Maiden Voyage...

[Minty JL]

My wife is originally from Ukraine (became a US Citizen 3/1/24) and they really don't camp there. She was skeptical at first but, has come to really enjoy it.

Thats awesome........I'm married to yuppies

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[RubiNewbCB]

Well, I bought the the Sonic 211VDB this past Monday and we pick it up on the 12th! Our first trip is booked to Luray, VA Memorial weekend. The wife and daughter are excited, it's like Xmas eve waiting to pick it up. Here's a sneak peak. Thanks for answering all my questions.

 

[Labswine]

Your outdoor 'kitchen' is different from mine. Your cover hatch doesn't raise as high as mine and yours doesn't have a sink. Mine is much taller than yours so that with the hatch open, I can stand under it and still cook. There is also a spot for a TV bracket and coax plug if I wanted to add an outdoor TV. Plus, mine has a sink with hot and cold water. They really didn't design the sink drain right...if left alone, it will splatter all over your feet if using the sink. I attached a drain hose to mine to run the water to the sewer drop at the campsite. Still doesn't really drain well so I try not to use it. Remember, that little fridge is 110V only so don't expect it to cool, or keep your beer cold as you travel. I like how the bed is in the front so you can access either side without having to crawl over your spouse when you have to go to the head in the middle of the night. Other than that, a very nice trailer ? ? ? I LOVE my Sonic.

You have the diesel so it'll have no issues towing that. The specs are pretty much the same as my SN220VRB and my 3.6L gas Overland handles it just fine. Manually shifting your trans will be your best friend.

 

[Labswine]

@RubiNewbCB One other thing...get yourself a good memory foam mattress or similar for your bed. The mattress they give you from the factory it only like 2-3" thick at most and you might as well be laying on the floor. I got a good 4" thick memory foam mattress and put that over the factory mattress. While it's not as comfy as my Sleep Number bed, it does a nice job. Might also want to consider a better mattress for the bunks too...your kid(s?) will thank you.

 

[RubiNewbCB]

@RubiNewbCB One other thing...get yourself a good memory foam mattress or similar for your bed. The mattress they give you from the factory it only like 2-3" thick at most and you might as well be laying on the floor. I got a good 4" thick memory foam mattress and put that over the factory mattress. While it's not as comfy as my Sleep Number bed, it does a nice job. Might also want to consider a better mattress for the bunks too...your kid(s?) will thank you.

What are your absolute must haves in the camper, what mods if any have you done, and what do you keep loaded, so it's always basically ready to launch minus clothes, food, bottled water? Lessons learned, during the past few years of ownership?

I'm having the stealership install a rear camera with blindspot sideview marker light cameras, TPMS, and I had them throw in a WDH granted it's what they carried, the ReCurve R6 with sway control, but it has pretty decent reviews overall on line.

 

[Labswine]

Well, in the pass through, I have a milk crate with various tools...ratchet set, a couple of screw drivers both flat and Phillips, hitch ball grease, nitrile gloves (keep from getting greasy), a roll of paper towels, I carry the wood blocks I use for the tongue jack and the stabilizer jacks (4" PT 6x6 for the stabilizer jacks and 2 6" 6x6 for the tongue), a level, some folding outdoor chairs (4), the biggest and heaviest thing (50 lbs?) is a piece of Astroturf I got at Home Depot that's 6' x 13' to lay on the ground from the door to the cooking area (under the awning), the various water hoses, the sanitation hook ups (the main hose fits inside the rear bumper of the trailer (BY THE WAY...ditch the factory rear bumper plugs...they easily fall out on the road...I got a couple of ones that have magnets in them to hold them on, and haven't lost one yet), leveling kit in case the camp site isn't really level (you drive onto them with the trailer wheels), and probably a few things I've forgotten. A number of the things I found at a reasonable price and quality on Amazon.

Inside, I have a small apartment type vacuum cleaner, the usual pots and pans as well as a griddle that fits perfectly over the two burners on the outside stove, a Britta water purifier pitcher, toaster, water heating pitcher for making coffee or tea (I have a French Press for the coffee), plastic dinner ware (plates and bowls), the usual kitchen utensils, flatware, a first aid kit (A MUST HAVE!!!) plastic cups for drinking (some nice plastic wine cups too...).

I have the BlueOX WDH/sway control set up and it really does control the sway in the wind or when I'm being passed like I'm standing still (at 65 MPH) by a tractor trailer...I also use the Tekonsha Primus IQ for my brake controller.

Lessons learned? Dunno...having been camping a lot as a kid, I was always helping Dad hitch up his, and all the other things, so it was all pretty much learned from early on. I thought of it as an apartment and what would I need for that if it were my regular home so that's how I equipped it.

One good lesson I quickly learned was to shift the 8sp. manually. Left to it's own devices, you culd be screaming along at 65 MPH in 5th gear at like 4K RPM...I find with mine, I almost never see 8th unless downhill or a relatively flat stretch but it's mostly in 7th at around 2,100 RPMs at 65 MPH. On a grade, when the speed drops below 58 MPH, I drop back to 6th (around 2,500-2,600 RPMs) and hold that until either I get back to around 65 MPH or the grade has ended then it's back to 7th. From a stand still, I find that up-shifting around 2,500 RPMs is adequate to get it all moving and not being a rolling road block. Doing this, I have been averaging right around 13 MPG. Temps of the various components are a little elevated vs. not towing but not outrageous either. Normal driving, engine is around 195 degrees, towing it's around 215-220 degrees even when it's 95 degrees or more outside. Trans temp and oil temp follow suit...elevated but not outrageous.

I don't go over 65 MPH when towing. If others don't like it, too bad for them. I am driving MY OWN drive, not theirs. It's not how fast you get there, it's how you get there...and I prefer to be in one piece

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