Bayside - Pro/Con

[Gutpile]

picking up an "04 Bayside next weekend - wondering if folks have any opinions of the camper in general, have experinced owning one, etc.

[AustinBoston]

picking up an "04 Bayside next weekend - wondering if folks have any opinions of the camper in general, have experinced owning one, etc.

I have towed our 2000 Bayside more than 25,000 miles.  My experience with sway made it into the Pop-Up-Times magazine.  When you go to pick it up, bring some ballast (sand, rocks, bricks, water softener salt, etc) to the tune of 150 lbs to put in the front storage bin.  That trailer has a very light tongue, and will sway as it comes from the factory.

A sway bar is a very good idea, but is not a substitute for proper loading.

Other than that, we have had very few problems with ours, camping in it in 26 states and hundreds of nights.  We even lived in it for about 8 weeks between selling our house in Mass. and buying our house in Minnesota.

It will last, and you will enjoy it for a long time, if you take good care of it.

Austin

[Gutpile]

I knew you would have some insight into the question.

They are installing a hitch and sway bar that morning.  But I guess I will bring a little something to stow as well.

Two other questions, Austin:
   - in terms an idiot can understand, why is the tongue so light

   - where can I find the article on your sway experience?

[fritz_monroe]

We have a 2006 Bayside and love it.  We've only had it for a year, but that slide out makes it great for kids.  Plenty of room for our family.

why is the tongue so light

The tongue is so light so when you fill up that front trunk, it's not too tongue heavy.  The water heater is in there also and when you fill that, it's an additional 48#.

I think you will nave a lot of fun in that new pup.  Congrats.

[Gutpile]

thanks fritz

I checked out your pics some - looks nice - I see you have an AAR - did that come with it or did you pick it up later?  We really think that one of those would make a world of difference - obvious increased living area, another layer of protection to keep bugs out, etc.

[AustinBoston]

in terms an idiot can understand, why is the tongue so light

Bad design.  If you put a full water heater, one full bottle of propane, and the maximum design limit of 150 lbs in the front storage trunk, it will have just barely 10% on the tongue, which is the minimum recommended tongue weight.  The tongue has to be a little light when empty, or you would not be able to load up, but I think they came up short with the older design.

The axle is too far forward with the designs that had the door behind the axle with no way to move it back.  Newer versions of the Bayside have the floor plan flipped front-to-back with the axle farther back.  I don't remember which year they did that, so your trailer may be one of the newer designs.  If the door is in front of the axle, you have the newer design.

where can I find the article on your sway experience?

http://www.popuptimes.com/archives/swaying.asp

Every time I point people at that link, I get beat up...folks, this event was seven years and more than 20,000 miles of towing ago.

In any case, don't fear the trailer, just keep it loaded right and DO NOT tow with water in the tank (an inch is OK, it is very difficult to empty completely).  Keep the speed down, especially until you really know how it will tow.  Many people on this board own Baysides (and the many other Fleetwoods with similar specs) and I am the only one who has ever admitted to "Swaying Towards Disaster"...

Austin

[mike4947]

Listen to Austin, he's a perfect example of my signature line...LOL
 
From one genius to another.

[AustinBoston]

Listen to Austin, he's a perfect example of my signature line...LOL
 
From one genius to another.

Hey!  I resemble that remark!  

Austin

[fourgonefishn]

picking up an "04 Bayside next weekend - wondering if folks have any opinions of the camper in general, have experinced owning one, etc.

 The only thing I can tell you so far,(we just bought a 06) first trip will be the 20th,21st weekend. The loss of storing inside the camper while in tow! Everything slides in and comes down to floor. After you bet everything down you will find some room, just inside door to the right. We just did some downsizing.(haven't used it, it don't go back in) From what I read on this thread people don't want to or don't recommend towing with water in the tank? I will be towing with water in tank. We do have a sway bar as dealer recommended, I really don't think we need it.(TV is a F250 superduty long bed extened cab w/7.3lt diesel)
 Will post with a report after nextweekends trip with results.

