Is the 28 BHS for me?

[tinkeringtechie]

[quote source="/post/1506/thread" timestamp="1402602627" author="@funpilot"]Did you guys know that the 28BHS has a new option?  You can convert the bunk bed area to the pop-out tent like the toy haulers have and then you get a door on the back that lets you load bicycles into the space where the bunks used to be; or you can get fold up bunk beds and get the same door (maybe, as when I asked someone at LL about that he said he had never heard of that even though their price sheet shows it...)  Also, the XL Living package is now part of the standard build (mandatory).  I am curious about one thing though...they use the same 13.5 A/C for the much bigger trailer and the same 30 amp service.  That sound like under engineering to me.  Again, your thoughts?  (I just checked and they use the same a/c on their largest toy hauler...)

 [/quote]That's news to me... anything on the 28' is news to me though   I'm not a big fan of the pop-outs because we're in the northwest and they would never dry out. If you live somewhere less wet then go for it. I think the XL package has always been mandatory even though it says it's an option because there's bound to be something in that package that you want and it's relatively inexpensive to add (considering what you get). I think the 13.5k btu A/C should be fine. It will run more often in hotter climates, but I don't think you'd need two units on a 28' unit.

[charliem]

[quote source="/post/1504/thread" timestamp="1402601751" author="@funpilot"]OK, just got back from the CAT scales after emptying all the junk and removing the spare tire.  By the way, I got almost 2 mpg better after removing that tire.  I presume that is because of it being under the truck and creating drag.   Now the interesting stuff.  I put in weight to exactly emulate my wife and dog in the vehicle and my TV weight dropped almost 300 pounds.  OMG, what a difference that made in the calculator I have been using.  Now it tells me I can tow:

7100 max tow weight with 6035 being within the safety zone
852 max tongue weight with 724 being within the safety zone
My front axle weighs 3120 (max 3400)
My rear axle weighs 2180 (max 4000)

That is with the safety margin set at 15% and tongue weight percentage over ride set at 12%

I put in the max weight as 5800 into the calculator for the 28BHS so that should more than cover real world loading if the dry weight is 4250.  Thoughts
[/quote][font size="3"][font face="arial"]Looks like you are zeroing in on the solution. I looked at the online calculator you're using...Pretty swift. I also found GM's tow rating of #7100 for your 2005. Is that what you plugged in to line 3 on the calculator? From your earlier posts and a Trailer Life chart I thought it was around #5300. Your #1550 for options and stuff seems adequate. Beginning to look like a go.
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[funpilot]

The tow rating I quoted was from the calculator.  My Chevy Avalanche manual says that I can tow 7300 pounds.  When I put in the other data it kept reducing what I could tow and I reported that.  In playing with it, I finally was able to show myself that OP were correct that the weight of my TV was the critical factor, so I found a way to reduce it.  When I did, everything came in to place.  What also helped was reducing the tongue calculation from 15% to 12%.

[funpilot]

At this point, I am looking to get the 28BHS with the XL Living package, hot water heater that I will replace later with a tankless, convection microwave, black tank flush kit, Power tongue jack and what I hope I read correctly are flip up bunks with the back door for the bikes, not the pop-out tent.  I will most likely add a few electrical outlets once I see the engineering drawings for that plus one more cable tv outlet. I think I will put one outlet in a bottom cabinet so I can install a central vac for this unit.  I will ask for satellite ready and solar ready. After reading in various forums on the value of 6 volt batteries, what brand and model would you recommend for this  unit?  What have I missed wanting to get?

Finally, the factory has sent me emails saying that the leatherette they offer for the fifth wheels is available if I want it (http://www.livinlite.com/camplite32rls-gallery.php).  Not sure that I like it better than the fabric but would like your thoughts on that.  

[funpilot]

Any thoughts on the Optional Metal cabinetry colors (champagne, black, white, silver, red)?  Right now I think I will go with the Dk cherry with black trim, but might be interested in something different...

[charliem]

[quote source="/post/1513/thread" timestamp="1402621770" author="@funpilot"][font face="arial" size="3"]At this point, I am looking to get the 28BHS with the XL Living package, hot water heater that I will replace later with a tankless, convection microwave, black tank flush kit, Power tongue jack and what I hope I read correctly are flip up bunks with the back door for the bikes, not the pop-out tent.  I will most likely add a few electrical outlets once I see the engineering drawings for that plus one more cable tv outlet. I think I will put one outlet in a bottom cabinet so I can install a central vac for this unit.  I will ask for satellite ready and solar ready. After reading in various forums on the value of 6 volt batteries, what brand and model would you recommend for this  unit?
[font color="e6194a"]Any good brand 6V GC2 series golf cart battery, 2 each. Trojan T105s are the benchmark; I use Interstate GC2-XHDs[font color="e6194a"]. Others are available, even at Wally World. Do not use "marine" batteries. These are not true deep cycle batteries. [/font][/font]
 
