Bounder: Are Bounders good? Getting ready to buy one and need your input

[NLOVNIT]

Originally Posted by jmk909er

I am totally confused about this. Let me try this
Gross vehicle weight is 22,000 lbs This is the total loaded weight for the COACH ONLY.
Dry weight is 19,776 lbs Doesn't matter/forget that - no drives a coach EMPTY
Towing capacity is 5,000 lbs This is your hitch rating, NOT the towing capacity, despite what the dealer has it listed as on their website. They are wrong in that terminology.

So once my vehicle is loaded up with gas, water, stuff, etc. as long as I am under 22,000 lbs including the car dolly tongue weight which can't be much I still can tow up 5,000 lbs. Is this correct? Yes. Just so you know, the GCWR (i.e. Gross COMBINED Weight Rating for your coach AND what you are towing can not exceed 26,000 lbs.

Below are the numbers for the year/model at which you are looking (from the 2014 Bounder brochure).

Lori-

[bobgio]

Out 2015 Bounder 33C when fully loaded with three people and gear for a 30 day trip with 1/2 tank water, full gas, empty tanks weighed in at 21450. Toad is 4100 all in. No issues and handled fine as usual. We also have a W/D installed.

[jmk909er]

Originally Posted by NLOVNIT

Below are the numbers for the year/model at which you are looking (from the 2014 Bounder brochure).

Lori-

God bless you Lori and thank you! You have brought great clarity to a very complex question

[CLIFFTALL]

I was wondering where you got the dry weight # of 19,776 lbs from ?

Originally Posted by Hit_the_Rhod

Gross weight: 22,000 lbs
Dry weight: 19,776 lbs

That leaves 2,224 lbs for:
Fuel, 80 gallons at 6.183 lbs/gallon: 494.64 lbs
Fresh Water, 85 gallons at 8.36 lbs/gallon: 710.6 lbs
Driver, you look skinny, so figure 185 lbs
Groceries, say 300 lbs
Pots & pans, say 200 lbs
Clothing, odds and ends dvd player, dvd's books etc, say 300 lbs MINIMUM especially since this will be your full time home . . .
Misc Tools: 50 lbs
Windshield covers, tire covers, extra oil and/or antifreeze, grease gun, cleaning supplies, vacuum cleaner, outside mat, etc: 100 lbs
Outside chairs, grill, ice chest, sewer hose, chocks, wheel leveling pads etc: 200 lbs

Remember, even though you may have SPACE, you may not have ALLOWABLE WEIGHT!

Using these figures, you are at 2,540.24, which is 316.24 lbs OVER your Maximum Gross Weight, before you start the motor.

It also doesn't include:

Spare tire (if equipped)
rolling sewer caddy (to dump tanks without moving coach)
Passengers
Any water in grey or black tanks, or stuff you want to buy along the way if traveling . . . .

Even if you like the coach A LOT, I would look for one that has more cargo carrying capacity than this coach, ESPECIALLY if you will be full timing it!

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Joe, it's not really that complicated, just NEW to you. The definitive weights are on the data plate in the coach. Generally it is located on the wall, down low, behind the driver's seat. It will generally list:

GVWR: Gross Vehicular Weight Rating, translation, the entire weight of the Coach Alone if you measured the weight on all of the tires (both axles), includes any downward weight applied to the trailer hitch of the tow dolly.

GCVWR: Goss COMBINED Vehicular Weight Rating: Combined weight if ALL tires on ALL axles, including the tow dolly and toad vehicle rear axle were weighed.

GAWR: Gross Axle Weight Rating: Which will be further divided into Front Axle Weight Rating and Rear Axle Weight Rating. Weights as measured on ALL tires on the Front Axle and ALL tires on the Rear Axle. The only way you find these out is to use a scale that can weight each Axle INDIVIDUALLY. Which can be hard to find. If you want to get even MORE PICKY, you can further measure how much weight is on each END of the axle. Necessary if any of the axle weights are close to max. For instance you could have a LOT OF WEIGHT on one side of the coach in the rear than on the other side, with batteries for instance, or actually seen people who use ONLY the passenger side basement storage doors since that is the side they camp on, making the passenger (right) side of the coach heavier than the left side . . . .

