How Short Do Pushers Come? Both New and Used, Diesel & Gas

[ron.dittmer]

Ideal to have the entry door in front of the passenger seat.

I know gas pushers were made some years ago.  Any history on that?  Were they bad designs that they were discontinued?  Or was it simply unpopular or fuel inefficient?  I ask because a family member is very sensitive to diesel exhaust, triggering an asthma attack guarranteed.

Do the new pollution standards for diesels apply to DPs?  It seems new diesel cars, small trucks, & Sprinter diesel RVs, no longer stink like that.

I am not looking to buy a pusher.  Just educating myself for the sake of that family member.

 

[kenb1023]

Thor has a 34 footer, The Plazzo.

 

[RVcyclist]

Check out the Allegro Breeze.  There is a model that is 28'.  http://www.tiffinmotorhomes.com/allegro-breeze/overview

 

[SargeW]

I had a 2006 Itasca Meridian (Winnebago) that was 32', and was pushed by a Cummins ISB 5.9.  I loved that rig!

 

[Jim Dick]

Several years ago Monaco and Country Coach made 32' pushers. The problem with short pushers is the engine weighs so much they have to put additional weight on the front axle to keep it on the ground. I heard CC put 500lbs of pig iron on the front axle to compensate for the weight difference. Not a problem as long as you don't need the extra payload.

 

[yolo]

Do the new pollution standards for diesels apply to DPs?  It seems new diesel cars, small trucks, & Sprinter diesel RVs, no longer stink like that.

The newer DP don't stink as much as the older ones.

Our 2004 DP with a Cummins ISC engine (2003 EPA standards) did stink when you were behind it.
Our 2013 DP with a Cummins ISC engine (2010 EPA standards) doesn't smell at all.  It uses DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) at roughly 400 miles to the gallon which costs an additional 0.7 cents per mile.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Yes, the new EPA standards apply to all diesels used on the highway, regardless of size or application.

Stink pretty much went away with the introduction of the turbo-diesel, but the 2007 and 2010 EPA diesel standards eliminate even more of the gases that smell a bit. If someone is sensitive to diesel exhaust, they ought to spend some time near one before buying. And also consider the effect of the diesel generator as well as the main engine - the generator is not subject to EPA standards because it is not considered an on-road use.

Some of the old gas pusher designs had cooling problems and got a bad reputation. Diesels, which run hotter than gas engines anyway, solve those problems with enhanced cooling systems, but that adds to the cost of the chassis and lower cost is one of the main attractions of the RV gas chassis. In 2008 Workhorse built a new pusher chassis called the UFO that could be either gas or diesel, but they had some early issues getting the gas version in production and it never really caught on with the public or the RV manufacturers. And some who did buy it opted for the diesel version anyway. I guess it simply didn't have enough advantages to make it a success.

 

[ChiefM]

I learn something new everyday..... ;D

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I'm full of trivia - have a lot of time on my hands to research odds and ends.