2018 Coachmen Crossfit

[Phoebe3]

Is that what you have on your Era? I haven't looked at reliability or consumer ratings on converters so really don't know whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. At the moment, it works and seems just fine.

[bobojay]

No, the 2014's on up use an excellent Progressive Dynamics 9200 series converter. Our 2013 ERA came with a no name cheapy brand that I have since superseded (piggybacked) with a Boondocker brand 4 stage converter from Best Converters.
It has worked perfectly since install in late 2013

[Yodar]

I'm ready to pull the trigger on a B and have been considering the Paseo and Crossfit for a solo "one lap of America." Learning of the Crossfit's inability to recline driver's seat removed it from the list and living in Florida, the dark colors of both were problematic. That said, the power and handling of the 3.5-liter Ecoboost Paseo were a revelation after testing Promaster Travato and Roadtrek Sprinter Agile.
The Carado Axion thread mentioned: the Canadian Transit-based Okanagan Tribute. It would be perfect combination for me as has the Eco-Boost 3.5-liter, a reclining driver's seat, and light metallic colors. There is no mention whatsoever on the converter's (Alp) website so I contacted Fraserway in Kelowna (I assume) part of Alp. Good news: the factory could order and convert a US-spec Transit for me to (easily?) bring home. Bad news: it would take a minimum of 6 months so this Florida guy would be taking delivery in the middle of a Canadian winter. I didn't dare ask about warranty issues.
http://www.countryrv.net/upload/Okan...yer%202017.pdf
Now I'm hoping the Hymer 1.0 Aktiv or Carado Axion might have a better power/weight than the Travato and might be better suited to a solo traveler, That said the closest new RV dealers to my home in Lauderdale are 2 hours in Fort Meyers or 90 minutes north near Fort Pierce.
Or I can wait and hope the next generation Transit will look like this pipe-dream/Photoshop?
2019 Ford Transit: Upgrade in Delivery Service : Auto Reviews : Auto World News
Thanks to all of you for the invaluable posts. This site rocks1

[Phoebe3]

Originally Posted by Yodar

Learning of the Crossfit's inability to recline driver's seat removed it from the list and living in Florida, the dark colors of both were problematic. That said, the power and handling of the 3.5-liter Ecoboost Paseo were a revelation after testing Promaster Travato and Roadtrek Sprinter Agile.

That is incorrect. IIRC, the Paseo floorplan puts the bathroom too close to the driver's seat for it to recline. Our Crossfit has about 18" of space between the back of the driver's seat and the bathroom wall. It reclines fine for driving purposes - not sure what you are looking for, though.

However, in the 2017 Transit and earlier, the driver's seat doesn't swivel because the parking brake is in the way. That is corrected in the 2018 model and later.

You are correct, however, that both of them only come in dark colors. That said, if you want to special order a Crossfit, you can have any color in the Ford lineup (I asked). The Coachmen Class-B division isn't very big so I don't think there is the same wait time there might be with other manufacturers.

[Phoebe3]

I checked out the Okanagan site and would note that the Crossfit and Paseo both use the Transit HD chassis. Those come with dual rear wheels, a beefed-up rear stabilizer bar and a towing package capable of 5,000 lbs.

Not sure about the Paseo, but the Crossfit also comes with dual AGM chassis batteries and the heavy duty 250 amp alternator.

The difference between the chassis used by Okanagan and Crossfit/Paseo is like the difference between the Sprinter 2500 and 3500. There are folks on this forum who can comment on the difference in handling and stability.

As for me, I figured the weight of the conversion warranted a heavier-duty chassis, although you do take a slight hit in gas mileage with the dual rear wheels. Hope this helps.

[Yodar]

Originally Posted by Phoebe3

That is incorrect. IIRC, the Paseo floorplan puts the bathroom too close to the driver's seat for it to recline. Our Crossfit has about 18" of space between the back of the driver's seat and the bathroom wall. It reclines fine for driving purposes - not sure what you are looking for, though.

However, in the 2017 Transit and earlier, the driver's seat doesn't swivel because the parking brake is in the way. That is corrected in the 2018 model and later.

You are correct, however, that both of them only come in dark colors. That said, if you want to special order a Crossfit, you can have any color in the Ford lineup (I asked). The Coachmen Class-B division isn't very big so I don't think there is the same wait time there might be with other manufacturers.

