Friday, 9 AM we have an appointment to get our Camplite. Two months since we placed the order
Fingers crossed.
Toes crossed too
Leslie your enthusiasm is contageous! I clicked on your post expecting to read you already took delivery. I was actually disappointed for you that you have to wait until Friday! :) I am sure everything will be to your expectations. Pictures as soon as possible please!
Congratulations, Leslie!! We are out in our 16TBS in St. George Island, FL. We have been here for four days and leaving tomorrow heading over to Top Sail Hill Preserve S.P. in Santa Rosa, Florida for ten days. We love this trailer and hope you find that you do the same with yours!! Can't wait to hear about and see pictures of your unit!
Hurry
Hurry, i bet your grinning like a mule eating briar.
Hurry, gotta get it,gotta get it,gotta get it
[quote source="/post/3979/thread" timestamp="1412125274" author="@livinthegoodlife"]Congratulations, Leslie!! We are out in our 16TBS in St. George Island, FL. We have been here for four days and leaving tomorrow heading over to Top Sail Hill Preserve S.P. in Santa Rosa, Florida for ten days. We love this trailer and hope you find that you do the same with yours!! Can't wait to hear about and see pictures of your unit! [/quote][p]#taunting[/p][p]
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I made a reservation at a campground for Friday night for a pull - through site so I won't be the evening's entertainment for the other campers. So, very shortly, I will be out there with you!
Now if I can just get over the sheer terror of driving while towing...first time for towing...
[quote source="/post/3994/thread" timestamp="1412174595" author="@leslie"]Now if I can just get over the sheer terror of driving while towing...first time for towing...[/quote]Driving forward is easy. Just give yourself a little extra space on turns so you don't run over any curbs. Give a little more space between you and the car you're following too because you won't stop as quickly.
Backing up is another story, but you'll get the hang of it. The trick I learned is to put your hands on the bottom of the steering wheel and move them in the direction that you want the trailer to go. If any of your neighbors have a landscape or cargo trailer that you can borrow then take it to an empty lot and practice before Friday.
Over the years I have kept a pair of 2 way radios in the center console of the truck. The DW is my spotter when backing. Even if you're alone you can always get someone in the campground to spot for you, or even back for you. The campgrounds are filled with some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. So, go to Wall Mart as they usually have a good selection of cheap radios on hand. Look for units with 12V chargers so you can charge the radios in the camper, and on the fly, in your TV.
Woe is me! I'm ready to go back out in a tent and sleep on the ground but hubby won't go for that.
Dealer called. Delay in transit of my Camplite. Appointment to pick up my Camplite postponed to October 10th. Dealer offered to put a rush on it. I told him I would rather wait another week to give them plenty of time to check it out.
Sooooo....
[quote source="/post/3999/thread" timestamp="1412187299" author="@leslie"]Woe is me! I'm ready to go back out in a tent and sleep on the ground but hubby won't go for that.
Dealer called. Delay in transit of my Camplite. Appointment to pick up my Camplite postponed to October 10th. Dealer offered to put a rush on it. I told him I would rather wait another week to give them plenty of time to check it out.
Sooooo.... [/quote]I would have told them to rush it lol but it's probably better they take the time :)
[quote timestamp="1412187299" author="@leslie" source="/post/3999/thread"]Woe is me! I'm ready to go back out in a tent and sleep on the ground but hubby won't go for that.
Dealer called. Delay in transit of my Camplite. Appointment to pick up my Camplite postponed to October 10th. Dealer offered to put a rush on it. I told him I would rather wait another week to give them plenty of time to check it out.
