turning radius

[treedoc]

Hi all I'm a new member. I still have 2 yrs to go til I buy a Prevost. Currently a 5er. I have a lot to learn in the mean time to figure out just what model is best for me. So I'll start with these few questions. What is the turning radius of a 40 and 45ft coach? Which do you prefer? I do know I'll be towing a enclosed trailer with a motorcycle,trailer and auto inside.I've notice 60 series with 470 and 500hp. Is there a year that the change took place? or are both avaliable? We will be buying a coach about 10 years old. Thanks for your answers and comments.

[Will Garner]

Treedoc,

I am attaching turning radius templates for both 40' and 45' coaches as used by highway design engineers. Durn, I gotta remember to go rotate that 40' file.

You might make the turn a little shorter with the tag raised but I do not know by how much. You will extend the life of your tag tires when turning miniimum radius - especially on pavement!

[Jerry Winchester]

68.25 ft.

Naw, I'm just jerking you around. I don't know what it is but someone is out in the parking lot spinning one around with a tape measure even as I type to get you an answer.

I do know that we had a 40' coach with a straight axle and our 45'er with the IFS will out turn it, so axle type will make a difference.

XL's prior to around VIN T-5873 have a solid front axle. XLII's are IFS

Welcome to the POG forum. Watch out for a-holes on here..........

JDUB

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Tree Doc,

The turn radius varies with the coach. Not being evasive. I don't know the specifics, but a 40 footer with solid axle was what we had originally and I am not sure I can tell you that it was significantly different than my 45 with solid axle. Over the years Prevost tweaked the turn angle of the front wheels so generally speaking a 45 foot solid axle coach has a longer turn radius than a 45 footer with the IFS.

Those are motorhome chassis. If you were to get an entertainer chassis the wheelbase if longer so it will have a wider turn radius.

While the turn radius gets tighter on longer buses with IFS instead of running out of room on the outside of the turn, your attention has to shift to the inside of the turn because with greater steering angles the rear wheel offset to the inside of the turn gets significant.

The truth from the driver point of view is you don't think in terms of numbers after a while, you just look at the turn and intuitively you know if you can make the swing or not. I would not let any turn radius spec have any influence on whether a specific bus was what I wanted or not. If you are looking for dimensions to worry about consider that our biggest problem is ground clearance and steep transitions from highways into driveways or camgrounds with steeply pitched sites are our biggest problem because most if not all of us have had to stop and raise the bus up at either end or both from time to time to clear the ground so we did not scrape the bottom or the front or rear end.

[treedoc]

Jerrry what is IFS?

[Jerry Winchester]

Independent Front Suspension

[truk4u]

Will - Was the first one upside down, or am I having a spell?:D

[Will Garner]

Tom,

Your spirits must have effected your sight tonight - not. Yes, I have to go back and rotate the scan. I think I originally did that for Ray Davis when he was without a bus.

The templates are a good guide regardless of being equipped with IFS. If IFS was that good why did JDUB have so much repair work to do on his rear cap?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

GOOD ONE WILL. HE NEVER SAW THAT ONE COMING

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

The turn radius for a 45' XL with solid axle is 41.75 feet.


JIM

[truk4u]

Nice catch Will, I'm sure there will be sheep in your future!:D

[phorner]

Been a long time since I've seen those diagrams, Will. Brings back a lot of work memories.

[MangoMike]

Will, Will, Will...


5416
see you in OKC.

[parksincpp]

You guys seem obsessed with sheep. I took these pictures on Lake Havasu a couple of weeks ago and only found two things interesting about them.

[Will Garner]

Mike,

I consider it an honor to be "sheeped" by the midnight sheep herders in OKC. Are you bringing any of that Pork Barrel BBQ for us to sample?

See ya in OKC, we should be arriving Thursday evening.