Class of 2019

[mds1]

Wow Wayne, thanks for the detailed response regarding the truck purchase. Fortunately I'm up to speed on weight issues. I'll have to go back and see what 37' fifth wheel you ended up with. 37 and 38' are perfect size in my book. We are wanting to keep it under 40' and no less than 35' which is where most of the rear living room models we like fall between.

I was under the impression the 2017 Ford F350 diesel dually long bed had a 48 gallon fuel tank. Is you trailer a wide body?

Good to know about the blind spot warning system not working with your trailer. I was under the impression it worked with up to a standard 8' wide trailer.

I'll be looking at those BakFlip MAX4 tonneau covers but will keep your advise in mind and find one that can stay half open when towing. I can see some use for that. 

What did you do for a hitch? Our top five trailers are at 17,500 and under gross weight. And we are getting a dually diesel long bed.  I've been looking into the Curt and B&W.

Nearly forgot to ask. What gear ratio did you go with. 3.55 or 4.10?

 

 

Mark

 

Edited March 11, 2018 by mds1

[Jinx & Wayne]

We bought an older RV.  We got a 2006 Carriage Carri-Lite 36KSQ.  They were top of the line when new and this one was lightly used.  I upgraded to disc brakes, 17.5 inch wheels and 8000 lb wet hub axles.

Trailer is 8 feet wide with four slides.  

I think the crew cab has a 48 gal tank.

We have 3.55.  It seems to be plenty of power.

We bought a Hensley Trailer saver BD3 Air ride hitch.  3,500 pin and 18,000 load.  I chose that one because it comes apart into two sections of about 80# each so I can remove it easily when not in use.

Wayne

[RoadtripsAndCampfires]

Joining Class of 2019.  Take off date no later from one year from today.  Probably May,  maybe sooner.

Have camped for 50 years and have planned to RV fulltime since my early camping years.  Have survived by weekend and vacation trips.  Wow, it's almost here.  Hubby Wayne has had same dream and we have been together and planning for 30 years.  Have had all sorts of vehicles tents/pick up camper/A-frame/Winne MH, Class B, and currently about to sell our second Class B as we purchased a Silverado 4x4 and a new cargo trailer which we are turning into an RV.  I'm retired and he will be early next year.

We've been downsizing for 10 years.  We will have no storage.  Have 2 garage sales to go, one soon and one just before take off.  This time the bedroom furniture is going and we are sleeping on our camping cots (with comfy mattresses on top) in order to do that.  Our clothes are in storage tubs.

Having fun creating whatever I want in this RV.  We wanted small to hit the smaller campsites and can disconnect the truck if need be.  We went with the ramp not barn door model so we can really extend it if there is room.  Plus we think that's a great way to bring two e-bikes along rather than having to lift them up and down from bike racks.

Looking forward to getting to know the group.

[khantroll]

I find myself suddenly in the class of 2019 as well! I thought it would be later, if it happened at all, but we've settled on a plan of moving into my old 1972 Winnebago Chieftain by the end of June. The plan is to use it for at least a year or two, and then buy a fifth wheel (I have a 2007 Ford F350 with a work bed already). 

As far as preparations go, we are getting the old girl ready. It shouldn't take too much, as I used her for work from 2012 until 2015. She has an atwood on-demand hot water heater, an upgraded water system, and brand new propane regulator and hoses. I also upgraded the generator from the old onan 4k to a 6.5k genset. Her fridge was swapped out for super efficient r134-based apartment fridge. 

The work to be done is mostly brake work, and some interior updating. I hope to find the money to install solar by the time we move into it, but if not it will happen later in the year. 

I'm incredibly happy that we finally get to do this! Yay class of 2019!

 

[rpsinc]

Dont forget to replace the CO detectors too.  Or you might get a rude early morning awakening.

[Kirk W]

15 hours ago, khantroll said:

moving into my old 1972 Winnebago Chieftain

That is a real classic RV! We had friends who owned one on a Dodge chassis as I remember. 

