Isata 5 pleasure to drive

[mjbenedict]

I just got back from a 3 week long trip to the Keys and other parts of Florida and wanted to post what a pleasure it is to drive the Isata 5. The motor hums along and is not too loud in the cab. Got average of 9mpg for the whole trip through WV mountains and various weather. Was towing my Ram 1500 with ease, drive at speed limit for anything at 70 or below. Love the engine braking in those mountain passes. Easily kept up to speed going uphill where sometimes it would downshift a gear but always smooth. When I arrived home in snow land my driveway was icy and it's an incline. While I attempted to drive up it with truck attached it did not do good. Stopped and disconnected truck then drove right up in 4x4 with no issues.
Next year it's a much longer stay in Florida, this was my first winter trip.
Spotted a few Dynamax rigs both directions. If you saw a sunset Isata 5 36ds towing a black Ram 1500, that was us.

[BehindBars]

Awesome! I love the Sunset paint color. New RV's are generally becoming as bland as modern cars and trucks, but the Sunset looks really good. We went to the Dynamax plant just to see one, but sadly there were none there that day.

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by mjbenedict

I just got back from a 3 week long trip to the Keys and other parts of Florida and wanted to post what a pleasure it is to drive the Isata 5. The motor hums along and is not too loud in the cab. Got average of 9mpg for the whole trip through WV mountains and various weather. Was towing my Ram 1500 with ease, drive at speed limit for anything at 70 or below. Love the engine braking in those mountain passes. Easily kept up to speed going uphill where sometimes it would downshift a gear but always smooth. When I arrived home in snow land my driveway was icy and it's an incline. While I attempted to drive up it with truck attached it did not do good. Stopped and disconnected truck then drove right up in 4x4 with no issues.
Next year it's a much longer stay in Florida, this was my first winter trip.
Spotted a few Dynamax rigs both directions. If you saw a sunset Isata 5 36ds towing a black Ram 1500, that was us.

So.....how come you didn’t engage 4x4 with truck still attached.....or before starting up the driveway?

Anyway.....welcome home.

[mjbenedict]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

So.....how come you didn’t engage 4x4 with truck still attached.....or before starting up the driveway?

Anyway.....welcome home.

It was in 4x4 when I attempted driving up with truck attached. Started spinning and slid to side of driveway where snow was piled up. Since one can’t back up with toad attached I wasn’t going to risk damage so I disconnected and parked truck up the road. Then I backed up a few feet and lined up better and drove right up. Didn’t need a running start because 4x4 was enough to motor up. Note, it was lined up well with the truck attached but it was enough to hold back on the slippery driveway and make front tires spin and slide to edge.

[mjbenedict]

Originally Posted by BehindBars

Awesome! I love the Sunset paint color. New RV's are generally becoming as bland as modern cars and trucks, but the Sunset looks really good. We went to the Dynamax plant just to see one, but sadly there were none there that day.

Gets tons of compliments in the campgrounds. My wife picked the color.

[jneum525]

Originally Posted by mjbenedict

Gets tons of compliments in the campgrounds. My wife picked the color.

Any pics? Would love to see what it looks like. Thanks

[mjbenedict]

Sure

[pdqparalegal1]

Great looking rig. What is OA Length? Looks like a lot of rear overhangev

[mjbenedict]

36-1/2ft, overhang is not a problem. I have a relatively steep transition from road to my driveway and I clear it. Never have issues with dragging the rear. Only one time did I drag the bike rack in the hitch and that was driving off the ferry. No issue there. My 35ft travel trailer had the same overhang as do a lot of them.
The angles of the pics exaggerate the overhang if you notice the pic from the front it doesn't look as drastic.

[toshu]

Originally Posted by mjbenedict

I just got back from a 3 week long trip to the Keys and other parts of Florida and wanted to post what a pleasure it is to drive the Isata 5. The motor hums along and is not too loud in the cab. Got average of 9mpg for the whole trip through WV mountains and various weather. Was towing my Ram 1500 with ease, drive at speed limit for anything at 70 or below. Love the engine braking in those mountain passes. Easily kept up to speed going uphill where sometimes it would downshift a gear but always smooth. When I arrived home in snow land my driveway was icy and it's an incline. While I attempted to drive up it with truck attached it did not do good. Stopped and disconnected truck then drove right up in 4x4 with no issues.
Next year it's a much longer stay in Florida, this was my first winter trip.
Spotted a few Dynamax rigs both directions. If you saw a sunset Isata 5 36ds towing a black Ram 1500, that was us.

