Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Class C Motorhomes: B+ motorhomes

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Topic: B+ motorhomes

Posted By: Gene in NE on 07/15/09 11:12pm

birdbybird wrote:

As for the tire monitors. I set them as per the vehicle recommendation at 65psi. cold....Hey I finished the couch to bed modification and took out the last of the dinette seat. Will try to get some pics this week.

Have you weighed your rig? Our unit is similar in size and I can run 60psi in front and 55psi in the rear duals and still have a comfortable safety in carrying capacity. The ride is much smoother (<--is that a word?).

Where are the pictures, we are waiting.

2002 Trail-Lite Model 211-S w/5.7 Chevy (click View Profile)
Gene

Posted By: birdbybird on 07/16/09 07:30am

I haven't taken any pictures yet. I did make a drive to NC and back to drop off a puppy to its new home! I also had a custom mattress made up in two sections that I can use on the open floor space. I later found a nice folded pad at COSCO for @ $50. but it was 36 in wide and I was able to have mine made at 28 in. Every in inch counts. (I let my husband come down with me when we all went to NC for a meet the young man's family weekend. It was fun. They had all of us come camping and kayaking/rafting. Most took the inflatable duckies down the whitewater. I took the floor b/c I didn't think my husband could make it back up off the floor very well in the morning. :-)

I did have the unit weighed last Sept at Nick Russell's Ohio Gypsy Gathering. I was well under the limit all around. So how do I know how much I can safely lower the psi and still be okay? A smoother ride is always nice.

Christine

22ft BT Gulfstream MH
Chev 350 engine
and the four furry companions">erschel, Stuart, Blondie and Remi

Posted By: Gene in NE on 07/16/09 11:03pm

birdbybird wrote:

...I did have the unit weighed last Sept at Nick Russell's Ohio Gypsy Gathering. I was well under the limit all around. So how do I know how much I can safely lower the psi and still be okay? A smoother ride is always nice.

Looking forward to the pictures.

As to the tire pressure, check this tire inflation chart GoodYear Chart in PDF. Different brands should all have the same information. Once you know the weight on the front axle, look to the chart for your size to see how much load you can carry at different pressures. For example (bottom of page 1), if your tire size is LT225/75/R16 as a single (S) tire it can carry 2,190 lbs each at 60 lbs air pressure or 4,380 lbs on the front axle. The rear tires could each carry 1,875 lbs each at 55 lbs or 7,500 on the rear axle with duals (D).

Do not exceed the tire pressure shown in bold for Load Range (C)- 50 lbs, Load Range (D) - 65 lbs, or Load Range (E) - 80 lbs.

Posted By: birdbybird on 08/16/09 01:34pm

Since some people seem to have long memories re: pictures..... Nothing fancy but it works for me. The open floor space also lets me change up the dog crating depending on where I am going and who is traveling with me!

The counter top box I had made to fit over the stove burners and keep "stuff" from falling into the burners and provide sandwich making space. I use the microwave most of the time so the "counter" gets used most of the time and I don't ever see the stove top now...... I velco'ed the dog bone jar and the basket to the counter. Need to keep important things close to hand....so I have been told by my traveling buddies. [emoticon]

oll:

The Induction cook top fits nicely here but the advantage is that I can take it outside and cook outside anytime I want. It uses very little electric.....
[image]

The bed that replaced the jack-knife sofa. Much more comfortable. Had mattress made for 32 inches. Wanted to leave as much aisle space as possible but decided not to skimp too much. Measured how much space my legs took up in their usual sleeping position and added a couple of inches for comfort. Also needed it wide enough to take snuggle dogs while reading and watching TV [emoticon]

Better view of the box built under the bed. The water tank takes up part of the space under there but b/c I raised it a couple of inches there is a good 6-8 inches of storage space for extra blankets, pillows, whatever...... All I have to do is raise the mattress up on its edge on the ledge in back and open the lid...much easier to get into and out of than under the couch......
[image]

Found the office chair at IKEA, can we say CHEAP, but it raises to accommodate long legs, can be loosened to rock back like a recliner and has a back that comes up just high enough to support my head if I want to kick back. The small computer table just happened to jump out at me when I was a IKEA. It also raises and lowers height to fit different chairs (Like maybe outside in the camp chair). The top can come off to brake down farther if I need to get it out of my way more. I can till carry the other small table I have. Might be useful outside when boondocking. Still thinking about possibilities for a foot rest. Raise the chair and use the bed? Find a small box that can store in the seat of the chair and might provide another storage option. When I see it I will know.....
[image]

Looking from the back kitchen area. The floor now has room for the small mattress I had made. Sleeps just fine and the dogs loved having me sleep with them for a change! It reminded me of tent camping and being the one near the tent door. Last one down and first on up........but it worked when we went down to camp and kayak with DD and her significant other.
[image]

Looking back from the front...removing the last of the dinette seats really opened up the floor...visually and also actually for my size 12 feet and a few dogs.
[image]

The next project: taking out the old TV (the new small one I finally found and ordered will go under the cabinet above the end of the bed) and deciding how best to use this space.....The cabinets that are there waste a bunch of space. It really is deep enough for a small person not afraid of tight spaces to sleep. If nothing else...more storage!!
[image]

Herschel, the best co-pilot, waiting to see if he actually gets to go somewhere....or "...what are you doing taking pictures when we could be heading down the road?"
[image]

"Well, maybe if I just chill, she will get her act together off we will go....."
[image]

Posted By: burlmart on 08/16/09 02:27pm

Christine

Sooo...it takes a whole month before your guilt in delaying our pics moves you to take corrective action [emoticon]

You really have opened the interior space. That wider aisle is so nice compared to what is available with a dinette and sofa.