[Gutpile]

Bad design.  If you put a full water heater, one full bottle of propane, and the maximum design limit of 150 lbs in the front storage trunk, it will have just barely 10% on the tongue, which is the minimum recommended tongue weight.  The tongue has to be a little light when empty, or you would not be able to load up, but I think they came up short with the older design.

The axle is too far forward with the designs that had the door behind the axle with no way to move it back.  Newer versions of the Bayside have the floor plan flipped front-to-back with the axle farther back.  I don't remember which year they did that, so your trailer may be one of the newer designs.  If the door is in front of the axle, you have the newer design.



http://www.popuptimes.com/archives/swaying.asp

Every time I point people at that link, I get beat up...folks, this event was seven years and more than 20,000 miles of towing ago.

In any case, don't fear the trailer, just keep it loaded right and DO NOT tow with water in the tank (an inch is OK, it is very difficult to empty completely).  Keep the speed down, especially until you really know how it will tow.  Many people on this board own Baysides (and the many other Fleetwoods with similar specs) and I am the only one who has ever admitted to "Swaying Towards Disaster"...

Austin

I read your article.  Very educational.  Cancelled my appt to pick up the camper next wknd.  Thank you

[AustinBoston]

I read your article.  Very educational.  Cancelled my appt to pick up the camper next wknd.  Thank you

Aparently, you did not read where I posted:

In any case, don't fear the trailer, just keep it loaded right and DO NOT tow with water in the tank (an inch is OK, it is very difficult to empty completely).

Austin

[fourgonefishn]

Aparently, you did not read where I posted:

In any case, don't fear the trailer, just keep it loaded right and DO NOT tow with water in the tank (an inch is OK, it is very difficult to empty completely).

Austin

 Is this trailer really that bad with water in the tank?!

[fritz_monroe]

thanks fritz

I checked out your pics some - looks nice - I see you have an AAR - did that come with it or did you pick it up later?  We really think that one of those would make a world of difference - obvious increased living area, another layer of protection to keep bugs out, etc.

We got the AAR at the same time as we bought the pup.  We've only used it a couple times.  It is really nice to have that extra space.  However, it's too much work to use for a weekend.  We only use it when we camp for more than 2 nights.  Don't get me wrong, it's not a huge pain to put up, but for us that amount of time can be better spent relaxing when on a short trip.

As for towing problems, we haven't had any problems towing.  We take it easy and don't tow with water in the tank.  I never thought about it causing problems, I just never wanted to tow an extra 160#.  That's a lot of other gear that we'd be able to take along.

Take Austin's advice, don't be afraid of it, just take it easy until you get the feel for towing it.  It's not just with this model that problems can happen.  I was driving down the interstate the other day and a guy in a full sized van went flying past me like I was standing still.  He swerved over into my lane and the pup he was towing was all over the place.  This one happened to be a Starcraft, but it was swaying so violently that he ended up pulling onto the shoulder to see what was wrong.  I should have stopped and let him know the problem was with the driver, probably not the pup.  I'd estimate that he was going about 95 mph, I was driving at 75 at the time.

[AustinBoston]

Is this trailer really that bad with water in the tank?!

Any trailer that puts 166 lbs behind the axle could have a problem, but these are different.  Empty, they had as little as 6% tongue weight (the rule of thumb is 10%-15% for stability), so if you then subtract another 160 lbs from that, and you could end up below 2% tongue weight (50 lbs.)!  The Coleman/Fleetwood trailers that had a 12 foot box and a front storage bin had a deserved reputation for sway.  Some dealers would force you to either buy a sway bar or sign a waiver before they would let you leave with the trailer.

But with proper loading and a typical sway bar, they are fine.

Austin

[AustinBoston]

I was driving down the interstate the other day and a guy in a full sized van went flying past me like I was standing still.  He swerved over into my lane and the pup he was towing was all over the place.  This one happened to be a Starcraft, but it was swaying so violently that he ended up pulling onto the shoulder to see what was wrong.  I should have stopped and let him know the problem was with the driver, probably not the pup.  I'd estimate that he was going about 95 mph, I was driving at 75 at the time.

This is something that we in Tech support call the "ID ten T" error (spells idiot).  It was definitely a major factor in the story I posted the link to.

Austin