First Ever Motorcoach!

richbam · 03-25-2017, 04:26 PM

Looking forward to picking up our new 2017 Four Winds 31W on Monday. Trading in our 2014 5th wheel Crusader and Ram 2500 Truck. Loved both but getting that rig hooked up and ready for the road was getting increasingly more difficult, especially when you get older & dexterity starts to gradually decline - LOL
Last time we took it anywhere I almost knocked myself senseless by walking head on into the king pin! Hopefully I can avoid any more embarrassing situations like that.
However I'm sure we'll find something that doesn't work, or we can't figure out how to make it work, so all you knowledgeable people out there - be prepared for some dumb newbie questions

JamieGeek · 03-25-2017, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richbam

Looking forward to picking up our new 2017 Four Winds 31W on Monday. Trading in our 2014 5th wheel Crusader and Ram 2500 Truck. Loved both but getting that rig hooked up and ready for the road was getting increasingly more difficult, especially when you get older & dexterity starts to gradually decline - LOL
Last time we took it anywhere I almost knocked myself senseless by walking head on into the king pin! Hopefully I can avoid any more embarrassing situations like that.
However I'm sure we'll find something that doesn't work, or we can't figure out how to make it work, so all you knowledgeable people out there - be prepared for some dumb newbie questions

Congratulations, and welcome.

Yeah I know what a hassle the 5er can become after a while (had ours 10 years). Never hit my head on the kingpin, though, just backed the truck into it once:

Chance · 03-25-2017, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

Congratulations, and welcome.

Yeah I know what a hassle the 5er can become after a while (had ours 10 years). Never hit my head on the kingpin, though, just backed the truck into it once:

Ouch!

I saw a guy do the very opposite -- disconnect trailer and drive off without opening tailgate -- with pretty much the same results, just from other side.

Simple is good, and works best for me. A motorhome, particularly without a toad, is about as simple as it gets (that I'm aware of).

JamieGeek · 03-25-2017, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chance

Ouch!

I saw a guy do the very opposite -- disconnect trailer and drive off without opening tailgate -- with pretty much the same results, just from other side.

Simple is good, and works best for me. A motorhome, particularly without a toad, is about as simple as it gets (that I'm aware of).

Looks worse than it is: Since the tailgate is removable I just left the tailgate with the body shop and they painted up a new one to match (and moved the lock). Just drove the truck for a while with no tailgate.

dw1gator · 03-26-2017, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richbam

Looking forward to picking up our new 2017 Four Winds 31W on Monday. Trading in our 2014 5th wheel Crusader and Ram 2500 Truck. Loved both but getting that rig hooked up and ready for the road was getting increasingly more difficult, especially when you get older & dexterity starts to gradually decline - LOL
Last time we took it anywhere I almost knocked myself senseless by walking head on into the king pin! Hopefully I can avoid any more embarrassing situations like that.
However I'm sure we'll find something that doesn't work, or we can't figure out how to make it work, so all you knowledgeable people out there - be prepared for some dumb newbie questions

I have the 31E. Almost identical layout and features but mine has the bunks and smaller fridge. So far, no major issues and we are loving it.

Markp22459 · 03-26-2017, 11:35 AM

We just took our first trip with ours. The only problem for me was the winds. Seem to feel them much more with the coach over the 5th wheel.

Mattie1 · 03-26-2017, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richbam

Looking forward to picking up our new 2017 Four Winds 31W on Monday. Trading in our 2014 5th wheel Crusader and Ram 2500 Truck. Loved both but getting that rig hooked up and ready for the road was getting increasingly more difficult, especially when you get older & dexterity starts to gradually decline - LOL

Last time we took it anywhere I almost knocked myself senseless by walking head on into the king pin! Hopefully I can avoid any more embarrassing situations like that.

However I'm sure we'll find something that doesn't work, or we can't figure out how to make it work, so all you knowledgeable people out there - be prepared for some dumb newbie questions

Wow I know how you feel. We traded in also.

Captain.Kirk · 03-26-2017, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mattie1

Wow I know how you feel. We traded in also.

Enjoy your new ride[emoji41]. Life always puts a pebble in your shoe. Lol

tjw887 · 03-26-2017, 09:14 PM

OK, a saying and idea I try to reflect with. Learn from the mistakes of others you cannot make them all yourself. that being said i routinely find things to hit my head on...

Mr Sunshine · 03-27-2017, 03:03 AM

Welcome to the forum! We traded in our Dodge diesel and 5th wheel on a 33 foot gas motorhome, then after a few years, downsized to our Vegas 25.2. This fits our travel style and preferences just right.

It is so nice that the coach can keep rolling when the passenger(s) need a pit stop or something from the fridge. Easier to maneuver, even with our car in tow, and easier to spend a night in a store parking lot.

I never hit the headpin with the truck or my head, but I did bean myself more than once, coming up too soon under the front. There's probably a scar there.

airforceret · 03-27-2017, 11:33 PM

Welcome. We also sold our 5th wheel (and a slide in truck camper) to make the switch to a Class C. That 50 amp cord was as heavy as me at times. lol

SuperD · 03-28-2017, 12:56 AM

Congratulations on your new coach and welcome to the forum!!! Hope you have a lot of fun!

HarleypsychRN · 03-28-2017, 07:30 AM

Oh please keep us informed how that went. My wife and I are in the process of preparing to purchase one. Would love to see some pictures! Hope everything goes flawlessly with the preparation and delivery.

Joe-FL · 03-28-2017, 12:17 PM

Welcome! We also made the switch from a fiver to driver last year. As someone already said it doesn't handle as good on the road but we are in the process of making some adjustments and modifications that should correct most of that. It certainly is easier to set up at a CG than the fiver was.

Safe travels and I suspect your learning curve won't be too steep.

richbam · 04-27-2017, 05:12 PM

Joe,
What mods are you talking about? We just came back from our second trip and it was a particularly windy day, so I was drifting all over the place on the highway. The steering feels real slack to me - nothing like as responsive as I had in my Ram truck. Is there a solution to this?

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