just got new 2022 Adventurer 29B...first thoughts

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by oracle1

Anybody else got a rec for a small SUV toad/dinghy?

It depends on you and your budget. When we first got a motorhome my daily driver was a Ford Expedition EL. Too big for a toad. So we bought a used Fiat 500 for cheap, added the necessary equipment and towed that for nearly 2-years. This meant the Fiat was a 3rd car in a 2-car household.

We realized that made no sense so we sold the Fiat and the Expedition to buy a new daily driver that could also be a toad. We bought a Lincoln MKX and now 6-yrs later that’s still my daily driver and our toad.

So your options depend on what you want the car for?

The Chevy SUVs are nice and most are capable toads, so are most of the Ford SUVs. Unfortunately, now they aren’t readily available. So, you could look at newer used SUVs, just be extra careful to get something that is actually flat towable. Don’t take a seller’s word for it and don’t assume that if one model year is flat towable that other years are as well.

Jeeps with 4-wheel drive are the most popular toads and have been for years. Again be careful because not every one is flat towable.

You’ll see a lot of older Honda CRV toads as they were the number one toad for years. Then in 2015 Honda changed the transmission and they have not been flat towable ever since.

You’ll find “Dingy Guides” online from various sources for each model year and that’s a great place to start looking. Once you find a car that interests you find the car’s owners manual online and look up Recreational Towing. That’s where you’ll learn if it’s towable and what the process entails.

One more thing. There are no electric cars that are flat towable but a few hybrids and a few Plug-in hybrids. And most, but not all cars with manual transmissions are towable. Most front wheel drive cars can be dolly towed, as well. But that’s a totally different subject.

[Scotty B]

Finding a toad was the hardest part of our getting set up for our Grand Adventure.
Definitely check out each vehicle you're considering to ensure it is flat towable. We found out after we purchased our rig that our paid for 2018 CRV was not flat towable. Reminds of the whole assuming thing.
Plenty of Wranglers around, but that would have been a last resort for us.
On the upside, we did find a 2022 Bronco that someone backed out of...yay!

[oracle1]

Currently studying a Mazda Grand Touring CX-5 as a toad (ONLY the FWD...all wheel drive is a no go) ...supposedly OK as long as they made a FWD, which was thru the 2021 model year.

Might also consider a previously loved Ford Escape Hybrid. The 2023's will not be available for a while yet.

Wife ruled out the Ford Fusion Hybrid (no longer made)...a nice looking and finshed out sedan, but her surgical back did not like the seats.

I did not care for the Equinox, though some here like it as a toad-- see earlier comments.

For some weird reason, Ford's Hybrids work as toads/dinghy's.

ANY THOUGHTS, ANYBODY?

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by oracle1

Currently studying a Mazda Grand Touring CX-5 as a toad (ONLY the FWD...all wheel drive is a no go) ...supposedly OK as long as they made a FWD, which was thru the 2021 model year.

I looked it up at the following CX-5s are flat towable

2021 Mazda CX-5 Touring - Yes, FWD flat towable

2021 Mazda CX-5 Carbon Edition - Yes, FWD flat towable

2021 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring - Yes, FWD flat towable

[oracle1]

The whole dinghy/toad thing was confusing. As others have noted, there are fewer options anymore if you are not sanguine about a Jeep (which can be heavier).

We bought a 2020 Ford Escape HYBRID to be our dinghy for the 2022 WBO Adventurer 29B. Ford openly touts their HYBRIDS as flat towable...no idea why.

A neighbor with a smaller Tiffin Class A has recommended a hitch place where he got his hitch and had some chassis modifications effected.

Neighbor's comments:
Both the Blue Ox and Roadmaster are excellent (tow hitch) products.