I agree with you 100%. I have had an F150 for 10 years and was somewhat apprehensive of driving the big Isata 30FW. The reality surprised me. It was pretty much like driving my pickup truck. The diesel engine has a lot of power and the suspension isnt too bad at all, right from the factory.

[mjbenedict]

Originally Posted by toshu

I agree with you 100%. I have had an F150 for 10 years and was somewhat apprehensive of driving the big Isata 30FW. The reality surprised me. It was pretty much like driving my pickup truck. The diesel engine has a lot of power and the suspension isnt too bad at all, right from the factory.

It was our 3rd longer trip, the other two were to the Black Hills in SD and to Nashville. Our maiden voyage was to Kelleys island in Ohio without a TOAD. Rode bikes and rented golf cart on island. The stock suspension does just fine, part of the reason I convinced my wife to allow us to spend more to get away from the class-c gassers. I told her we would have to upgrade a lot on a brand-new e450 to make it comfortable to drive, that's all it took. My first diesel and I like it!

[Jon-Paul]

[Invisibleman]

I had the same Isata 5, same colors, and same compliments at the campgrounds. Its an awesome combination of living, horse power, and a great stable ride.

[KC46BOOMER]

I am new to the forum and trying to find where I can post the following question: I have a used 2018 Dynamax Isata 5 36 DSD that I recently purchased after owning a DX3. Could anyone with a 2018 model provide me some information and pictures if possible of the factory installed Winegard hookups and any electronics that came with the RV. All I have are R65 coaxials and a white coaxial cable with two HDMI’s behind the bedroom tv. The bunk tv has only a white coaxial and two HDMI’s behind it. I am trying to install two Wally’s one in the bedroom and the other in th bunk area. Any help would be appreciated, as the grandkids are starting to circle me!

[bclemens]

Originally Posted by KC46BOOMER

I am new to the forum and trying to find where I can post the following question: I have a used 2018 Dynamax Isata 5 36 DSD that I recently purchased after owning a DX3. Could anyone with a 2018 model provide me some information and pictures if possible of the factory installed Winegard hookups and any electronics that came with the RV. All I have are R65 coaxials and a white coaxial cable with two HDMI’s behind the bedroom tv. The bunk tv has only a white coaxial and two HDMI’s behind it. I am trying to install two Wally’s one in the bedroom and the other in th bunk area. Any help would be appreciated, as the grandkids are starting to circle me!

That one was likely not set up for two wally's. It was set up for a single wally, one HDMI would got to the bedroom TV and the other HDMI would go to the front TV. You would likely need a splitter at that point if the wally did not have dual HDMI outputs.

The original customer may have added some wiring to allow two wally's...then one coax would be primary, one would be secondary to the 2nd wally with both being located in the bedroom cabinet.

The two HDMI's at the front TV, one should be a homerun from the bedroom cabinet and the other should go to a DVD player in the front entry cabinet.

[bclemens]

PS. To start a new thread. Go to the main Dynamax sub-forum
https://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/f240/

Then click "New Thread" in the upper left side (if on a computer).

[DBM]

That IS a beautiful machine.
I noticed that your porch awning is a little low like mine was when I first got my Isata 3. Did you know that this can be adjusted up. You need a helper to raise each side and then the little recessed set screws can hold it up higher.

[CyberShanks]

Definitely a nice looking rig, Ram trucks are the best looking pickups out there IMO.


Jim

[MN1]

Nice looking rig! Looks like you found some great spots to camp also. If you like the ride on the stock suspension upgrade to full air front and back, you will not believe the difference! Ours rides better than the car now.

[chunker21]

This class of vehicle is a pleasure to drive. By class I mean the "pickup chassis" class C. The Ram 5500 and Ford F550/600 chassis. Mine is the Ford F550 and it does drive nice, just wish the house was as substantial as the chassis.