Hey, there’s a Cummins in my Hauler!
That’s right! There’s a 300 horsepower Cummins engine in this 2007 Simba 38STS by Safari Motorcoach (a division of Monaco Coach). No, the engine is not in the rear. It’s mounted in the front so that there’s plenty of room available in the rear garage to store my toys.
Great Foundation...
Now that I’ve got your undivided attention, I’ll back up a bit and delve into the foundation of this home on wheels. Freightliner is the builder of this chassis which just happens to sport the common human name of FRED . Why would Freightliner name a chassis Fred you might ask? Well, it’s quite elementary my dear Watson: FRONT ENGINE DIESEL=FRED. I’m sure during construction of this chassis the folks at Freightliner were well aware that if they were going to name it, then they had better back it up with some serious numbers—and that they did! Now I’ll show you the numbers; sitting up front is a 5.9L Cummins ISB 300hp engine with 600 foot-pounds of mountain climbing torque (I can already feel the rumble).
Compared to other motorhomes that sport front mounted gas engines and bulky dog houses between the driver and passenger, this chassis has neither. Fred cradles the Cummins engine low in its framework so that the floor of the cab between the driver and passenger is flat and usable! Closely following the engine is an Allison 2100 MH automatic transmission with overdrive, pre-filled with Transynd (a 400% longer-life transmission fluid) for increased intervals between servicing.
As for construction, Freightliner uses 50,000 psi high strength steel frame rails and double dog-bone cross members located at high stress areas for added support. The weight carrying and towing capacities for this RV chassis are: 26,000 pound Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) rating and 30,000 pound Gross Combined Weight (GCW). Above this strong foundation is the Monaco Alumaframe Superstructure which is comprised of H and C channel cross-members that stretch the length of the coach. This superstructure includes double-welded intersections and is lighter and sturdier than wood or tubular aluminum frames. This coach sure sounds like its got it all together right from the start! Now that you have some of the numbers, I’d like to add that this chassis includes Bosch hydraulic pin-slide disc brakes for greater stopping power and a 55 degree wheel cut that is provided by the Hendrickson STEERTEK front axle for easy maneuvering in those tight areas (ahhh).
Eyeful of Interior...
Both entrances of this coach have been well engineered. There are grab handles available on both sides of the interior as well as the open side of the exterior and tri folding steps at both doorways (save those shins). Once in the coach, I head for one of the four very comfortable soft touch front seats that give the feel of a very comfortable leather recliner. Each of these four front seats has the ability to swivel and recline for total rider comfort. The recliners also fold out of the path of the queen sized bed that glides down from the ceiling above. The front mounted queen-sized bed hides up in the ceiling until it is summoned by the hidden switch (above the front doorway). It hovers just above the folded seats in front and in its full upward position the front bed boasts a clearance of a whopping 78.5 inches. You won’t even notice there’s a bed up there until you bring it down!
While in transit the passengers can enjoy the ride while watching the front mounted 24” stereo color television or just do their own thing using the conveniently pre-installed 12 volt port or 110 volt duplex receptacle that is wall mounted beside each of the four seats. The front passenger seat also includes an in-dash roll out tray that would serve as a great food holder or storage for those papers that usually clutter up the dash. To keep the driver and passengers cool in the high temps of the summer the 38STS includes dash air, which is a real lifesaver for those who have ever had to drive a motorhome in a hot climate like Arizona. This of course, is in addition to the twin air conditioning units mounted on the front and rear of the coach.
Now I’ll move back in the coach to check out the amount of room available with the kitchen slide extended. There seems to be plenty of elbow space for two people to work in the kitchen, as well as for mingling around the spacious sofa. This entire area is lit by ceiling mounted fluorescent lighting which uses less power, lasts longer, and provides more usable light than conventional lighting. Storage is plentiful in the form of great looking sturdy cabinets in the kitchen and throughout the remainder of the living space. There is a closet in the hall for hanging clothes and plenty of drawer space for other items. The large double door refrigerator with ice maker in the kitchen will store more than enough cold food for those long excursions, while the convection microwave oven will brown or nuke just about any food that you might want to whip up.
When the living area is clear and it’s time to clean up, you’ll be glad to know that Safari has installed a central vacuuming system. With this system, all you have to do is plug in the hose, flip a switch, and it’s time to send the dirt back where it came from!
When it comes to monitoring this coach’s functions there is a control center that is conveniently located in the hall. This control panel includes monitoring and controls for the Onan 6,000 watt quiet diesel generator, the six house batteries, 2,000 watt inverter, heating, cooling, fresh water tank, gray tank, black tank, water pump, and slide out. Next to this control center is the fuel gauge and timer for the on board gas station to feed your toys! That’s right, this hauler even has a 30 gallon gas tank and pumping station to keep you riding all week long or even longer.
The Garage...
It wouldn’t be a hauler without a garage, so let’s get the skinny on what it has to offer. It has two queen beds that butt together and fit snugly together against the ceiling when not in use. This conveniently allows for 70 inches of clearance between the bottom of the lowest bed and the floor. Since you have the height, I might as well give you the length of the garage. There is 10 feet 5 inches of storage from the front wall of the garage to the inside of the rear gate. This garage is actually well suited for use as either a bedroom or a garage fairly equally. The flooring is a dark industrial grade material that is non-skid and impervious to most fluids. There are plenty of heavy-duty in-floor tie downs to cinch down your items. The lower walls are protected from tires and other objects with a diamond plate material, and there’s a 20” flat screen television on the inner wall that can easily be connected to a video game system.
At the rear of the garage is a hydraulic aluminum fold up lifting system sporting a capacity of 3,300 pounds. This hydraulic system is the door and the lift gate all in one package! No more driving up ramps or lifting your rides up to the deck, now all you have to do is stand back and push the button, the lift does all of the work for you! Before I leave the garage area, I just want to add that there is plenty of light, storage, and ventilation in this garage area even with the doors closed. So no matter what you may choose to use this area for, it will more than meet those needs.
Out in the Open...
After thoroughly examining the inside, I make my way to the outer limits of the coach. Outside storage is very abundant on both sides of this coach, including several of the larger areas providing pass-through storage space. These pass-through areas are great for stowing those longer and larger items that we would otherwise have to be placed in the coach, or be forced to leave behind. The outside lighting and lighted storage areas were well placed throughout the coach, as were the outside speakers that are connected to the Sirius radio system built into the dash of the coach. Safari has also added side view cameras and a rearview camera for safety purposes. These camera systems ensure that the driver of the coach has an excellent view of his or her surroundings.
The overall fit and finish of this coach is great. It has a clear and unobstructed view from the cockpit, a large selection of useful amenities, plenty of well planned space, and most important of all, it has the feel of a genuine Toyhauler. Class A Motorhaulers such as this Simba 38STS are a newer breed of Toyhauler. Coaches like this one are quickly gaining the attention and interest of the on- and off-road community as a viable alternative to the conventional tow behind model and for good reason: They’ve got the power, the ability to carry the load and the amenities to compete with the best of the bunch. See you on the road!
For more information on this Simba or any other Safari product for your own, please call 1-800-508-4587 or visit www.safarimotorcoaches.com/toyhauler.
- Mike Martin
2007 Safari Simba 38STS
Tank Gallons
Fresh Water 60
Gray Water 45
Black Water 54
Water Heater 10
LP 24
Diesel Fuel 80
Gasoline 30
