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Old 03-31-2017, 12:40 PM   #1
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NEW UPGRADES and I LOVE IT

After a month of travel in Asia and back home now (not with my coach, of course), I bite the bullet and spent over $6,000 to upgrade my coach to get it ready for my trip toward the West Coast and in May for 2 months. I do expect to drive the coach for about 6,000 miles and this will be my first long trip on my RV since purchased it new in July of 2016.



Since the time I bought it, I drove it twice, once for 200 miles and the second trip was about 600 miles. While the coach performs well, but the drive was horrible. I felt like I was sailing more than driving. This really discouraged me since this is my first coach and the first 800 miles that I ever operate a vehicle at this size (36+ feet).

After I had done some research, and with some of the advice and comment here in this forum, I decided to upgrade my Ford F-53-24,000# chassis and add the towing apparatus to complete my RV experience. After $6,000 and a month later, the task was completed.

Took out my coach for the driving test this morning, and I felt wonderful. The drive was about 40 miles on the I-45 north of Willis, TX, the coach is no longer sailing, it behaved very well.

The upgrade including:
1 - The BlueOx True Center
2 - The BlueOx Front Sway Bar
3 - The Roadmaster Rear Sway Bar, since the BlueOx Rear Sway Bar does not fit my model.
4 - The BlueOx Avail 10,000# tow bar
5 - The BlueOx Base Plate for the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
6 - The BlueOx Patriot Brake Buddy II - 2016 Model (latest model)
7 - The 9" Display for my rear and side views camera.

First of all, the drive with BlueOx True Center works wonder. The installation was very simple with some brackets mounting and line the wheel up properly during the bolts torque down. No adjustment was necessary. During the test drive, if the coach is pulling on any side, simply correct it with your turning wheel, then hit the switch, it will then hold the alignment in place. If the road condition changes, simply repeat the process. I love this simplicity. It worth $600 different compared to any competition.





The Front and Rear Sway Bar together keep the coach really firm on the road. I do not feel much of any sailing, especially when passing by a big 18 wheeler with the large container. Installing the front sway bar requires me to remove the factory sway bar out and replace with the new sway bar. For the rear sway bar, BlueOx rear sway bar does not fit my chassis, I have to return it and bought the Road Master rear sway bar. The rear sway bar installation is kinda labor since we have to replace all 4 UBots, and drill 4 holes on the chassis which required me to removed my rear wheels to make room for drilling the holes. It took 3 hours to install the front sway bar and the True Center steering stabilizer, and took another 4 hours for the rear sway bar to be installed including remove and remount the wheels.

Front Sway Bar




Rear Sway Bar




The BlueOx Avail tow bar works great, BlueOx told us this the latest design and should last longer than some of the earlier model (not sure what was changed). The base plate for Jeep Grand Cherokee installation is a little complex work. Took about 3 hours to install the base plate and another hour to install the light kit including drilling holes on the rear light housing to insert the light bulbs so I do not have to splice the manufacturer wiring.



The next installation is the BlueOx Patriot Brake Buddy version II - 2016 model. Installation is a breeze, took about 30 minutes to mount the breakaway switch and looping the wire from the front of the vehicle to the driver seat.

Last but not least, I replaced the FR camera monitor with the external 9" display. It was kinda stupid the way FR mount the radio/monitor on the coach, it was small and too low, you have to take your eyes off the road to look a the monitor and it was so small, you could hardly see anything. By adding a much larger monitor and set up on the dash, it is just simply a greater way to drive and monitor. The installation is very simple. Just tap the power from the fuse box down below the dash on the driver side with a fuse tap, bring it into the console and wire it up the dash where the new monitor will be. Unplug the video feed from the back of the factory's radio, and plug into the monitor, the job is done. It took me about 30 minutes to install the monitor.



That was it, after the test drive this morning, I am eager to take my RV on the road now. The next trip will be a short one to have another driving test for couple nights, then the long trip will be in May for 2 months.
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Old 03-31-2017, 03:10 PM   #2
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Nice job, looks like you should be ready to roll!
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Old 03-31-2017, 03:18 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by Wiscampsin View Post
Nice job, looks like you should be ready to roll!
Nice setup that you have there!
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Old 03-31-2017, 03:36 PM   #4
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Nice setup that you have there!
Thanks
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Old 03-31-2017, 09:30 PM   #5
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When we purchased our rig I did the chf on the front and a front axle alignment. Job done!! Towing is all Blue Ox.
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Old 04-01-2017, 12:38 AM   #6
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Wow, somebody is living the dream, those are some nice upgrades.
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Old 04-01-2017, 11:21 PM   #7
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Wow, somebody is living the dream, those are some nice upgrades.
Took me a while to decide, but end up just did it, hope it would be well worth the saving.
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Old 04-02-2017, 12:25 AM   #8
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great write up and pictures...

have a great time
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Old 04-02-2017, 01:07 PM   #9
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great write up and pictures...

have a great time
Thanks RSDATA!
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Old 04-02-2017, 01:57 PM   #10
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"While the coach performs well, but the drive was horrible. I felt like I was sailing more than driving. This really discouraged me since this is my first coach and the first 800 miles that I ever operate a vehicle at this size (36+ feet)."

The less than stellar ride-ability of the Ford F53 v10 coaches is well documented. After all, despite the hype, they are based on a truck chassis. It is my opinion that these coaches are best utilized for short trips, upgraded or not.

If you take lots of longer trips, you will likely downsize to a more mileage oriented unit like a B+, unless you have a family to carry and no reluctance paying for a lot of diesel after trading in to buy a 40 ft+ diesel pusher.

You will very likely want the many advantages of a diesel pusher. They can easily be purchase used as well.