Sooooo.... [/quote][p]Ow !!! Finger cramps !![/p][p]
[/p][p]Also, on towing, you know those yellow signs that give you the granny-speed on curves and such ? The ones that say 35 mph when you normally zip through at 55 ? Obey them. Seriously.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Plus, get used to driving with your eyes a car or two ahead of you. Allow more stopping time. Allow more starting time. Remember when crossing in front of other traffic that you are now 3x as long as you used to be, and get off the line at half the speed.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Start thinking with your rear wheels, if that makes sense.[/p][p]
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[quote source="/post/3979/thread" timestamp="1412125274" author="@livinthegoodlife"]Congratulations, Leslie!! We are out in our 16TBS in St. George Island, FL. We have been here for four days and leaving tomorrow heading over to Top Sail Hill Preserve S.P. in Santa Rosa, Florida for ten days. We love this trailer and hope you find that you do the same with yours!! Can't wait to hear about and see pictures of your unit! [/quote]How's things at St.George and Top Sail? Need to try St. Joseph too,our state parks on the Gulf coast are the best.
It rained for the first two days we were on St. George, but cleared up a bit yesterday. Finally got to the beautiful beach yesterday. Top Sail is as always beautiful! We have been to St. Joseph, as well as Henderson, Grayton Beach, and St. Andrews. And, yes, the parks on the Gulf Coast are the best. You are very lucky to live so close!
I called the dealer today. My Camplite is still sitting on Livin Lite's lot. The service department is doing what it can to get my Camplite ready for me on Friday morning.
Kim, the woman at the dealer whom I talked to today, said that the factory rep was impressed with my "special special" Camplite. I ordered it with aluminum cabinetry with the silver finish, and the maple azdel on the walls. Sean, the factory rep, said it looks like a cabin inside. If only I could get my hands on it...
[quote source="/post/4134/thread" timestamp="1412706076" author="@leslie"]I called the dealer today. My Camplite is still sitting on Livin Lite's lot. The service department is doing what it can to get my Camplite ready for me on Friday morning.
Kim, the woman at the dealer whom I talked to today, said that the factory rep was impressed with my "special special" Camplite. I ordered it with aluminum cabinetry with the silver finish, and the maple azdel on the walls. Sean, the factory rep, said it looks like a cabin inside. If only I could get my hands on it...[/quote]Can't wait to see the pictures!
Sounds like a very classy rig. I like your taste. This is the Summer unit ? Or was it, one North, one South ?
For my next rig, I'm thinking big. Outer space...
Hooray!!! I just talked to the RV dealer. My appointment to get my Camplite tomorrow at 9 AM is confirmed! The next time I post I will review the PDI and hopefully post pictures!!! Now I have to find the thread where somebody said to use Paint to re - size the pictures for posting. I expect to be a Happy Camper soon! It has only taken 11 weeks since I ordered...
Congratulations! Looking forward to your reports.
[quote source="/post/4181/thread" timestamp="1412861977" author="@leslie"]Hooray!!! I just talked to the RV dealer. My appointment to get my Camplite tomorrow at 9 AM is confirmed! The next time I post I will review the PDI and hopefully post pictures!!! Now I have to find the thread where somebody said to use Paint to re - size the pictures for posting. I expect to be a Happy Camper soon! It has only taken 11 weeks since I ordered...[/quote][font size="3"]Try here: [a href="http://livinlite.proboards.com/search/results?who_at_least_one=8&what_at_least_one=resize&when_days=180&who_only_made_by=0&display_as=0"]LINK[/a][/font]
[font size="3"]We await your report.
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Somebody has it in for me. Your camper will be ready - just days away from completion date at the factory - oh no, it's not ready. Delay... Delay... I had an appointment for last week - oh no, you don't - the factory didn't send it yet. I had an appointment for tomorrow morning - 5 minutes ago - no, no.
The dealer sent 2 employees early this AM to the factory to get my camper. They had it back to the service department just as it opened this morning. They thought they had enough time to prep it for me for tomorrow morning. No, they worked on it all day and it won't be ready for tomorrow. I told them I would pick it up Friday next week.
Thanks for letting me vent. Hubby doesn't know yet. He went to Wal-Mart to pick up some things on our list that we didn't get to yet.
[quote timestamp="1412892556" author="@leslie" source="/post/4196/thread"]Somebody has it in for me. Your camper will be ready - just days away from completion date at the factory - oh no, it's not ready. Delay... Delay... I had an appointment for last week - oh no, you don't - the factory didn't send it yet. I had an appointment for tomorrow morning - 5 minutes ago - no, no.
