Newbie question

[Sugarshore]

Interesting and thank you.

[Golfbum18]

Originally Posted by Spinner

Hi
We just took our pre-owned 2018 Axis 24.2 on a little drive today to get more experience driving it. The only real drive we've had in it was driving it home from the dealer.
We had a class B van prior to this. It seemed like keeping the speed between 62-65 on the interstate made the coach ride better.
Is this what the rest of you have found?
Also, there is cruise control available.
Does anyone use this feature driving a big motorhome?
Sorry these seem like stupid questions but I would really like to know.

Although many have given very useful tips, don't forget that handling is very dependent on air pressure....be sure to know you ratings, usually a placard near the driver, and set those temps on you load. We travel without a lot in the tanks other than maybe some gals in the fresh water for toilet stops, dishes if we need and always set those according to cold ratings.

[Bob Denman]

One more tip: take a deep breath, and relax your grip.
There's no need to choke the life out of the steering wheel.

[bill2913]

Originally Posted by Spinner

Hi
We just took our pre-owned 2018 Axis 24.2 on a little drive today to get more experience driving it. The only real drive we've had in it was driving it home from the dealer.
We had a class B van prior to this. It seemed like keeping the speed between 62-65 on the interstate made the coach ride better.
Is this what the rest of you have found?
Also, there is cruise control available.
Does anyone use this feature driving a big motorhome?
Sorry these seem like stupid questions but I would really like to know.

I have taken my 2016 Axis two times now from Seattle, WA. to Pipe Stone, Min. by way of interstate 90. It seemed to cruse at 70/75 just fine I did use the cruse control as much as I could. I found I have a lead foot and find my self pushing 80 from time to time. Both times going to Minnesota I had a tail wind pushing me and the fuel economy was great like 11 mpg. But coming back to Seattle It was like fighting a wind storm head on. my speeds was much slower and the fuel economy went out the window, dropping to around 9 mpg.

[jannnda]

Originally Posted by bill2913

I have taken my 2016 Axis two times now from Seattle, WA. to Pipe Stone, Min. by way of interstate 90. It seemed to cruse at 70/75 just fine I did use the cruse control as much as I could. I found I have a lead foot and find my self pushing 80 from time to time. Both times going to Minnesota I had a tail wind pushing me and the fuel economy was great like 11 mpg. But coming back to Seattle It was like fighting a wind storm head on. my speeds was much slower and the fuel economy went out the window, dropping to around 9 mpg.

I have never got 9mpg.....ever!

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by jannnda

I have never got 9mpg.....ever!

Now,the question becomes: "Did you get more , or less : than 9 miles per gallon?"

[jannnda]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Now,the question becomes: "Did you get more , or less : than 9 miles per gallon?"

Less...best was just under 8mpg. Most of the time it’s less than 7mpg and I never go over 65mph. I live in south Texas, so it’s pretty flat. I didn’t buy a RV to brag about my gas mileage but it seems every one I talk to gets much better mileage than I do. Not sure what I am doing wrong

[MJC62]

Originally Posted by jannnda

Less...best was just under 8mpg. Most of the time it’s less than 7mpg and I never go over 65mph. I live in south Texas, so it’s pretty flat. I didn’t buy a RV to brag about my gas mileage but it seems every one I talk to gets much better mileage than I do. Not sure what I am doing wrong

What you are doing wrong is not s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g your MPG.... (our ACE is usually between 7 and 8 depends on how windy)

[jannnda]

Originally Posted by MJC62

What you are doing wrong is not s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g your MPG.... (our ACE is usually between 7 and 8 depends on how windy)

I record everything. In just under 3000 miles I have gotten 6.989mpg. It is very hot here so I do run the gen most of the time and I pull my toad most of the time. Again, I knew the gas mileage would be bad so I am not complaining. It would be nice if it was 8mpg .......

[MJC62]

Originally Posted by jannnda

I record everything. In just under 3000 miles I have gotten 6.989mpg. It is very hot here so I do run the gen most of the time and I pull my toad most of the time. Again, I knew the gas mileage would be bad so I am not complaining. It would be nice if it was 8mpg .......

Running that genny most of the time will definitely knock down your mileage. When we travel and overnight at a rest area we run the genny all night for the a/c, usually around 8 hours. That tank will usually run about a mpg less than our average.
Their are folks that claim they are getting double digit gas mileage from a V10 class A, I have doubts but I suppose its possible. Our last coach a 24' B+ Chevy V8 would hit 10, occasionally 11 mpg on the flats if I kept the foot off the go pedal, we were ecstatic with that. Running mountains the mileage was usually 8-9. This class A towing the Jeep we are happy if when she hits 8 mpg.

