Class "A" Toyhaulers

[Scarab0088]

Originally Posted by JeffAZ

Steve, I would greatly appreciate if you would expand on this thought, specifically in regards to the Outlaw.
Thank you

The ramp on most all Toyhaulers should gently rest on the ground when in the open position.

If the suspension system is too tight, the ramp will hover until additional weight is applied to the ramp...too loose, and the ramp will drop as soon as you pull it over-center while opening and will not support itself while lowering

All Outlaw's (until the 2013-2014 coil spring design) had the smoooooth gas lift set-up (3 gas rods inside each doorway channel). This system has 2 adjustment points for the ramp lift cables.

~The first adjustment is a threaded bar/sleeve in the cable itself.
~The second is the multi-hole bracket mounted on the ramp.

Assuming that the gas lifts are still holding pressure...If the ramp hovers - loosen the adjustment points (lengthen the rod/sleeve and/or move the cable to a hole closer to the hinge). If the ramp drops - tighten the adjustment points (shorten the rod/sleeve and/or move the cable to a hole away from the hinge).

Adjustment is easiest to do while the ramp is closed. Just test it by lowering the ramp after each adjustment to check your work.

Finally if there is any twisting seen in the ramp while open or if the door is not aligned with the frame when closed, the cables could be supporting the weight unevenly...Adjustment of each cable separately would be required.


Best of luck

[russpang]

One more question. I realize the garage is 10' deep - I have a trike that is 12' long. With the garage door open, do you think the front wheel would fit inside the door enough?

[CBQ]

Originally Posted by BpK9Miami

and that is why most of us can say "I love my Outlaw".

Welcome to the club.

Some popcorn fodder:

I suspect it's better since Thor took over, but I moved from Damon to Newmar after I just had too many "What where they thinking?" moments with my older Damon (A Daybreak, not an Outlaw). Apparently Damon had just a ton of 1/2" wood screws on hand because they deemed it the right fastener for every application, from holding the plastic drawer slides (that broke pretty much every other month) to door latches to holding the side mirrors on the coach. I was always filling holes and putting in new screws after they stripped out the holes in the particle board and failed to work.

I mean I know lots of things break on RVs, including Newmar, but basic stuff like drawers drove me nuts on the Damon - it's not hard to engineer them to work flawlessly. Just a slight upgrade on the materials and fasteners would have made a world of difference.

As I said, Thor might be different. I also know the Damon themselves also got rid of the plastic drawer slides at one point, but the whole experience left me feeling that Damon was trying to do everything "on the cheap".

[DGShaffer]

Originally Posted by russpang

One more question. I realize the garage is 10' deep - I have a trike that is 12' long. With the garage door open, do you think the front wheel would fit inside the door enough?

The issue is with that door being a vapor barrier. Left open you may get CO2 from the exhaust into the coach if the vents are left open.

[CBQ]

Originally Posted by russpang

One more question. I realize the garage is 10' deep - I have a trike that is 12' long. With the garage door open, do you think the front wheel would fit inside the door enough?

On the Newmar there is a step in front of the door, and I think there is a step down on many of the Outlaw floorplans as well, so that could be an issue - it's not flat. (The new 37MD floorplan with the sliding door could be an exception, so start there.)

Also, the garage is a different environment from the RV. The door is sealed, and the heating/ac are different in the garage from the rest of the vehicle. That's done for safety reasons, so there could be some concern there.

[Scarab0088]

Originally Posted by russpang

One more question. I realize the garage is 10' deep - I have a trike that is 12' long. With the garage door open, do you think the front wheel would fit inside the door enough?

Russpang,

~The Outlaw 3611 has a flat floor through the interior garage door with a deep step well that extends about 2 feet into the interior.

~The 37LS splits the difference with a step in the garage and another in the interior.


~The 37MD has a large step in the garage that is split with an electric slide-out step.


Click on Pics to enlarge.

Like Don mentioned, if you account for the possibility of vapors from the garage getting into the interior, putting the front wheel inside should work. But, the rub might be the handle bars hitting the doorway frame...take a look at what is the length from the handle bars to the rearend of the trike?

Best of luck

Picture from MHSRV ads.

[Scarab0088]

Originally Posted by CBQ

Some popcorn fodder:

I suspect it's better since Thor took over, but I moved from Damon to Newmar after I just had too many "What where they thinking?" moments with my older Damon (A Daybreak, not an Outlaw). Apparently Damon had just a ton of 1/2" wood screws on hand because they deemed it the right fastener for every application, from holding the plastic drawer slides (that broke pretty much every other month) to door latches to holding the side mirrors on the coach. I was always filling holes and putting in new screws after they stripped out the holes in the particle board and failed to work.

