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Old 03-26-2021, 08:09 AM   #1
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Location: In your dreams
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Rookie RV wanna-be alert

Heyeeeeeeeeee and stuffzzzzzzz.

We are RV rookies. My wife and I have talked about buying a travel trailer for 7-8 years now. I never had an interest or any desire to jump in the the world of RV travels. We love to travel, wineries and enjoy the outdoors. I was just fine and dandy driving or flying to a location and staying in a hotel.

Fast forward to about 4 years ago. My views and outlook on the RV world have changed 180*. My wife had some very serious health issues that also includes us driving to Cleveland Clinic 2-3 times a year. Now with COVID rearing it’s ugly head. We don’t want to stay in over priced hotels and avoid airports. Another bonus is close friends of our have been using a travel trailer for many years. They have asked us multiple times to go but I always declined. But with my new outlook on the RV world and our friends owning a few trailers. It just made sense to buy our own little paradise on wheels and travel once again.

About 5 weeks ago on a Friday we looked at travel trailers online. We talked with or friends and what they love about it. We got a sense of what we wanted. The next day on Saturday. We went over to our friends house to walk through and dig in to their travel trailer. We were going to drive to Indiana to see two models but the dealer was closed in Saturday’s. So we left our friends house and drove to Rockford Illinois where a dealer had both models we were interested in. After seeing the trailers and always being hesitant We jumped out of our comfort zone and bought a trailer.

We bought the Cherokee Gray Wolf MK23. It’s perfect. More of a couples model since our daughter is 18 and in college. We love the interior a lot. It’s a more modern contemporary design inside with blacks, grays and whites. I did not want a trailer with the typical brown, white and tan color patterns. Also the outside color of the trailer looks really good with my gray/silver Ford Expedition. I’m a do it myself jack of all trades kind of person who fixes and installs everything. But this time I said heck with it. I had the dealer install a second battery and a power jack. I did upgrade and install new towing mirrors on my Expedition. Love them a lot. They worked perfect for towing the trailer.

We’ve been prepping it this week and and have planned a few short trips in the next few weeks. This year we will learn the ins and outs for this lifestyle. Next year we will plan longer trips. We also want to jump into the boondocking world. I have a few generators I’m interested in and will buy those later this year.

Well I’m tired of typing. Sorry for the long winded post. That’s usually not my style on forums. LOLzzzzzz

https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=22nxykFo9Vi

A few pics for fun.

Before and after towing gas mileage.

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__________________
Past Tow vehicle but still own: 2017 Ford Expedition XLT EL factory tow package. Added towing mirrors, 10 ply tires on separate rims, sumo springs, larger rear sway bar.
Current tow vehicle: 2020 Ford F350 Lariat supercab
4x4. 7.3 gas. 4,400+lb payload capacity.
2021 Cherokee Greywolf 23MK
Equalizer 1,000lb WDH
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Old 03-26-2021, 08:15 AM   #2
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I forgot to mention in that long winded post.

We are super excited about our new endeavors in to this new world. We have not been this excited in a very long time!!
__________________
Past Tow vehicle but still own: 2017 Ford Expedition XLT EL factory tow package. Added towing mirrors, 10 ply tires on separate rims, sumo springs, larger rear sway bar.
Current tow vehicle: 2020 Ford F350 Lariat supercab
4x4. 7.3 gas. 4,400+lb payload capacity.
2021 Cherokee Greywolf 23MK
Equalizer 1,000lb WDH
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Old 03-26-2021, 08:57 AM   #3
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Congratulations! Hope you and your wife have many happy adventures.

Nice looking set up. It looks like your hitch is set up properly. Did you do it or the dealer?

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Old 03-26-2021, 08:58 AM   #4
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Oh yeah, don't worry about the gas mileage.
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Old 03-26-2021, 01:50 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robbie D. Camper View Post
Congratulations! Hope you and your wife have many happy adventures.



Nice looking set up. It looks like your hitch is set up properly. Did you do it or the dealer?





I had the dealer do it. They did do a good job of setting up the hitch. The only drawback and I did not notice until a few days after driving the trailer home. I noticed the dealer installed the wrong hitch rated for 800lbs. I wanted the 1000lb hitch. No biggie. They are going to swap them next week.
__________________
Past Tow vehicle but still own: 2017 Ford Expedition XLT EL factory tow package. Added towing mirrors, 10 ply tires on separate rims, sumo springs, larger rear sway bar.
Current tow vehicle: 2020 Ford F350 Lariat supercab
4x4. 7.3 gas. 4,400+lb payload capacity.
2021 Cherokee Greywolf 23MK
Equalizer 1,000lb WDH
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Old 03-26-2021, 02:09 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robbie D. Camper View Post
Oh yeah, don't worry about the gas mileage.
Gas mileage looks about normal.


A technical note:

It takes a certain amount of horsepower to move a given weight down the highway and overcome air resistance. To obtain a given amount of horsepower from an engine it takes a given amount of Btu's. Diesel contains more btu's per gallon than gasoline.

If truck/trailer have similar weights, similar engines, and are driven at similar speeds, the mileage won't vary by enough to worry.

Only differences will be in the conversion efficiency of an engine but again, not that much from today's engines.

Biggest gains in mpg come from driving slower.
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Old 03-26-2021, 08:24 PM   #7
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Congrats from Northwest Ohio!!!
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Old 03-26-2021, 09:05 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Guspech750 View Post
Also the outside color of the trailer looks really good with my gray/silver Ford Expedition.
Yup. Making certain that the trailer looks good with the tow vehicle is one of the most important considerations.
Seriously though, that floor plan is perfect for a traveling couple and if you daughter wants to join you, you've got a couch that should work for her. It's good that you've got rving friends that can give advice when you need it.

