Hi, I'm lookiong to upgrade from my 2002 Journey, Winnebago to a Foretravel. Why are they so good what is special about them?
Where can I find one? I'm looking for a 36' with 2 slides.
Search is your friend...... Here's a decent thread to digest.
Foretravel Purchase Price (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=20276.msg146901#msg146901)
Quality/design/materials
CFF...
David
David
Been there done that, I was wondering about the construction differences.
Welcome to our forum. Here you can find most everything Foretravel.
You might check out this link; 50 reasons to love your foretravel motorhome (http://www.beamalarm.com/Documents/50-reasons-to-love-your-foretravel.html)
You might also check this out: Foretravel Motorhome technical help and information links (http://www.beamalarm.com/foretravel-links/foretravel-technical-help.html)
As suggested use the Search function: What led you to buy your first Foretravel (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=10661.0)
These should start to explain why many of us purchased our Foretravel - This Forum is also a wonderful resource for everything FT.
Two of the best resources for a preowned FT is: Foretravel of Texas and Motorhomes of Texas. Both companies are located in Nacogdoches. 1. Foretravel of Texas is the maker or our machines that also perform maintenance and repair/upgrades and 2. Motorhomes of Texas preforms sales, repair and maintenance. Both companies sell preowned units. You might also check the classified on this web site as some show up there from time to time. I would guess that most of the coaches that you would find here are probably in good shape as most owners here are somewhat impassioned about their equipment and take great care in assuring that they get what is needed.
Please feel free to ask any question/s that your might have. I am pretty sure that you will get prompt input. :D
The first time I slid under my 320 was a revelation of sorts after looking at the framework and suspension, outboard mounted airbags "stability" under both the front and rear. Likewise inside the Interior materials far exceed the norm in the industry.
Find a foretravel for sale. Get out and crawl under "properly supported" and look at a few, I think you'll be impressed and appreciate the brand.
I am amazed at condition of most interiors of even the 20-30 year old coaches I've seen. Mine is 16 years old this August, and not remodeled at all...looks new inside. If comparing solid wood to pressed particle board/paneling when used for walls/cabinets/doors etc... its not a fair comparison.
David
Easy way to compare:
1. Safely go under your Winnebago and look at your Freightliner chassis. Note the construction, air bags, brakes, etc.
2. Safely go under a Foretravel and do the same.
I think you will answer your own question pretty quickly.
Don't forget to look inside the coach and see the differences. You will be amazed.
Huge difference in the raised rail vs the FT chassis. Also every wire is single run and numbered as well as a few extra ones. It is set up for service too. All U series have a side radiator and can be worked on easily. Cummins loves our Motorhomes when we bring them in. In fact when I call my cummins they only have a slot for one MH at a time but if it is a FT they do not worry about it as it is easy access. Also, the tanks you get are much bigger. I have 110 gallons of water and grey and 80 black and 192 of fuel and that allows easy long term boondocking of no worri s about hookups. I was at the Balloonfest and the guy next to me had three pump outs I went 10 days without one.
Also, the way it drives is not even in the same ballpark.
Do they rust like others, (Winnebago) we are undercoating my Journey and wow the rust is terrible.
The entire center underbody is enclosed in fiberglass, I have very little rust anywhere on my coach and it started life in Wisconsin and now in VA.
Comparing a Foretravel to a Winebago is like comparing a Rolls Royce to a Chevrolet. 'Nuff said.
Part of the rust issue is related to the thickness of the exposed steel and the number of places water or road crud can be trapped. Our Foretravels have a fiberglass skin completely covering the underbelly (basement) of the coach. The exposed steel of the chassis (the drivetrain and suspension carriages) ranges from ¼" to over ⅜" (even ½" in a few places). Water traps are minimized by have the rectangular tubing open on the ends and water has a way to get out. Surface rust is possibly depending on where the coach has seen use, but steel that can dry out between getting wet will just get a layer of oxidation on it that normally doesn't progress. Road salt can be a different matter because it sticks to the steel and will eventually wreak some havoc. Our 99' has virtually no rust on any of the exposed undercarriage.
All you have to do is look at the suspension and engine carriages to see the differences between Foretravels and most other brands. Typically, the frame rails are "C" channels that are ¼" or even only 3/16" thick, even the parts supporting the drivetrain. Open the engine hatch and look at the heavy box beams that support the engine, if you any engineering sense at all, you will be struck by the obvious structural robustness of the materials used and the design. The welds on all these structural components are first class, with gussets in all stress points and welds on both sides of the joints where possible.
Don
I like Chevys & Winebagos, too. They're not built the same nor drive the same. :D
Thanks for the great info. There are no Foretravels in MN to look at right now.
Have you tried this site?
Foretravel RVs & Motorhomes for Sale | Used Motorhomes & RVs on Oodle... (http://rvs.oodle.com/foretravel/for-sale/)
There will be some at Madison WI.
