New Diesel Tow Rig...well, new to me, uh, soon to be new to me...

[Julian]

Ok.....had to go look it up.....SWEET looking mobile condo!!!!

http://www.discoveryowners.com/2008_di_b.pdf

What options does it have? Washer/dryer? Outdoor grill & entertainment? Seems like a ton of options available!

 

[txav8r]

I hope I don't have regarding that. I have a 200' driveway and it is a good slope down to the house and drive, without any major dips or crowns to negotiate. But when I build a pad and a cover or pole barn for it, it will require some elevation changes. I am guessing it is when you have a dip and incline you have to enter and climb that the back drags. This unit has air suspension, air brakes, engine brake, and you can adjust the suspension, although I am just learning what all it can do and don't even get the showout (walk thru) until next Saturday. Did I mention that the cartoon vampire has bitten one of our own in the neck...we are going to have get a wooden stake!

 

[Murf'n'surf]

If you have Directv at home just take one of your receivers with you on your journeys versus buying a whole new subscription and equipment. Assuming it has a sat system onboard.

 

[txav8r]

It has the outdoor entertainment center, the residential fridge, the airbed, the oven and 3 burner stove, in motion satellite, dinette, full length tile entry to beyond galley, docking light, solar panel (may be broken), plantation cherry cabinetry, cafe milan interior, full body paint, diamond shield invisible front bra, rear and side cameras, passenger seat footrest, heated seats, keyless entry and awnings, airbed with wireless remote, central vacuum, ultra leather loveseat, and washer/dryer hookups...I will purchase and install or have them install if I can't save a few hundred. Almost all the amazing features are standard on the discovery, like 4 wheel abs, running lights, black tank flush system, heated rear view mirrors, moen hardware, ... just so much standard...no spare however, should I have walked?

 

[txav8r]

I am not yet sure if it is directv or dish setup.

 

[txav8r]

It will get some LED accent and under cabinet soon, however it has rope lighting in the bedroom in a few places. Standard 90 gal fuel, 86 gal fresh water, 50 grey, 50 black. It has 52 degree wheel turn angle, so it will turn around in the same space as my pickup truck! Same engine/trans Pearce has in his tow vehicle. He says he gets 10mph towing his 5000 5th wheel at 65mph! I have a feeling I won't even know the boat is back there, except for the cameras. Oh, it has a blue ox vehicle tow bar system...i am told that is about an $800 aftermarket item. Lots of things the previous owners left behind, like spare whole coach water filters, a surge protector for the 50 amp service, 50 to 30 amp pigtail...it is a very nice coach. I absolutely hit a home run on price. The cheapest Fleetwood in the Excursion or Discovery line I have seen sell in several months was $69,900 on an Excursion (sells for about $100K less in those years new), with 74K miles, 1300 hours on gen, and lived in for a period of time. I got this one with 5800 miles, and 13 hours on the gen, and garage kept! It is still 7 years old, but it looks great for a big old motorhome of that vintage, and systems are like new, hell the fridge smells new! No odors at all in the home. When are the distant gatherings...it won't float, so I can't go to Bimini!

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Should be interchangeable.

 

[txav8r]

hope so!

 

[GTBRMC]

Holy sh!t, Mel! Go big or...well, you went big!

Congrats!

 

[ScarabMike]

Wow. Id love to see that setup going down the road! Great looking rig man.

 

[woodard1983]

Congrats!!!!! I've been dreaming about those for years!!!! Unfortunately, it's quite a ways down the road for me



Can't wait to see all the pics when you bring her home!!!

 

[Wayloncle]

Very nice! Congrats!

50 gal for grey tank seems small to me for a DP of that size, but maybe that's normal. My travel trailer has a 30 gallon, we can fill it up in 1 1/2days (when not being conservative)

 

[txav8r]

I think some of the newer rigs go much bigger on the grey water tank and smaller on the black, especially on the bigger rigs or at least more expensive ones. Think about all the compromises we make with boats, houses, cars, trucks, and airplanes for me...rv's have more compromises in them that you just can't imagine, in order to get the very best bang for the buck. The buck is the key word here. If you have a smooth half million laying around, you can eliminate many of the compromises, but from what I can see, you still have plenty of them...just at a more luxurious level!

I can't begin to tell you what an education it has been to look at these things and consider them. At some point, you either just buy something, or you pick a manufacturer or model line, and concentrate on it, and then find the best of the best inside that line, that year model, and that is where the real compromise starts...every mile is a compromise for some other thing lacking or abused.

