Reader asks if RV has enough power for mountain passes

Hi Eric,
Will a 39 ft Itasca with the GM and Workhorse chassis have enough power pulling my 4,200-pound Jeep on Oregon and California mountain passes? If not, what size diesel should I look at in lieu of the gas coach?

The carrying capacity is 2,700 pounds and I know not to exceed the weight of 24,000 pounds The coach we’re interested in is the 38T gas Itasca. What about putting a Banks system on the gas coach? Will this make a difference? We don’t want to make a mistake of not having enough power to handle this setup. I would much rather spend the extra money to be happy than try to save money and be dissatisfied. –Henry Genzale

Henry,
It sounds like you have a Workhorse W-22/24 chassis with a GM 8.1 L gas engine and Allison transmission. This is a good set up and does a pretty good job in stock form. But to ensure that you do not lack for power, install in the Banks Power Pac, which really does the trick.

Banks did a fantastic job improving the stock air intake system (I think it advertises an 80 percent improvement in air flow). Next, the Banks torque tubes and monster exhaust really improve the exhaust flow out. Other net benefits besides “more power” are much improved acceleration when passing or merging into traffic, a cooler running engine and hopefully better mileage. In simple terms, the Banks power will give you much less down-shifting on slight hills and a more comforting feeling when pulling a heavier towed rig.