president on kodiak chassis

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Tonyg

president on kodiak chassis

Post by Tonyg »

Would like to here from owners of the 32' president on the new kodiak chassis. How well does it handle, is there enough power and how much more room is their inside with the wider body etc. Any comments would be helpful.

Thanks :lol:
KTnLen

Post by KTnLen »

Tony,

In short, the unit handles very well compared to a basic Class A of similar length, and much less tendency to wander in a side wind or when being passed by a larger vehicle. The Kodiak motorhome chassis has a very tight turn diameter with a 53-degree wheel cut -- can turn around completely in four lanes of roadway.

The power is sufficient, and the cruise control, overdrive and low range automatic gears, with air suspension, makes a nice even ride at freeway speeds. Moving about while underway, and dampening out the bumps is quite nice. Some people complain the steering is too loose, but I find it okay and use the long-distance viewing technique helps keep it dead center in the lane. Pulling 3,500 to 7,000 lbs with a car hauler trailer has not been a problem. Adding a diesel engine might be a consideration depending on individual circumstance and preference.

The added room of a 'wide body' is about the width of your hand on each side, giving a little more shoulder room overall, but it does feel bigger since the ceiling is 7-ft in the President.

Glad to answer any other general or specific questions.

Len C sends.
Bill Wright

president on kodiak chassis

Post by Bill Wright »

Late reply to post.

We picked up our 2008 President RQ on Nov 6. We spent the first night at the factory and they fixed a couple of minor glitches in an hour the next day.

This unit drives great -- better than our previous 30' Class A on a Ford chassis. Better performance, better gas mileage, shorter turning radius than the Ford.

My wife did the unthinkable and read the manuals! The Link-Air manual had some blurb about releasing the valve on the airtank EVERY DAY to let the moisture out! After some investigation, I found the tank on the inside of the frame, requiring a crawl under the RV to get to the relief valve. Not something I could see myself doing every day. I talked to Kim and my mechanic and BF paid to have a choke cable installed on the valve and exiting near the driver's door. Now it is a simple matter to release the moisture from the air tank. The mechanic charged BF for one hour of labor.

Kim demonstrated the heat strips in the roof airs at the factory. But he did not leave them on long enough to produce heat. Later, when we needed them there was no heat coming from the heat strip in the front air conditioner. Seems like Dometic had put the wrong air conditioner in the box for the AC w/heat strip label or something like that. Anyway we had the wrong AC which BF has now had replaced.

As far as the extra width goes, I would have preferred the coach with a standard 8' width. My wife's shirt closet is a few inches wider than mine. That's the most noticeable use of the extra width. The rest room and shower are definitely not for anyone with a large girth even with the extra 5-1/2". The kitchen counter may have a few additional inches between the wall and the aisle, but the additional utility is not needed.

Where the extra width gets you is when you leave the interstate. We followed GPS directions to our favorite campground in Alabama. We left I-10 for a two-lane state highway that must have had a 9' lane width and no shoulder. A pick-up pulling a utility trailer approached us from the other direction on a curve. His trailer barely fit on the roadway as did our RV. He went off the road.
Tonyg

Post by Tonyg »

Thanks for the information. I was especially interested in the air link suspension. I spoke to Jerry and he said that very little water accumulates and he did not think it needed to be drained that often. What has been your experience.? I also have no desire to have to crawl under RV to drain it. Once down there I probably would not be able to get back up!!!! We are interested in the 32' mainly to have more room for our two Golden Retrievers and also to have a permanent sleeping area.

Currently we have a 24' with one incline bed and the dinette. Love the dinette for eating, using computer etc. but I find it extremely uncomfortable for sleeping. Having a bad back does not help. Would also like to know if you would buy again and what options you would like to have and which you not get again. Best of luck with your new RV.

Regards,

Tony
Bill Wright

Post by Bill Wright »

I agree releasing the valve daily to get the moisture out is overkill. Of course, some of us living in more humid climates like Houston or Florida need to get rid of the moisture more often.

Before we got the choke cable installed, we took a trip from Houston to Florida. I crawled under and released the moisture when the RV was still in the garage before we left. I did it again in Florida when we began the return trip. Each time the moisture spray continued for a couple of seconds.

The air compressor causes moisture to condense. The longer the moisture stays in the tank, the greater the likelihood of corrosion and eventual failure. Hence, LinkAir's manual says to release it daily.

My wife also talked to someone at Link Air and was told that the air tank was usually installed in a rear compartment where it is accessible. Born Free has chosen to put it in an inaccessible location. The quick and easy answer is what I had done. Install a choke cable to the relief valve and run the cable to the outside or to a compartment where it is accessible.

I would say that for anyone with a 32' President and LinkAir suspension, it is mandatory to find a way to make releasing that moisture from the airtank easy. If my wife and I used the RV every day, we would now have no difficulty releasing the moisture daily. I can do it in a few seconds before I climb into the cab.

I had an RV mechanic do the work for less than $100 for labor, parts and tax. Born Free has agreed to reimburse me. No check yet, though and it has been over two weeks.

Born Free is the finest Class C and may be the best motorhome being built.
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