You just gave me an idea @Wayloncle ... what I have no shortage of is storage. I think for extended dry camping, I could easily carry 10 - 5 gallon gas jugs. And I could dump the grey tank into them and double my days if needed. That would give me the ability to dump them too in less prominent places that wouldn't be offensive or completely illegal. Now if I could get those containers in some color other than bright RED!

 

[PEARCE]

It will get some LED accent and under cabinet soon, however it has rope lighting in the bedroom in a few places. Standard 90 gal fuel, 86 gal fresh water, 50 grey, 50 black. It has 52 degree wheel turn angle, so it will turn around in the same space as my pickup truck! Same engine/trans Pearce has in his tow vehicle. He says he gets 10mph towing his 5000 5th wheel at 65mph! I have a feeling I won't even know the boat is back there, except for the cameras. Oh, it has a blue ox vehicle tow bar system...i am told that is about an $800 aftermarket item. Lots of things the previous owners left behind, like spare whole coach water filters, a surge protector for the 50 amp service, 50 to 30 amp pigtail...it is a very nice coach. I absolutely hit a home run on price. The cheapest Fleetwood in the Excursion or Discovery line I have seen sell in several months was $69,900 on an Excursion (sells for about $100K less in those years new), with 74K miles, 1300 hours on gen, and lived in for a period of time. I got this one with 5800 miles, and 13 hours on the gen, and garage kept! It is still 7 years old, but it looks great for a big old motorhome of that vintage, and systems are like new, hell the fridge smells new! No odors at all in the home. When are the distant gatherings...it won't float, so I can't go to Bimini!

A few corrections Mel. I know all these numbers run together after a while. We do have the same engine, but not transmission. If Dodge Ram could get the Allison behind the Cummins in there trucks I guarantee they'd outsell Ford and Chevy. I get 12mpg towing our 10k pound 5er at 65mph.

 

[txav8r]

Specifically, it has the Cummins ISB 350HP, 750 ft lbs torque, engine. I have read where many Discovery owners were outraged when Fleetwood changed engines from the C7 Cat in 2007, that delivered about 1000 ft lbs of torque. It is more than adequate to meet my needs and both are reliable and efficient power plants. The Allison strapped to the power plant is a model 3000MH 6 speed transmission. I don't know what kind of mileage I will get both alone and towing, but it won't be what I am accustomed to in the truck solo or towing...but I will be able to get a big glass of iced tea while doing it, and then be able to get rid of said tea a couple hours later without having to stop to do it. The big challenge will be a driver change without a pitstop! LOL, I knew after I hit the enter key I had your numbers wrong, but glad you corrected them @PEARCE ! Your one of my "go to guys" for rving, cause I know I will get real world, non inflated info from you! (and as always, thanks for all of that!)

 

[Wayloncle]

me an idea @Wayloncle ... what I have no shortage of is storage. I think for extended dry camping, I could easily carry 10 - 5 gallon gas jugs. And I could dump the grey tank into them and double my days if needed. That would give me the ability to dump them too in less prominent places that wouldn't be offensive or completely illegal. Now if I could get those containers in some color other than bright RED!

They make portable waste tanks for that

Barker makes a nice one as well.
I have an extra valve on my sewer/gray tank outlet, so if in a pinch I can close that, open the gray, then open the black to let the gray move into the black tank. I do this before I drain the black if I don't have a whole lot of water in the black tank to clean it out better. Your rig is probably set up different though, may even have a macerator pump.

 

[txav8r]

It doesn't have a macerator, it is an '08 and not of that level of coach I am sure. It won't mix grey and black. I think you can put a add on shut off and let them balance, but that is it. Getting rid of excess grey water is the issue I would imagine. We won't do a ton of boon docking but we may do some blacktopping along our journeys. But a way to extend will be great, because we will do some places that don't have full hookups and want to keep from having to go dump...but that weighs 290 POUNDS full! I won't be able to lift that into the cargo area.

 

[Jim Robeson]

@txav8r with a rig like that you will have to get some kind of CB handle...good buddy!!
Congrats, that is one nice ride Mel!!

 

[txav8r]

Thank you Jim...see what happens if you don't keep an eye on me? lol @Jim Robeson

 

[farrelltravis]

WOW! Nice job! You went all out! I am excited to see it!