We had the Roadmaster stabilizer installed on the rear of our coach along with the front steering stabilizer also.

~~~~~

If anyone with stabilizer/chassis addition experience on an Adventurer 29B (or similar Godzilla chassis) wants to chime in, your thoughts would be welcome.

[Jimrie]

Originally Posted by Hermes2

Installed a MOR/ryde TV1-021H TV mount in lounge area. Then added clip mounts top and bottom for extra security.

For main cabin stock ATYME 40" TV
35.8"W x 3.4"D x 20.9"H
14.6 lb.
Connections: 3 HDMI (1 ARC), Ant/Cable

Possible Replacements:

SAMSUNG 40-inch UN40N5200AFXZA
36.3"W x 2.9"D x 20.9"H
15.4 lb.

VIZIO 40-Inch D40f-J09
35.55"W x 2.6"D x 20.5"H
12.2 lb.

You'll give up one HDMI connection with the replacement. Anything larger than a 40" TV may hit the cabinets on the left and stick out into the passage on the right.

Hermes, did you remove the existing TV bracket inside(suspect you did) and did you mount the new one directly on the wall or did you add a backboard? Also does your outside TV had an articulating TV mount or is it fixed in place? Thanks for any help

[ctwilson7]

Originally Posted by oracle1

The whole dinghy/toad thing was confusing. As others have noted, there are fewer options anymore if you are not sanguine about a Jeep (which can be heavier).

We bought a 2020 Ford Escape HYBRID to be our dinghy for the 2022 WBO Adventurer 29B. Ford openly touts their HYBRIDS as flat towable...no idea why.

A neighbor with a smaller Tiffin Class A has recommended a hitch place where he got his hitch and had some chassis modifications effected.

Neighbor's comments:
Both the Blue Ox and Roadmaster are excellent (tow hitch) products.

We had the Roadmaster stabilizer installed on the rear of our coach along with the front steering stabilizer also.

~~~~~

If anyone with stabilizer/chassis addition experience on an Adventurer 29B (or similar Godzilla chassis) wants to chime in, your thoughts would be welcome.

Oracle1, I also bought a 2022 Adventurer 29B as well as a 2022 Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid for my dinghy. Have you had a chance to get your vehicles all hooked up yet and if so, did you go with Roadmaster or Blue Ox? What did you choose for your brake controller? Why did you choose the items you did? Any additional advice / information I should be aware of before I get started?

[oracle1]

to----> ctwilson7
My response has not posted yet...but I forgot to add this: my limited research suggested that Blue Ox versus Roadmaster was a push (both high quality and well-tested/proven...but what does this retired banker know?!).

I will say that we have been having battery issues with our 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid...it seems likely that we are doing something naive or forgetful. In any case, we are ordering a quick-start battery charger to take along w/us--

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GBX55-Ul.../dp/B08WZKRHZZ

The little Escape mostly impresses. MPG are quite stunning, and with [political comment removed] gas prices, that is a plus.

[oracle1]

An update after our first year in our 2022 Adventurer 29B...

Not an experienced poster here, so please bear with me.

We did 10k miles during 2023, our first year. A good amount of that was going back to Yellowstone (what a wonder!). We hit 21 states, but were not really trying to rack up a big total.

We LOVE our 2022 Adventurer, which we had bought new at a fair price (pretty deep dealer discount from the overly-inflated MSRP). No regrets about having chosen Winnebago.

It has been as hoped-- at 30' it is big enough to keep her from shooting me, and to take along our small dog.

If I had it to do over, I might have gotten a low mileage, previously loved DP for the same $.

Oh, when our 1-year Winnebago warranty was about to expire, I called in about getting 2 little motors replaced--
1) a vent mode actuator motor, and
2) a stepper motor in the satellite dish dome.

