Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Discussions => Topic started by: Adam Byler on March 26, 2013, 02:54:21 pm
Title: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: Adam Byler on March 26, 2013, 02:54:21 pm
Well with any kind of luck I will be picking up our new to us 1997 U295 40 ft Ft. I have a pending deal on my Dodge, And have the contract signed on the coach, Will havt to drive to Co Springs and drop truck off and then fly to Salt Lake and pickup coach, stressed out that nothing goes south on the deals, :P Adam
Title: Re: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: Peter & Beth on March 26, 2013, 03:15:31 pm
Worrying will not improve the situation. Having positive thoughts will. Congratulations and go-getter done. ^.^d
Title: Re: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: Dan Stansel on March 26, 2013, 05:29:44 pm
Good luck on your purchase. I have a 295 and find that it has everything we need on it as we do not wish to have some items on the 320. 40 ft is a great size but the turning radius takes a lot of room. I find this only comes into play when I miss my turn on a double lane road. DAN
Title: Re: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: Kent Speers on March 26, 2013, 05:56:02 pm
I'm sure you will love your new Foretravel and never look back on your decision to go from a fiver to a Foretravel. I'm confident things will work out and you will enjoy your new Foretravel for years. It looks like a great one. Welcome aboard!!!
Title: Re: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: MAZ on March 26, 2013, 08:55:00 pm
Great news. I had to get rid of my 07 Dodge 3500 to buy my coach also. Sure miss having a truck but the coach more than makes up for it. Have a blessed trip and welcome to the Foretravel club...
Mark
Title: Re: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: Caflashbob on March 26, 2013, 11:16:55 pm
Good luck on your purchase. I have a 295 and find that it has everything we need on it as we do not wish to have some items on the 320. 40 ft is a great size but the turning radius takes a lot of room. I find this only comes into play when I miss my turn on a double lane road. DAN
Yes I noticed the same thing. Still worth it.
Title: Re: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: Adam Byler on March 27, 2013, 08:06:17 am
I had my heart set on a GV but this one poped up and was a really good deal so decided to buy it, the only thing that I have concerns about is the propane tank is quite a bit smaller then the GV but I am planning on adding solar. Has anybody on here any experienced with heated floors? The floor was upgraded with ceramic tile and has electric heat strips in it, not sure what that is or how efficient it is. Also my plan is to purchase a trailer to haul the toyota 4runner , polaris RZR, and it is 10 ft enclosed in front for my tools, I plan on doing rv maintence and repair work to keep me occupided while Meg finishes colledge , We are gonna be fulltime but parked around the San Antonio area, She has to finish her masters at the colledge there, So I will paste a link for trailer and see what opinions are on my setup. It will be long, my 5ver setup was 76 ft, Am I crazy to go this way? New 8 5 x 30 8 5x30 Hybrid Enclosed Cargo Open Utility ATV Car Hauler Trailer | (http://www.ebay.com/itm/400438609902) My weaght on trailer will be around 7500 lbs. Thanks Adam
Title: Re: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: Dave Cobb on March 27, 2013, 08:38:43 am
Welcome, and I hope the deal goes together.
As to heated tile floors, you will love them. We have tile in the whole house, and it is cool in the summer, and cold the rest of the year. We put down tile in just the small bath area of the coach, and I wish I had added heat!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The floor is cold all the time, so we wear slippers, or always have a rug on the bath floor.
I was in a brand new Foretravel full custom, in Feb. in Port Aransas TX, very nice day, and he was barefoot and had the heated floors ON. I hope you enjoy them as much as that new Foretravel owner was enjoying his warm floors.
Title: Re: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: Caflashbob on March 27, 2013, 10:19:48 am
Rated tow is 6,000 pounds.
Title: Re: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: JohnFitz on March 27, 2013, 11:05:32 am
My old RV Rating Book list the empty curb weight of a '97 U295, 40 ft, CAI at 27,240 lbs. If accurate, you can carry 8760 lbs and still be under your 36000 lbs Combined Weight rating.
Title: Re: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: Neal Pillsbury on March 27, 2013, 01:47:43 pm
.................So I will paste a link for trailer and see what opinions are on my setup. It will be long, my 5ver setup was 76 ft, Am I crazy to go this way? New 8 5 x 30 8 5x30 Hybrid Enclosed Cargo Open Utility ATV Car Hauler Trailer | (http://www.ebay.com/itm/400438609902) My weaght on trailer will be around 7500 lbs.................................
