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Boxite · 08-17-2017, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob662

The move from 14" to 15 inchers were a change in, I think, 2017 models.

Not correct. They've had 15" wheels for a long time.... The 2008 specs on ours stated so.

SilverHouseDreams · 08-17-2017, 10:07 PM

Our 22FB has the round sink with the hideaway faucet.

Boxite · 08-18-2017, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xipper

Our 22FB has the round sink with the hideaway faucet.

I don't care for that sink/faucet but the person who uses it most... my wife... likes it. That's OK with me. (Just hope I never have to find replacement parts for that faucet.)

I did remove the short handle on that faucet and shorten it a bit more to completely clear the swiveling-J-tube so the water would not inadvertently be "on" or run when closing the lid. That's an easy thing to do on a bench-grinder. The plastic tip can be removed and then re-installed on the handle if you don't grind it too far down.

SilverHouseDreams · 09-05-2017, 01:24 PM

So we had a successful 3-day weekend trip in the Sport 22FB. We towed the AS ~160 miles to Camp Sherman, Oregon with no issues. The Audi Q5 2.0T pulled flawlessly, most of the time the only thing that made it obvious it was there was the aluminum object tailgating me in the rear view mirror. We had holiday weekend traffic for ~20-30 miles both directions, drove over the Santiam Pass and we maintained the speed limit or the flow of traffic without issue. We averaged ~18mpg round trip (worse on the way there with more net elevation gain and worse traffic, but better on return), with our roof top cargo box we would normally get ~24mpg for the same trip, and with bare car ~28mpg).

I was really on the fence about the cost of installing a hardwired EMS (power monitor/surge protector) but went ahead and did so, needless to say I am really happy I did. We arrived at the CG, and when I plugged in at first I was confused as to why nothing powered up...and then I looked at the EMS display and it was reversed polarity. After having a laugh, I fixed the pedestal...shockingly the 20amp plug was correct, but the 30amp plug very clearly had the black wire inserted into the clearly labeled "white wire" connector.

I "installed" a portable toddler bed rail onto the dinette, it would normally hook under the mattress and has a device that squeezes the mattress to hold it in place. I instead ran the webbing for that anchor from the storage space under the fore/aft benches and between the bench top and wall. It worked perfectly, though the first night our daughter was too excited to be in the Silver House (as the likes to call it) to fall asleep for a long time...thankfully the 2nd night worked much better and my wife and I got to actually relax outside under the awning.

We actually found the space of the 22FB to be great, though we didn't hangout at the CG or in the trailer much as we were there to go site seeing. The first night i hadn't expected it to get cold enough to need heat while sleeping, it was really hot out during the day that forced us to use the A/C to get to sleeping temperature. In the middle of the night I woke up chilled, which would have meant my daughter and wife were likely freezing so I turn the furnace on...which proceeded to wake me up each time it cycled on. The second night we left the A/C fan running to have a steady state "white noise" and not notice the furnace cycling.

I had put the antenna up to see if i could find any channels, I failed to. I also failed to put the antenna down, it wasn't until I saw someone else's Winegard laying on the side of the road that I remembered. Thankfully ours was still attached, but it became obvious that someone assembled it incorrectly as the pointer for positioning it to lower was off by ~160 degrees.

We were in a full hookup site but left the drain valves on both tanks closed so that we could assess how likely it was we could do dry camping. On our 2nd morning my wife washed some dishes and our gray tank went from "empty" to nearly "full" quickly, I didn't expect it but heard the shower drain gurgle at which point I looked. It turns out she didn't consider how much water it wastes to leave the faucet running while washing dishes. Which raised an interesting observation, none of the faucets have low-flow aerating outlets on them...why?

I'm now quite confident that we could make it through a weekend without any hookups (power is somewhat TBD and temperature dependent, obviously).

