35U Questions

smlranger · 01-05-2005, 11:45 AM

Well, wife and I are beginning investigation of moving up from current rig. In past two weeks while on vacation, we've seen many new Winne 35U's, especially in Myrtle Beach area. We both like the floorplan. If we move, it will be 2003 or 2004, slightly used. I've noticed many of these on the net (private parties and dealers). Not sure what that means since I understand Adventurers are #1 selling MH.

Any feedback would be appreciated regarding CCC, how the rigs handle (my curent P-30 handles quite well so would think the W-22 with 22.5" tires would be fine). Any pros and cons appreciated.

smlranger · 01-05-2005, 11:45 AM

Well, wife and I are beginning investigation of moving up from current rig. In past two weeks while on vacation, we've seen many new Winne 35U's, especially in Myrtle Beach area. We both like the floorplan. If we move, it will be 2003 or 2004, slightly used. I've noticed many of these on the net (private parties and dealers). Not sure what that means since I understand Adventurers are #1 selling MH.

Any feedback would be appreciated regarding CCC, how the rigs handle (my curent P-30 handles quite well so would think the W-22 with 22.5" tires would be fine). Any pros and cons appreciated.

rvten · 01-05-2005, 12:32 PM

We have a 2001 35U on a W-20 chassis. Have been very happy with the whole set up.

Logthumper · 01-05-2005, 12:37 PM

We picked up our 2003 Adventurer 35U Oct of 2003. Ilene and I looked at several other brands but loved the 35U from the get-go.

We had a 1 Ton Powerstroke Diesel and 32' Fiver which we also really enjoyed. I simply ran out of things (modifications, add-ons, etc.) to do to the rig.

If you look at my sig at the bottom of this post, you will see that I have made quite a few changes, add-ons, etc. to the 35U also. Don't read this wrong. If I didn't think the 35U was a great rig, I would have no interest in working on it.

This, our first full year with the unit, from Kansas City, we have made trips to San Antonio, Taos, Estes, Door County, along with many short outings for a total of 9,000 plus miles.

The Workhorse W22 also pulls a Jeep Wangler and did so thru the Rocky Mountains. Each trip was a complete joy, no problems, no complaints, smiles all the way.

Right now the Adventurer 35U is setting out in 22 degree weather covered with ice and snow. But it has been put away so that it is ready to go at a momets notice.

And yes, weather permitting, I will be makeing it even "more mine". The Tire Sentry, tire monitorig system for the 35U and Wangler is on order, Air horns are ready for installation also.

Working on , making changes, etc. on a new unit may not make sense to some people, but the unit is great to start with so I'm haveing fun just makeing it mine.

jeb · 01-05-2005, 01:01 PM

We were pretty happy with our 03 35U. Nice rig but a lot of little QC issues that were eventually all fixed. Our undoing was taking a DP for a test ride. :-)

jdsr · 01-05-2005, 05:18 PM

you are going to need some add ons if the first owner didnt add them. i waited and bought a 2004 thinking workhorse had worked out there problems. wrong.be careful, take your time, and shop around. i thought i did. thank god for this site. alot of guys here gave some good advice on add ons. jd

smlranger · 01-06-2005, 02:55 AM

jdsr:

Which add-ons? Better shocks, steering stabilizer.

Based on pricing on the net, looks like the Ford chassis coaches consistently list for less than the WH. I'm partial to Ford but want the 22.5" wheels which I understand is only available on the WH chassis. Is that correct?

Thanks.

Old Snipe · 01-06-2005, 04:47 AM

I have a 2003 35U and am very happy with it. I did add on a rear stablizer (track) bar from Henderson's to eliminate a little tail wagging and put Monroe shocks on all around to solve bounce problems. Really handles well now. Have had the ususal little repair issues, but everything seems to be fixed now. Only downside is no washer/dryer, not worth changing to a new rig over. Excellent closet space, big basement storage and love that couch. Makes a really comfortable bed, too. Only the 38G Adventurer had a couch as big, all the other Adventurer models are about 6-8 inches shorter in length, makes a differance when you're 6 feet tall. I have the 19.5 inch tires on mine and it rides really well, plus I have a spare mounted under the back, 22.5, you don't get a spare. According to the new brouchure, you can order a WH-22 with the 19.5 tires if you want.

