2011 Rear Side Bed

[purdum]

We sold our 2004 RSB several years ago and are contemplating the purchase of a 2011 RSB. To anyone who has one or knowledge of the new swivel passenger seat that turns to the dinette. Is it easy or hard to turn?? About "supersprings"? I hear that the airbags are gone. How is the ride on newer models. We had to have springs and shocks installed to make the "o4 ride reasonable. The sales people tell me that they have new molds and the water leaks are a thing of the past. Is this true?? Come on, be honest!! Also, is the Bose system worth considering? Any other items or advise would be welcome. We are hoping to enjoy club trips again if we can make this work. Thanks

[Roger]

"I can say this, however about the 2011 roofs:
While I was waiting for the Dodgens and Grandson Brandon to return from supper, I climbed the rear ladder of the 27' coach to have a look around as there was still daylight when I arrived at the RV park in Caddo Mills, Texas. There are now very copious amounts of the roof-sealer substance around each and every roof accessory fixture point. EVERY point had a large amount of the sealant gobbed and caked around all roof attachment points. I think we with the older coaches can take this as a lesson to remove and replace the small amounts of sealant that our old coaches have, with large and bulbous amounts encompassing any fixture point."

Frankly, I consider this unsightly and a sign of desperation on the part of the manufacturer. I see it as an attempt to cover up for poor quality of parts or poor fitment of same.

[Peter Robinson]

I think Sam and Roger may have discovered a key to some of the problems of modern life generally as well as motorhome design. "Large, bulbous and copious" amounts vs "small, smooth and adaquate", and then there's those pesky globs. The intersections of things are difficult to manage so we have sealant, and nature has sap - which brings us back to quantity, quality, and design. Anyway sealant is cheaper than new coaches so I'm thankful for that.

[charlesbell]

The swivel of the seat gets easier as you learn exactly how to position it to best accomodate the swivel. Is it easy? No. Is it extremely difficult? No. Somewhere in between.
I've had no body leaks on my 2010 RSK. The only leak has been from the roof AC which was easily solved with a 1/2 turn of the attachment screws.
I had a cable TV outlet added to the exterior passenger side, a 110 electric outlet added to the exterior driver side, and a light in the exterior rear storage bay. Also, make sure there's a "hold back" of some sort on the exterior rear storage bay door. These features may have been added to the 2011 model since my 2010 model was built.
The 22' coach is ideal for me as I can park in fast food restaurant parking lots. Otherwise, I would starve.

[Mike Jean Bandfield]

"Large, bulbous and copious"

It was in a NASA soldering course while in the AF that I learned the phrase, "The bigger the blob, the better the job." The instructors used it to emphasize how not to do it. The whole point of the school was to teach technicians to prevent cold soldering joints while saving literally tons of weight in rockets and planes.

However, sealant is not solder and I've come to the conclusion that there are situations where "the bigger the blob, the better the job" is true - within reason - provided the mating surfaces are properly prepared and the sealer is of the right type for the situation.

Mike

[bigdipper]

This is second attempt to comment here. I apologize if it is a duplicate.

-Regarding "goop" on roof, it is liberal on our unit front, back, and wherever items are attached. I understood that from 2008 the sealing was improved but now wonder whether leaks at side seams which are not heavily caulked are a problem. Any experience there?

-There is clip to hold rear storage door open on our unit.

-The new blinds do not return up without an extra push. Perhaps they will after further use.

-With due respect to Mr. Dodgen, I believe Ford does not ship chassis with SuperSprings. They are an after market item available from Camping World, etc.
I will not go into history, as I understand it, of Born Free switch from air lifts but if somebody wants more info, PM me.

Ralph

[Dean Gradwell]

I would like the "scoop" on Super Springs and I bet others would also so maybe here is the place to explain.
My biggest complaint about our 2004 24RB is the jarring that happens over bumps. If there is a retrofit of any kind I'll be doing it.
Regards Dean

[Peter Robinson]

Take a look at Mor-Ryde while looking at other retrofits for rear springs. This set up worked really well on the Chinooks and we didn't notice the jarring from speed bumps and such as with the standard E350 setup on our current BF. Tire pressures also make a difference of course as others have pointed out, and most recommendations are on the high end to prevent overheating from sidewall flex and improve fuel mileage. We however use pressures below 60psi on our BFT and 50 psi in the air bags and that seems to work well.