To their credit, although our warranty would run out in about a week, the Winnebago tech gave us 90 days to get it into an authorized service dealer and get the work effected.

~~~~~~

A silly little question (please pardon my semi-newbie ignorance)...

We will head to the Left Coast/Mexifornia soon and be gone for 6 weeks to 2 months. We would surely want some routine engine service before we get back home.

WHERE DOES ONE TAKE A CLASS A JUST TO GET ROUTINE ENGINE SERVICE? Do you go to a Ford Commercial Vehicle Service facility? Another dealer that sells Winnebago's? Any RV service dealer?

Since RV dealers can be quite backlogged, what is the best strategy to get an oil change, etc.?

Thanx in advance for any advice!

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by oracle1

We will head to the Left Coast/Mexifornia soon and be gone for 6 weeks to 2 months. We would surely want some routine engine service before we get back home.

WHERE DOES ONE TAKE A CLASS A JUST TO GET ROUTINE ENGINE SERVICE? Do you go to a Ford Commercial Vehicle Service facility? Another dealer that sells Winnebago's? Any RV service dealer?

Since RV dealers can be quite backlogged, what is the best strategy to get an oil change, etc.?

Thanx in advance for any advice!

Hi,
Glad you're enjoying your Adventurer, our 2017 37-foot model is going strong after 52,000 mi. We love it.

Both your questions seem pretty similar... Chassis service.

You'll find the vast majority of Ford, Commercial Ford and Ford Truck dealers will turn you down for service. If you complain to Ford about this they will hemmmm and hawwww and give you the name of a dealer 500 miles away that they are sure will take your RV.

I use generic RV and Automotive service centers. In San Antonio we have one or two RV Service Centers that are good and fast. And, 20 miles from my house is a Automotive shop that also works on motorhomes. I looked first on Google and then asked around to see what others use. I don't know if I was just lucky but both do a great job. The Automotive shop doesn't even need an appointment, just drive over and wait. The wait has never exceed 1 1/2 hours from arrival to finish. The RV service center in town requires appointments but they do the work while you wait and it too is quick.

Both shops, with a full Mobil 1 Oil/filter change and lube charge under $150.

In 52,000 miles I've never had any service done on my Ford chassis but an oil change - so I"m not at all sure what other general maintenance you'd want to have done. I do want to get a brake fluid flush, but other than that, nadda.

One other suggestion - there are plenty of heavy duty truck centers, not Ford branded, but commonly work on lots of Ford commercial trucks that will work on a Class A. You just have to call and ask.

I get oil changes between 5,000 and 8,000 miles. Ford says 8,000 but if I'm headed on a long trip that will take me past 8,000 mi I just do the oil service before I leave. So, 90% of my oil changes are around 6,500 mi.

[Scotty B]

We used mobile oil changers in both Paso Robles and in CDA when we were at/close to the 5K intervals last year. Made more sense to us than figuring out the logistics of unplugging, what to do with the dog, figuring out a rig friendly route, etc...your campgrounds are great resources for local services...
Where is Mexifornia? Not heard of it...

[Morich]

Since RV are often driven low miles per year as compared to cars, I tend to go early for lube and oil and sometimes just to avoid the situation you describe. Doing these things in know territory seems to work with less stress and better overall outcome.
I like to go in a talk to folks local when i can and just get a feel for how they may work.
My preferred is just a small shop who really doesn't have the lift, etc to do lots of chassis but he also has no doubts when asked to do oil and lube or tire work. No big thing for them to just drag a scooter under and RV have lots of room once under there!
So I pick a nice day and let them know ahead of time and they do it in the back parking lot!

I do stay around and take care of the "funky" things like opening the hood as that may take a lot of knowing where the release is found. Generally, the idea is I make it handy for them and they make it work!
They like to see business show up and work to keep me coming where I find the big places really don't care if I ever come back!

[oracle1]

Thanx guys for the timely and apropos replies! This forum is ALWAYS so helpful. RVers are simply good people!

The tenor of my question was based on surely being gone (out west-- we live in Columbus, Ga.) for > 5,000 miles.

Intuitively, one would fathom that Ford Commercial Truck Service Centers SHOULD BE WILLING to provide engine service for an F-450...but they apparently are not.

Will try to find an RV service center where we stay for a few days.

"Mexifornia" is how many now refer to the Left Coast b/c it is now SO POPULATED with Latinos (quite a few here ILLEGALLY, but voting nonetheless, and tapping myriad social services)...a reason that California became deep blue. America will be LOST if the current administration endures for 4 more years, allowing another 20 million total people to walk across.