FMCA Madison, Wisc., 2015 Family Reunion (http://www.fmca.com/conventions-64/madison-2015.html)
I am sure that the owners will be only to happy to show theirs.
Keith
Beep,
Where in MN are you located? There are several Forum members that are in MN. You can look at the member map and see if anyone is near you or put out a call to see if there is someone that is near just not on the map. Most members would be glad to give you a tour just ask.
Pamela
Don't deny yourself the journey to Nacogdoches to visit MOT and FOT. They have lots to look at. You will be like a kid in a candy store.
While you are looking at the air bags, look at the diameter of the air bags. When I bought my first pusher (2nd foretravel) I notice the diameter of the air bags were bigger then every other coach I saw. I asked my father-in-law (engineer) about what different the size of the air bags made. He gave me a long lecture about the difference, short story, smoother ride.
Come to Lake Geneva WI and see mine
I own both a Chevy and a Bentley. Believe me, there is quite a difference! I love them both.
wonder how our 280/40' appraises? I know we have over $45,000 in it . Of course I've never made money selling ANY vehicle.
Curious that the 270 listed at less than the 280 from 95 to 96. Wondering if we have our Coach priced right?
O
Here is a picture that shows the engine access and a bit of the heavy duty engine carriage. Keep in mind that in this era at least, the framing, suspension (with the exception of shocks), the brakes, and the overall construction of all the Unicoach models are the same. The bigger engine in the 320's is of course an advantage in the mountains and the bigger transmission (Allison 4060R vs. the 3060R) makes more braking horsepower (but also weighs more), but the the retarder on our U270 is maybe my favorite thing about driving the coach. Our disc pads are the originals and still have over 75% of the friction material after nearly 170K miles, and the discs look and work like new. It is hard to believe just how secure the driving experience feels in our coach with this kind of stopping power and flat cornering provided by the outboard air bags. Love driving it!
Don
'Fess up, Don...you just wanted to show off your fancy bike rack. 8)
Dang Chuck, you caught me! :o Actually, that picture was posted in a discussion about bike racks that would allow opening the engine hatch just by removing the bikes (even with the towed connected). Just happened to be the only picture I found that showed the engine area...
Don
What are you asking? Pictures ?
Off topic but how is that Swagman bike rack working for you?
Roland
I'm in Austin, 100 miles south of the cities.
OR are you just offering to show me yours?
There are going to be 3 Foretravels all in the same driveway tomorrow in Hastings, MN! We're having a grand ole time at Roger & Susan's house. If you've never seen one, this is a great opportunity to see 3 of them - Roger and Susan's 2001 36' U320; our 1997 40' U320; and Rudy & Caroline's 1995 40' U320.
We have a 1993, U300 coach. The thing that most people notice when entering our coach is how solid the floor feels. There is no bounce, no softness, no rocking, nothing. It feels like a concrete floor. Oh, and there are no leveling jacks.
When driving even our Old Timer (it has all new air bags and shocks, eight of them) the cross winds and passing trucks barely affect the coach. It can be driven for hours with very little fatigue. I think the Winnebago Journey's are great motorhomes but as mentioned before are just in a different class. I would rather have an older Foretravel than a new Winnebago. They are just much more comfortable and a better investment in my Humble Opinion.
We are provisioning tonight in Maple Grove MN for a 3 day horse camping trip. It would be fun to make it 4 Foretravels in Hastings (my Dad's hometown btw) but we aren't going that direction. Would like to meet everyone someday.
I am glad this question came up, have been lurking to try to get all the info that I can and will be visiting the factory this fall on the way home. I think I have DW convince to look at the Foretravel. We currently have a 99 Winnebago and want to upgrade. If what I have read thus far, there should be no concern about an older Foretravel dependent on how well it has been taken care of. Need to continue to read this forum for potential problems to look for.
Yes, happy to show mine, but if old in future Dave Head may be first in line
It has been an excellent unit for us. Just required a BlueOx hitch extension with the minimum offset to clear the engine hatch and place the towed nice and level with the tow bar.
Don
Thanks Don looking to replace my roof mount carrier, getting to old to lift bikes on top of the Jeep.
Roland
I might be able to make that what time will you be there? Are any of them for sale?
No, none of these are for sale. :D We're all quite fond of our Foretravels.
We will be available today anytime you get here. We all have plans this evening for the car show in Hastings, so we'd have to wrap things up by 5pm-ish. Come on up and take a look!
I suppose you could come tomorrow, as well. You may only have 2 coaches to see, though, because we head out tomorrow for the Madison FMCA Rally, but Rudy and Roger's coaches will still be here.
We're in the Fairgrounds in Albert Lea for the next several days. We'd be glad to let you see our 1993 U300. Send me a PM.