The dealer sent 2 employees early this AM to the factory to get my camper. They had it back to the service department just as it opened this morning. They thought they had enough time to prep it for me for tomorrow morning. No, they worked on it all day and it won't be ready for tomorrow. I told them I would pick it up Friday next week.
Thanks for letting me vent. Hubby doesn't know yet. He went to Wal-Mart to pick up some things on our list that we didn't get to yet.[/quote]Okay, I'll ask the obvious question... Why not Saturday? ::)
[quote source="/post/4199/thread" timestamp="1412895779" author="@tinkeringtechie"][quote source="/post/4196/thread" timestamp="1412892556" author="@leslie"]Somebody has it in for me. Your camper will be ready - just days away from completion date at the factory - oh no, it's not ready. Delay... Delay... I had an appointment for last week - oh no, you don't - the factory didn't send it yet. I had an appointment for tomorrow morning - 5 minutes ago - no, no.
The dealer sent 2 employees early this AM to the factory to get my camper. They had it back to the service department just as it opened this morning. They thought they had enough time to prep it for me for tomorrow morning. No, they worked on it all day and it won't be ready for tomorrow. I told them I would pick it up Friday next week.
Thanks for letting me vent. Hubby doesn't know yet. He went to Wal-Mart to pick up some things on our list that we didn't get to yet.[/quote]Okay, I'll ask the obvious question... Why not Saturday? ::)[/quote]I picked up my camplite on a Saturday :) Also did the same for the popup camper I had before, you just need to ask :)
The service department said they could have it ready for me on Monday. I told Kim I would pick it up a week from Friday. She said no - Monday. I know they want their money and I want the Camplite. However, hubby has to work and when we pick it up we want to spend the night in it at a campsite. Hubby has a limited amount of vacation time, and we don't want to use 2 precious days with a PDI and sorting things out. We will sacrifice 1 day for the PDI and spend the weekend in the Camplite.
For what is probably no good reason, most dealers have their service department closed, and only have sales guys around on the weekends. Mine has the parts desk open, but if you are really in need they will sometimes make arrangements for a tech to do stuff on Saturday. Worth asking about but not counting on.
This is my third appointment to go get my new Camplite. The dealership has closed. I did not get a phone call to tell me not to come this time, so I think it's a go. Will review the PDI and send pics.
We're cheering for you. :)
Fingers and toes are crossed, Leslie! Keep us posted!!
I feel like we should organize a pool or something.
I am waiting at the dealer. The only problem we found was electrical, and they are working to fix it. They promise it will be fixed before I leave. I am having some extra work done - e2 wdh, Maxx Air Vent on the fan in the kitchen, backup camera, etc.
The camper is really nice, LOTS of room, and the maple azdel on the walls with the aluminum cabinetry looks great. While I have been waiting, the sales people asked if they could let customers see our Camplite. Sure - 2 customers so far while I wait. The customers thought this was a much nicer unit than the other Camplites on the lot. Did I say there is a lot of room without the slide and with the tip-out bunk? Wait till you see the pictures. Right now I only have my android cell with me - don't know how to post pictures from here.
Congratulations, Leslie...Finally. I have been sitting on pins and needles with you waiting for this day! Now to outfit the trailer and get camping! Waiting for pictures. Have fun!!
I am unable to go online using my laptop. I have walked away from it to let it sit and will try again later. There is a switch at the bottom that will cause a light to go from orange to blue. The blue light means I am ready for wireless. The light stays orange and I can't access the internet. My cell is Samsung Galaxy 3 S Note. I can't attach anything, much less pictures, when I post here.
If I still can't access the Internet later today, then the Geek Squad will be called into action. If they can't fix this, then I will be shopping for a new laptop.
If someone wants to post the pictures, they could PM me with a number where I can text the pictures. If not, and I haven't met anybody here personally, that's OK and pics can wait.
I forgot about emailing the pics. Tinkeringtechie said he would post pics. Thanks. Tomorrow - going out with husband for the evening.