[MichFigs]

Originally Posted by Sugarshore

2018 Axis 24.1 here also. Added saf t plus immediately; never had it aligned. Never in a hurry so keep it only slightly above speed limit. Use cruise only when it looks like clear sailing ahead on long straightaways. Can really feel the power kick on an uphill climb...Someone please share information in tow/haul option. We don’t tow anything...didn’t know we had a tow/haul option.

We use the tow/haul constantly when pulling our Toad. The V-10 coupled to the 6 speed tranny (with the 5-Star tuner) has made a big difference in the powering up and down hilly terrain. Most noticeable on the long downhill grades. Love the Vegas

[Bob Denman]

jannnda,
Running the generator and towing are probably the source of your less than great fuel economy...
Have you tried dividing the driving compartment from the rest of the coach with a curtain, and just using the chassis' AC unit?
We added this to our RV:
http://www.thorforums.com/forums/att...1&d=1574428589

[jannnda]

Bob,
We travel with 3 Irish Settlers. I converted the table to hold 2 crates and we put the other crate in the hallway. We end up running the dash a/c and both roof a/c’s most of the time. We are headed to La Grange today and the temps may allow us not to use the gen. I know on our return trip we won’t need the a/c.
I will let ZZ TOP know you said “hello”.

[Bob Denman]

ZZ?

Have a fan-dang-TASTIC trip!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXswale5Kss

[WearyTraveler]

Originally Posted by jannnda

Something I wasn’t doing is using the “tow” button. When I am getting off the interstate I press it and leave it on until I get back on the freeway.

Why only off the interstate? I thought T/H would help primarily for maintaining speed up hills and helping slow on the downgrades? I’m still trying to figure things out...

[jannnda]

Originally Posted by WearyTraveler

Why only off the interstate? I thought T/H would help primarily for maintaining speed up hills and helping slow on the downgrades? I’m still trying to figure things out...

I leave it on most of the time but in south Texas it’s pretty flat. We are leaving on a short trip. I will leave it on all the time. See what she does on the freeway overpasses.

[Working@70]

Originally Posted by Spinner

Hi
We just took our pre-owned 2018 Axis 24.2 on a little drive today to get more experience driving it. The only real drive we've had in it was driving it home from the dealer.
We had a class B van prior to this. It seemed like keeping the speed between 62-65 on the interstate made the coach ride better.
Is this what the rest of you have found?
Also, there is cruise control available.
Does anyone use this feature driving a big motorhome?
Sorry these seem like stupid questions but I would really like to know.

Welcome, Newbie! We have a Thor 4 Winds 24 foot MH with the Ford Triton V-10. It likes it at 65, which seems too slow for us as the big trucks sail past. It will do 70 just fine, but 75 feels fast. We found that when we got it used, with just under 10,000 miles on it, it was badly out of alignment, and with a competent alignment it turned into a pleasure to drive. Since i have a lead foot, we normally get 9 MPG. i talked to the owner of a 65 foot Coachman who has the courage to keep it between 50 and 55 and claims 13 MPG. We use the cruise control, but on hills it is useless; it kicks the trans down too far and the noise goes way up. i prefer controlling my speed mylself, or better yet letting it slow down until the crest of the hill like trucks do. The "Tow/Haul" feature is overly controlling; it locks out the overdrive and when your speed decreases to around 30, it assumes you are on a steep downhill and reduces your speed further. i don't like it, although i don't haul a trailer or anything behind.

[mountainsam]

For anyone not knowing when to use tow/haul just turn it one for the first 100 miles of your trip and test it out. You will probably find the changes so suttle that you don't know when its on or off. But the engine will know. Theres a rule of thumb that says "The gear that got you to the top is the gear that will get you down". Thats not always the case but its a good start. When you have a heavy load, as all RVer's do, start down the hill in a lower gear with T/H on and cruise off. The plan is to arrive safely at the bottom without burning up the brakes.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by mountainsam

...The plan is to arrive safely at the bottom without burning up the brakes.

Amen!

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by Working@70

The "Tow/Haul" feature is overly controlling; it locks out the overdrive and when your speed decreases to around 30, it assumes you are on a steep downhill and reduces your speed further. i don't like it, although i don't haul a trailer or anything behind.

Tow/haul does not lock out the 6th gear overdrive. Tow/haul increases the control pressure in the transmission to make the shifts faster and more firm. It also revises the shift points (in mph) and holds the transmission longer in a specific gear to avoid needlessly hunting for the proper gear. In my 18,000 lb coach with the 4.30 rear gear and 245/70-19.5 tires, the trans shifts into 6th at 52 mph with the tow/haul out; with the tow/haul in the 6 th gear shift point is 65 mph. The is very useful in the Texas Hill Country where the speed limit is 55 to 65 mph or bucking a 35 mph headwind. Cruising at 55/60mph with the tow/hall in the trans stays in 5th with the cruise on in almost every condition.