As mentioned before, for planning purposes, you also need to get FROM THE MANUFACTURER what weights exactly are included in "Dry Weight". In some coaches, it will include a specific, stated, amount of fuel, such as 25 gallons, or 1/3rd tank etc. In others it doesn't even include ANY fuel, or ANY antifreeze or engine oil! The last isn't common, but it does exist. So for example if the Bounder's Dry Weight includes say 1/2 tank, (I don't KNOW what it includes, I'm just using that as an example) than you need to only add the weight of the OTHER half tank to you figures . . . Follow?

Also, to reiterate what was mentioned above, the weight rating of the actual trailer HITCH doesn't mean you can tow that much weight. If the GCVWR is indeed 26,000 lbs, (I haven't verified this), then if you are already at GVWR, you are restricted to a MAX of 4,000 lbs for the tow vehicle and dolly (minus the tongue weight that is on the coach trailer ball). With the figures you gave, you shouldn't have a problem . . . . . .but did the figure you gave for the car include full fuel? And that extra xxx lbs of gulf clubs, scuba equipment etc that you have stuffed in the car?!? So you need to look at where you got the weight for the car as well. It is generally described as "Curb Weight", and once again, you don't know what the actual "Curb Weight" includes without more research. Best is to just load it to the extent you will load it when being towed, and WEIGH IT! Note: Since you will not be in the toad while it is being towed, if you weight it while in it, make sure you subtract YOUR weight from the weight obtained to figure the weight of the actual vehicle when it is being towed! Clear as mud?

My point on this whole thing is that with a GVWR of only 22,000 lbs, and given that you will be FULL TIMING in it, you may be better off looking for something with a higher GVWR. . . .from the gitgo.

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Originally Posted by Clifftall

I was wondering where you got the dry weight # of 19,776 lbs from ?

Cliff, Good Question!

I got that dry weight from the Dealers page Joe posted. . . .But we've also proven that the Dealer posted the incorrect TOWING capacity, (at least if the Coach itself was at max GVWR) so I would verify that figure from the actual coach data plate before taking it to the bank.

[jmk909er]

The curb weight of my Ford Focus is 2,632 lbs

Curb weight. Curb weight (US English) is the total weight of a vehicle with standard equipment, all necessary operating consumables such as motor oil, transmission oil, coolant, air conditioning refrigerant, and a full tank of fuel, while not loaded with either passengers or cargo.

So I figure with maybe another 25 lbs of stuff in the trunk would bring me up to about 2,657 lbs.

[CLIFFTALL]

Thank you. As it turned out it wasn't a good question. I could've looked at that link :(. I just called FW and gave them the Vin # and they said it is 19,296 for that MH. That gives him about 500 more lbs of storage capacity .

Originally Posted by Hit_the_Rhod

Cliff, Good Question!

I got that dry weight from the Dealers page Joe posted. . . .But we've also proven that the Dealer posted the incorrect TOWING capacity, (at least if the Coach itself was at max GVWR) so I would verify that figure from the actual coach data plate before taking it to the bank.

[bepar108]

Originally Posted by bobgio

We love our 2015 Bounder 33C. Floor plan is great. Plenty of storage both in and out. Rides and handles great. A little loud and hot on the long running summer days. Plan on doing some mods on the doghouse and firewall up front. Overall very satisfied with 20k on it the first full year!

Sent from my SM-G920V using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app

bobgio, I have the exact same comments about my 2016 Bounder 33C and also have the same problem regarding the extra hot dog house. What plans are you making for a fix?

[Dennis Dean]

Originally Posted by bepar108

bobgio, I have the exact same comments about my 2016 Bounder 33C and also have the same problem regarding the extra hot dog house. What plans are you making for a fix?

