New 2019 Northern Lite 8-11 Dry Bath
Picked up our new 2019 Northern Lite 8-11 dry bath (Feb 2019 build date) a couple of weeks ago. It took a very long round-trip drive through some downright nasty weather (AZ-OR-AZ), but all said and done it was worth it. Did a thorough PDI and close visual check of everything at the dealership. NL's quality is definitely above the norm, but still found some minor fit & finish issues---nothing we can't live with.
NL scaled the camper at 2,620 lbs. when it left the factory with all options. Had two GC2's,1 empty/1 full propane tank, DeeZee bed mat, Torklift frame tie-downs, and FastGuns installed at the dealership. Tanks were empty. My guess about 2,850 lbs. total. Never driven with a camper on-board before, so I had no idea what to expect from a handling perspective. Did install a set of Timbrens on our '16 Ram 3500 SRW Cummins prior to the trip.
Was very pleasantly surprised when I finally pulled out of the dealership. After 50 miles or so I found myself forgetting the camper was even back there. Very stable, even with 20-25 mph crosswinds. Averaged 14.1 mpg (hand calculated) at 65-70 mph for the entire drive home. After towing 30-35 ft. long TT/5th wheels the last few years, it was such a cheap rush to be able to fuel up and park anywhere I pleased!
With a few days rest behind me, I started on my mod-list. It included a PI EMS, 30 amp transfer switch, Xantrex ProWatt 2000 inverter (w/remote), V/A meter, Flow-Rite battery watering system, and an ARP Fridge Defender. Got it all installed, but it took a week. Like a lot of folks discovered the female ends of our sewer hoses wouldn't fit inside the NL bumper. Dug out a belt sander and carefully sanded down the four-sides of the female connectors down to the black rubber gasket (be careful to sand between, and not on, the interlocks). All 4 of our 10 ft. sewer hoses now fit inside the bumper, end-to-end, just fine.
All-in-all, very pleased with our new NL 8-11. After having the chance to dig behind nearly every panel and drawer during the course of running a lot of wires and cables, I've come to the conclusion NL does build a quality product.
NL scaled the camper at 2,620 lbs. when it left the factory with all options. Had two GC2's,1 empty/1 full propane tank, DeeZee bed mat, Torklift frame tie-downs, and FastGuns installed at the dealership. Tanks were empty. My guess about 2,850 lbs. total. Never driven with a camper on-board before, so I had no idea what to expect from a handling perspective. Did install a set of Timbrens on our '16 Ram 3500 SRW Cummins prior to the trip.
Was very pleasantly surprised when I finally pulled out of the dealership. After 50 miles or so I found myself forgetting the camper was even back there. Very stable, even with 20-25 mph crosswinds. Averaged 14.1 mpg (hand calculated) at 65-70 mph for the entire drive home. After towing 30-35 ft. long TT/5th wheels the last few years, it was such a cheap rush to be able to fuel up and park anywhere I pleased!
With a few days rest behind me, I started on my mod-list. It included a PI EMS, 30 amp transfer switch, Xantrex ProWatt 2000 inverter (w/remote), V/A meter, Flow-Rite battery watering system, and an ARP Fridge Defender. Got it all installed, but it took a week. Like a lot of folks discovered the female ends of our sewer hoses wouldn't fit inside the NL bumper. Dug out a belt sander and carefully sanded down the four-sides of the female connectors down to the black rubber gasket (be careful to sand between, and not on, the interlocks). All 4 of our 10 ft. sewer hoses now fit inside the bumper, end-to-end, just fine.
All-in-all, very pleased with our new NL 8-11. After having the chance to dig behind nearly every panel and drawer during the course of running a lot of wires and cables, I've come to the conclusion NL does build a quality product.
