gmctoyman
Lake Livingston, Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 03/23/2005
View Profile
|
What are the advantages/disadvantages of a rear radiator versus a side mount ?
Does a side mount blow air thru the radiator - or suck it thru into the engine compartment ?
Which is best on dusty roads ?
Dave W. AKA "Toyman"
KE5GOH - On 146.52
RV's ? What RV's ???
Apache Pop-up
Classic GMC Motorhome
07 Leisure Travel Sprinter
Do Boats Count ?
|
vfrmarc
Ohio
Senior Member
Joined: 01/11/2009
View Profile
 Offline
|
Side mounts are considered more efficient but also more expensive so they tend to be on the higher end coaches. Either one will do the job, they have different maintenance quirks. Rear ones tend to get clogged with oil from the slurp tube and have a direct connect fan. The side mounts have a hydraulic drive.
We have a Front Engine Diesel so we just have the forced air to cool ours with a clutched fan to help when the heat build up is too great or we are doing a lot of slow driving in traffic.
I'm no expert just repeating what I read in this forum.
It does come down to $$$. If I use Tiffin has a reference you get a nice 40' Phaeton with a rear radiator for $230,000 or a 40' side radiator Allegro Bus (the next model up) starting in the low $300K range
|
dashdriver
Colorado
Full Member
Joined: 07/28/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Side radiator sucks from outside to in. Provides signficantly easier engine access, also less chance of rocks and other debris getting flung up by the wheels and torpedo-ing your radiator.
1999 HR Navigator 42DSS
2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (4Dr)
|
AZPops
Wherever the Job takes us...
Senior Member
Joined: 07/13/2006
View Profile
|
I’m far from being an expert with this sort of thing. Cept, I would think it makes it easier to work on the engine as well as other things with a side radiator unit.
Figure I’d post this photo of what you’ll see when you open the Eagle’s engine access door.
Pops
* This post was
edited 09/01/10 10:44pm by AZPops *
|
Snomas
Arvada, CO
Senior Member
Joined: 01/28/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
I have side radiator and it does make it easier to do minor work on engine, ie: change ac belt, air filter, etc.
2002 DutchStar 350 Cummins/Spartan Chassis, Toad 04 Odyssey
|
|
|
Triker33
Homestead, FL
Senior Member
Joined: 11/30/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
If you are thinking about getting a DP. If it has a side or rear radiator, should be a low priority on picking one.
Floor Plan, construction/quality of house rates a lot higher on my list.
Mine happens to be a rear. It is 12 years old this month. It has had the belts changed one time during that time. And Gaffney did that at very little cost.
Where the side radiator is on some MH. Mine has a usable storage compartment instead in that space.
Larry Full Time Since 99
1999 34Q Discovery DP ISB 275HP 6 Speed Allison
Banks Powerpack
DataStorm SatMax5 | VMSpc | Pressure Pro
08 HHR LT2
Click here to see where I am
|
jauguston
Bellingham, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/03/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
Side radiators cost more. Rear radiators work fine IF you extend the engine crankcase vent tube behind the radiator and clean the radiator exterior occasionally.
Jim
2005 Coachman Sportscoach Elite 402 40'
350hp Cat C-7 w/MP-8
7500w Onan quiet diesel generator
6-Kyocera 130w solar panels SB3024i MPPT controller
Pressure Pro TPMS
1987 Suzuki Samurai tintop Toad w/VW 1.6 turbo diesel power
|
wolfe10
Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 10/08/2000
View Profile
Offline
|
jauguston wrote:Side radiators cost more. Rear radiators work fine IF you extend the engine crankcase vent tube behind the radiator and clean the radiator exterior occasionally.
Jim
Jim,
A slight correction. The cleaning has to be done from the FRONT (access through the bedroom) for any sandwiched cooling system. A sandwiched cooling system has the fan pushing air through the CAC and THEN the radiator. Cleaning from the back of the radiator (rear access) will not remove the dirt from where the vast majority is deposited-- the front of the CAC.
Brett Wolfe
1993 Foretravel 36' U-240
Cat 3116, Allison 3060
FMCA Forum: www.community.fmca.com/index
Caterpillar RV Engine Owner's Club: www.catrvclub.org
|
adondo
Pasco, Washington
Senior Member
Joined: 07/28/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
Rear radiators are dead simple.
Advantages: Direct drive fan, or clutch fan. Helps create a low pressure area under the bed by blowing straight back, so little or no heat rise in stateroom. Next to nothing for maintenance other than a cleaning of the radiator every other year or so.
Disadvantages: You can't access the engine since the back end is all radiator. That means opening up the bed for the most part. Dirt, road debris and oil can collect since the radiator is in constant air flow.
Side radiators are more complex.
Advantages: easier engine access from the rear. Cycling air flow as needed, and out of the air stream as far as debris collection.
Disadvantages: hydraulic drive motor for the fan, takes more HP to spin fan. (when it's running) More maintenance for the hydraulic system, and/or checking for leaks often. Or... on older coaches, direct drive fan with 90 degree belt pulleys. (Maintenance headaches) Heat can come up into the stateroom.
For dusty roads, the side's better as the fan may not even run unless it's hot outside.
FMCA# F355513. 40 foot Safari Continental, one slide, Cat powered Magnum Blue Max chassis, PAC brake PRXB, Allison MD3060, Aqua-Hot, 7.5 KW Quiet Diesel, Howard PCS, Velvet Ride suspension. 2006 Jeep Commander.
|
jauguston
Bellingham, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/03/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
Brett,
I don't think I said from the rear did I?
Jim
|
|
|