Best Regards!

tmcgeesr · 01-07-2005, 02:32 AM

We have a 2000 Adventurer 35U. We like it very much. I think the floor plan is one of the reasons it is so popular. We are not yet retired and don't get to use it as much as we would like. My only suggestion/concern is don't go to large. I think once you get over 35-37 ft on a gas chassis with slides you are pushing it if its a Ford or Work Horse chassis.

Tom N · 01-07-2005, 06:50 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR> Based on pricing on the net, looks like the Ford chassis coaches consistently list for less than the WH. I'm partial to Ford but want the 22.5" wheels which I understand is only available on the WH chassis. Is that correct?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The Ford comes with 22.5 tires AND matching Alcoa aluminum wheels, standard on the '05 Itasca Suncruiser 35U. Ford has to add an incentive to make up for Workhorses W22 & W24 superior chassis.

jdsr · 01-08-2005, 03:35 PM

smlranger, yes i added those 2 items and a rear tract bar. you would think for the money we pay, oh well. live and learn. i had a 1998 adv on a ford ch and never had any problems. good luck. jd

Horsepowerfan · 01-09-2005, 03:14 AM

Hi smlranger,

We love our 35U!

After looking at many, many coaches, floorplans, manufacturers, etc. we kept gravitating back to Winnebago products and found the 35U floorplan was our favorite. My wife and I really like the fully enclosed bath and the layout of the rest of the coach seems more like a house as there are distinct "rooms" that don't overlap. With both slides out it is HUGE inside! We also felt the Winnebago quality and innovation was better than the other manufacturers'.

I think the 35 foot length seems to balance the coach out nicely as ours rides very well. It's a real pleasure to drive. I'm a GM guy and wouldn't have any other chassis but a Workhorse.

I'm not knocking the Ford at all it's just a familiarity factor for me. I love the smoothness of the Allison 5-speed tranny. I was VERY surprised the first time I drove our coach that a vehicle so large could have so much power and shift so smoothly. I haven't had any shock problems and our rig tracks true with nary a tail wag and it never seems to waver when passing big trucks on two-lane roadways. It has the 19.5" wheels which are optional on the W22 chassis. I think the advantages are a slightly lower center of gravity and more overhead clearance as well as minimal extra basement storage. The tires are Goodyear G670 RV radials and I've heard folks seem to prefer them over the Michelins that are used for the 22.5's. (Not sure why... Michelin makes a darn good tire.) As someone else mentioned you also get a spare with the 19.5's, but not with the 22.5's. BTW, I've heard that the Ford 22klb. chassis in years past was available with 22.5" tires, but I've never seen one.

I think you'll find alot of 35U's for sale in the marketplace because of their popularity and sheer numbers. I don't think it's an indication that folks don't want them.

My coach has a CCC of 2,427lbs., GVWR of 22klbs., and GCWR of 26klbs. I haven't weighed it yet but the unloaded vehicle weight is supposed to be just under 18klbs.

The only modification I've made to date is to add a DVD/VCR player.

We also had some minor QC issues that were taken care of by our dealer within the first year of ownership. I think we all know this is to be expected with such a complex vehicle.

I guess the only thing that I'd consider a drawback is the sliding doors on the shower. I found I didn't have much elbow room when toweling off, but it's really no big deal. I can't think of anything else I dislike about our rig and I can't wait until it's time to de-winterize and hit the road!

Hope this helps. Happy hunting!

smlranger · 01-09-2005, 04:44 PM

Horsepowerfan:

Thanks for the thorough response. Wife and I just returned from at 2 week trip in the old '97 Adventurer and stopped by the NC RV show on Sat. We looked at many coaches but kept coming back to the Adventurer 35. (We also loved the 36'Journey but a DP is certainly not a necessity for us at this time).

I've been under the impression that the 22.5" tires provided a better ride and superior handling to 19.5's but the coach height is a factor to consider. My wife has rheumatoid arthritis and climbing up the 3 steps on a display model with 22.5's was not easy for her. We both love the floor plan and noticed the interior room.

Of 5 new Adventurers we saw at a CG in Myrtle Beach, 4 were 35U's. We talked to three of those owners and all said they were pleased.

We have identified several possibilities but in a gas MH of that size, we keep coming to the conclusion that the 35U is a good value.

Horsepowerfan · 01-10-2005, 01:43 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by smlranger:
I've been under the impression that the 22.5" tires provided a better ride and superior handling to 19.5's but the coach height is a factor to consider. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

While I haven't driven an Adventurer with the larger tires I don't know how the ride and handling compares, but those bigger wheels sure are impressive on a gas coach.

