Coachmen Freedom Express 246RKS

mikakuja wrote:
What impressed me most was that Coachmen is that unlike most other FG walled trailers they use Azdel in their walls. Azdel is not wood based and won't take on water which leads to delamination...

SoundGuy wrote:
An overstatement of fact that I'm sure Coachmen would love to have you believe and to propagate. :R In point of fact only the sidewalls are Azdel, the end panels are luan laminated with fiberglass.

mikakuja wrote:
The OP was looking at a Freedom Express, not an Apex, the two are actually quite different.

SoundGuy wrote:
FWIW, here's that pic I referred to earlier of that Coachmen Apex rear wall that was being replaced by my dealer. The original end panel that had been removed was sitting against the wall and although I didn't bother taking a pic of it I did carefully examine it and can confirm it was indeed luan bonded to fiberglass, no Azdel at all. The original panel was secured to the trailer around the edges with staples, when the tech installed the new replacement panel he applied adhesive to all the frame members and used screws around the edges, later covering those edge corners with trim. When I questioned the tech he confirmed that my Freedom Express is exactly the same.

Flatfoot-Rogue wrote:
Once again you are comparing two different items. Since your trailer and the apex that you have commented on were built Coachman has changed construction practices. The 2016/17 Freadom Express no longer uses wood in the outer frame (sides, Front or back) It is Aluminum Cage construction...check their website.....No one is arguing the fact that the endcaps are not Azdal just that there is no wood...

Just yesterday I was at my local Coachmen dealer on another matter and asked the tech I had spoken to previously about the differences, if any, between the interior construction of the Apex and Freedom Express series of trailers which are manufactured in the same facility. The answer was that other than minor detail differences the construction is essentially the same - Azdel side walls but luan front and back. As it would happen this tech is currently replacing the rear wall on a Freedom Express so he just sent me this pic ... as you can see it's no different than the Apex - lots of wood and luan, filled in with fiberglass bat insulation. FWIW. :W

Thanks for the information. I will be sure to check with you in the spring for tips on sealing the holes to block the mice. Steve

We got a 2016 248RBS in June. LOVE IT!!!!!! Planted it on a seasonal site so I can't comment on towing. The outdoor kitchen is an awesome feature but wish the awning covered it. Many positives, roomy bathroom, great layout, plenty of storage, ducted air. Furnace and air are away from the sleeping area so it is quiet.
I will list the down sides and minor issues we had just for you to be aware of.
Tight walk around the bed , but we knew that when purchasing
Minor leak in outdoor kitchen drain
No indoor counter space (get a stove cover)
CATV connections were all loose
Needed to foam in all openings in the floor to keep rodents out ( I can help you with that next spring) some spots are not easily accessible.
The shower head is mounted way to low (we are short under 5'5") so for a taller person this could be an issue. installed a mount up higher.
There seems to be a drainage issue with the black tank, doesn't dump all the paper/ solids and clogs sometimes. May be a level issue as the rig is perfectly level . In the spring we plan to inspect the drain fitting with a camera. Got around it by using a mascerator when it fails to completely drain.
Not trying to steer you away from this model as it has a lot a great features and a layout. I would purchase this model again and highly recommend it. Just making you aware of some minor issues we had. Great choice, enjoy it.

There are many choices, something to fill most needs.

hppytrls wrote:
After several visits to the Coachmem Freedom express 246RKS the wife and I decided access to the facilities was too cumbersome when the slide was closed. We travel alot and frequent stops for food and bathroom are the norm. So now we have decided the Freedom Express 248RBS will suit us nicely.

Nice choice! Interior access while traveling (or otherwise) without having to deploy the slide was at the top of our requirements when we selected our 192RBS. If we were to upgrade we'd choose the 231RBDS as we rarely entertain others inside our camper but rather around the campfire and therefore don't have need for both a dinette and a sofa. Both great choices though in a reasonably sized trailer. :B

After several visits to the Coachmem Freedom express 246RKS the wife and I decided access to the facilities was too cumbersome when the slide was closed. We travel alot and frequent stops for food and bathroom are the norm. So now we have decided the Freedom Express 248RBS will suit us nicely. Steve

hppytrls wrote:
I've been shopping for a new TT and like the Coachmen Freedom Express 246RKS. Anyone have any experience with this model, any comments about it? Thanks.

The floor plan in that Coachmen is great and makes for an efficient use of floor space and if it's the floor plan that you like, I highly recommend it (we have the KZ equivalent). There are a number of other manufacturers out there that make a TT with the same basic floor plan with about the same weight and o/a length - Keystone, Jayco, Forest River, Venture RV, KZ as below and a few others, I think.

The other brands have different variations on the layout such as the fridge in the slide and more counter space, wall & door between bedroom and living/kitchen area, larger shower (KZ) and exterior door in bedroom for ex. Exterior wall construction method varies. Which ones are better quality? Who knows, they all have issues of some sort and even in the same brand and model can be good and bad. Also, some manufacturers and dealers are better for warranty work and some are worse.

