Congrats on the new Bullet and welcome from Michigan. As a fellow 308BHS owner, our coach has given us wonderful memories over the last 4 seasons. It's a great floorplan even though we've had our share of system failures (reserved for another chapter).
Reading through the pages, I do have to agree with what Danny (Sourdough) and a few others had say regarding the selection of tow vehicles as I started out with a 1/2 ton Yukon XL Denali. The powerplant was never an issue with the 6.2L. It had plenty of grunt to make it up and over the steepest east coast mountain ranges.
It wasn't until we hit a formidable wind storm on our 4th trip out, about 3 months after the purchase that changed our perception. In an instance, the DW and I had a completely different view on what was safe and what was not. 40 mph cross winds is absolutely no joke at highways speeds. A trip across the state of Michigan, which normally took us 3 hours, extended to about 5 hours. 40 mph is about all I could do as I watched the tail end of my trailer bounce between the lane markers.
Humbled by that experience, we ended up investing in a Hensley Arrow. Unfortunately, that put the truck over on payload, and the search commenced for an appropriate TV. Before the start of the next towing season, I found the RAM Megacab in my signature.
As a Yukon Denali is a good family vehicle (just as an Expedition is), it is just NOT a great TV for long, heavy trailers. The deficits came from its lack luster payload capacity, short wheelbsse and P-rated tires. Even though I had the "long" XL wheelbase, it paled in comparison to a traditional LWB pickup. Just to note, a "non-EL" Expedition wheelbase is 11 inches less (119) than a Yukon XL (130).
Prior to my first tow and to firm up the rear end, I switched out the OEM sway bar for a beefy aftermarket Hellwig and bought new XL-load range P tires (verses standard load range). I also added a 2nd axillary transmission fluid cooler inline to the OEM cooler and upgraded the brake rotors and pads to a "truck and tow" kit from Power Stop. In addition, I installed a Prodigy P3 trailer brake controller which did a good job coordinating the braking effort with the coach.
But (and it's a big BUT), since owning my current TV, I realized NONE of those "upgrades" or "enhancements" to my Yukon offered the same level of safety and control that's inherent in the RAM. I nearly doubled the payload capacity and added 30 inches on to the wheelbase length. As experienced RVers know, payload and wheelbase are both desireable commodities.
Mated to my Hensley, the rig is effortless to drive. We are no longer exhausted after a 300 mile trip up north to our upper peninsula or after a month long, 6,000 mile cross-country adventure. The wife drives nearly as much as I do without worry. With the old TV and previous Blue Ox hitch, she wouldn't be seen in the drivers seat. Most of it had to do with the TV, but some credit has to be given to the hitch.
Our most recent adventure took us from Michigan to the southwest traveling in all weather conditions, the most memorable on I-40 in New Mexico when a dust storm had accompanying wind speeds at over 50-60 mph. (We lost our tonneau cover). We appreciated each and every pound the RAM provided. Next summer will have us going north for 8 weeks in the same rig, destination: America's last frontier.
As many find out sooner than later, the "been there done that" membership is expensive but required. <---especially when the DW refuses to go on any future trips.
Hope this gives some insight into my experience with our 308BHS.
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