Here are the pictures Leslie emailed me. Love the red color!
(http://i.imgur.com/obsYvPL.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/ECbhEGA.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/lfGl2FB.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/KFBwUPA.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/bl9u09h.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/lzowCyX.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/0GsHM4a.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/W5Kc7sD.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/pYMiHxL.jpg)
I like that rig. Nice color coordination, too.
Hi Leslie, nice rig! I am trying to compare to the 21BHS standard, and what I can see different from that floor plan is that you replaced the queen bed by a dinette/bed combo, and instead of the dinette you have a jack knife sofa and there is no slide. It would be nice if you could explain to us what you ordered :-). Thank you for sharing!
Leslie,
So glad you have your LL! I love the color combination!! Now the fun really begins with outfitting your trailer and trying to figure out where you want to store everything! Enjoy!!
[quote source="/post/4357/thread" timestamp="1413975705" author="@paul"]
Hi Leslie, nice rig! I am trying to compare to the 21BHS standard, and what I can see different from that floor plan is that you replaced the queen bed by a dinette/bed combo, and instead of the dinette you have a jack knife sofa and there is no slide. It would be nice if you could explain to us what you ordered :-). Thank you for sharing!
[/quote]I think in place of the slide, there is a tip-out bunk. I may be wrong about that, but I believe that is the case. It is an intersting setup, that's for sure. I have a standard 21BHS and find the dinette in the front very interesting. I like that, although we like the slide dinette as well. It just gives a nice alternative.
The Grand Cherokee seems to be sitting nice and level. Hope it works well as a tow vehicle. The whole rig looks great.
This is the list that I ordered for my 21-BHS:
No slide
In place of the slide, a tip-out bunk
No queen bed
In place of the queen bed, a dinette/bed
No wardrobe cabinet
Jack knife sofa in front of tip-out bunk, the way the 16 DB is set up
With the jack-knife sofa came a table
Maple azdel on the walls
Aluminum cabinetry with silver finish
Paint to match my deep cherry red Jeep
Outside table with a propane connection
I think that is everything
Quote from: @djsamuel" source="/post/4361/thread" timestamp="1413983062The Grand Cherokee seems to be sitting nice and level. Hope it works well as a tow vehicle. The whole rig looks great.
This spring, I rented a Ford F-150 to see how I liked driving it. I didn't mind the driving, but parking was a pain. I really like the Jeep, and I was careful to choose the trailer and the Jeep so that, once I load up my trailer, I will have at least 20% as a cushion.
I took I-39 this morning to the dealer. 55 mph, tractor trailers passing me, not exactly white knuckles, but I am adjusting. The Jeep and trailer seem to be very solid, in my so far limited experience.
[quote source="/post/4366/thread" timestamp="1413993236" author="@leslie"]This is the list that I ordered for my 21-BHS:
No slide
In place of the slide, a tip-out bunk
No queen bed
In place of the queen bed, a dinette/bed
No wardrobe cabinet
Jack knife sofa in front of tip-out bunk, the way the 16 DB is set up
With the jack-knife sofa came a table
Maple azdel on the walls
Aluminum cabinetry with silver finish
Paint to match my deep cherry red Jeep
Outside table with a propane connection
I think that is everything
[/quote]Nice!
My 2015 Camplite 21-BHS has an electric/propane water heater, a Jensen radio, and the speakers work well. If you look at the sink, it looks like an upgrade to me. What we really like is the combination of the tip-out bunk and dinette in the front section of the 21 foot unit leaves us with a nice open space between them.
When I first saw the amount of room we had, I thought I would like to put in a cabinet. However, my 2 dogs used that space to play. They had enough room to wrestle, so I am thinking we might just keep it as it is.
The beagle mix is so nosy. I wanted a picture of the dogs on their beds in the lower bunk, looking out their window. However, Daisy the beagle just had to look out to watch my husband behind me pack things up.
