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Old 07-01-2020, 04:58 PM   #1
Marauder11
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Ground Clearance

Looking at a few Sprinter Models. 2017 Sprinter campfire 29BH is one. I noticed the rear waste tank connection seems real close to the ground. It has the 3.0 level system and the jacks are lower on the rear but those are close to the tire. Anyone have experience with similar units
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Old 07-01-2020, 07:04 PM   #2
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If it looks low to you it probably is. I wish we had more ground clearance on our Cougar. I never really thought too much about it when we were buying. I wish I had. Here's what we were told when we mentioned it to a Keystone rep at an RV show.
"Manufacturers are engineering and building units to be used, for the most part, in RV parks. The data just does not support most new buyers wanting to camp without full hook ups."
We've gone down a few dirt roads and often camp on BLM land or practice other distributed camping options, but we also watch very closely what we're getting into because of our limited rear end clearance and 30' length. If you think you'll have a clearance issue it just means taking more care when entering/exiting driveways or when, God forbid, you might actually get off the pavement and camp
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Old 07-01-2020, 07:15 PM   #3
sourdough
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Originally Posted by Canonman View Post
If it looks low to you it probably is. I wish we had more ground clearance on our Cougar. I never really thought too much about it when we were buying. I wish I had. Here's what we were told when we mentioned it to a Keystone rep at an RV show.
"Manufacturers are engineering and building units to be used, for the most part, in RV parks. The data just does not support most new buyers wanting to camp without full hook ups."
We've gone down a few dirt roads and often camp on BLM land or practice other distributed camping options, but we also watch very closely what we're getting into because of our limited rear end clearance and 30' length. If you think you'll have a clearance issue it just means taking more care when entering/exiting driveways or when, God forbid, you might actually get off the pavement and camp

I think realistically that most folks that buy a 30' camper would not dream of taking it off road to "camp". I've done it in 2 different pop ups and a 24'? no slide camper. None of them came home unscathed and they were "off road" campers. Can't even imagine buying an RV with self leveling and think about taking it off road.....because they weren't built for that IMO.
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Old 07-01-2020, 07:32 PM   #4
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The most off road i have been with my Rv has been the pothole in the walmart parking lot. I just worry that it is low. On the 29BH the outlet is about halfway between the rear axle and rear bumper.
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Old 07-01-2020, 07:36 PM   #5
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The most off road i have been with my Rv has been the pothole in the walmart parking lot. I just worry that it is low. On the 29BH the outlet is about halfway between the rear axle and rear bumper.

I think your situation is something that every potential purchaser has to look at. I've seen some like as we looked at RVs. They just don't work for us because pulling into that fuel stop that has the "unseen" big dip at the back exit will remove that for you. Bad design IMO.
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Old 07-01-2020, 07:46 PM   #6
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I think your situation is something that every potential purchaser has to look at. I've seen some like as we looked at RVs. They just don't work for us because pulling into that fuel stop that has the "unseen" big dip at the back exit will remove that for you. Bad design IMO.
It may be a bad design. I google search for this and never found anything about keystone specific issues. I am going to level it out at the lot and see. If the clearance is not lower than the centr ehub i think it will be ok for the "walmart "parking lot.
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Old 07-01-2020, 08:03 PM   #7
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I agree the "tailpipe" looks like a problem waiting to happen. Not sure what mods might be available to help with the obvious issue.
Our 27' TT went camping pretty often. I saw the Cougar as a 27' box with 3 ft in the truck bed. But, it is quite a bit lower than the old Wildwood TT. Live and learn I guess. Next planned mod will be to add a 2" frame lift as soon as the DW lets me reload the "buck-zooka"
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Old 07-01-2020, 08:07 PM   #8
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I agree the "tailpipe" looks like a problem waiting to happen. Not sure what mods might be available to help with the obvious issue.
Our 27' TT went camping pretty often. I saw the Cougar as a 27' box with 3 ft in the truck bed. But, it is quite a bit lower than the old Wildwood TT. Live and learn I guess. Next planned mod will be to add a 2" frame lift as soon as the DW lets me reload the "buck-zooka"

OK, I've gotta know where to get one of those. More importantly does the DW have to be the one to reload it....
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Old 07-02-2020, 05:12 AM   #9
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The DW does not reload the buck-zooka, she is the quartermaster in charge of ammunition supply and distribution. "Any problem can be solved if you throw enough money at it"
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Old 07-02-2020, 05:35 AM   #10
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As a rule of thiumb, approach and departure angles are engineered by the factory. Take a piece of string and go from the bottom of the rear tire to the rear bumper. Anything hanging below may be an issue. Same string from bottom of front tire to front of frame.
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Old 07-02-2020, 06:02 AM   #11
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As a rule of thiumb, approach and departure angles are engineered by the factory. Take a piece of string and go from the bottom of the rear tire to the rear bumper. Anything hanging below may be an issue. Same string from bottom of front tire to front of frame.