Not do jump on a reply but if you have the 2016 anniversary you should already have a sound and heat cover on the underside of the dog house. My 2016 was not the anniversary ( missed it by 1 month, ugh, LOL) There are two good options:

1. you can get https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Dynam...ynamat+extreme and cover the underside of the dog house.
I did exactly that and now I can touch my dog house bolts and they do not burn me, helped with sound as well. Not a hard task to do.

2. Or you can get exactly what the factory is using on the dog house since mid year 2016 on all the gas models:
https://www.amazon.com/LizardSkin-50...ds=lizard+skin

[bepar108]

Originally Posted by Dennis Dean

Not do jump on a reply but if you have the 2016 anniversary you should already have a sound and heat cover on the underside of the dog house. My 2016 was not the anniversary ( missed it by 1 month, ugh, LOL) There are two good options:

1. you can get https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Dynam...ynamat+extreme and cover the underside of the dog house.
I did exactly that and now I can touch my dog house bolts and they do not burn me, helped with sound as well. Not a hard task to do.

2. Or you can get exactly what the factory is using on the dog house since mid year 2016 on all the gas models:
https://www.amazon.com/LizardSkin-50...ds=lizard+skin

I don't consider that you jumped on a reply, and I'm sure nor does bobgio. In fact, thanks for your input. I purchased the bounder 33c non anniversarry edition, therefore did miss out on that doghouse insulation. May I ask in regards to removal of the cover, is it just removing the 4 obvious bolts and lifting the cover off. And in regards to the two products, since I don't have a spray gun, I would choose that blanket material. Is there anything to consider when laying it in the compartment?

[grammnpapa]

We have the same Bounder as you, 2014 33c, with all the options. Our scale weight fully loaded for a weeks trip, full gas, water, food, clothes, lawn chairs, wheel ramps, misc tools, 2 30# dogs and the 2 of us was 20,600#.
that leaves us with an additional 1,400# on our GVWR. We tow a Jeep Wrangler at 3000# so our combined weight is 23,600#, leaving us 2,400 below our GCWR.
So far, 2 years now, we're very happy with it.

[Dennis Dean]

Originally Posted by bepar108

I don't consider that you jumped on a reply, and I'm sure nor does bobgio. In fact, thanks for your input. I purchased the bounder 33c non anniversarry edition, therefore did miss out on that doghouse insulation. May I ask in regards to removal of the cover, is it just removing the 4 obvious bolts and lifting the cover off.

Yes, do not remember the number of bolts but the BIG flat head screws. There was another thread about a specific tool that helps with the removal, a standard screw drivers is difficult. I bought the biggest flat head driver I could and still was difficult, I will look for the other one, it is very wide tipped. The dog house is heavy and you need to insure the seats are turned so you have room, for me I slide my living room slide out as well because it impedes that area when closed. The PIC is of the Banks Ram air install I did while I had the DogHouse off and did the insulation project

Originally Posted by bepar108

And in regards to the two products, since I don't have a spray gun, I would choose that blanket material. Is there anything to consider when laying it in the compartment?

You can also get the spray gun for the Lizard skin on amazon and they have smaller, less expensive buckets of the material. I just did a quick search for the product itself that Fleetwood is using at the factory

As far as the Dynamat, I would have a small, heavy roller when you do it and just realize it wont be pretty because of all the contours of the underside of the dog house, but nobody but you will see that..... LOL it is a bit time consuming just because I found it easier to cut and fit each area instead of using a big sheet and trying to form it. I wanted it snug to every area include the bottom of the cup holders as we found our drinks heated quickly when traveling and not so much any more with the dynamat.

GOOD LUCK either way you will like the improved insulation and noise level from the Dog House

[Dennis Dean]

sorry, thought of one thing to add to the DynaMat, I got a roll of the aluminum tape and taped every seam I had with the matting as well to try and seal as much of it on the Dog House as possible. I have been up under my unit several times since and from the underside of the chassis I see no issues with the matting being lose or separating on any joint.