Wide body 34' questions!

[redstart]

I'm interested to know what you think of towing with the Hensley. We have almost the same set up - 98 34' and an 06 Dogde 2500. Our 98 was in great shape, we just had to attend to the brakes, tires, and the bathroom fan. I'd like to add solar one day. Congrats on the trade

[ebair]

Originally Posted by tslanier

I agree with your assessment and I'm in the process of trading for a 98 34' that has been owned and very well maintained by someone in our area. Out of Doors Mart is going through the entire unit to ensure everything is in good order. In addition to the queen bed, more space and some other upgrades, it also has solar which is something I would have added had I kept my 87. I'm not interested in a generator. When I consider the things I wanted to do to continue upgrading the 87, I am able to trade without a great deal more money that I had planned to spend on upgrades. As a bonus, this unit comes with a Hensley hitch.

Congrats on your find. I wish ours had solar panels. (and a Hensley)
If I may, there are a few things you might want to double check when you bring your triple home. Check the caulking around the skylights and plumbing vents, the unit is ten years old and while there is usually a lot of caulk applied to the joints, on ours there were lots of cracks and you could slip a putty knife under it (the caulk) also check the area around the screws securing the skylights to the curb mounting, on ours the plastic skylights cracked and deteriorated from ultraviolet exposure. They are a fairly quick fix to replace and it really brightened up the interior. The reason is, of course, to remove the possibility of water infiltrating around the old caulking and cracks. Use a good urethane (not silicone) caulk like the ultraviolet resistant Sikaflex or equivalent.

I'm not sure of the differences on the Limited other than the trim and awning fabric colors (our awning is a red burgandy) the tankless water heater was not standard on ours.

[tslanier]

Originally Posted by ebair

Congrats on your find. I wish ours had solar panels. (and a Hensley)
If I may, there are a few things you might want to double check when you bring your triple home. Check the caulking around the skylights and plumbing vents, the unit is ten years old and while there is usually a lot of caulk applied to the joints, on ours there were lots of cracks and you could slip a putty knife under it (the caulk) also check the area around the screws securing the skylights to the curb mounting, on ours the plastic skylights cracked and deteriorated from ultraviolet exposure. They are a fairly quick fix to replace and it really brightened up the interior. The reason is, of course, to remove the possibility of water infiltrating around the old caulking and cracks. Use a good urethane (not silicone) caulk like the ultraviolet resistant Sikaflex or equivalent.

I'm not sure of the differences on the Limited other than the trim and awning fabric colors (our awning is a red burgandy) the tankless water heater was not standard on ours.

What exactly is a tankless water heater?

[ebair]

A water heater that does not store hot water, also known as a 'on demand heater'.
When hot water is needed, the flame heats coils that the water passes through, water is heated and delivered to the fixture, unlimited supply.
This type of unit has been in use in Europe since at least the '60s, becoming more popular here because of the economy of not maintaining a tank of 140 degree water 24/7. Gas and electric units available. Initial investment is higher than a tank type unit
In a rv the tankless unit weighs about 100 lbs less than a filled 10 gallon conventional unit (no water storage)