Things we did learn:
- park to utilize the entire "pad" better (parked too far starboard) for sitting space
- actually use a check list for arrival/departure (see antenna)
- need better "dim" lighting for when our daughter is sleeping (our rechargeable lanterns are all too bright, and fixtures were blindingly bright)
- replace the fixtures over the bed with directional reading lights (dimmable preferred)
- add lighting to the under bed storage area
- add a towel bar on inside of cabinet door below kitchen sink
- look for alternative heating to avoid the noise cycle of the furnace (120V space heater when on hookups, Mr Heater Buddy for not? Need to find placement for either)
- get fan for interior circulation (A/C fan is too noisy)
- add thermometer for indoor/outdoor temperatures

Upon returning home we couldn't find a place to park near our house (living in the city) with the AS and TV attached, so I had to back-in parallel park in a space that was "just big enough"...I was able to nail it in the first try without much backup assistance (my wife kept getting confused on what to tell me for guidance, I finally just had her warn if any impact was going to occur between AS and curb/tree or TV and the other parked car. If we had another 5' of space I could have left the AS and TV paired, instead I detached while the TV was at a tight angle and then parked it in the driveway.

Thanks for all of the feedback on here as it really was helpful, I've learned a lot from the forums and it was a key element to our successful and "event" free weekend.

SilverHouseDreams · 09-05-2017, 01:44 PM

I entirely forgot another critical lesson, to do something about that mattress. We had assumed that it would be more comfortable than our tent sleeping in the past, I'm not sure if it is much better than our backpacking Thermorest pads...it is absolutely far behind our air mattress. So I will be perusing the forums looking for solutions, I'd love a Sleep Number mattress but I doubt they make them in double-radius. Parklane is very close by, so we may consider that...or perhaps the simplest option is just a topper for the existing mattress. The other part of this is balancing the weight impact of the options, the Sleep Number would be the lightest option and would allow for other things to use the weight reduction.

Piggy Bank · 09-06-2017, 06:12 AM

We found that washing dishes can actually use more water and gray tank than showering. Here are some things we found helpful in our 22.

1-wipe out. Use paper towels/napkins to wipe out every trace of food from the dishes before washing. It gets to be a habit to take less food on the plate and clean your plate as well as possible by scraping any scraps into the trash. Then wipe off everything.

2-dish pan for dirty. I have a dish pan with handles (Ikea container) that I can take outside to the table or sit on the counter inside. It is where the dirty dishes go. This allows for a knife or a cup to be put someplace out of the way during the afternoon if you are grabbing a snack. I usually do dishes after breakfast and dinner.

3-small soapy container. I found this nice little container at Ikea that fits in ½ the sink and use it for the hot soapy water. Maybe uses a cup or 2 of water. I can keep this with some hot soapy water in the sink and still use the faucet. Lets me wipe as I go during meal prep. Below is a picture showing the small pan in the sink.

4-Actual dish washing procedure after a meal. On table I put a XL dish drying foam pad. On the counter I put the dishpan with the dirty dishes in it. Using the small soapy water container I wipe and soap all the dirty dishes putting them back into the dish pan as I go. Then put about 3 inches of hot water in the bottom of the sink. Rinse items in the hot water and set to dry on the foam pad. When done, hand dry items and put away. I use a small kitchen clothespin and clip the dish pad together, and hang from a command hook on the end of the counter by the bed to dry until next time. When remote boon docking, using a second dish pan like the one for the dirty instead of putting the hot water in the sink allows you to dispose all the dish water outside or in the toilet, saving gray tank space.

Boxite · 09-08-2017, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xipper

I entirely forgot another critical lesson, to do something about that mattress. We had assumed that it would be more comfortable than our tent sleeping in the past, I'm not sure if it is much better than our backpacking Thermorest pads...it is absolutely far behind our air mattress. So I will be perusing the forums looking for solutions, I'd love a Sleep Number mattress but I doubt they make them in double-radius. Parklane is very close by, so we may consider that...or perhaps the simplest option is just a topper for the existing mattress. The other part of this is balancing the weight impact of the options, the Sleep Number would be the lightest option and would allow for other things to use the weight reduction.

We solved the lousy AS mattress problem with foambymail.com We ordered an 8" FIRM... because we LIKE really firm mattresses... and it was TOO firm. I recommend the next level of softness. (We solved ours by adding a soft convoluted 2" topper on it...PERFECT for us.) When it arrives... use your AS mattress as a pattern and, with an electric carving knife.... cut the radiuss as you like it. Much less expensive and much nicer mattress than other "custom memory foam" types. We don't like the memory foam because it's hot, and results in depressions which make it difficult to move at nite. the foambymail was such a good find.

Belbein · 09-26-2017, 07:18 PM

Brad's Rule for Any Recreational Vehicle: Get the biggest one you can afford and tow/drive/sail. They never get bigger. They only get smaller. As soon as you drive them off the lot.