That floor mattress looks a bit thin for my liking, but there is space there for a much larger one.

Pretty co-pilot.

Good pics. Thanks.

P.S.
I include the following to show everyone how the stock layout leaves a narrow aisle.
[image]

2005 Trail Lite 213 B-Plus w/ 6.0 Chevy

Posted By: jeanniewes on 08/16/09 03:17pm

I love the photos! It seems our cabinet interior is about the same thing. Perhaps they are in most Motorhomes? I dont know. We were not looking for a Motorhome when we found ours... lol Anyway I do love what you've done with yours. My husband has looked at them as well. HIS QUESTION is WHERE did you get the mattress made? We dont like putting the sofa and dinning table area together which makes into a huge bed BUT it seems we have too crawl over one another too get out of be OR if we sleep the other way then we feel like we're rolling down hill. uggggggggggggggg... Sooooooooooo he sleeps on the sofa. I and my 2 little doggies sleep on the dinning table/chair area that lets down. I have an air mattress on top of the dinning chair pads but I was telling him I wished someone made mattresses to fit there. We've looked and have not found any. NOW we read you've had one made? soooooooooooo WHO makes them I might ask?

We have found new ways too make more space as well. One is that we do NOT use the bathtub so we use that for storage. When we camp we just go too the Shower house. Using that tub, in the motorhome, is useless and hard on the elbows..lol THEN we put up wooden bars with hooks and can hang things on it. We have 3 bars. One on each end of the tub and one on the back wall. That is a total of 12 hooks. Also I purchased a huge cutting board which sets on top of my stove. My stove has a metal lid over the burners. I then put down that drawer liner stuff that doesnt skid. I placed this on top of the metal lid. Then I put the huge cutting board down. It DOES NOT slide or fall off while traveling. Underneath My bed area I put a few plastic containers that had drawers. We put things in those. I love going too 'camping world' for they have some GREAT ideas on how too safe space in motorhomes.

THANK YOU for sharing photos of YOUR motorhome.

Posted By: birdbybird on 08/16/09 03:54pm

Burlmart, So nice of your traveling friends to leave you one place to sit! Oh, they left the floor for you, too......

I found the mattress company on line and was surprised to discover it was about 15 miles from the house. Some larger places advertised ability to make custom mattresses but when I started talking they still had a list of dimensions options that they worked with and they were pricy. The place was right up the road in Franklin, OH (NE of Cincinnati) Small shop, factory and mattress display all under the same roof. He walked me around the small factory in the back of the building, I met the woman making a mattress and an older gentleman cleaning up. After talking and looking at different types of mattresses, the main guy had me try some firm Foam material he had made up for something. I went with a six inch foam. It isn't mushy like memory foam but gives wonderful support. I gave him the dimensions and he had me pick out what sort of covering I wanted. I cost about $150. and fit perfectly. Firm enough to take the sitting around watching TV and soft enough for sleeping! The mattress I had made up for the floor in only 28 inches wide and about two inches thick and made in two 35in sections. We talked about different ways I could have it connected and he let me know how much it would cost to have his girl sew the velco on..... We both decided that I didn't really need that expense for something that I wasn't going to use that much. If I ever decide to use the storage space over the cab as a sleeping area... the smaller mattress will fit up there... I measured ahead of time, just in case! I did just recently see I wonderful 4in. thick foam folding mattress at COSCO a couple of weeks ago for all of $50 dollars but it was 36 inches wide.....

Even my husband who was grumbling as I kept pulling more and more "stuff" out of the MH, agreed after borrowing the MH for a pottery kiln opening, that the bed slept much nicer than the old arrangement. .... Just as long as he brings my Baby Bus back to me...... the dogs and I occasionally let him borrow it.....

Hope to see you down the road.......I am planning to attend the Ohio Gypsy Journal Rally in Celina come the end of Sept.....it was small and enjoyable last year!

Posted By: jeanniewes on 08/16/09 08:03pm

lol I loved reading your post birdbybird...

We dont have a 'cosco' here although I have seen them as we've traveled around the country. I guess I'll have too keep looking. Eventually, when I'm not looking, I will probably find a mattress. I like the air mattress ok. It is a special one made for Hospital Beds so it is not thick BUT it is HOT. I am am not a cold natured person and it about burns me up. Finally instead of using sheets on it? I just put a thick quilt over it and that did help too keep from getting so hot at night..

We love too meet people when we're traveling. We have been on a few tours (not via MH) and met a lot of wonderful people along the way. In Sept we are going too 'Reelfoot Lake' in Tennessee. That is one part of Tennessee we've never been too. There is some wonderful photography shots there and I do love dabbling in photography. Here is one photo shot I found online. It only makes me more curious about the trip..

[image]

Posted By: jeanniewes on 08/16/09 08:11pm

Well THAT didnt work. Let me try something else on the photo...BRB

ok trying again...ughhhhhhhhhhh I dont know what I'm doing wrong...no photo..sorry.

Try this Link and see IF you can view the photo?

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2113210680035540649kkbPid

woooooooooooooo whooooooooooooooooo YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS that works... lol

* This post was edited 08/16/09 08:23pm by jeanniewes *

Posted By: Gene in NE on 08/17/09 11:28am

birdbybird wrote:

Since some people seem to have long memories re: pictures..... Nothing fancy but it works for me. The open floor space also lets me change up the dog crating depending on where I am going and who is traveling with me!

Herschel, the best co-pilot, waiting to see if he actually gets to go somewhere....or "...what are you doing taking pictures when we could be heading down the road?"

Great photos - Thanks for posting them. Let Herschel know there are several RV's that would love to have him join them "heading down the road". [emoticon]

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