B+ motorhomes

[Daniel_C_]

I just bought a Trail Lite B+ 211s with 8.1 Chevy
engine. This is my fifth motorhome (others range
from an old 20' Vagabond, and three Winnegagos, from 19 to 32'. This vehicle is fantastic. I am
using it as a mobile office (and sneaking in a fun
journey from time to time). It gets about 9.5mpg
and I believe I could pull a bus behind it if I wanted! I paid low $40's which is about what I had expected to pay for a five or six year old Chinook with a nicer interior, but fewer features
(slide). I am delighted thus far.

[happyjack2]

Re: Bathroom door closing. We put an expandable heavy weight shower curtain rod and curtain across HappyJack2 just aft of the sink/stove area. While driving it is gathered together with small bungee cords and out of the way. While stopped the shower curtain is spread open and with the bathroom door open and secured with a small bungee to the inside of the rear door, it provides a nice dressing/changing area and provides more space for my six foot frame in the bathroom. At night at campgrounds or at Wally World / FJ stop overs it provides privacy and cuts the light intrusion from the outside. It was our first mod.

[cheeze1]

Tina, The sofa base, which is the bed and couch on the driver's side measures 30". The dinette cushion bases are 24", and the seatbacks are 13". So, in sleep mode, one bed is 30" and the other 37". With the extensions stored, the small side 24" is fine for lounging and reading. Having a ballroom in the middle of the coach now is real nice.

[birdbybird]

Cheeze - Did you mention how wide the two couch/beds are? I want to replace the pull out sofa on the driver side with something similar....more like a day bed, better for watching TV and reading and taking up lots less space. I saw that the beds in the Born Frees were listed as 30 inches. Just interested in what width others would consider sufficient and over all comfortable for a single.

Tina

[cheeze1]

Funny Burl, it was a BT that showed us the light. We were at the Pennsylvania RV Show and my wife and her friend went into one before me and said:"why can't we get one of these?". I was dumbfounded because I didn't think she would consider anything bigger than a B. Your further description above was also right on the mark, since I knew about Coach House and Chinook. When they heard the price, "why do I want something that seems smaller for twice the price??"
Both sofas 'sit' nice, especially the drivers side since that uses the old dinette backs. DW and I found 2-24" square pillows in Bed and Bath that will provide the 'leanbacks' for us to watch the tv. Since the tv is in the front, we don't forsee changing the cab seats to swivel. Nice idea tho', great for a slightly larger rig!

[burlmart]

Erip, we sat in a rig nearly identical to the one we ordered (21' BT Cruiser, I think). What we both felt was that it seemed in every way like a nicely appointed hotel suite w/ full kitchenette. The walls and cabinets were all vertical the roof was not even noticeable (I have 4" clearance to the ceiling) and cabinets were out of the way of our heads bumping them. As we had been traveling w/ two mutts and staying at pet friendly hotels, this well-appointed room on wheels just seemed like a natural.

As for cost, there were some higher-end small C rigs like the Born Frees and Chinooks that did not quite feel like a motel - lower ceiling, closed in sides at ceiling w/ angled cabinets, wet baths, and some other things. And, as Daniel C., the originator of this thread, said years ago, for the difference in price of these other rigs and the Trail Lites, he just might buy a little PT Cruiser to maybe use as a toad!

Cheese, how do those new sofa beds feel for sitting? 'Ya gonna swivel them two cab seats?

[cheeze1]

:B
Actually, the ceiling height was a selling point. When we first encountered our first B+'s, the ceiling height enhanced the feeling of roominess compared to the B's we thought we wanted.
Erip, the shower is definitely a plus! (I bet Gene has a nice view out the bubble top while showering!):W

[erip]

They are popular with the shorter set too.. i am 5'6" and have an trail lite (well an agusta sport. but its the same thing).. Its great to stand up and move around in the shower after being too tall for the shower in a falcon.

[burlmart]

I'm 6'-3" Looks like Trail Lites were popular with the taller set.

[cheeze1]

Gene, are you and Burl BOTH 6'4"?
I have cut down the old dinette table to fit in the rear wardrobe, and dramatically curved the corners. I have 4 more of those 'magic' leg brackets like the one on the original table. I have some nice wood for 4 legs, and using good old google Sketchup already configured their positions so they all fold flat. I figure it will be about 2" thick when folded. I don't think I'm done with making the passenger side box as efficient as I would like. I may try to work it out where the table goes in there as well. The spring loaded hinges hold it up with the cushions on, so it's much more useful than the access was from the sofa.
I was thinking of adding 2" to the bath door frame but I didn't measure if it will interfere with the kitchen drawers, so that is up in the air.
BTW, I took out the shower curtain and installed a pleated 'door'. Much neater, and I know we won't be attacked while showering. The metal molding at the bottom of the walls, had to be trimmed, but there was no fancy waterproofing. I used 100% silicone to seal everything.

[Gene_in_NE]

cheeze1 - A couple thoughts today. As to the round post under a dining table, I have seen where the hole in the floor is flush with the underside of the carpet. Additionally, there was a round carpet plug to cover the hole. I agree, however, it would still disturb a perfect flow of carpet.

As to the bathroom door problem, I'm 6'-4" and there is interference. I have thought about putting a slide in the door (like a bump out). Truthfully, it has not been that much of a problem. My bathroom is configured slightly different than yours. The stool is at a slight angle, not square with the room.

[burlmart]

Curious myself.

[cheeze1]

I guess I kept it 'clean' and purposeful! I do have a 'box' behind the toilet, like yours, in fact. I don't know much about the toilet mounting process in an RV. Know of any diagrams or pix?

[burlmart]

cheeze1 wrote:
Ok, I feel safe in assuming we are a mature group here. :h
I have a delicate(?) question. I'm 6' tall, and I believe Burl(you are up early today!) is 6'4". Has anyone had any thoughts about 'knee-room" when using the toilet? :R When I close the door, I'm usually covered by the towels hanging there, and there is no reading room. 🙂 I know the simple answer is leave the door open. That's fine most of the time, but there are times....well, I've gone into enough detail.
I thought about building the door frame out a couple of inches or making a 'bumpout' in the door itself.
I hope I don't regret this one!!:o

Just what, exactly. is it that you regret saying in THAT POST?!

It is close quarters, but I have not been bothered by the door. Could you simply move the toilet up and back a bit w/ a 45 degree elbow?

[cheeze1]

Ok, I feel safe in assuming we are a mature group here. :h
I have a delicate(?) question. I'm 6' tall, and I believe Burl(you are up early today!) is 6'4". Has anyone had any thoughts about 'knee-room" when using the toilet? :R When I close the door, I'm usually covered by the towels hanging there, and there is no reading room. 🙂 I know the simple answer is leave the door open. That's fine most of the time, but there are times....well, I've gone into enough detail.
I thought about building the door frame out a couple of inches or making a 'bumpout' in the door itself.
I hope I don't regret this one!!:o

[cheeze1]

Thanks Gene!
We thought about the pedestal, but didn't want to ruin the flow of the rug especially after we got a nicer rug than we expected, I'm working out a way to make the old dinette top into one with folding legs that fits in the wardrobe near the bath.
The cushions on the passenger side are the old dinette bases, with the seatbacks acting as extensions for sleeping. Underway, they go back to the other side to act as seatbacks for the sofa base. My DW shortened/resewed the cushion covers and I sharpened up my carving knife to cut the foam.
The window boxes are original. The seatback on the passenger side is the old base for the jackknife sofa. The big buttons cover the old duct holes.