14 hours ago, rpsinc said:

Or you might get a rude early morning awakening.

Or you might not wake up at all....    😕

[khantroll]

Kirk: I love the old girl. That's one of the reasons we decided to start full-timing with her. When I was a kid, my parents had an RV called a Zodiac, built on a Ford chassis. As an adult, there were a lot of factors that inspired me to get back into RVing: traveling for work and having easier family vacations were the biggest ones. I started looking at all of my options, and eventually made the decision to go vintage. Looking back, I think I wanted to recapture something of my childhood. 

I changed jobs in 2015, and so I've been stationary. It's been good; I work for a wonderful company, and I've fallen in love with an incredible woman. But I've always wanted to be back on the road. Initially, my fiance and I were looking at buying a fifth wheel, but I felt like I'd be doing the old Winnebago a disservice. So after many late night conversations, we decided we'd use the Winnebago for the time being. At 25 foot, she's a little on the small side, but it will give us a chance to figure out what we like and don't like as a couple in the RV. 

The Winnebago (which is named Wiley), is a 1972 Winnebago Chieftain D24-CL which I have converted to a standard D24. The difference is is that the CL came with a desk and chair, instead of the two convertible couches. She sits on the Dodge M-375 chassis, which shares some items with the Dodge M-series military vehicles. Her drive train consists of a Dodge 413-1 8 cylinder engine coupled to the Dodge Torqueflite 3 speed transmission and a Dana 70HD rear end. The drive train is one of the reasons I went with this vintage option: those same components were common across many years of Dodge vehicles, and parts are incredibly common. 

I've got to re-do most of her brake system,. Incidentally, the brake system is one reason I'd urge anyone looking at a vintage Winnebago get a later model one; many of her brake parts are specific to the M-375. She has 6 wheel cylinders that need to be replaced, as well as two slave cylinder/booster units. 

RPSinc: I hadn't actually put that on my list, though I knew it needed to be done. I have added though. I think I need to just go ahead and get new ones. I know they make combo units, but isn't the prevailing wisdom to have smoke detectors up high, and CO detectors down low because it is a heavier gas? 

 

Edited July 18, 2018 by khantroll

[Kirk W]

5 hours ago, khantroll said:

CO detectors down low because it is a heavier gas? 

CO is not heavier than air but mixes well with air. In the bedroom, it should probably be just above the height of the bed, where you are breathing.  See this link.

What is heavier than air is your propane and that detector should be near the floor or even in the stairwell. It is pretty common today for RVs to have a combination detector of LP and CO and it is for the LP that they are mounted low. 

Edited July 18, 2018 by Kirk Wood

[khantroll]

Kirk: Thanks! 

[CasperBob]

My wife and I will be in class of 19. Been a long road for us, as we had hoped to be part of the class of 17, then 18... What was it someone once said? Oh yeah, "Right in the middle of all my plans life happened."

Living in Casper Wyoming housing market is greatly affected by the energy economy, so class of 17 became the class of 18 for us. Then we decided what any sane person would do. We thought we would tackle a "few" remodeling projects while the economy was down so as to get a bit more out of the stick & bricks when the real estate market came back strong. Having been a contractor for a number of years a few decades ago, I should have known my remodeling projects would turn into a complete renovation of our home. Haha, what was I thinking?!

While my wife and I have been married for only 3 years, just celebrated number 3 on Aug. 1st, we both grew up tent camping and RVing. Between the two of us we have owned truck campers, (not practical for us old folks in the middle of the night, lol), popup tent campers, travel trailers, and we currently own a 32' 5th wheel.

Originally we had planned on a bigger truck, possibly a class 8 singled out and a 40+ foot 5th wheel toy hauler as we both own motorcycles and are involved in a motorcycle ministry. But now with my aging mother-in-law living with us and having pulled our current 5th wheel many miles in windy Wyoming and watching the dogs tail wag up to a foot, we've decided to move to a class A pusher pulling our small motorcycle trailer. Kirk, I'm sure you remember the Wyoming wind having lived in Cheyenne all those years.

