Community Forums

bneukam · 07-08-2018, 12:37 PM

Both owners said the RIdgeline is a great fit for the 1475/1575 but the next one up the 1685 would be pushing it.
If your making a purchase for just weekend or weekly trips smaller is better IMO.
Lance does hold their resale extremely well. Used ones aren’t priced much less than new. But it is hard to make that investment of a Lance, which is their biggest downfall.

bneukam · 07-08-2018, 12:50 PM

Should have stated why.
The 1685 and up are built to offer the 4 seasons package.
The 1475/1575 are not. They have composite windows, 1.5 inch thick walls instead of 2, and the roof you can not walk on for structural reasons.

Retiredmt · 07-08-2018, 01:59 PM

If I understand the the meaning of the 4 season package, it would allow us to camp in very cold weather (like winter here in Montana) and still be comfortable. Since very cold weather camping does not interest us now, I guess we would be OK with the 1575. With that being said, would it work OK in temperature in the 20's?

bneukam · 07-08-2018, 03:38 PM

The biggest concern is your water lines, fresh water, and holding tanks. They are not insulated.
The camper would still stay warm, but how comfortable I am not so sure.

Dropthejacks · 07-08-2018, 08:06 PM

Be warned, just because an RV is listed as 4 Season doesn't necessarily mean it will be fun camping in really cold (or hot) weather. 4 Season basically means there is a thin layer of insulation between the holding tanks under the floor and the ground. The heating vents then run in that enclosed area and enough heat escapes through the thin duct work tubing to warm the area slightly. Precautions have to be taken to avoid waterlines, hoses, tanks and even drain lines from freezing. It will use A LOT of propane to heat, and it will look like its raining on the inside of the single pane windows. There are RVs designed for extremes, like Arctic Fox and ORV. Ours is a 4 season, I've camped with temps in the low 30s at night and wouldn't want to put it in anything much lower for any length of time. You're already limiting yourself on RV choice by your tow vehicle, you are pushing your luck trying to have it all in one package. Folks are all the time asking why their A/C runs all day but it won't get below 80 degrees inside when they are parked under the full sun in sunny Florida in August. Same thing goes for parking an average, "4 season" RV in a 20 degree climate. You're looking at an RV that weighs what, roughly 2700 lbs. How do you think they kept it that light? It wasn't by packing it full of insulation and other building materials. Not trying to be overly negative, just don't want to see you guys get out there and get your feelings hurt when things are not what you thought they would be. On the bright side, remember the RV has wheels and a hitch and is capable of being towed to a more comfortable climate, lol.

tuffr2 · 07-08-2018, 08:35 PM

I do not know what 4 season means in the RV industry. To me it means comfortable with heat or A/C that cycles on and especially 'off'.

I just tested a Lance 2375 and it failed my insulation test. Outside temp 89. Inside temp a comfortable 75. Turn off the A/C and in 13 minutes and 26 seconds the inside temp was 80 degrees. That means the A/C needs to run continually to keep the inside at 75.

I had an 'All Season' 5th wheel that on cold nights in central Florida I needed a continual 2 electric heaters plus an electric blanket to stay warm. Remove one of the heating sources and it started to get cold.

In a Montana winter, if you had endless natural gas and did not mind the sound of the blower continually running you could stay alive. If the furnace went out you would be cold in 12 minutes and dead in 12 hours.

Desert Flyer · 07-08-2018, 08:53 PM

At the beginning of the Towing forum section is a “sticky” that has towing calculators. I suggest you download a few of them and play around on Excel with them. You will learn the terms and the various weights. Obvious important ones are trailer weight, but which one? Each trailer has three weights...its so-called “dry” weight, its actual weighed weight, and its maximum loaded (Gross) weight. Be careful of the dry weight is normally way too low and actual trailers are several hundred pounds heavier depending on the manufacturer. The best way to reasearch is to work on the basis of loaded, or Gross (GVWR), weight. You must check the total weight of your Tow Vehicle TV plus travel trailer gross weight against the TV’s GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating). You must take 12-13% of the TT as hitch weight (for towing stability) added to the TV plus all payloads on the TV and that total must be less than TV’s GVWR. Finally, you must make sure your rear axle is not overloaded. A lot to think about and to research. Those towing calculators will help you through that. When I went through that with my ‘06 Ford Explorer with 5,400 lb towing capacity, it ended up that I should look at TT that weigh “dry” no more than 3,200 to 3,500 lbs. Good luck.

bneukam · 07-08-2018, 11:01 PM

4 seasons on a Lance means all the tanks are insulated, and heated with ducted lines from the furnace running to them.
Have not heard any Lance owners being unhappy with the A/C in their units.
Mine is a 20’ box and has a 9k low profile and keeps the trailer plenty cool enough.
Remember an A/C is also removing humidity from the air, so running constantly on a very hot day is not a bad thing. What’s not good is not being able to reach a comfortable temp.