Charleston Tag Axle?

[AllenCrabtree]

OK.. Let's try this again... Unfortunately I have not gotten ANY responses from my last post. I am seriously considering the purchase of a new Charleston with a tag axle. I understand that this is a relatively new design and would really appreciate some feedback (any feedback) from someone that actually owns one of these new Charleston models. I have owned a Georgetown and currently own a Berkshire and considering upgrading to a Charleston. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[MtnGuy]

Allen, you might have to wait awhile for someone with a tag axle to log into the forum.....if there are any members with that setup.

[Tallcotton4]

I just purchased a tag axle . We specifically wanted the tag, as opposed to our Berkshire which didn't have this feature.

[statdoc1]

We have a 2014 Charleston with tag. We recently drove it it to Seattle from the mid west and found it to be quite stable in high crosswinds while crossing the plains. It also seems to help smooth out the ride on rough roads.


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[chabbey]

We recently upgraded to a 2012 Charleston with tag vs our 2003 Fleetwood Discovery. The difference in driving is amazing. One thing I always hated was just driving into a parking lot over the small curb at any kind of angle, the whole coach felt like it was being shaken back and forth, unsettling everything. Now with our Charleston, that is only a memory!


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[Sheetsbrett]

Hello. I'm new to this. The wife and I want a reliable safe RV. We have a son and a mother-in-law that will travel with us. Out budget is $200-$250 max. I really like the stats so far on the Charleston. Can anyone tell me the good,bad and the ugly of ownership of one?

Thanks!

Brett

[Phil57]

Brett
I own a Berkshire the little brother if the Charleston. I have had it for 2.5 years and bought it new. Any MH you buy will give you fits sometimes. They all break and have issues. Some are big issues and some are minor. FR is no exception. I have had major and minor repairs done to mine and it's been to the "factory" several times. The Berkshire and Charleston are made on the same line. In the 2.5 years the MH has been out of service as in I can't use it maybe 5-6 days total. My point is if you buy a MH buy it from a company that will back it. I can tell you from my experience FR will stand behind the product the build 100%. I hope to trade some time down the road up to a Charleston. Good luck on your purchase.


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[Phil57]

Brett
I can answer you so fast because I'm camping at the factory gate in Elkhart waiting for service work in the morning. I'm bored.


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[Sheetsbrett]

I hear you! But I'd rather be doing what your doing! I travel for work all next week. Planes and autos. Should I get the extended warranty?

[Phil57]

I did but the dealer started at 6000 and I paid 2500. They make filthy money on it.


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[Sheetsbrett]

Thanks!

[Hallen01]

Been off the forum for awhile, so when I started to consider trading my 2013 Berkshire 390RB-40L in on a 2015 Charleston Rear Bath (when it comes out), I jumped in here to learn what people were saying about it.

Phil57 (Phil and Diana) couldn't have said it better in their 08/10/20014 entry above. Donna and I were at the Elkhart plant a year ago for warranty work that we felt could better be handled by the factory than a dealer, and were highly impressed.

Tag axles are nothing new, and they not only can handle more rear weight, but reduce sway inherent in a solid front axle, the latter of which both the Berkshire and Charleston have. I'm pretty good at dampening out the sway in my Berkshire, so I prefer the solid front axle to independent suspension since there is only one adjustment to make during alignment (toe-in, I think; caster and camber are machined into the axle), and there is (said to be) a significant amount of maintenance and parts replacement on independent suspensions as they start to get older. The Charleston also has a higher grade of tires.

We're still chewing on the additional $$ layout for an upgrade to a Charleston, but you do get a lot more for the extra dough. It's as much of a value as the Berkshire was, if you are in that market. Can't wait to see the Charleston RB which debuts at the Harrisburg show.

I guess I won't get the 11.4 mpg I enjoy when cruising all day with the 6.6L engine and Allison 2500H. I consistently get 10.2 mpg overall in my Berkshire (mixed driving, from one overfow fill up to the next), but I try hard at energy management and let my rig coast down before applying the engine and service brakes stage-wise, so I'm hoping the Charleston would not be all that bad on mileage.

If you haven't bought yet, I'd recommend the 2015 (new version) Charleston over the 2014 - there are some really innovative features, and after 2015 there are going to be some changes in technology gradually added in the following-year models that I don't want, and don't believe are value added. About the only thing the 2015 has that I could do without is the outdoor sidewall TV, but I guess it makes it easier to sell down the road, since a lot of folks just have to have it. I could do without the front TV that's in the 2015 BH model, also.