During the eclipse last year we met a bunch of the Bluebird Wanderlodge owners. I fell in love with those vintage birds. My wife said ok as long as it has a slide, so I guess I'll compromise on that. We'll see when the time gets closer who wins the persuasion game, lol.

Anyway, we have had a couple of major garage sales, gotten rid of a lot of stuff, will finish up the last of the remodeling projects this winter and hope to have the house on the market by April. Needless to say, we are getting very excited. Hope to see some of you out there on the road.

[skeet]

CasperBob...Welcome to Class of 2019. Like you I'm working on the house...should be done with the exterior by middle of September. Then.. remodel 2 baths and kitchen, paint the interior, new carpet in 3 bedrooms...and on...and on. Hope to put on market 1st of May 2019.

Keep us informed on your progress..and best of luck to you.

[Kirk W]

On 8/12/2018 at 10:02 PM, CasperBob said:

I'm sure you remember the Wyoming wind having lived in Cheyenne all those years.

You bet I do. But the memory was refreshed a few years ago when we traveled I-80 west in late May and hit a wind storm west of Laramie that had even the trucks running 45 mph!

On 8/12/2018 at 10:02 PM, CasperBob said:

hope to have the house on the market by April.

Try and get free in March to visit Tucson and the Escapade.

Edited August 26, 2018 by Kirk Wood

[Tawnya]

Joining the class of '19....and have almost all questions, no answers. Joined escapees awhile ago, but then postponed RV life to May 2019. Lease on our rental house expires 31 May, so have a definite deadline. Will be attending boot camp in Livingston in Nov. Plan to buy Dodge 350 dually in Dec, and a used RV sometime between sooner and later, but hoping after boot camp so we know more of what to look out for.

After the last year+ of searching and thinking (shortened to schtinking), we are looking for an under 40' 5th wheel toy hauler, with the idea of using the garage for the washer, a freezer, a desk, the grill, plants and maybe a scooter or two. 

We are currently living NE of Houston, so will keep domicile here in TX, but lived in Japan and Singapore from 1978 to 2016, so have no attachment to the area. Haven't seen much of the US, so looking forward to travelling, and are very used to small living quarters. Our first apt was 400 sq ft, with an office and a baby. We also have our first-ever clothes dryer here, and don't use it much at all.

In SG we ran Boy and Girl Scouts, so plenty of experience camping, and RVed through New Zealand for our best-ever holiday. Hardest thing will be to deal with much of our art and mementos of the last 40 years. Kids aren't nearly as excited as I had hoped! 😉

[CasperBob]

On ‎8‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 9:26 PM, skeet said:

CasperBob...Welcome to Class of 2019. Like you I'm working on the house...should be done with the exterior by middle of September. Then.. remodel 2 baths and kitchen, paint the interior, new carpet in 3 bedrooms...and on...and on. Hope to put on market 1st of May 2019.

Keep us informed on your progress..and best of luck to you.

Thanks Skeet. My sister and brother in law decided to come visit a month earlier than the original plan, they will be here tomorrow, and the downstairs bath is not quite done. At least the floor is down and the toilet is set for those middle of the night nature calls, lol. And my DW loaded up my truck this past Saturday with everything that didn't sell at the garage sales and took it to a local charity that supports the local homeless shelter. So things are slowly moving along.

[CasperBob]

On ‎8‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 7:39 AM, Kirk Wood said:

You bet I do. But the memory was refreshed a few years ago when we traveled I-80 west in late May and hit a wind storm west of Laramie that had even the trucks running 45 mph!

Try and get free in March to visit Tucson and the Escapade.

Kirk, I hear you brother. I80 is not much fun in the summer and no fun at all in the winter. I too share in those type memories of traveling west on I80.