We bought a 22. I wish we'd bought the 24 or 25, and gone ahead and traded my truck and gotten the SUV. Now circumstances make us a little stuck. Make hay while the sun shines!

SilverHouseDreams · 09-26-2017, 09:11 PM

So far our 22' is working great for us, as we go to be at the destination and don't tend to spend much time in it. We haven't even turned the TV on, we barely watch TV at home (no cable). Converting the dinette between bed and table isn't the highlight of my day, but so far it isn't the worst part of the day either...and it would take a lot more trailer to not have to face that.

I've tweaked a few things:
Added a hardwired surge protector/power monitor
Switched to a single Battle Born 100Ah battery (still a work in progress to get adequate charging, you can find more details on the saga in the electrical/battery section).
Added a 4" foam topper to our mattress, which made a huge difference.
Added adjustable flow aerators to our faucets, being adjustable is great as for most times 0.5gpm is perfect, but it is painful slow when filling a water bottle, pitcher, or a pot (what a huge difference that makes!): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0096C2IVC/
Added a Fantastic Fan Ultrabreeze cover
Added 2 less-bright directional reading lights over the bed area (next to existing lights under the over-bed cabinets)
Added digital thermostat for furnace

lifeisfab · 09-29-2017, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xipper

So far our 22' is working great for us, as we go to be at the destination and don't tend to spend much time in it. We haven't even turned the TV on, we barely watch TV at home (no cable). Converting the dinette between bed and table isn't the highlight of my day, but so far it isn't the worst part of the day either...and it would take a lot more trailer to not have to face that.

I've tweaked a few things:
Added a hardwired surge protector/power monitor
Switched to a single Battle Born 100Ah battery (still a work in progress to get adequate charging, you can find more details on the saga in the electrical/battery section).
Added a 4" foam topper to our mattress, which made a huge difference.
Added adjustable flow aerators to our faucets, being adjustable is great as for most times 0.5gpm is perfect, but it is painful slow when filling a water bottle, pitcher, or a pot (what a huge difference that makes!): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0096C2IVC/
Added a Fantastic Fan Ultrabreeze cover
Added 2 less-bright directional reading lights over the bed area (next to existing lights under the over-bed cabinets)
Added digital thermostat for furnace

This is a great thread, thanks for posting. We are contemplating getting an AS, and so far the 22 sport seems to best layout in the shorter AS line-up. We like the bigger bathroom and the fact that is is located opposite to the bedroom. We like the bigger bed, 48" isn't doing it for us. We have a 4 years old as well. For us the main idea is to tow our hotel room. We live in CO, love exploring national/state parks and we are tired of over expensive mediocre hotels and the crappy food you usually find in towns surrounding National Parks. We camp, but it can get pretty cold at night in CO... The most important for us is a nice place to come back in the evening, eat a good meal, take a shower and a good night sleep. We don't plan to stay in during the day, and like you we don't watch tv... We like the Flying Cloud 23FB as well, but it doesn't really offer more than the 22fb except for a bigger water tank. We also feel the 23fb has way too many overhead compartments, feels a little crowded. I like the simplicity of the 22 sport.

SilverHouseDreams · 09-29-2017, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lifeisfab

This is a great thread, thanks for posting. We are contemplating getting an AS, and so far the 22 sport seems to best layout in the shorter AS line-up. We like the bigger bathroom and the fact that is is located opposite to the bedroom. We like the bigger bed, 48" isn't doing it for us. We have a 4 years old as well. For us the main idea is to tow our hotel room. We live in CO, love exploring national/state parks and we are tired of over expensive mediocre hotels and the crappy food you usually find in towns surrounding National Parks. We camp, but it can get pretty cold at night in CO... The most important for us is a nice place to come back in the evening, eat a good meal, take a shower and a good night sleep. We don't plan to stay in during the day, and like you we don't watch tv... We like the Flying Cloud 23FB as well, but it doesn't really offer more than the 22fb except for a bigger water tank. We also feel the 23fb has way too many overhead compartments, feels a little crowded. I like the simplicity of the 22 sport.

Sounds similar to us, in fact so far we've been using it so much like a hotel room that we have actually only eaten breakfast in the trailer and other meals out. The fire season here was brutal for the small towns, so we've been dining out when camping to help support the local economy ("over" tipping as we go).