I mean I know lots of things break on RVs, including Newmar, but basic stuff like drawers drove me nuts on the Damon - it's not hard to engineer them to work flawlessly. Just a slight upgrade on the materials and fasteners would have made a world of difference.

As I said, Thor might be different. I also know the Damon themselves also got rid of the plastic drawer slides at one point, but the whole experience left me feeling that Damon was trying to do everything "on the cheap".

All the Outlaw's I have seen have metal roller drawer slides, machine screws on cabinet hardware and rubber isolated mirror mounts in the wardrobe.

Yes, there are A LOT of wood screws used in these rigs (Damon - Thor and Newmar) and I have to say, that is better than staples!

I think there might have been a different level of build investment between the Day Break and the Outlaw...but I have never climbed around a Day Break to check for sure.

Safe travels to all.

[Scarab0088]

Here is a pretty good picture of a 2013 Outlaw model 3611's interior garage door step-up.

Notice the flat floor. The threshold is only about 1-1.5 inches tall. The top of the step-well is a trapezoid because of the adjacent stair to the loft on the right.



Click pic to enlarge

From: New Thor Motor Coach Outlaw for sale in Alvarado TX | 2013 Thor Motor Coach Outlaw (3611) Class A Toy Hauler RV for Sale W/Slide Class A For Sale from Motor Home Specialist in Alvarado Texas

Probably the best Outlaw model of the 3 to load a long wheelbase Trike. -But - I have not tried it and don't have the exact measurements of the step-well.

Best of luck

[Scarab0088]

For your enjoyment - It's really not a video - more of a slide show, but this gives a great overview of this amazing Toyhauler.

Used 2007 Newmar AllStar 4253 Diesel Class A Motorhome Toy Hauler Ohio - YouTube

See post #10 for more info on these discontinued RV's.

[focker]

I see a Simba that has never been used is for sale on Craigs:
Class A Safari Simba Diesel RV/Toyhauler Never Used Ever

Still not sure I dig the odd bed setup but the kitchen counter space is excellent.

[Scarab0088]

Originally Posted by focker

I see a Simba that has never been used is for sale on Craigs:
Class A Safari Simba Diesel RV/Toyhauler Never Used Ever

Still not sure I dig the odd bed setup but the kitchen counter space is excellent.

Thanks Scott!

See post #12 for info on the 2008 FD model (similar)
It's a Craigslist ad, so it will disappear in a month or so...
So, since info on these RV's is rare, here are the pictures and floor plan from the ad:





That's a drop-down bed in the middle of the ceiling.

[Scarab0088]

And the exterior...







That's a powered lift in the back

[retire62]

Hello. I have been reading the information here for a while now and finally decided to join and ask a few questions from some folks who have the knowledge and experience I lack. My wife and I will be retiring in a year from now with plans to at least snow bird in British Columbia and then live with our adult kids in AZ in the winter. We may even full time. Just like everyone else it seems, our choice of a Class "A" toyhauler is between the Damon Outlaw and Newmar Canyon Star (I really like the new 3921 layout). At this point I plan to haul a Smart Car and trail a Can-Am Spyder.

Can anyone tell me the "real world" selling price differential between these 2 units?

Which unit will have the better (meaning least) depreciation?

Which unit has the better warranty? Is the warranty voided for "full timers"?

Which unit has better availability for service?

This may not be the forum to ask this question but here goes. I am also grappling with the decision of 5th wheel toy hauler vs. class A. What are the key decision makers that swayed you to the Class A?

Looking forward to a reply. Thanks!

[BpK9Miami]

Originally Posted by focker

I see a Simba that has never been used is for sale on Craigs:
Class A Safari Simba Diesel RV/Toyhauler Never Used Ever

Still not sure I dig the odd bed setup but the kitchen counter space is excellent.

When I entered the buyer mindset in 2009, the Simba was one of the top 3 on my list and I spent several days, and a ton of hours poking around it, driving it, and asking endless questions. It has some impressive qualities...and yeah kitchen space was one due to the full timer aspect.

By accident I ran into a service manager for the dealer wherei had been looking at the rig in a social setting...we didn't know each other from the dealership, but after our discussion started he gave me some, for lack of a better way of saying it, insider info on the units. Apparently, the Simbas have a bad reputation for one major flaw, the back ramp. It powerful, but the alignment goes out routinely and the seals fail significantly often, which causes secondary damage to the underlying structure such as water leakage. There's also the issue of fumes entering the unit under driving conditions.

I double and triple checked the unit I had been looking at, and sure enough, all those topics panned out. The ramp was 1/2 inch out on one side, and almost 1 1/4 on the other...the seals already had creases and splits. Ect ect.

I liked it. But it made me convinced to stay away at that point.

Who knows, maybe they fixed those issues?