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TDL · 05-17-2015, 05:04 AM

Morning All and Happy Sunday!
Scheduled to take delivery on a new '15 4369 Ventana in a week and half. Current coach is a '07 39K Journey we brought into the world in November of '06! Wife and I are planning to full time after sale of house early '16. We love the Journey but felt storage was too limited, thus the Ventana. Even though we are quite good at getting the Journey into and out of tight state park camp sites, the extra 4 feet in length and 1 foot in height has me a bit nervous, not to mention the new really cool paint job

. How have all you experts handled this or am I overly nervous?
Thanks,
Tom and Roni

Clayobx · 05-17-2015, 05:28 AM

Hi, see you've been lurking for some time! I went thru the same anxiety's with our coach, 39' to 44'. I just stayed out of tough spots, planed well ahead at my stay overs and destination points till my handling skills developed. Now it's a piece of cake, so to speak. Be cautious, plan ahead, scout out your site before committing and entering into oh s...! It will soon become a no worries situation.

Czar Of Poop · 05-17-2015, 06:12 AM

Yes just plan ahead. Sometimes in those small towns right turns are to tight. So do a left...left...then straight ahead move.

CampDaven · 05-17-2015, 06:24 AM

I went from a 32 to a 42, and got a CDL manual to learned button-hook turns and other handy stuff.
Also, 3 lefts equal a right.

More room on a left!
And getting straight out into the intersection, THEN utilizing that nice tight wheel cut.

tomakat · 05-17-2015, 07:45 AM

I just went from a 34ft. gasser to a 2015 40ft Dutch Star two weeks ago. I've only had one training run to and from an RV resort, but I already clipped two curbs on a right hand turn.

One was driving to the Walmart and the other was coming out of that same Walmart parking lot with a toad attached. Please note that Walmart wasn't the RV Resort. To my defense, this was shortly after leaving the dealer's lot.

Since I park my RV in a very large storage facility (the size of an airport since it was formerly a military air base), I've been practicing there and it's been very helpful. I've also been practicing my parking skills as a solo driver since 50% of my RV adventures are solo. I've parked it front end first and then backing in. For some strange reason (and maybe it's not so strange), I'm better at parking in backwards. Who would have thought??? Please note that there is an RV to the left of me and a trailer to the right (

here I am, stuck in the middle with you

) with a 13ft. wide parking spot.

Farmer Steve · 05-17-2015, 07:54 AM

The main thing I find being a CDL driver is to always take your time. Don't rush a turn and worry about slowing others up. Believe me if you jam a rig on a turn it will slow things up a whole lot more!

plasma800 · 05-17-2015, 07:55 AM

Watch for trees

Also google satellite view can help you understand a state park before you get there. If you see other big rigs on the view, that tells you something. You can also check site widths, entry and exit and all that.

I've also noticed that when you call the state park... that lady on the phone... she can't measure.

Don't take her word for it "that you'll fit in there just fine"

PDR John · 05-17-2015, 08:51 AM

We went 38' to 43', turns out I can put this one in much tighter spots.

This coach turns much sharper then our old one did.

Just go slower, Get Out And Look often.

Bill-MACV21 · 05-17-2015, 10:11 AM

All valid points. In addition purchase the "Big Rigs Best Bets" which lists over 1200 Parks that well accommodate a 40+ size RV.

Nothing worse than arriving at a RV camp site in the dark with narrow tree lined access that is unnecessarily challenging.

Order Page

newmarpusher · 05-17-2015, 10:31 AM

We went from s 35' DP to a 49' DP with TAG.

The only thing that's taking a little time getting used to is the TAG forces the MH and Toad to turn tighter than before. Watch the rear and Toad on turns or you'll clip a curb.

Backing into spots die sidemen much different to me.

Take it slow and WIDE.

newmarpusher · 05-17-2015, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newmarpusher

We went from s 35' DP to a 49' DP with TAG.

The only thing that's taking a little time getting used to is the TAG forces the MH and Toad to turn tighter than before. Watch the rear and Toad on turns or you'll clip a curb.

Backing into spots die sidemen much different to me.

Take it slow and WIDE.

Wow, the auto correct on the iPhone typos ran amuck there. That should have read:
"We went from a 35' DP to a 40' DP with TAG."

The only thing that's taking a little time getting used to is the TAG forces the MH and Toad to turn tighter than before. Watch the rear and Toad on turns or you'll clip a curb.

And again auto correct botched this:
"Backing into spots doesn't seem much different to me."

Take it slow and WIDE.

Scottybdivin · 05-17-2015, 09:09 PM

We went from a 43' 5th wheel to a 45' MADP. I find it much easier than pulling the 5th wheel. I can't believe how sharply it will turn. We meticulously plan ahead, using Google Earth, campsite photos.com, and a variety of other websites. We almost have a visual of what the place looks like before we get there.

Dutch Star Don · 05-17-2015, 09:17 PM

"TDL".....You'll find that your wheelbase on your Journey and the Ventana will be almost identical. Remember, the Ventana has a tag axle that pushes the drive wheels farther forward to make room for the tag. The front axle on the Ventana has more wheel cut which will add up to a tighter turning radius than your Journey.

My 40' Dutch Star turns tighter by about 7' than my 36' Diplomat did.

Algoma · 05-18-2015, 09:57 AM

We went from a 36' Alpine Coach and I convinced my wife we wouldn't notice the extra 7'. Turns out to be almost true!
Backing in is definitely easier with the larger cut angle we have now compared to the Alpine. Right turns on the road are still a challenge but I do what big trucks do and pull into the left lane and block traffic for a minute. No one has shot me yet.