This has always been what I was told and was told to me again about the leveling jacks on this trailer. I worry about those guidelines because I spent so many years riding off road and falling off/over rocks, ledges, stumps etc. Those things can go straight to the frame right behind a tire so I like things "tucked up". Of course I would never do that with our RV but as I mentioned to the service manager when discussing it; what happens when that surface isn't as straight as that string? It has a hump/bump etc.? He just looked at me, smiled and scrunched his shoulders and said "I guess we'll see".
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Old 07-02-2020, 06:30 AM   #12
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It may be a bad design. I google search for this and never found anything about keystone specific issues. I am going to level it out at the lot and see. If the clearance is not lower than the centr ehub i think it will be ok for the "walmart "parking lot.
Get a piece of string or thin rope, tow your trailer to a level parking lot, lay the rope on the ground behind the rear tire, back up about 1 foot so the rope is under the tire. Then get out of the tow vehicle, go to the rear of the trailer and pull the rope tight, lift it to the bottom of the rear bumper. That's your "departure angle".

If the jack is below the rope, then you may have problems with it dragging on the pavement. If the jack is above the rope, you can tow the trailer across an an angle that is "within reason, level" without any issues.

What gets many people in "trouble" is towing across a "rise in the road" (like a gas station approach ramp) that is level, dips for water runoff, then rises to the gas pumps. That kind of approach puts the trailer wheels "deeper in the ditch" than on level ground and that is where most people will "drag a jack" or "scrape a rear bumper"...…

ADDED: OOPS, I posted this before I read Chuck's post about the same "technology advancement" (string pulled tight)…
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Old 07-06-2020, 03:39 PM   #13
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Follow Up

So I had to go to my RV last night to load some stuff in. I hooked up on level ground. Measured and I have 10 1/2” clearance for the sewer outlet. Clearance under rear axle is 10 1/4”. I did the rope under the tire to rear bumper and there is about 3/8 “ clearance.

So I guess as long as I stick to good pavement and don’t go off roading I should be ok.
Thanks all for replying.
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Old 07-06-2020, 05:33 PM   #14
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I had the same problem with my Laredo. The problem was compounded my the height of my truck, towing nose high and tail low. I knocked my spare loose twice and dragged the rear leveling jack in dips in paved gas stations. I had to install a two inch lift kit to level things out.
I don't think the engineers are designing for the height of the newer trucks these days.
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Old 07-06-2020, 05:40 PM   #15
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Agreed. I am pretty level best I think I have ever gotten a truck and trailer. I am thinking of lowering down one hole in the hitch to get *** end up a bit more. I went by dealer last night. Looked at several rvs. All our a keystone product. A lot have very similar sewer outlet hieghts. Some were lower than mine. Time will tell. The levelling jack is closer to the ground than my sewer outlet. It is also right behind the rear tire so may be a bit different.

As for the new trucks I have a few friend who regret going to their 17 and up super duty. They sit higher and three off there fifth wheel hieghts.
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Old 07-06-2020, 05:45 PM   #16
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All the more reason to tow it level. I see more non-level TT's on I-95 and I-75 then I do level.
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Old 07-12-2020, 09:09 AM   #17
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Clearance

We bought a 2019 Sprinter 333 FKS, which has the lippert leveling system, and the low clearance. When we took possession of our RV which was in MI, and we live in Oregon, we noticed about 400 miles down the road the bumper looked funny, kind of off kilter. After looking closer after we parked for the night, the whole bumper was bent. When pulling out of a driveway, the bumper would hit the pavement. Good friend took off the spare tire bracket, raised it up, beefed it up and rewelded it on. It’s perfect now. As far as the jacks, hubby raised them a notch or two as they were dragging in dirt and on some cement areas in campgrounds. So far so good now.
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Old 07-12-2020, 04:37 PM   #18
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Unfortunately, some of us even have trouble getting in and out of our own driveway without dragging something

For us cribbing at the driveway apron helped until I made some adjustments on the WDH. Also if we are towing with water I wait until the camper is in the street before I add water. So far no issues with gas station aprons.
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Old 07-12-2020, 05:45 PM   #19
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If you want to off road or have more clearance you have to buy from a manufacturer that builds for that market.
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Old 07-12-2020, 08:09 PM   #20
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Smile

As Folkie said, sometimes it hits in the driveway of home, gas station, etc. It’s just something we need to be cautious of or raise the jacks like my hubby did. No off roading involved.
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