[keeponvaning]

A pretty useless test but...

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

For Sale: Slightly used Winnebago Trend, some roof damage and forward body compression. Runs and drives fine. Make an offer and drive it away today!

 

[seapro]

Stopping the video above at 37 seconds reveals an underside view. Can knowledgeable folks identify what we see? Blue tanks? Drop in battery boxes? What else is there there?

 

[phil]

My guess is,

At :38
upper white tanks are storage bins, access through exterior hatches

At 1:15
behind the stupidly narrow rear axle is a generator.
upper right corner looks like 2 tanks connected, so black and grey
water tank should be inside
upper middle propane
behind muffler, battery box, access under the vehicle
blue should be insulation

I enjoyed the cab hinge point.

 

[MsNomer]

I enjoyed the cab hinge point.

What's with the cab hinge point? Does the frame flex or just tilt in relation to the body?

 

[phil]

I'm sure the cab in movie flexed enough to damage the cab to cabin connection.

The cut away version has structure on top of it's frame for upfitters, frame cap?

Here's are some clear pictures of what the frame looks like.

super low price, I'm not sure if it's legal to bolt a plywood panel to the back and call it good to go, certainly wouldn't be worst the the Trend's cab to cabin connect.

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=446216674&zip=46220&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D46220%26showcaseOwnerId%3D66771403%26listingTypes%3Dused%26startYear%3D1981%26sortBy%3DderivedpriceASC%26incremental%3Dall%26firstRecord%3D0%26endYear%3D2018%26modelCodeList%3DRMPROMAST%26makeCodeList%3DRAM%26searchRadius%3D0%26trimCodeList%3DRMPROMAST%257C3500&listingTypes=used&startYear=1981&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0&endYear=2018&modelCodeList=RMPROMAST&makeCodeList=RAM&searchRadius=0&makeCode1=RAM&modelCode1=RMPROMAST

 

[phil]

interesting tidbit about RVs
It's legal for an upfitter to use a 2014 chassis and finish it in 2016 and call it 2016 model.
ref:
http://winnebagoind.com/resources/service/pdfs/2009-08%20Q%20&%20A's%20on%20Split%20Model%20Years%20for%20Motorhomes.pdf.

 

[Brian P]

Preproduction / prototype vehicles are fun to play with ... It's not getting sold anyhow; might as well do some "tests" ...

What's with the cab hinge point? Does the frame flex or just tilt in relation to the body?

The Ducato's cab and frame are no doubt quite a bit stiffer than the motorhome structure built on top of them, and there's a heavy drivetrain up front which wants to keep falling down, so the entire cab and frame are flexing the motorhome structure and partially collapsing the front of it.

 

[nebulight]

funny that they will not add a second alternator as that would require a crash test, but will drop a trend from 3 feet in the air? Interesting.

 

[GaryBIS]

Hi,
I was pretty impressed by the video -- I think a lot of commercial RVs would not do nearly as well.

Winnebago uses a steel frame -- https://winnebagoind.com/products/class-c/2016/trend/exterior/structure/

I've seen pictures of some RV's after a crash in which they are basically reduced to a pile of sticks.

If I were buying a commercial RV, I'd give Winnebago points for their frame construction.

Gary

 

[keeponvaning]

Not much of a "test" when you gently lift up a vehicle with a crane and only drop it 3' straight down. In fact, pretty ridiculous!

 

[GaryBIS]

Not much of a "test" when you gently lift up a vehicle with a crane and only drop it 3' straight down. In fact, pretty ridiculous!

I guess it could be more severe, but it does hit the ground at sqrt(2*(32 ft/sec^2)*3 ft) = 14 ft/sec or 10 mph, and it impact surface is concrete.

This is one blurb from Winnebago:

Winnebago continues to test it’s products in ways that exceed industry standards and practices. Nothing is more dramatic than the drop test, where a coach is hoisted three feet into the air and then dropped on it’s roof. Afterwards, Winnebago engineers carefully examine structural integrity, appliance and cabinet attachment, and impact absorption.

Several high-speed cameras were used to record a Winnebago Trend hitting the pavement. After the test, notice how the door frame does not deform and can be opened because of the rigid superstructure. This kind of destructive testing is very expensive, but over the years tests like these have helped us improve the durability of our products.​

Another inverted drop test video:

Quite a bit of damage on the both the reinforced and unreinforced cars. Drop height is only 18 inches, but a bit more severe in that its not dropped straight down.

Another one:

I'm still pretty impressed

Gary

 

[MsNomer]

I googled "crash Ducato". Bottom line is avoid anything bigger than you are and you are probably fine. You don't want a glancing blow with an F-350.

 

[keeponvaning]

Well if our Promasters ever get picked up and then dropped 3' straight down I guess we will know what will happen. Of course, this isn't even a full Promaster it's a cut away with a Winnibago body attached to it.

 

[GapRunr]

If I am in a Promaster that is upside down and in the air, I've probably got bigger issues than a straight vertical drop.