[CasperBob]

On ‎8‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 2:03 PM, Tawnya said:

Joining the class of '19....and have almost all questions, no answers. Joined escapees awhile ago, but then postponed RV life to May 2019. Lease on our rental house expires 31 May, so have a definite deadline. Will be attending boot camp in Livingston in Nov. Plan to buy Dodge 350 dually in Dec, and a used RV sometime between sooner and later, but hoping after boot camp so we know more of what to look out for.

After the last year+ of searching and thinking (shortened to schtinking), we are looking for an under 40' 5th wheel toy hauler, with the idea of using the garage for the washer, a freezer, a desk, the grill, plants and maybe a scooter or two. 

We are currently living NE of Houston, so will keep domicile here in TX, but lived in Japan and Singapore from 1978 to 2016, so have no attachment to the area. Haven't seen much of the US, so looking forward to travelling, and are very used to small living quarters. Our first apt was 400 sq ft, with an office and a baby. We also have our first-ever clothes dryer here, and don't use it much at all.

In SG we ran Boy and Girl Scouts, so plenty of experience camping, and RVed through New Zealand for our best-ever holiday. Hardest thing will be to deal with much of our art and mementos of the last 40 years. Kids aren't nearly as excited as I had hoped! 😉

I know a couple of people that have lived in Japan. And I have a missionary friend who's son is going to school in Japan. He says his Japanese friends think the tiny house craze in the US is funny since apartments are small there compared to North America.

My dad and I lived in my parents truck camper for two 7-8 month stints while working construction in the mid 70s. Of course being in my late teens and getting to spend lots of time with my dad, I loved it. Didn't mind the small space at all. Of course we were in the mountains in northern WY so outside most of the time.

My kids used to look at me funny for the first 6 years I kept telling them I would full time when I retired. The past 5-6 years now, they just say, "You guys have fun."

[mds1]

Welcome to the class of 2019 Tawyna,

How are the prices of Ram's down there in Texas and what trim package are you looking at.

Looks like you have a wonderful plan put together.

 

[lg61820]

OK, I've dropped out of a couple of previous graduating classes, but this time I am committing!  My last day of work will be 12/31/18.  I haven't told them yet, but will closer to time.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do about the house - may need it to come back to if the health or vision goes bad.  Although, I'd probably prefer a studio apartment in a warmer climate than returning here.

My current plan is a T@b 320 CS-S which has all the space I think I need pulled by my aging Tahoe.  

My failures to launch in the past were due to financial concerns and grandchildren who needed to come live with me.  I am more confident financially now and will not let anymore grandkids move in with me - no matter how cute they are!  

I am excited about the future!

[Kirk W]

I found it! The nuCamp, TAB 320CS teardrop design. The use of the @ rather than A kind of threw me for a bit. It does look impressive but you sure won't be taking much with you. It does puzzle me that they do not list a gross weight rating?

[CasperBob]

On ‎9‎/‎1‎/‎2018 at 1:25 PM, lg61820 said:

OK, I've dropped out of a couple of previous graduating classes, but this time I am committing!  My last day of work will be 12/31/18.  I haven't told them yet, but will closer to time.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do about the house - may need it to come back to if the health or vision goes bad.  Although, I'd probably prefer a studio apartment in a warmer climate than returning here.

My current plan is a T@b 320 CS-S which has all the space I think I need pulled by my aging Tahoe.  

My failures to launch in the past were due to financial concerns and grandchildren who needed to come live with me.  I am more confident financially now and will not let anymore grandkids move in with me - no matter how cute they are!  

I am excited about the future!

Those of you that follow Chris and Cherie of Technomadia may remember that Chris started out in a teardrop trailer and when Cherie joined him, I think they lived in that for a year together. Not sure that it was a T@B or not.

My hat is off to anyone that can go full time in something that small. If I was 23 instead of 63 I would probably do something like that, but I do enjoy the space our 5er affords us these days and am very thankful to be blessed with it.

[lg61820]

On ‎9‎/‎1‎/‎2018 at 6:09 PM, Kirk Wood said:

I found it! The nuCamp, TAB 320CS teardrop design. The use of the @ rather than A kind of threw me for a bit. It does look impressive but you sure won't be taking much with you. It does puzzle me that they do not list a gross weight rating?