Adam, CONGRATULATIONS on the coach and you"ll be very happy, I'm sure. Do a thorough PDI before money is exchanged You do have to do more homework on the trailer, though. Things that I see immediately are:
Trailer too large for coach (what is the trailer weight? It looks like a steel frame which is probably at least a 4500# trailer on top of the 7500# you are proposing).
Unmodified, the coach hitch is a 500# rating and the trailer looks like a 1500# hitch weight minimum.
With 15" tires and 5200# axles you are guaranteed to have tire problems and overloaded axles.
D rated tires are not anywhere right (You need at least F and 90# rating)
Roof design (not single piece, curved side rail, built in drip edge) is prone to leaks and shortened life
Too much "wood" weight.
Best way to hold trailer "dead", "unnecessary" weight down is aluminum frame, aluminum deck, aluminum walls, Styrofoam insulation, minimal wood and keep it as short in length as you can possibly tolerate. For instance, chose 2 of the 3 (workshop/car/RZR) and make the trailer at least one item shorter. I'd seriously consider driving the car before going to 30'.
ETC.
See: Neal's towing setup (was Actual Weights VS Placard Weights) (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=16374.msg104580#msg104580) Let me know if I can be of help. Neal
Title: Re: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: ohsonew on March 27, 2013, 05:06:14 pm
Neal, just read your link on the trailer set up. Fabulous information. It helps me in the process for the toad. I like the idea of the trailer instead of 4 down. You answered a multitude of my questions.
Title: Re: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: Adam Byler on March 27, 2013, 08:43:31 pm
Adam, CONGRATULATIONS on the coach and you"ll be very happy, I'm sure. Do a thorough PDI before money is exchanged You do have to do more homework on the trailer, though. Things that I see immediately are:
Trailer too large for coach (what is the trailer weight? It looks like a steel frame which is probably at least a 4500# trailer on top of the 7500# you are proposing).
Unmodified, the coach hitch is a 500# rating and the trailer looks like a 1500# hitch weight minimum.
With 15" tires and 5200# axles you are guaranteed to have tire problems and overloaded axles.
D rated tires are not anywhere right (You need at least F and 90# rating)
Roof design (not single piece, curved side rail, built in drip edge) is prone to leaks and shortened life
Too much "wood" weight.
Best way to hold trailer "dead", "unnecessary" weight down is aluminum frame, aluminum deck, aluminum walls, Styrofoam insulation, minimal wood and keep it as short in length as you can possibly tolerate. For instance, chose 2 of the 3 (workshop/car/RZR) and make the trailer at least one item shorter. I'd seriously consider driving the car before going to 30'.
ETC.
See: Neal's towing setup (was Actual Weights VS Placard Weights) (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=16374.msg104580#msg104580) Let me know if I can be of help. Neal
Neal I actually speced a trailer out with 7000 lb axles and G rated trailer tires and a 8 ft enclosed front rather then 10. I could go with a 24 ft fully enclosed trailer but coulded load the RZR sideways so not quite sure yet which way to go.
Title: Re: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: Carol & Scott on March 27, 2013, 08:46:53 pm
Congrats - I was interested in the trailer too. Wanted to put my DW Z$ in it. Ran out of time and got a Jeep 4 down. Everything is OK. ;D
Title: Re: Fingers crossed soon to be a owner,
Post by: Neal Pillsbury on March 27, 2013, 11:07:16 pm
Neal I actually speced a trailer out with 7000 lb axles and G rated trailer tires and a 8 ft enclosed front rather then 10. I could go with a 24 ft fully enclosed trailer but coulded load the RZR sideways so not quite sure yet which way to go.
Adam, If you spec a trailer, you can give them the carried vehicle's dimensions/wheelbases, the weights and request a given tongue weight. You'd also need to give them your estimated "workshop tools and bench(es)" weight as well. They can then place the axles where needed. An enclosed "carhauler" trailer, 7000# axles, 16" F or G plys and workbenches along the walls, beside the RZR, make more sense. An all aluminum trailer, with two Condor chocks for the RZR should leave room for your RAV4, "nose to tail" with the RZR in a 24'. It would also give you a larger covered working space. Sounding better. Overly-challenged tires are the nagging problem that most people experience with heavily loaded trailers. Neal