What have I missed wanting to get?
[font color="e6194a"]If you ever want to hang something on the rear bumper [font color="e6194a"]like bikes I recommend the beefed up bumper I had made. See my early post that includes a drawing. Also consider adding a SeeLevel tank monitor and upgrading at least one c[font color="e6194a"]eiling fan to [/font][/font]a Fantastic[font color="e6194a"] Vent. I don't know if the factory will [font color="e6194a"]install the SeeLevel, but they should substitute the Fantastic with some arm twisting. Don't waste your money on their upgraded high power fan o[font color="e6194a"]r the spray on floor insulation. The shower skylight is really worth [font color="e6194a"]the money.[/font][/font] [/font][/font][/font]

Finally, the factory has sent me emails saying that the leatherette they offer for the fifth wheels is available if I want it (http://www.livinlite.com/camplite32rls-gallery.php).  Not sure that I like it better than the fabric but would like your thoughts on that.
[font color="e6194a"]Generally the leatherette will wear better than the fabric, but the real weakness is the foam. For these reasons my wife is planning to have new cushions made by an upholstery shop.

 [font color="1961e6"]We're all waiting for the first report on the [font color="1961e6"]28.[/font][/font] [/font] 
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[djsamuel]

[quote source="/post/1514/thread" timestamp="1402622348" author="@funpilot"]Any thoughts on the Optional Metal cabinetry colors (champagne, black, white, silver, red)?  Right now I think I will go with the Dk cherry with black trim, but might be interested in something different...[/quote]We have the dark cherry with the black trim and still like it.

[pinstriper]

[quote source="/post/1516/thread" timestamp="1402628724" author="@djsamuel"][quote source="/post/1514/thread" timestamp="1402622348" author="@funpilot"]Any thoughts on the Optional Metal cabinetry colors (champagne, black, white, silver, red)?  Right now I think I will go with the Dk cherry with black trim, but might be interested in something different...[/quote]We have the dark cherry with the black trim and still like it.[/quote][p]Us as well, but I do wish I had the unpainted metal trim. The corners on all the cabinet doors are razor sharp, and I'd like to take a stone to them to knock the edge down a bit. But then they'll be bare metal, and how to paint just the corners and get it to match ? I'm gonna do it anyway one of these days, and try using just testers model paint or something and hope it's close and not too noticeable.[/p][p]
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[djsamuel]

[quote source="/post/1517/thread" timestamp="1402631974" author="@pinstriper"][quote source="/post/1516/thread" timestamp="1402628724" author="@djsamuel"]We have the dark cherry with the black trim and still like it.[/quote][p]Us as well, but I do wish I had the unpainted metal trim. The corners on all the cabinet doors are razor sharp, and I'd like to take a stone to them to knock the edge down a bit. But then they'll be bare metal, and how to paint just the corners and get it to match ? I'm gonna do it anyway one of these days, and try using just testers model paint or something and hope it's close and not too noticeable.[/p][p]
[/p][/quote]We have a small scratch in ours.  I'm going to try a black Sharpie permanent marker and see how that works.

[mitch]

A guy who writes a blog for solar RVing and solar houses recently said that he considers Crown batteries to be among the best.  If you're interested in his blog it's [a href="http://handybobsolar.wordpress.com/"]HERE[/a].  He's a bit cantankerous but the information he puts out seems very sound.  Crown battery info is [a href="https://www.crownbattery.com/"]HERE[/a]


Mitch

[pinstriper]

[quote source="/post/1519/thread" timestamp="1402655671" author="@djsamuel"][quote source="/post/1517/thread" timestamp="1402631974" author="@pinstriper"][p]Us as well, but I do wish I had the unpainted metal trim. The corners on all the cabinet doors are razor sharp, and I'd like to take a stone to them to knock the edge down a bit. But then they'll be bare metal, and how to paint just the corners and get it to match ? I'm gonna do it anyway one of these days, and try using just testers model paint or something and hope it's close and not too noticeable.[/p][p]
[/p][/quote]We have a small scratch in ours.  I'm going to try a black Sharpie permanent marker and see how that works.[/quote][p]That also occurred to me as a possibility. Please let me know how it goes.[/p][p]
[/p][p]We had a scratch in the aluminum floor, and a few minutes with a scotchbrite pad will take care of it. I told my wife that I did so, before putting down the interlocking foam pads and then the factory rug/mat on top of that.[/p][p]
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[funpilot]

One of the dealers I talked with said they use high gloss black Rust-Oleum for touch ups.