I suspect that the maintenance and fuel costs eventually discourage a lot of high mileage trips. So, unless you full-time, you may find keeping your present gas coach a wise bargain/option.

You can pretty much rent any coach you intend to buy for a multiple day reality check, though not likely from your dealership. Easy to find the rentals online. My wife does worry about cleanliness as to the bed and toilet for rentals.

Myself, since my wife is reluctant, even adverse, to longer trips, I'm a bit more focused on a large SUV and maybe a 25 ft Airstream for myself to travel about the U.S. for multiple weeks, where I can draw and paint interesting locations. With my wife occasionally joining me...via air travel to my locations.
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Old 04-02-2017, 03:30 PM   #11
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Before I got my FR Georgetown XL, I did a lot of research at least 1 year or more. All class A, B, and C, both of Gaser and DP, new and used, all advantages and disadvantages of each model, fuel types, sizes, and manufacturers. I have a reasonable budget, but I need to spend it wisely.

After all said and done, I found the Fores River Georgetown XL is the best fit for our need and criteria. Although does not matter how much you would spend, each coach would have its own good and its own bad part to talk about. The reason that we bought the Georgetown XL because it has many of the good parts to talk about which out weight the bad parts in my own opinion (may not be the same to anyone else).

After many time back and forth between dealers, I know that the class B and the class C is not for me, at least, not now. No offend to the class B or class C owners, I love them too, but for now, it does not suit for what I had in mind.

Grant it, I love the way the DP perform. But for me, it seems that I could not justify the cost difference, not because I could not afford it, but I could not seems to justify it. May be I will have my answer when I hit the rocky mountain territory. Originally, DP was my choice but after all, the Georgetown XL won my heart. The Georgetown XL model that I purchased, have everything that I ever wanted (at least for now), luxury enough for my need, the only thing that could been better was the drive handling. At the time I purchase the unit, I have already know what I need to do to make it better, therefore, the upgrade is not an afterthought. At least for me.

As far as making many long trips with this RV in the near future, I have no doubt that it could easily be handled, in fact, I do plan for at least 20,000 miles each year for the next 10 years. I do not see any reason why this V10 engine would stop me from doing so if I keep up with the maintenance of this vehicle like I did on my other vehicles. My 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee that I bought it new at the time, already clock in 180,000 miles and it still running great, I would not be surprise that it could run at least another 100,000 miles.

As far as the upkeep of maintenance, it would be much easier and less expensive to upkeep this gasser than the DP and that would meant it would be more money left to pay for the gas to travel.

As far as the fuel consumption, I would think if anyone could not afford the 5-6mpg on this baby, he or she should not even talking about owning one anyway.

Since I new to the RV world, I may not see clear of the future. I do try to plan and foresee as much and as far as I could, and hopefully some one will come along and with their advice, it could enlightent me further.
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Old 04-02-2017, 06:51 PM   #12
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This is my last post for this thread as I don't want to get argumentative, but:

1) You originally said "While the coach performs well, but the drive was horrible. I felt like I was sailing more than driving. This really discouraged me."

Then said "At the time I purchase the unit, I have already know what I need to do to make it better, therefore, the upgrade is not an afterthought."

I don't understand why you were discouraged then, since the ride-ability and need for the upgrades were, as you represent, well known to you when you purchased the unit.

2) "I have a reasonable budget, but I need to spend it wisely." Fair enough.

3) "Although does not matter how much you would spend, each coach would have its own good and its own bad part to talk about." That is definitely untrue. How much you spend has, for the most part, a direct effect on the build and component qualities of the coach AND in particular what you can't see behind and under the walls, floor, and ceiling. However, if well cared for, a coach, even an entry level coach, should stay viable more than 10 years. Don't forget to keep an eye out for water leaks that will ruin your coach...keep having the roof seals checked once, even twice, a year.

4) "As far as making many long trips with this RV in the near future, I have no doubt that it could easily be handled." It is well known that a lot of people quit the class A gassers if they put on much mileage during their trips, not because the coach fails, but because it wears them down to drive these truck chassis gassers.

5) "I do not see any reason why this V10 engine would stop me from doing so if I keep up with the maintenance of this vehicle like I did on my other vehicles." Agreed, you can reasonably expect 200,000 good miles on the chassis, the house portion is another issue. An RV is not a vehicle, it is a home on wheels that is subject to constant hard vibrations on the road, in particular, a gasser, in general, will be harder on the home portion than a diesel pusher. Just go out and look at 5 year old gas and diesel coaches, in particular similar entry level models.

6) "As far as the upkeep of maintenance, it would be much easier and less expensive to upkeep this gasser than the DP and that would meant it would be more money left to pay for the gas to travel." That is a very unclear debate if you read the historical posts on gas vs dp. You forget to mention the loss in value to depreciation and how the build quality/type of chassis affects your long term repairs and maintenance costs...in particular if you insist on having the work done by others. Unreasonable to compare your coach to any car.

7) "as far as the fuel consumption, I would think if anyone could not afford the 5-6mpg on this baby, he or she should not even talking about owning one anyway."
Not really, a lot of owners learn to enjoy staying longer in the locations they love and less riding the highways. Full time snowbirds are a good example. The use of a towable reduces the fuel costs if the owner stays long enough at a particular vacation.

Whether you find the above enlightening or not, as you mention, is iffy.
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Old 04-03-2017, 07:00 PM   #13
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@philos3 You're information is top notch. You're tone is not.
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Old 04-03-2017, 11:34 PM   #14
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Old 04-04-2017, 10:08 AM   #15
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Tamdle, don't let Philos3 bother you with his comments. He doesn't even own an RV.

Enjoy your travels.
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Old 04-04-2017, 10:23 AM   #16
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I totally agree.
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