The Phaeton is quiet and has a very comfortable ride since it has air suspension. The braking is phenomenal as it has disc brakes. I would opt for the Phaeton anytime. The only way to be sure is insist on a test drive that allows you to really compare the two coaches.

I tend to disagree with Crackodawn as far as the entry. I guess that's why they make both types. ;D I like the front entry as it allows for more use of the available space for living. A side entry takes up valuable space for cabinets or other floor plan arrangements. These comments, of course, are a personal choice. You may find the side entry works for you better than the front.

By no means an expert here as I've only owned/driven a DP, but I have seen and heard that the rear overhang (what's behind the rear wheels) in a front-engined coach can get seriously long on the longer coaches and cause dragging problems on uneven terrain.  Also I would think that the driveshaft for such a beast has to be a minimum of 2 pieces with a center U joint and this can be a source of vibration if the middle U joint is not properly positioned.  With age, the rubber mount for the center joint deteriorates and stiffens, often moving the joint out of alignment and causing a small vibration when the coach is in motion.  Definitely something you can live with....it's just "there."

Our first coach was a mid-entry DP and we currently have a front entry. Crackodawn brings up many advantages of the mid-entry, Marlene still misses having her "library" at hand by the passenger seat and not having to rearrange whenever someone was entering or leaving the coach. The awning protection over the entry and entry right into the middle of the coach were real nice and easier to maneuver. We did lose some bay storage with the mid-entry. Even tho it was a pusher and shorter overall than our current coach, we had a longer rear overhang which did create a problem or two. Overall, if we were looking for a new coach coach today I think we would prefer a mid-entry diesel pusher, but since Newell is the only builder offering that option today, it is unlikely ;D

Looked at a FRED and liked it; however, it was rear wheel drive therefore the belly compartments did not go all the way thru to the other side. Not only that, but none of the bays would have fit my golf clubs.  :'( Other than that, the only other deal is front door entry (pusher) vs mid-door entry (FRED).