[lafons]

When I was at the factory this past summer they had a number of the super spring there in their boxs. They were installing them on new coachs as I watched. I was also told they would fit our older coachs as well.

[Don Tastad]

I have 27 RSB with the swivel passenger seat. It takes only a few seconds to turn it. The secret is to have it moved to the correct forward/rear position before turning it. The super springs seem to provide a quality ride. When compared to other class c motor homes the Born Free is better in every respect. It is by far the best class c I've seen. I took a couple of years researching before we purchased our Born Free. We couldn't be more satisfied.

[Ann P]

Just wanted to tell you folks asking about the Super Springs that they've been discussed before, at least 2 years, and should show up in a forum search. In any case, I had them installed on my 2008 24 RB by Henderson's Line-up of Grants Pass,OR..they also do work at RV events. I would hope the Super Springs webpage has US distributors listed or a phone # to call, for those who aren't near Iowa and BF.

The Springs have made an wonderful difference in lifting the heavy back end of my coach so that I can safely drive up and down inclines in parking lots, gas stations,etc. I had the air bags removed, and Henderson's also installed trac bars and new Koni shocks, and all this has made the ride much smoother , plus I don't get wind-blown very much anymore. I think it's a great idea that Born Free has switched from those pesky airbags to the Springs.

I just wish they had been putting in the PD multi-stage charger as standard back in 2008 instead of the Parallax converter.

[HasinaJiya]

Last Thurday, November 11th, I voiced my concerns with John Dodgen about how the ride of my 24' RB has now punctured the cooling unit on my coach's refer twice - necessitating two trips to Morrillton, Arkansas to have it repaired at quite a large cost to me.

I told him the two reasons I came to see the new 2011 models were to A) find out about these new "super springs," as to whether my old coach could be retrofit with them, and B) the new MCD window shades.

From what I can gather by peering into the rear wheel cavities on the 2011s, there is no spring that I saw. What I did see was an upper inverse leaf spring bowing upward, mounted above the traditional two or three lower leaf springs. This new upper, inversely directioned leaf is juxt-opposed the traditional lower leafs. I would have gotten a better look crawling under the rear axle with my high power halogen flashlight - but the coaches were parked on gravel, and it had been raining in the afternoon.

John Dodgen told me that the new suspension system comes that way from Ford to the Born Free plant in Iowa. So, I do not know whether the super springs can be an add-on at your Ford light truck dealer.

It was way after darkness had fallen, so John invited me back the next day to test drive the coaches after I explained the banging my coach experiences on it's rear axle at every crack or sharp bump in any road surface. I had driven 40 miles roundtrip to view the coaches, so I told him I likely would not come back the following day - so I can't vouch for anything on the new super spring ride of the Ford E chassis.

I would have to assume the roof seam leaks are a thing of the past, with the new seaming. I did not make my coach's past roof leaks an issue while I was with John Dodgen. My roof leaks have originated at either the seams, or the overhead window of my cabover 2002 coach.

I can say this, however about the 2011 roofs:
While I was waiting for the Dodgens and Grandson Brandon to return from supper, I climbed the rear ladder of the 27' coach to have a look around as there was still daylight when I arrived at the RV park in Caddo Mills, Texas. There are now very copious amounts of the roof-sealer substance around each and every roof accessory fixture point. EVERY point had a large amount of the sealant gobbed and caked around all roof attachment points. I think we with the older coaches can take this as a lesson to remove and replace the small amounts of sealant that our old coaches have, with large and bulbous amounts encompassing any fixture point..

I allow this unwanted and a sign of disappointment on the part of the manufacturer. I see it as an try to secure up for low top quality of places or insufficient suitable of same.

[mockturtle]