The 23FB's big gains are an actual queen bed that you don't have to crawl over each other to get in/out of, an additional closet/ward drove, and some more storage space, ~40% more fresh water and ~50% larger gray water. If you expect to shower regularly, then the water tanks will matter to you. My thought is that if we are boon docking somewhere that I will just shower outdoors if I feel the need, a outdoor shower tent is far cheaper than a larger AS.

We did find that if you have bad water habits at home for doing dishes that you can fill that gray tank pretty quickly, thus our new low-flow aerators...or you can use paper plates.

lifeisfab · 09-29-2017, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xipper

Sounds similar to us, in fact so far we've been using it so much like a hotel room that we have actually only eaten breakfast in the trailer and other meals out. The fire season here was brutal for the small towns, so we've been dining out when camping to help support the local economy ("over" tipping as we go).

The 23FB's big gains are an actual queen bed that you don't have to crawl over each other to get in/out of, an additional closet/ward drove, and some more storage space, ~40% more fresh water and ~50% larger gray water. If you expect to shower regularly, then the water tanks will matter to you. My thought is that if we are boon docking somewhere that I will just shower outdoors if I feel the need, a outdoor shower tent is far cheaper than a larger AS.

We did find that if you have bad water habits at home for doing dishes that you can fill that gray tank pretty quickly, thus our new low-flow aerators...or you can use paper plates.

Yes the bed is definitely nice in the 23FB and I still go back and forth, as you can get a nice used one for the price of a new 22 sport. But we don't know yet how much we will use it or like it, how we will store it, etc.... For now smaller and lighter feels better, kind of like carrying a day pack vs a full back pack...+ until we are committed, we don't really want to buy a new Tow Vehicle. If we end up loving it, as we hope we will, we would probably upgrade to a 25fb in a few years, but at this point it becomes more like towing an apartment : ) and it probably becomes a different dynamic and logistics.

SilverHouseDreams · 09-29-2017, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lifeisfab

Yes the bed is definitely nice in the 23FB and I still go back and forth, as you can get a nice used one for the price of a new 22 sport. But we don't know yet how much we will use it or like it, how we will store it, etc.... For now smaller and lighter feels better, kind of like carrying a day pack vs a full back pack...+ until we are committed, we don't really want to buy a new Tow Vehicle. If we end up loving it, as we hope we will, we would probably upgrade to a 25fb in a few years, but at this point it becomes more like towing an apartment : ) and it probably becomes a different dynamic and logistics.

What is your current tow vehicle? You can also get a slightly used 22FB for far cheaper than a used 23FB

Both are hard to find used though, or at least based on our experience. The 25' trailers seem to be far more common, the 22' and 23' seem to have a higher demand than supply.

Belbein · 10-01-2017, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xipper

Added 2 less-bright directional reading lights over the bed area (next to existing lights under the over-bed cabinets)

Xipper: This is the top of my list, but I can't figure out quite what to do. Can you post some details or pix?
--B

Belbein · 10-01-2017, 06:50 AM

When you say "We don't know how much we'll use it," you sound like us. We figured out how much we would use a camper by buying a cheap used pop-up. A few years with that told us that we would definitely use a camping trailer and needed something with some resources. At least it helped us decide that an Airstream would work for us, though there are things we should have done differently.

Beware "we'll get this now and upgrade later" thinking: there may be no later, because your financial situation may change just enough not to allow you to go through the expense of selling-rebuying-refitting. Once you decide to pull the trigger, get the biggest you can afford.

SilverHouseDreams · 10-02-2017, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belbein

Xipper: This is the top of my list, but I can't figure out quite what to do. Can you post some details or pix?
--B

I don't have any pictures available at the moment. I purchased 2 "Compass Adjustable LED Reading Light" fixtures at Camping World (catalog # 78988).

I lowered the existing fixture cut the wires and then spliced in an extension to give me more room to work. I then used crimped cap splices to put it all together.

I used tin snips to cut a "notch" in the edge of the base for the wires and a box cutter to put a matching notch in the edge of the plastic frame for the existing fixture to align them where I wanted this to be (on corner closest to the bed and sides of trailer). One of the fixtures had the threading for the flexible portion protrude too far and it created a short when I tightened it down, I had measured the first one before picking this route...so be aware that there is some inconsistency in them (probably 1/32" or so).

I didn't want to entirely replace the existing lights, as they are nice for some moments...but when its later in the evening and our daughter is sleeping they were way to bright.