Quote from: @leslie" timestamp="1414003138" source="/post/4372/threadMy 2015 Camplite 21-BHS has an electric/propane water heater, a Jensen radio, and the speakers work well. If you look at the sink, it looks like an upgrade to me. What we really like is the combination of the tip-out bunk and dinette in the front section of the 21 foot unit leaves us with a nice open space between them.
When I first saw the amount of room we had, I thought I would like to put in a cabinet. However, my 2 dogs used that space to play. They had enough room to wrestle, so I am thinking we might just keep it as it is.
The beagle mix is so nosy. I wanted a picture of the dogs on their beds in the lower bunk, looking out their window. However, Daisy the beagle just had to look out to watch my husband behind me pack things up.
Leslie I love the red color. I hope you are prepared to get many visitors asking about your trailer while you camp. You might want to bug livinlite for some broshures to hand out! :) Your sink is actually the same as mine in my stock 2013 16DB. I really like the grey cabinets against the azdel wood grain... VERY sharp looking! Congrats and enjoy. I feel bad you you getting it so late in the season. You will have a long winter waiting to camp if you don't make a trip with it south.
Quote from: @tlbones" timestamp="1414020186" source="/post/4376/threadQuote from: @leslie" timestamp="1414003138" source="/post/4372/threadMy 2015 Camplite 21-BHS has an electric/propane water heater, a Jensen radio, and the speakers work well. If you look at the sink, it looks like an upgrade to me. What we really like is the combination of the tip-out bunk and dinette in the front section of the 21 foot unit leaves us with a nice open space between them.
When I first saw the amount of room we had, I thought I would like to put in a cabinet. However, my 2 dogs used that space to play. They had enough room to wrestle, so I am thinking we might just keep it as it is.
The beagle mix is so nosy. I wanted a picture of the dogs on their beds in the lower bunk, looking out their window. However, Daisy the beagle just had to look out to watch my husband behind me pack things up.
Leslie I love the red color. I hope you are prepared to get many visitors asking about your trailer while you camp. You might want to bug livinlite for some broshures to hand out! :) Your sink is actually the same as mine in my stock 2013 16DB. I really like the grey cabinets against the azdel wood grain... VERY sharp looking! Congrats and enjoy. I feel bad you you getting it so late in the season. You will have a long winter waiting to camp if you don't make a trip with it south.
I have the same sink in my 2015 13QBB
Hello, Leslie! Your custom 21BHS looks so great! I never would have thought to do plain aluminum on cabinets or the maple on the walls... very cool! I am curious to know what type of hitch you are using. My husband and I are looking at ordering the 21BHS and purchasing the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4 ecoDiesel as our TV. We will be close to our tongue weight/payload and I'm trying to determine what hitch would work for us. Our payload is 1155 with a max tongue weight of 720 lbs. We'll have about 90 lbs of kids in lieu of fur babies :) We estimate about 500 lbs in the vehicle with adults/kids and the very few items we'd carry in the truck. That would leave us with 655 lbs for tongue weight if I'm understanding this all correctly. The ecoDiesel is rated to tow 7,200 (before factoring in extra weight in vehicle). Very curious to know what your tow experience is like.
We are first-timers and have fallen in love with Camp Lite. This forum has been so helpful while doing research. Thanks in advance for the info.
Amanda
It is good to hear from someone else who wants to tow with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I am using an Equalizer E2 600 weight distribution hitch which also provides some sway control. The Camplite is not yet loaded for travel because we haven't even had it for a month yet. We have just packed up a few things to go camping on weekends. We camped in it with the overnight temp down to 29, and we were comfortable. It is winterized now.
I have been familiarizing myself with how it handles by driving in all kinds of traffic, including interstate driving. It seems to be very stable. I have never towed or backed up a trailer before, so I have had a lot to learn. I have spent a lot of this time learning to back it up, and I can now say that I can back it into campsite.
I have a Prodigy P3 brake controller with the electric brakes that come standard with the trailer, and I seem to have plenty of stopping power. Although I don't have much in my trailer yet, my husband and I plan to travel with a light load in there, just us and our 2 dogs, no children since they are grown, and no toys like bikes or boats.
