info needed on possible purchase

Thanks for the input, perhaps we are putting too much into the fridge and restroom access. We have now added to our selection process the Jayco Eagle 338, really heavy hitch weight, but some nice upgrades.

Had a 2007 Jayco Eagle 322FKS and at the time thought it was so important to have access to the kitchen- frig- bathroom- bedroom etc without opening the slides. Traveled from Nova Scotia to Florida to New Mexico to Wyoming a few times and never once had a problem opening a slide while traveling.
Now we have a 3 slide trailer and every time we pull over we open our slides - no problem. Don't let access determine your choice.
Do check out floor plans and be sure it's one you like.
Happy trails,

jobythebay wrote:

aarond76 wrote:
I don't understand why having to open a slide to access the bathroom or fridge is a deal breaker. We cannot access our bathroom without opening our slide. We have to open it a foot or so to be able to get by. Why is this a deal breaker when traveling? We do it all the time. Ouch, my index finger as I hold the power button for a few seconds to extend the slide a bit. Then by the time everyone is done with the bathroom hopefully my finger has had time to quit cramping from all the strain in holding the button down first time, and I am able to struggle thru the 5 second process once again. Its no more of a deal breaker than having to unfold the steps in order to get inside the trailer. In fact its less labor intensive than unfolding the steps.

You should reach out to other people who have owned the v-nose trailers. It has been noted on here that they are more affected by cross winds. I have no personal experience with them. You should speak to people with first hand experience to get their take on the matter.

um. if I have to go to the bathroom I would rather not have to wait till we stop

yep, I was sort of thinking the same thing, but it is more important with a class A/c motorhome. I think some of this dislike is that they unnecessarily built in poor design. don't want to put out slides in rest area for lunch stops, etc.
bumpy

aarond76 wrote:
I don't understand why having to open a slide to access the bathroom or fridge is a deal breaker. We cannot access our bathroom without opening our slide. We have to open it a foot or so to be able to get by. Why is this a deal breaker when traveling? We do it all the time. Ouch, my index finger as I hold the power button for a few seconds to extend the slide a bit. Then by the time everyone is done with the bathroom hopefully my finger has had time to quit cramping from all the strain in holding the button down first time, and I am able to struggle thru the 5 second process once again. Its no more of a deal breaker than having to unfold the steps in order to get inside the trailer. In fact its less labor intensive than unfolding the steps.

You should reach out to other people who have owned the v-nose trailers. It has been noted on here that they are more affected by cross winds. I have no personal experience with them. You should speak to people with first hand experience to get their take on the matter.

um. if I have to go to the bathroom I would rather not have to wait till we stop

I don't understand why having to open a slide to access the bathroom or fridge is a deal breaker. We cannot access our bathroom without opening our slide. We have to open it a foot or so to be able to get by. Why is this a deal breaker when traveling? We do it all the time. Ouch, my index finger as I hold the power button for a few seconds to extend the slide a bit. Then by the time everyone is done with the bathroom hopefully my finger has had time to quit cramping from all the strain in holding the button down first time, and I am able to struggle thru the 5 second process once again. Its no more of a deal breaker than having to unfold the steps in order to get inside the trailer. In fact its less labor intensive than unfolding the steps.

You should reach out to other people who have owned the v-nose trailers. It has been noted on here that they are more affected by cross winds. I have no personal experience with them. You should speak to people with first hand experience to get their take on the matter.

pipers family wrote:
Thanks, one thing I thought that we would like is to be able to stop along the road for restroom services in our own trailer- without having to move a slide or to be able to stop at a store for groceries and place them in the fridge without having to move a slide. My husband does not think the fridge option is such a big deal, but he is thinking the bathroom being accessible is a big deal. What do you think? Do these matter to anyone else? or am I making this purchase harder than it needs to be?

that was a deal breaker for us. we had to be able to get to the bath and fridge with the slides closed.I can't imagine spending money for a unit and you can't make sandwiches but there are lots of units where you can't get to those things

Bob, that is exactly how I feel and the two AC units are needed many times with Texas summer camping. We are moving up from a 25 foot trailer with a 13500 AC and it had a tough time cooling at times. We plan to start spending more time on the road, so we want to have a few more comforts and ease of set ups, camping and moving down the highway. These are two we are looking at, but would like to also check out comparable floor plans and quality trailers. Would love suggestions.

pipers family wrote:
Also, I was wondering, since we live in Texas and plan on about 36 foot of trailer, we are thinking that we will need an option of two AC units. If you have a tree, one might do, but if not... has anyone ever not been able to cool their trailer down in Texas, middle of the day with just one AC?

If the trailer has a second AC option and 50A service jump on it. In Teas, you will ned very BTU of cooling you can get and i I ever trade my Keystone Outback, it will be for a trailer with those options.

As far as being able to access the fridge and bathroom, not being able to do so would have been a deal breaker for us... You'll be surprised how often you will pull into a rest stop and want to whip up a sandwich for a quick lunch. Bathroom access is nice when you spend the night in a rest stop while traveling. We'll pull in a rest stop or truck stop after a long drive and immediately hit the bed, which is also on a slide out. To some people all of that stuff may not matter, but we don't stop at a campground and hook up just for an overnight rest stop while traveling.

For a 30 foot rig in central Texas, especially one with slide-outs, a 15k A/C is borderline minimum. If we get 110+ degree summers, it will not be enough. Realistically, I'd look to go with a 50 amp rig, or one that had 30 amps, and a separate 20 amp circuit, so you have two 15K BTU air conditioners.

Don't forget to get a generator that can handle that. I'd consider a 6000 watt Honda or Yamaha generator, which would have enough power to overcome the locked rotor amps of both A/C compressors.

As far as the a/c goes, upgrade to a 15K a/c, rather than the standard. It makes a huge difference in the southern states. We don't travel with water, so the bathroom access never mattered to us when we had our TT, but we liked access to the fridge to get out our lunches while on the road.