The Adventurer brochure uses the phrasing "choose the 22.5-inch tires... for diesel-pusher-like look and ride performance". I did almost mention the extra step to climb in, but forgot. That definitely sounds like a consideration for you.

I would recommend, if possible, that you road test various combinations to be sure you'll be happy with your chassis selection. Sounds like you've nailed down the 35U part!

grampy · 01-10-2005, 06:33 AM

We boought our 35U in Nov. 03 and have nothing but GREAT THINGS to say about it. It has all the power you will ever need. The size is not overwhelming and the interior room is more than adequate for 2 people. I stopped by Forrest City on a trip to the Great Lakes last summer and heard a lot of bad things about the diesel units. They seem too expensive and too complicated for what I intend to want. You go try the 35U. With the slides out, the 37 foot unit didn't seem that much larger, just more expensive. We tow a 04 Honda Element and don't even know it is back there. Can't wait to go out west and try the high mountains. On the mountains in and around North Carolina, I can pull away from the big diesels and still get better gas milage. 7.5 - 8 at 60mph while towing. That ain't bad for a unit that size. I haven't found the need to add anything to my unit yet except a cb radio. The W22 chassis has all I could want. I have put almost 10,000 miles on it and only minor problems that the dealer fixed. Just for the record, check out John Bleakley Motor Homes in Douglasville, Ga. They are the nicest bunch of people and I highly recommend them. Price, Service and just plain good attitude. No pushy salesmen. Go check out all the motorhomes. We did and always have come back to the Winnies. This is our 4th one. What more can I say. Good Luck. Grampy

ISLAPP · 01-10-2005, 11:11 AM

smlranger,
The 35U floorplan is great for two people and it is the right size rig to fit in alot of campsites. Storage hasnt been an issue for us and we like to bring the whole house with us!!
Since you are looking at '03's and '04's, Ford didnt offer the 22.5 tires then. Their 22k chassis is on the 19.5 tires. I personally have no problem with the power from the Ford chassis. I did replace the OEM shocks with Bilsteins and had a Davis Trac bar put on the front.
As far as CCC goes, dont think you got to worry. My gvw is around 19,500 lbs with full fuel,loaded storage bays including fire wood, empty gray, 1/3 full black, but no food or clothes. This is on a 22k GVWR chassis, so you can see you dont have to worrry about that.
Mike

Tom N · 01-11-2005, 04:58 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR> Since you are looking at '03's and '04's, Ford didnt offer the 22.5 tires then. Their 22k chassis is on the 19.5 tires. I personally have no problem with the power from the Ford chassis. I did replace the OEM shocks with Bilsteins and had a Davis Trac bar put on the front. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The 2004 Adventure brochure shows the Ford 22,000 chassis did indeed come with 22.5 tires and aluminum wheels in 2004. This is the only Ford chassis shown on the '04 brochure. See:

http://www.winnebagoind.com/html/pro...4-ad-specs.pdf

ISLAPP · 01-11-2005, 08:35 AM

TOM N,
I guess I stand corrected on the '04's. The '03's only had 19.5 tires. Didn't realize that changed in '04. I am now also thinking that the '04 Ford chassis had a Davis Trac bar on it. I know both the '03 and '04's had Bilstein shocks.
Now I mean the date of the chassis and not the date of the coach. My '03 coach is on a '02 chassis and that is why I had to add the Bilsteins and the trac bar.
Mike

tmcgeesr · 01-12-2005, 01:54 AM

One of the great things about the 35U floor plan, and one of the main reasons we bought one new in 2000 is the functionality of the coach with the "slides in". We are not yet retired and when we are on the road traveling from A to B we stay in Wal Mart parking lots, rest areas and Flying J convienence centers. With the slides in you have a fully fuctional coach.

This is an important feature to us. When we looked at coaches I always made the salesman pull the slides in. Everyone knows you have more room when there out!!

BBBEEBOP · 01-12-2005, 04:46 AM

We love our 35U, not retired yet (10 days to go). Have already been to Maine and Florida as well as lot's of weekend trips in PA and NY.
No additions have been made to the Ford Chassis (except the Sway Bar add ons under warranty)
Coach handles well and has all the power, living space and capacity we need.
Good Luck