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marinedad

New member - 2012 Thor Citation 29BG

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Sorta new anyway. We bought a 2005 Bounder 32' Class "A" a year ago, and joined FMCA at that time, but never visited the website. After making several trips in the Bounder, I grew to dislike sitting atop the front wheels and bouncing down the highway. Maybe that's where the "Bounder" name came from ;-)

Anyway, we traded for a new (2012) Citation in February, and love it. The three slides give us plenty of room, and I like the Ford E450 chassis. It's also nice to have front doors for pilot and navigator, with electric locks, power windows, and air bags. Refueling is also easier with the filler on the driver's side, about halfway back. The filler on the Bounder was under the rear license plate, and it was difficult to judge the alignment with the pump.

I do miss the leveling jacks, however. We carry 6 2x8 pieces of treated lumber, each about 24" long. I can deploy them sideways under the tandems, or lengthways under the front wheels, and use a $2 round bubble level which I place on the kitchen floor. This gives me a pretty good idea of how many boards to stack, and where to deploy them. Crude, but effective. Maybe when I get an extra $3k to burn I'll pop for the jacks.

We live in S.W.Florida, and travelled to Key West for 8 days in February, then, in April, went to Kissimmee (visiting Disney) and on to St. Augustine for a 7 days. Had a blast. Will be heading to the Gulf Shores area in June for a week, then heading to San Diego (and points in between) in late July or early August for 4-6 weeks.

I need to trade my Honda Pilot for something more suitable for towing, and decide whether to use a dolly or go with "4-down". I realize there is another thread devoted to towing. I am amazed that it actually costs more to buy a tow-bar (with a Brake Buddy or whatever) than a new Master Tow dolly with brakes. This takes a lot of sorting out, which may explain why I still haven't make any commitment.

Thankx for allowing the new guy to introduce himself. I would enjoy hearing any comments or hints about the Citation 29BG or about traveling west...like good places to stop, things to see and do, places to avoid, etc.

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10 November 2014 21:30

Hello, "marinedad"

One point you raised in your post attracted my attention: the question of braking a "toad" when connected to your coach wheels-down". I found one solution which has worked out well for me. RSA Products in Iola, Kansas has a simple, straightforward intertial / cable braking system called "Readybrake". Two cables in the "toad" car - one for conventional braking, and the other for emergency "breakaway" operation - are installed, and an inertial activator shaft connects between the tow bar and the coach.

As a single RV traveler, I like the fact that I can connect and disconnect the entire system myself, and it takes up much less storage space than the electric / pneumatic / hydraulic units you have to set up in the "toad" every time you travel. It's also one of he most inexpensive braking systems out there - around $500-650 for the whoel system. Check out "readybrake dot com" for more info.

"Happy Cybercamping!"

Michael Canode, F13059S

Webmaster - FMCA Ohio Nomads Chapter

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