Why buy an RV with a Freightliner Custom Chassis?

For many shoppers, RVs begin and end with the amenities in the living quarters and cockpit. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with buying an RV that way! You can trust our salespeople to guide you toward a reliable, satisfying RVing experience without needing to know anything about what lies beneath.

However, some RV shoppers also want to know everything about the engine and chassis, and this blog post is for them. In this article, we’ll discuss all things Freightliner, from the company’s history to the chassis provided for some of the RV industry’s biggest players today. 

Nearly a century of Freightliner

Freightliner was founded in 1929, originally as the truck-manufacturing division of Consolidated Freightways, based out of Portland, Oregon. At its height, Consolidated Freightways was the number one long-haul trucking company, with over 350 terminals and 15,000 or more drivers across the US. Sadly, the company is also infamous for its third-largest-ever US bankruptcy filing and ceased business entirely in 2002. 

Thankfully, Consolidated Freightways had already parted with Freightliner: Freightliner became part of Daimler AG in 1981. And as of 2021, Freightliner belongs to the Daimler Truck subsidiary, Daimler Truck North America. This subsidiary of Daimler Truck also includes Western Star and Thomas Built Buses. 

Freightliner primarily manufactures vans, medium-duty trucks, and heavy-duty trucks; additionally, its custom chassis subsidiary (for our purposes) builds bare chassis and cutaway chassis for several different types of vehicles, including recreational vehicles.

It’s probably most recognizable as the brand that popularized the use of cabover engine (COE) semitractors, sometimes called “cab forward,” “flat face,” flat nose,” or “forward control” body styles, in the 1970s. The company remains headquartered in Portland, OR, but vehicles are currently manufactured in Cleveland and Mount Holly, North Carolina, and Santiago Tianguistenco and Saltillo, Mexico.

So, how did Freightliner end up making RVs?

In 1995, Oshkosh Custom Chassis of Gaffney, South Carolina (famous for its enormous peach), became Freightliner Custom Chassis. Freightliner Custom Chassis originally manufactured the underpinnings for walk-in vans, conventional school buses, shuttle buses, and diesel RVs.

Although this partnership dissolved with the end of Oshkosh Custom Chassis, Freightliner Custom Chassis continues to produce models originally borne of the partnership, including the S2 cutaway cab/chassis, the C2 school bus chassis, the MT-Series of step-van chassis, and the four highly versatile chassis available for RV manufacturers: the XC, SL, and MC series, and the S2RV custom chassis. 

Freightliner Custom Chassis is still located in Gaffney, SC, where it employs over 600 employees and manufactures nearly two-thirds of all diesel walk-in van chassis sold today. The company also boasts over half of the Class A diesel motorhome chassis market. Indeed, some of the most notable RV manufacturers in the world trust Freightliner Custom Chassis, including Newmar, Winnebago, Entegra, Renegade, Thor, Tiffin, and more.

What does Freightliner Custom Chassis offer?

Thanks to its commercial trucking background, Freightliner is able to continually improve its Class A diesel chassis to meet the growing demands of RV manufacturers and consumers. Freightliner Custom Chassis builds to each manufacturer’s model specifications so RV manufacturers can continue to produce the motorhomes of their customers’ dreams. 

Freightliner Custom Chassis XC series

According to Freightliner, over 80% of all Class A diesel motorhomes are assembled on the XC chassis (including the ever-popular Newmar Dutch Star), most likely because it is built in four different configurations (XCS, XCL, XCR, and XCM) for increased customizability. This added flexibility gives motorhome manufacturers many more floor plan and design options than other chassis on the market. 

Combined with a Cummins turbodiesel engine that provides up to 400 hp, Allison 2500MH transmission, Detroit Wide-Track I-Beam front axle, and V-Ride rear suspension, this baby is an ideal foundation for RV manufacturers to begin a build. The only possible drawback is that larger coaches built on this platform may feel underpowered, as 400 hp sounds like a lot until you’re towing a really big RV. 

Freightliner Custom Chassis SL series 

For comparison, the SL chassis, while similarly sized to the XC, was specifically designed to serve the higher end of luxury, so it boasts a higher horsepower rating: either 500 hp Detroit Diesel or 500 or 600 hp Cummins diesel engine.

It is also an even more customizable frame, providing RV manufacturers with even more floorplan and length options, including flat floors, pass-through basement storage for hauling toys or storing more stuff, and more.

Freightliner Custom Chassis S2RV series

Frankly, this chassis was made for folks who truly love the look and drive of diesel trucks. While strong enough to tow an RV, it’s also about as close to driving a commercial truck as many RV owners will ever get.

Powered by a Cummins B6.7-liter turbodiesel engine that provides up to 360 hp and an Allison six-speed automatic transmission, this chassis is mostly used in the Super C motorcoach space, which, frankly, just looks really cool. You can find the S2RV as the foundation for Thor, Renegade, Entegra, Jayco, Tiffin, and other Super Cs.

Freightliner Custom Chassis MC series

Freightliner's MC series offers an improved towing and toy-hauling experience for all types of customers, as it was specifically designed and optimized for towing. Powered by a Cummins B6.7-liter turbodiesel engine that provides up to 340 hp and an Allison 2500MH six-speed automatic transmission, you’ll find this chassis as the foundation of the Newmar Canyon Star, among others. 

Freightliner boasts that the MC is more fuel-efficient and durable while providing greater towing capacity than its gasoline competitors. And while this assessment may be in the eye of the beholder, there’s no denying that it’s working for the Canyon Star, at least.

As a relative newcomer to the Freightliner lineup, the MC may prove to open up even more floorplan and design creativity for manufacturers who make use of the MC’s front-engine platform. The sky is the limit for the FCC MC series, truly.

The future of FCC

Freightliner Custom Chassis has been around for a long time, and it continues to iterate on its product line in response to the needs of RV manufacturers and their shared customer base. They continue to offer sterling support and responsiveness to manufacturers and consumers alike, with more resources and benefits than ever before, including an industry-leading 5-year/100,000-mile warranty. We see no reason to doubt continued excellence from this storied industry giant.

Why buy a Freightliner Custom Chassis RV from Transwest? 

At Transwest, our goal is to get you on the road and keep you there. Our staff prides itself on talking to each customer and ensuring each RV leaving our lot is customized to be the perfect fit for each customer. Whether you want an RV for its interior or its chassis, we are here to help. Find us at a location today, or shop our online inventory for the latest innovations in RVing.