Crash worthiness vs. Prevost - Luxury Coach Lifestyles
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Old 06-05-2009, 04:20 PM   #1
RayDF
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Default Crash worthiness vs. Prevost

I wonder: is a 2002 / 2003 Newell coach as safe as a Prevost conversion of the same vintage in a frontal crash? (Assuming everything else is equal: driver, weight, length of coach, tires, brakes, etc.) I ask because I watched a video of a crash test of what looks like a Prevost coach and it looks pretty frightening:

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/B...est_182389.htm

Ray
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Old 06-05-2009, 04:45 PM   #2
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Wonder how fast the bus was going? Looked like the structure held up pretty well.
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Old 06-05-2009, 04:59 PM   #3
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Ray, since RV's are rarely crash tested, I have no idea how a Newell would do in a similar accident. I will say that a head-on collision with a wall is probably a worst case scenario. I have seen several RV's that had turned over on the side of the road and a couple of Newells that were turned over by tornadoes. Most fiberglass RV's just come completely apart during a turn over. The Newells stayed together and were repairable although there will be significant body damage and broken mirrors and TV screens.

Any vehicle with the driver sitting at the very front, i.e. no engine forward of the driver, will have no crush room before the driver is involved. If the coach is struck by another vehicle, the bus/Newell will fair much better. The generator and Newell frame will absorb energy from a car or pickup striking the front of the coach. A bus typically does not have the generator in the front (note: a few Newells have side mounted generator rather than front mounted). To quote the expert:

Quote:
I'd like to offer comments regarding chassis and body structure, as well as the possibility of building shells for "seated companies."

Monocoque or semi-monocoque are labels that lack precise definition when applied to motor coaches. Neither Prevost nor Newell use a separate frame-rail chassis, while certainly neither is a pure monocoque in the aircraft sense. Both are most accurately described as semi-monocoque. But there are differences that are especially relevant to including large, multiple slide-outs.

Newell uses heavier steel framing below the floor and aluminum for the body framing above the floor line. Prevost uses a lighter steel frame below the floor and heavier steel body framing. The Newell approach results in more strength from the floor down. The Prevost design relies more on the body structure above the floor, in particular on a horizontal trust-like structure from the floor to the bottom of the windows running the full length of the coach. A significant difference in the results is that the Newell structure, deriving more of its strength from the structure below the floor and comparatively less from the body side walls, has been far more compatible with the addition of slide-outs, particularly larger slide-outs and multiple slide-outs, that require the sidewalls to be cut vertically.

Karl Blade
Newell Coach Corp.



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Old 11-13-2012, 03:24 AM   #4
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I have often pondered the same thing and I hope I never have to find out on a personal level.
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Old 11-13-2012, 03:55 AM   #5
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I thought that the idea was to buy quality, maintain and .....pay attention?
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Old 11-13-2012, 04:35 AM   #6
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Either way you look at it, something of this nature is not a pretty site and I hope it never happens to anyone. I think because of the Newell having a heavier bridge frame lower section should fair better on a low end hit, which would be the most common. I believe the bus design like a Prevost or MCI could fair better in a complete roll-over, which would be rare for such a heavy beast. Most rolls are onto the side. If you're going down a canyon, I wouldn't want to know. These are heavy rigs and the more you weigh the harder the hit is going to be into something solid. The chance of hitting a concrete wall is probably about like winning the lottery. But, then again a head-on will be an ugly sight no matter what you are in. A motorhome will also have a lot of other pieces that can come loose to cause injury, so great securement and storage are of utmost importance. Which confirms to me why I would not want a shatter-box.
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Old 11-13-2012, 03:12 PM   #7
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I wonder has fast the Prevost was going during the test crash? Also, how does a concrete wall actually compare in relation to a head on collision. I remember a long time ago hearing something about these comparisons on an automobile test.

I have combed this site over for quite some time now and never ran across this thread. There is a lifetime of reading on this site.
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Old 11-13-2012, 03:49 PM   #8
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I believe that was an MCI rather than a Prevost. That was a 30 mph crash. This video is an MCI undergoing a 35 mph crash. There is a significant difference in impact with the 5 mph additional speed. A concrete barrier is a formidable obstacle. Virtually all of the energy of the wreck is transmitted back to the vehicle. Hitting a concrete barrier at 35 mph has the same force as hitting a similar weight vehicle head on that is traveling at 35 mph toward you. If you hit something, go for something softer and preferably at a glancing blow rather than head on.
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Old 11-13-2012, 03:50 PM   #9
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Right, I don't want to find out either. Quality, paying attention and not buying a box of an RV that would crunch like a pop can in an accident is a start! Thomas, I always dig and find new topics to read too.
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Old 11-22-2012, 06:44 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1993Newell View Post
Right, I don't want to find out either. Quality, paying attention and not buying a box of an RV that would crunch like a pop can in an accident is a start! Thomas, I always dig and find new topics to read too.
I agree totally Ed and Melba. I would hate to see how a mass produced coach would fair in a similar test/accident.

phil
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