Cruise Lite 195BH Owners Thread

[wmuav8tor]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

197BH is a Jayco model from what I can find.

The manufacturers seem to use other people model numbers. The short lived Wildwood 196BH was also a KZ Spree model.

[wmuav8tor]

Originally Posted by Camp4two

X2 War Eagle

I wonder if the customers who complained about the 195/196BH weight did not have the right tow vehicle. We tow our 2016 195BH with a 5.3 liter V8 GMC Yukon and NEVER had any concerns about the trailer's weight. In fact, we have added weight with dual propane tanks and dual batteries. Over 6K miles on it and still enjoying our 195BH.

I'm sure that's it, because he said they were aiming it more towards the small SUV market. I liked the 195/196 because even at GVWR for both truck and trailer, I was still 200lbs under GCWR for my engine and axle ratio. I guess a smaller, lighter trailer will only help me with that lol.

When I first started researching buying a travel trailer almost a year ago, I had plan of buying a 30' 8000lb trailer and pulling it with my Dakota, quickly found out that would never work

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by wmuav8tor

I'm sure that's it, because he said they were aiming it more towards the small SUV market. I liked the 195/196 because even at GVWR for both truck and trailer, I was still 200lbs under GCWR for my engine and axle ratio. I guess a smaller, lighter trailer will only help me with that lol.

When I first started researching buying a travel trailer almost a year ago, I had plan of buying a 30' 8000lb trailer and pulling it with my Dakota, quickly found out that would never work

But you can bet someone's out there doing it and saying, "My Dakota doesn't even know it's back there!"

[Terier]

Originally Posted by wmuav8tor

Being a little skinnier doesn't bother me because it will still have everything I want on it. The Wildwood rep said the only feature they are actually removing is the wardrobe. I kinda wanted that, but I can survive without it.

My CL is only 7.5 wide too I wouldn't mind the extra 6 inches but it doesn't make a big difference since I'm the only one in it most of the time.


Was the wardrobe in the previous year model a true wardrobe? I have a little space next to my sink area that is labeled a wardrobe but is more like a little cubby space for a small waste bin. Glad I have it but I still grin when I think of it as a wardrobe.

[Camp4two]

We are getting our 195BH ready for 2017 camping again. This year we decided to replace our Interstate 12 volt deep cycle battery (67 amp hours) with two 6 volt deep cycle golf cart batteries (230 amp hours when wired for 12 volts). After much research, reading, YouTube videos, battery costs, looking at Trojan, Costco and Sam’s Club GC batteries, finding a dual 6 volt battery box, compatibility with our Renogy 100 watt solar system, and talking with our trailer friends we found the following setup should best fit our needs.

Batteries: Two 6 volt Duracell Ultra Deep Cycle Golf Cart batteries, 230 amp hours, item #SLIGC115 at our Batteries Plus Bulbs local store. All details, pricing, 10% discount and specs are online.

Battery Box: Century Plastics Heavy Duty Dual 6 Volt Batter Box, part # GCE-G. This box fits our 195BH battery tray. All box dimensions are online.

We hope this helps anyone thinking about a changing to dual 6 volt GC batteries. BTW, we kept our 12 volt deep cycle battery for backup.

[TN_Cruise_Lite]

Nice, I got two 100 watt panels and a charge controller over the winter, trying to decide about the rest of the system and how to mount the panels. Any tips greatly appreciated.

[Camp4two]

Thank you TN. Our solar system is a Renogy portable solar suitcase that consists of two 50 watt panels hinged/wired together with controller. I got a tip about cable lengths and connectors between your battery and solar controller.

Are you planning to install your two 100 watt panels on top of your trailer or keep them portable?

[TN_Cruise_Lite]

Yes, on top but not much open real estate up there for sure.

[Camp4two]

TN: Can’t help much on your roof top solar installation but I run across this YouTube video of two 100 watt panels installed on top of a 5th Wheel – maybe some useful ideas there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7x1iX66olk

Solar cable and connectors: I used Powerpole connectors and 10 gauge wire I bought online from Powerwerx.

From the battery: I have a short 1 ft. 10 gauge (in line 40 amp fused) Powerpole connection as shown here:

https://powerwerx.com/ring-terminal-...fuses-10-gauge

From the controller: Another short 10 gauge Powerpole connection at the cable end and a bare wire connection at the controller end. You can build your cable length and connection at the Powerwerx website.

These two short leads at each end make it easy to quick disconnect without having to remove it from the battery and controller.
The length of Powerpole cable you use between these short connections will of course depend on your installation. I used 10 gauge Powerpole extension cable.