SoundGuy wrote:

mikakuja wrote:
What impressed me most was that Coachmen is that unlike most other FG walled trailers they use Azdel in their walls. Azdel is not wood based and won't take on water which leads to delamination...

SoundGuy wrote:
An overstatement of fact that I'm sure Coachmen would love to have you believe and to propagate. :R In point of fact only the sidewalls are Azdel, the end panels are luan laminated with fiberglass.

mikakuja wrote:
The OP was looking at a Freedom Express, not an Apex, the two are actually quite different.

Set aside from the fact that you are just biased against everything and very seldom have anything positive to say, I am voicing my opinion, you don't have to agree. So how about offering the OP some useful advise instead of picking apart comments and trolling for arguments.

Boon Docker wrote:
X2

It does get a bit old after a while doesn't it.

The OP said in his first post that started this thread -

"I've been shopping for a new TT and like the Coachmen Freedom Express 246RKS. Anyone have any experience with this model, any comments about it?"

Since when is providing correct information "trolling"? Stating that the walls in that 246RKS the OP is interested in are Azdel is in fact a misstatement of fact, not an opinion, as only the side walls are Azdel, the end panels are luan. Go to the Coachmen Freedom Express Webpage, click on features, and right at the top you'll note it says Azdel composite sidewalls.

FWIW, here's that pic I referred to earlier of that Coachmen Apex rear wall that was being replaced by my dealer. The original end panel that had been removed was sitting against the wall and although I didn't bother taking a pic of it I did carefully examine it and can confirm it was indeed luan bonded to fiberglass, no Azdel at all. The original panel was secured to the trailer around the edges with staples, when the tech installed the new replacement panel he applied adhesive to all the frame members and used screws around the edges, later covering those edge corners with trim. When I questioned the tech he confirmed that my Freedom Express is exactly the same.

Once again you are comparing two different items. Since your trailer and the apex that you have commented on were built Coachman has changed construction practices. The 2016/17 Freadom Express no longer uses wood in the outer frame (sides, Front or back) It is Aluminum Cage construction...check their website.....No one is arguing the fact that the endcaps are not Azdal just that there is no wood... The OP stated that they were looking for a NEW TT not one that is a couple years old.

In my opinion the APEX would be a Chev Cavalier and the Freedom Express would be a GMC Sierra...same manufacturer, Same construction plant... different entry point and intended target purchaser..that's my opinion...

On this forum, there is an often repeated belief stated that buying used means the original owner fixed all the bugs and problems the RV had from new. The idea they really fixed this stuff may be just wishful thinking. The fact is, they "may" be selling the rig, because they don't want to deal with the issues.

It's just my preference, but I buy things ( trucks, travel trailer, horse trailer, equipment trailer, etc ) new, because I keep them a long time and I prefer to know the history from new. I fix the things I can myself, so I know the fixes are done right, and not just some band-aid approach.
My two cents on the matter.

mikakuja wrote:
What impressed me most was that Coachmen is that unlike most other FG walled trailers they use Azdel in their walls. Azdel is not wood based and won't take on water which leads to delamination...

SoundGuy wrote:
An overstatement of fact that I'm sure Coachmen would love to have you believe and to propagate. :R In point of fact only the sidewalls are Azdel, the end panels are luan laminated with fiberglass.

mikakuja wrote:
The OP was looking at a Freedom Express, not an Apex, the two are actually quite different.

Set aside from the fact that you are just biased against everything and very seldom have anything positive to say, I am voicing my opinion, you don't have to agree. So how about offering the OP some useful advise instead of picking apart comments and trolling for arguments.

Boon Docker wrote:
X2

It does get a bit old after a while doesn't it.

The OP said in his first post that started this thread -

"I've been shopping for a new TT and like the Coachmen Freedom Express 246RKS. Anyone have any experience with this model, any comments about it?"

Since when is providing correct information "trolling"? Stating that the walls in that 246RKS the OP is interested in are Azdel is in fact a misstatement of fact, not an opinion, as only the side walls are Azdel, the end panels are luan. Go to the Coachmen Freedom Express Webpage, click on features, and right at the top you'll note it says Azdel composite sidewalls.

FWIW, here's that pic I referred to earlier of that Coachmen Apex rear wall that was being replaced by my dealer. The original end panel that had been removed was sitting against the wall and although I didn't bother taking a pic of it I did carefully examine it and can confirm it was indeed luan bonded to fiberglass, no Azdel at all. The original panel was secured to the trailer around the edges with staples, when the tech installed the new replacement panel he applied adhesive to all the frame members and used screws around the edges, later covering those edge corners with trim. When I questioned the tech he confirmed that my Freedom Express is exactly the same.