Congratulations on your purchase and welcome to the rving community.
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Old 03-26-2021, 09:20 PM   #9
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Congrats and welcome but please don't reserve my camp site LOL! All kidding aside it is getting so difficult to reserve a site on short notice. Safe travels and happy camping!
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Old 03-26-2021, 10:28 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by Guspech750 View Post
.So we left our friends house and drove to Rockford Illinois where a dealer had both models we were interested in.
Hello from Rockford.

Did you go to Collier, Sunny Island or Camping World?
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Old 03-26-2021, 11:08 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iwritecode View Post
Hello from Rockford.



Did you go to Collier, Sunny Island or Camping World?


We went to Collier. Everyone we spoke with and had to work with were externally nice. We did not feel pressured about anything. They were very accommodating as we did not finalize the purchase until two weeks later after putting a deposit down. Their finance people were not there on the Saturday we put a deposit on our trailer. My wife being a professor could not take off of work until spring break. So Collier waited a few weeks until my wife’s spring break to finalize the deal. I did have some texts with the finance people before hand so all the paper work was ready for us to sign when we arrived.

Good times. No regrets.
__________________
Past Tow vehicle but still own: 2017 Ford Expedition XLT EL factory tow package. Added towing mirrors, 10 ply tires on separate rims, sumo springs, larger rear sway bar.
Current tow vehicle: 2020 Ford F350 Lariat supercab
4x4. 7.3 gas. 4,400+lb payload capacity.
2021 Cherokee Greywolf 23MK
Equalizer 1,000lb WDH
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Old 03-26-2021, 11:44 PM   #12
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We are getting our money out of our fiver. Spent 8 weeks in Houston at M.B. Anderson for the DW. She got a clean Bill of health.

The wife retires the first of June.

We are going to Pigeon forge in April. A few weekends in Ohio the rest of the summer.

San Francisco and many points in between in September. Plan to be gone two months.

Go somewhere. Have fun.

Take a long weekend somewhere for your first outing.
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Old 03-27-2021, 10:05 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by Guspech750 View Post
We went to Collier. Everyone we spoke with and had to work with were externally nice. We did not feel pressured about anything. They were very accommodating as we did not finalize the purchase until two weeks later after putting a deposit down. Their finance people were not there on the Saturday we put a deposit on our trailer. My wife being a professor could not take off of work until spring break. So Collier waited a few weeks until my wife’s spring break to finalize the deal. I did have some texts with the finance people before hand so all the paper work was ready for us to sign when we arrived.

Good times. No regrets.
Good fo hear. That's where we got our Sabre a few years ago. Never had any problems with them.
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Old 03-27-2021, 10:20 AM   #14
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Talking Congrats

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guspech750 View Post
Heyeeeeeeeeee and stuffzzzzzzz.

We are RV rookies. My wife and I have talked about buying a travel trailer for 7-8 years now. I never had an interest or any desire to jump in the the world of RV travels. We love to travel, wineries and enjoy the outdoors. I was just fine and dandy driving or flying to a location and staying in a hotel.

Fast forward to about 4 years ago. My views and outlook on the RV world have changed 180*. My wife had some very serious health issues that also includes us driving to Cleveland Clinic 2-3 times a year. Now with COVID rearing it’s ugly head. We don’t want to stay in over priced hotels and avoid airports. Another bonus is close friends of our have been using a travel trailer for many years. They have asked us multiple times to go but I always declined. But with my new outlook on the RV world and our friends owning a few trailers. It just made sense to buy our own little paradise on wheels and travel once again.

About 5 weeks ago on a Friday we looked at travel trailers online. We talked with or friends and what they love about it. We got a sense of what we wanted. The next day on Saturday. We went over to our friends house to walk through and dig in to their travel trailer. We were going to drive to Indiana to see two models but the dealer was closed in Saturday’s. So we left our friends house and drove to Rockford Illinois where a dealer had both models we were interested in. After seeing the trailers and always being hesitant We jumped out of our comfort zone and bought a trailer.

We bought the Cherokee Gray Wolf MK23. It’s perfect. More of a couples model since our daughter is 18 and in college. We love the interior a lot. It’s a more modern contemporary design inside with blacks, grays and whites. I did not want a trailer with the typical brown, white and tan color patterns. Also the outside color of the trailer looks really good with my gray/silver Ford Expedition. I’m a do it myself jack of all trades kind of person who fixes and installs everything. But this time I said heck with it. I had the dealer install a second battery and a power jack. I did upgrade and install new towing mirrors on my Expedition. Love them a lot. They worked perfect for towing the trailer.

We’ve been prepping it this week and and have planned a few short trips in the next few weeks. This year we will learn the ins and outs for this lifestyle. Next year we will plan longer trips. We also want to jump into the boondocking world. I have a few generators I’m interested in and will buy those later this year.

Well I’m tired of typing. Sorry for the long winded post. That’s usually not my style on forums. LOLzzzzzz

https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=22nxykFo9Vi

A few pics for fun.

Before and after towing gas mileage.

Attachment 250467Attachment 250466Attachment 250465Attachment 250464Attachment 250463Attachment 250462Attachment 250461
Congrats on your purchase. Nice rig for sure, and there’ll be others who ask.....which came first, the truck or the trailer?......when they match in colour.

BTW.....as far as the mpg shown.....you know I did notice the Tow/Haul feature worked better for you. Just sayin’.
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Former Georgetown 330TS owner for 10 years with more mods than I can count, pushed by our 2017 GMC Terrain
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