This setup is for our portable solar system so there will be some variation with your roof top installation.

Good luck with your solar install. Send some pics when done.

[BaileyGoesCamping]

Hello! We are picking up our 2017 Wildwood 195BH this Friday! I have some questions:
-Does anyone know the dimensions of the external storage door?
I want to get some bins that can slide in and out and want to make sure they aren't too big.
-Any tips for PDI?
We're excited!

[daybreak]

Ours is covered right now so I can't get you the measurements, but it's not big. It's a pain but we pull the bins out from under the bed, I'm still in search of one's I like that will fit through that door.

[Asrabbit]

29 and 1/4 inch by 10 and 1/4 inch.

[Golfnbike13]

Originally Posted by BaileyGoesCamping

Hello! We are picking up our 2017 Wildwood 195BH this Friday! I have some questions:

-Does anyone know the dimensions of the external storage door?

I want to get some bins that can slide in and out and want to make sure they aren't too big.

I use the Rubbermaid under bed storage containers from Walmart. You can easily stack two on top and if even three if you slide third in at angle, then you have three long containers stacked on top. We keep those on one side and leaves the other side open for everything else. Works well for us.

[BaileyGoesCamping]

Does anyone know if the Queen Bed in the Wildwood 195BH is a Short Queen (60x75) or a Regular Queen (60x80)? Does anyone recommend a replacement mattress for the front bed? The two inch pad that is there does not look very appealing...

[Asrabbit]

The size of the mattress, (if you can call it that) is about 74" x 54". We have a 4" mattress topper that is about 2" longer and wider that that. It sticks off the platform a little.n I believe, (my wife order the topper) may be a "full" size and not a queen. From what I can tell, nothing larger than that will fit on that platform.

[War Eagle]

We got a 10 inch thick short queen off Amazon for $169 with free shipping. Almost as nice as our temperpedic at home. Thinking of cutting the factory one and using for pad under bunk mats.

[Camp4two]

Originally Posted by BaileyGoesCamping

Hello! We are picking up our 2017 Wildwood 195BH this Friday! I have some questions:
-Does anyone know the dimensions of the external storage door?
I want to get some bins that can slide in and out and want to make sure they aren't too big.
-Any tips for PDI?
We're excited!

Congratulations on your new Wildwood 195BH trailer.

We found a Sterilite 66 qt. bin on rollers that slides easily in/out of our 195BH outside storage door. Here is the link to the one at Walmart:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite...275#about-item

PDI tip: Have someone video the PDI. My wife used her I-Phone and it was really useful to go back review the video.

[Camp4two]

Originally Posted by BaileyGoesCamping

Does anyone know if the Queen Bed in the Wildwood 195BH is a Short Queen (60x75) or a Regular Queen (60x80)? Does anyone recommend a replacement mattress for the front bed? The two inch pad that is there does not look very appealing...

We bought a full size 6 inch thick memory foam mattress on Amazon. Measures 54" wide X 75" long. Been using it one year and love it. It fits our 2016 195BH bedframe perfectly with no overhang on the long end.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...UTF8&psc=1#Ask

[BaileyGoesCamping]

Thank you everyone! We went through PDI yesterday and brought her home last night. We have a couple of days before we have to move her to storage so we are trying to put things in before our first trip. We can't wait! I ordered a Full Size Mattress from Amazon, LED bulbs for the inside, a pin lock, a longer sewer hose and some electronic monitoring doohicky that my husband said we need.
What I have learned so far: Trailers are expensive!

Thanks again!

[wmuav8tor]

Question for everyone about your windows.

I just bought my 196BH a month ago. Haven't taken it out yet because its still too cold to dewinterize here in Michigan.

We had some heavy rain last night, I noticed just a few minutes ago while walking around the outside of the trailer that in the space between the glass and the screen of the dinette window there was a very small pool of water. maybe about an inch long. Is it normal to sometimes get a small amount of water in that area when it rains or should I start trying to find a leak? Noticed the front window was dry but it looked like it had also at some point had a small pool of water in the same area because there was a very small water mark.

If there is a leak, its very small because it rained non stop for almost 4 hours.

Finally, the dealer taped my temp tag in the back window over the top bunk between the screen and glass, I got my permanent plate today so I went to remove it and it was wet on the window behind where the temp plate was, though I think that was just condensation from the temperature difference between inside and out.

Its supposed to rain again tomorrow so I will be keeping my eye on it, but just wanted to see if others have noticed the same thing at all.

Thanks!