I can feel the push and pull of the big trucks passing me on the interstate. I have driven with wind gusts up to 20 mph with my husband following me in our Ford Ranger, and he says there was no sway at all.
I did not try to tow without the brake controller or the weight distribution hitch, so I can't tell you what it would be like without them. However, with the Jeep Grand Cherokee and a light load in the Camplite set up this way, it has been very steady on the road.
Amanda:
Look at the various threads on weight and installing an Andersen WDH. The tongue weight for that trailer has been reported by one member to be 525 lbs and another at 650 lbs, both loaded. The loaded trailer weight has been reported to be 4,500 lbs.
So you should be ok, maybe even without a WDH, particularly if you have rear self leveling. But I would at least consider using one. But look at the posts on the coupler bending with the extra force of a WDH and also LL's reticence to recommend a WDH with their aluminum frame. At the very least put some bolts through the bottom of the coupler to strengthen its attachment to the frame, with or without a WDH.
David
[font size="3"]Amanda,
You should be OK with the Jeep, but definitely plan on a WDH and definitely have two 1/2" bolts added to the sides of the coupler. The factory installed coupler needs these added bolts to work with the WDH and you will want WDH. Read the threads on bent couplers here. The E2 6000/600 WDH works very well as does the Prodigy P3 brake controller. As they say "Don't leave home without them" ;).
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thanks for the info on WD hitches and LL hesitation to recommend... I spoke to Hensley today about their SwiftCub hitch and he stated that with the aluminum A-frame they recommend that instead of using self-drilling bolts you would substitute and additional u-bolt. I've not read anything on an Anderson hitch. You tow with an Anderson hitch, David? I'll check them out. My husband and I are sold on using WD and anti-sway style hitch... just to help off-set some of our newbie-nerves.
[quote source="/post/5069/thread" timestamp="1415920400" author="@arady"]thanks for the info on WD hitches and LL hesitation to recommend... I spoke to Hensley today about their SwiftCub hitch and he stated that with the aluminum A-frame they recommend that instead of using self-drilling bolts you would substitute and additional u-bolt. I've not read anything on an Anderson hitch. You tow with an Anderson hitch, David? I'll check them out. My husband and I are sold on using WD and anti-sway style hitch... just to help off-set some of our newbie-nerves.
[/quote][font size="3"]I think you understand the issues. The U-bolt suggestion from Hensley is consistent with other recommendations to not drill the AL frame. The E2 mounts with clamps, no drilling. This is important. The added bolts on the coupler sides are not a problem since there is no load in the ends of the frame where they go. However, the holes still should be centered vertically in the frame members.
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Something that was important to me with the E2 weight distribution hitch is that you do not need to remove it before backing it into your campsite. I like to keep things as simple as possible. I am not sure about all other hitches, but when I was researching them, it seemed they recommended removing them before backing up.
[font size="3"]Leslie,
You're right about the E2 and backing up. No need to remove it.
BTW, since you'll be hitching/unhitching by yourself, get an Atwood power tongue jack. Take it from the old lazy guy it's the best gift your husband will ever buy for you ;).
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Quote from: @charliem" source="/post/5076/thread" timestamp="1415936672[font size="3"]Leslie,
You're right about the E2 and backing up. No need to remove it.
BTW, since you'll be hitching/unhitching by yourself, get an Atwood power tongue jack. Take it from the old lazy guy it's the best gift your husband will ever buy for you ;).
[/font]
Charliem, that is exactly what my husband suggested last night. I told him that I wasn't really interested because it would add to the tongue weight and use power.
Actually, what I need is a little dolly to support the ball hitch when I pull it off the Jeep. The first time I unhitched by myself, I removed the ball hitch without moving the Jeep. I did not realize how heavy it was, particularly with the WDH included. The coupler lock was upright. When I pulled out the ball hitch, I was pulled right down by its weight, and I stabbed myself in the neck with the coupler lock! That hurt!
Now I always pull the Jeep a little forward before I pull out that hitch! Plus, I am getting used to the weight now.