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09-27-2012, 10:01 AM
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#1
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daydreaming about camping
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: KC area
Posts: 1,404
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picked up a 320 BHDS Freedom Express yesterday
Wife fell in love with the island kitchen, front bathroom and large bunkroom.
Picked it up yesterday. So far, A/C leaked on the slide carpet on the way home. Hopefully that is all we find wrong. The dealer went through it with us and fixed several things while we were there. Hopeing to get at least one night in it this weekend to see if we find anything else.
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2013 Coachmen Freedom Express 320BHDS pulled by a 2005 F250 King Ranch CC
A rainy day camping is better than a sunny day at work.
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09-27-2012, 04:35 PM
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#2
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1
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Congrats on the FE. Saw it at the Hershey show, very nice floor plan. Post some pics when you get a chance.
Enjoy!
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09-27-2012, 04:43 PM
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#3
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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congrats on the new to you unit !
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10-13-2012, 05:57 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Burlington, ON, Canada
Posts: 106
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Congrats on the trailer. Just got back from the Toronto Fall RV show today and our dealer brought one to the show and boy is it ever nice, it almost feels like a 5th wheel the way its laid out!! Love to upgrade my 292BHDS but the 320 won't fit in my driveway .
The 292 barely fits as it is. Oh well . have fun and keep us posted on how it goes with it.
__________________
2012 Coachmen Freedom Express 292BHDS
2009 Ford F250 Super Duty CC 6.8L 4.10
Husky Centreline WDH w/Sway Control
2013 Nights Booked: 38
2013 Nights Camped: 40
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10-13-2012, 08:33 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 228
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Wow, nice rig! Cannot wait to see some updates from your camping expeditions.
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10-15-2012, 09:26 AM
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#6
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daydreaming about camping
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: KC area
Posts: 1,404
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It is a monster, We actually looked at the 292, which got us looking at the coachmen line. We had pretty much decided on ordering the 310 (wife really wanted a bunkroom) when they introduced the 320. different floorplan with the extra slide and island kitchen, she was in love.
Pulled it about 1000 miles so far, and only spent 4 nights in it - something wrong with that ratio. Anyway, pulls pretty well in general. Have not weighed it, but figure with light load of camping gear is over 9k lbs. The length takes some getting used to, and the sway in winds is more than I expected, though that may be partly due to the Reece Pro WD/friction sway set-up the dealer installed for me. May need to upgrade in the future.
Had a question about weight. I pull it with a Excursion diesel with upgraded 1 ton suspension all around and larger sway bars. I used to own a Dodge 1500 with the factory HD work package (don't know if they still sell it that way) but figure that is comparable to today's 1/2 ton HD package trucks. I would only pull this thing with a 1/2 ton for short distances, or I was able to travel non-interstate roads. I would probably do it, and be OK, but I would not necessarily recommend it to others.
__________________
2013 Coachmen Freedom Express 320BHDS pulled by a 2005 F250 King Ranch CC
A rainy day camping is better than a sunny day at work.
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10-17-2012, 08:48 AM
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#7
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daydreaming about camping
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: KC area
Posts: 1,404
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a few pics
__________________
2013 Coachmen Freedom Express 320BHDS pulled by a 2005 F250 King Ranch CC
A rainy day camping is better than a sunny day at work.
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10-17-2012, 09:33 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 228
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WOW, very nice looking rig!!
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10-29-2012, 10:05 AM
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#9
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daydreaming about camping
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: KC area
Posts: 1,404
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a few pic from over the weekend
__________________
2013 Coachmen Freedom Express 320BHDS pulled by a 2005 F250 King Ranch CC
A rainy day camping is better than a sunny day at work.
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10-29-2012, 06:35 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 228
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Very nice rig. I really like it. It was a great choice.
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11-08-2012, 12:47 PM
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#11
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daydreaming about camping
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: KC area
Posts: 1,404
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weighed 8640 on the scale the other night with tongue weight of 1160.
__________________
2013 Coachmen Freedom Express 320BHDS pulled by a 2005 F250 King Ranch CC
A rainy day camping is better than a sunny day at work.
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04-25-2013, 05:06 AM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1
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Love the Trailer
Hi,
We are in the final stages of purchasing the same trailer. The dealer has told me that it should be safe to pull it with our 2004 Expedition, 5.4 with the HD Tow Package. I've pulled a 6 x 12 cargo van with about 6100 lbs in it before and no real issues. The tow rating on the TV is 8900 lbs. Any advice or updated info on the trailer "good or bad" would be appreciated. We also looked at the everlite 31BHS and it was a tough choice. We plan to live in the trailer for about a year near Salt Lake City Utah while house is being built. How do you think it will fair in the winter?
Thanks again
Tim
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04-25-2013, 09:05 AM
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#13
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Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,891
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nomation
We are in the final stages of purchasing the same trailer. The dealer has told me that it should be safe to pull it with our 2004 Expedition, 5.4 with the HD Tow Package. I've pulled a 6 x 12 cargo van with about 6100 lbs in it before and no real issues. The tow rating on the TV is 8900 lbs.
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Tim- unfortunately, unless the dealer is a close and personal friend, his opinion doesn't amount to a pile o beans. I strongly recommend that you learn about payload capacities and what your "gross vehicle weight rating" is and how tongue weight comes into play.
For help, I wrote an article about this:
What Can I Tow?
You have great numbers above to use in your calculations:
Quote:
weighed 8640 on the scale the other night with tongue weight of 1160.
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__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
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04-25-2013, 09:13 AM
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#14
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daydreaming about camping
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: KC area
Posts: 1,404
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ependydad
Tim- unfortunately, unless the dealer is a close and personal friend, his opinion doesn't amount to a pile o beans. I strongly recommend that you learn about payload capacities and what your "gross vehicle weight rating" is and how tongue weight comes into play.
For help, I wrote an article about this:
What Can I Tow?
You have great numbers above to use in your calculations:
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I sent Tim a PM as well. I want to re-iterate that after pulling this trailer for at least 2500 miles in the past year, I would not do it with a 1/2 ton truck. I think the closest is the Ford F-150 max tow with both the high payload and over 10K tow rating. Even then, you are pushing it.
It is not necessarily the weight, although virtually every 1/2 ton will be over at least one weight category, but the sheer size of it.
My Excursion is a 3/4 ton truck (and then I have upgraded 1 ton springs). My factory tow rating is 12,500, my CCC is over 3500 and my RAWR is 6500. It may be an SUV, but no one has ever made anything else with numbers like that. Most importantly, I would not want to tow this thing with ANYTHING smaller.
BTW - we still love this trailer and everytime we go out realize there is nothing that suits us better out there.
__________________
2013 Coachmen Freedom Express 320BHDS pulled by a 2005 F250 King Ranch CC
A rainy day camping is better than a sunny day at work.
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09-02-2013, 10:05 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Pittsburgh,PA
Posts: 173
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This trailer is one of the largest trailers on the road. I would cation you on towing it with that tow rating. I am looking to purchase the same trailer and decided to go with the 310BHDS FREEDOM EXPRESS. it is 500 lbs lighter and a foot shorter. It is very similar in accommodations. Plus you get a bigger dinnette and a second door to winter the bathroom.
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