Isata 5 EXTREME Testing

[Wheelin4Life]

Keep us posted!

Will do! They got stuck in some weather and now are arriving today.

 

[vlamgat]

Almost as if all the check boxes that we looked for today were conceptualized almost five years ago. Give me Sport Mode all day long with the Liquid Springs for stability and comfort. A queen bed not reliant on slide outs being deployed. Congrats to the design team. We realized that there will be issues to work out but starting with a great powerplant, great floorplan for our needs, and great handling is a good beginning.

Actually Born Free conceptualized and built this design on the F550 chassis in 2013. They did it in both the 28 as well as the 30 basic floor plans with the ability to use a full Queen size bed without the slide on their version of the 28 which was a foot shorter overall. They were both offered with Liquid Springs which given the price point at $200k in 2013 of a fully optioned coach, few ordered.

 

[Larry-NC]

Goodyears, can't be balanced. AEV is using them, but they have to shave the tire to get it to balance.

Wonder where they were made. I had German Goodyear G800s on an Opel GT in 1970 and everyone who had had them found they were out-of-round and couldn't be balanced. They couldn't still be making them in the same plant, could they?

 

[bclemens]

Ohhhhhh not so fast. While they might have been the first on the Liquid Springs, the floor plan concept was dated much further back when I was at Sunseeker.

30FW evolution....
The Sunseeker 2300 dates back to 2004 (and older). Half the people would come in and walk out because it was a corner bed, corner bath. Everyone wanted SHORT, but not the corner bed. So I built a cardboard model of a slide out bed that would not need to be flipped. That became the 2250, which was that same floor plan, but with a slide out Queen bed. That dates back to 2010 or older. Then we created the Solera 24FW, which took that to a full wall slide. Then when I came to Dynamax I just took that and added a sofa and the 30FW was born.

The 28SS, started at Sunseeker as the 2600 (non slide) and 2650 (slide out dinette) back in 2005-ish. We designed one for Canadream to use as a rental vehicle for ski season. It is that floor plan back in 2004, 2005 that set the stage for the 28SS. I took a ski trip in one of those units back then (it was my picture here on this site) and that is what inspired the Xplorer Package (four season, multi-purpose) and eventually the Extreme package (though retails made the modes before we did)

 

[vlamgat]

I grant you the concept does extend back further than the Born Free. But they were the first to realize that the 4WD, truck based C&C lay out with a fulltime bed and a replacement for its cart like springs would/could be a market leader. Before they put it all together, we were hostage to the inadequacies of the E series chassis especially when it did not have the 7.3 PSD and a 20k CGVW.

 

[bclemens]

We were also doing custom suspension mods for that rental dealer back in early 2000's., and we also did Quigly 4x4 conversion back for Scott's Motorcoach on the east coast around the same time. Again, they were the first to do LS in the RV space (to my knowledge). Nothing else was really novel, as Chinook did ALL of that stuff way before. (barring LS)

 

[swang]

Just curious... does Dynamax install the Extreme components on the Isata 5? I mean the Liquid Springs, lift kit, single wheel conversion, etc.

 

[bclemens]

Yes, sort of. LS is installed at MORryde when the chassis stretch/upfit is done. We cut the front wheel wells and install front fenders, bumper, super singles, rear fenders.

 

[swang]

I just spoke with Dustin over at Buckstop and he said they make front mud flaps that fit the custom flares. I'm thinking about buying a set to help protect the coach. Any thoughts about this and whether it's a good idea?

 

[FeCamel]

I just spoke with Dustin over at Buckstop and he said they make front mud flaps that fit the custom flares. I'm thinking about buying a set to help protect the coach. Any thoughts about this and whether it's a good idea?

The Buckstop mud flaps are comically small. Your best bet is to make/buy your own bracket and install a proper mud flap. Or you can get their bracket and install a bigger flap, but they want a lot of money for not much. It's hard not to laugh when I look at mine. They do absolutely nothing except for a little blockage to the upper doors. I'm going to replace them soon.

 

[swang]

It's hard not to laugh when I look at mine. They do absolutely nothing except for a little blockage to the upper doors. I'm going to replace them soon.

Thanks for the heads up, I’ll pass on these. I wonder how hard it would be to find a bracket that fits.

 

[FeCamel]

Thanks for the heads up, I’ll pass on these. I wonder how hard it would be to find a bracket that fits.

Not hard, they just use a few bolts for a metal bracket to the flare, then 3 bolts to hold the flap on. I'm not sure any off-the-shelf brackets would work perfectly, but they would be really simple to make or have a fab guy whip up in about 10 minutes. I can take a picture this weekend.

 

[swang]

I can take a picture this weekend.

Oh that would be great, thank you very much! Gotta love this forum!

 

[Wheelin4Life]

I like mine but also have their steps so the flap covers the gap between the step and the fender flare blocking most of the spray from the tire.

If you don't have their steps they don't work as well and a bigger flap would be better.

 

[FeCamel]

I like mine but also have their steps so the flap covers the gap between the step and the fender flare blocking most of the spray from the tire.

If you don't have their steps they don't work as well and a bigger flap would be better.

Yea, that makes perfect sense. I kept the factory steps.

 

[Chicken Corners]

These folks make flaps.

Duraflap Dodge 4500/5500 Front 2019 - 2024 Custom Mud Flaps & Weights

Custom mudflaps, splashguards, and weights for Dodge Mud Flaps, Dodge RAM 4500 Mud Flaps, Dodge RAM 5500 Mud Flaps, Truck and SUV Mud Flaps Made in the USA by DuraFlap Mud Flaps.

duraflap.com

 

[FeCamel]

Oh that would be great, thank you very much! Gotta love this forum!

Here is the Buckstop bracket and mud flap. Just a metal angle and one little strip. 2 screws holding it to the fender extension, and 3 bolts holding the flap on. Should be really easy to drill a larger flap to fit.

 

[swang]

View attachment 871134

Here is the Buckstop bracket and mud flap. Just a metal angle and one little strip. 2 screws holding it to the fender extension, and 3 bolts holding the flap on. Should be really easy to drill a larger flap to fit.

Thanks FeCamel! It looks like my fender flare may be different... is the bottom edge of yours angled?

 

[FeCamel]

Thanks FeCamel! It looks like my fender flare may be different... is the bottom edge of yours angled?

View attachment 871142

I'm not in front of it right now, but yes, I think the flare has a bit of an angle going down to the body from the outside. That's what it looks like judging the angle of the flap, as it is level. Maybe Dynamax is sourcing different flares than Buckstop. A flat bottom would be even easier to make a bracket for as you could just use standard angle iron as-is.

 

[bclemens]

We take the Buckstop fender, body work it, and paint it body color. Should be same fender though