Kirk, the dry weight is between 1780 and 1850 depending on the model year.  The GCWR is 2900#.  The hitch weight is 152#.  I will be the only occupant of the Tahoe most of the time.  The vehicle's GCWR is 14.000 pounds.  I think I can take what I need.   I believe the ease of towing and parking the trailer will fully compensate for keeping some belongings in the vehicle.  Of course I could decide I need more space - time will tell.

.

[mickeyblueyes]

Hello all, 

My wife and I are in the process of going full time, we have traveled cross country over the years and just never spent enough time at it. Do with property taxes in the “double digets “ and a empty nest of 6 bedrooms 5 baths it’s time to move on.

we are in the process of emptying the house out,having held several yard sales to shake out as much as we could, now we will have a moving sale to try and rid ourselves of unwanted furniture and other goods. Luckily we own a few acres up in a rural part of the state with a log cabin and the plan is to purchase a sea land container and put stuff that we might want in the future if we don’t want to be on the road in 10 years.

We have our rig picked out a Keystone Alpine 37FL ,we love the layout,storage and room.we looked at many brands and class A homes and just felt at home in it. Will be fully optioned including washer and dryer, and generator. Since our 2003 Dodge Dually has only 120,000 miles on it I may put larger fuel tanks in for a total of 165 gallons.

Air Ride seats may be added also.

A recent yard sale visitor suggested joining a campground association? Can anyone pipe in with the pros and cons with that suggestion? 

I thank you for reading and please offer up any help. With any luck and help from above we would like to be on the road next summer.

[mds1]

mickeybluees - For a long answer regarding are campground membership's worth it, I'd suggest reading this blog post by Wheeling it:  https://wheelingit.us/2016/01/07/rv-camping-club-memberships-are-they-worth-it/

Personally, we have Good Sam's only because it gets us a free ticket to the local RV show, otherwise we get the 10% off at many campsites.  Passport America is a no-brainer for 1/2 off campsites. We researched these campsites for the discount when we were looking for overnight stops.  Otherwise, we are going to wait and see where we spend most of our time and if other memberships are in the area and make since.

Alpine by Keystone is a nice trailer, congrads on having made that decision.  165 gallons of fuel for your Ram, that's a lot of weight. On the newer Rams I do wish they would put in larger tanks like Ford has done.

 

Edited September 23, 2018 by mds1

[Kirk W]

On 9/9/2018 at 9:15 AM, lg61820 said:

I believe the ease of towing and parking the trailer will fully compensate for keeping some belongings in the vehicle.  Of course I could decide I need more space - time will tell.

2

We do that now since we downsized. Pam's health issues had us off of the road for a couple of years so we went with a small Ultralite travel trailer that we cold two with our SUV. Later got a good buy on a Dodge/Cummins that tows a lot better and health issues have improved so we now stay out longer than expected by using the truck with a shell for storage. We still miss the old class A and the fulltime lifestyle, but we still manage several months at a trip.

5 hours ago, mickeyblueyes said:

Can anyone pipe in with the pros and cons with that suggestion? 

It all depends on how you choose to travel. For some, the groups like Thousand Trails and Coast to Coast are a great deal as you can save a lot by staying in those parks if that is your lifestyle. We prefer the Army Corps of Engineer parks as our first choice and with the federal senior card they are a real bargain and we still do some volunteer for RV site positions so for us those groups don't do much. The discount groups like Passport America and Happy Campers can easily save the cost of membership and more for nearly any long-term RV traveler. Both of those are half price discount groups and while not the top line parks in most cases, they save money very quickly. The parks in TT and C2C are more destination parks and not so much overnight stops like the discount groups. 

[CigarBoy]

Hi Kirk.. QQ - your reference to Federal Senior Card. Is that the same as the National Park Senior Card (lifetime membership), or something different for the Army Corp of Engineers?

 

-mike