Thanks for the correction Phoebe, my head is spinning with TMI and I mis-wrote.
I asked a salesman who contacted the Winnie Rep who said alternative colors were not in the pipeline, at least back in May.
Cheers!

[Phoebe3]

Winnebago is experiencing spectacular sales, probably because of the Travato, so I can see why they might not want to provide a different color in the Paseo.

When I asked about getting a different color for the Coachmen Crossfit, they said the build would be delayed by the length of time it took to get the Transit from Ford. If you are looking for a fairly common color, such as White or Silver, I don't expect that would take too long.

Presumably, you could ask for the 3.2L EcoBoost at the same time, but those might be harder to find. So far, I have been very happy with th 3.7l without the turbo chargers, but there is a significant difference in torque. I think EB adds about $1600 to the Transit cost.

And, if I were getting one special built, I'd pay extra for AGM house batteries and, possibly, the extra 100 amp solar panel (it comes with 100 amp of solar already).

[bobojay]

The Paseo comes with the 250 amp alternator and dual AGM batteries. Forest River orders their Transit chassis with the chrome grille vs black in WGO's. Personally, I like the chrome grille with the darker colors....
It was rumored up in Forest City a month ago during GNR that WGO was going to start offering the Paseo with a different color option. No hints what that would be.
A second floor plan offering coming this fall possibly also. I hope it's a Travato K model clone. We'll see...

[Coachmen Crossfit owner]

I am wondering how the Nova Kool refrigerator in your Coachmen Crossfit did in hot weather?

[Yodar]

The new floorplan is up on the Coachmen website which shows a Roadtrek-like folding couch covering the back doors.
Additionally the 3.5-liter Eco-Boost turbo, "super spring suspension kit," new bike rack," and Synch-3 [sic] is now available though
I find no turbos on RVT yet though.
Hopefully a fix is in for the recall:
"The (drive shaft flexible coupling) repair is causing the Transit production lines to be shut down from Sept. 25 through Oct. 2. "

[Phoebe3]

Looks like the sofa (Couch) setup is called the 22C; the twin bed (Dinette) version is the 22D.

Wonder where they put the fresh water in the 22C version - in the dinette it's under the passenger-side bench seat. That location places it over the rear wheels. If they have moved it further back to place it under the sofa, that may be why they added the heavier springs. Our 22D handles very well even with the stock Ford HD suspension - very stable even in crosswinds.

I did tell Coachmen before purchasing my rig that we would have paid the extra $1,600 Ford charges for the twin turbo model. That said, after a few thousand miles of driving experience, the 3.7 liter normally aspirated six-cylinder has worked quite well so far. We do intentionally slow down to 55 on steep hills so if you want to drive it like an SUV, the turbo engine would be a good option.

WRT Sync-3: That is Ford's radio system. If you have that option, the right spoke on the steering wheel will have buttons you can use to make calls while driving. The version we own came with an aftermarket Kenwood stereo that pairs with our phones (iPhone or Android) so you have to touch the screen to make calls or use your phone's voice-activation.

I think I answered the refrigerator question in another thread, but it worked very well, even in AZ last summer.

[bobojay]

Any Coachmen Crossfit owners here having any troubles with their Nova Cool fridge?
Some of the folks in the Facebook groups with Paseos and Travatos with the same fridge are having an issue with them just shutting down randomly and not coming back on until it feels like it.
They have started a case with Winnebago and Nova Cool tracking serial numbers of fridges and coaches to see if there is any commonality

[Yodar]

If you Google "Arbogast Crossfit 22CF" you'll see a shot of the sofa. It even has Super Spring Suspension. Now if I can find an Crossfit Eco-Boost in "Blue Jeans" with denim sofa I'll sign on the dotted line.

Is there a "sweet spot" mph for highway cruising? It seemed the RT Sprinter Agile felt comfortable @ 75 mph but no more. Is 80 out of the question?

The Lichtsinn Paseo/Crossfit comparison touts better mileage on the EcoBoost Paseo. 12-14 mpg (Crossfit) vs 15-17 mpg (Paseo) which is counter-intuitive to me. Is their mileage claim for the 3.7 reasonable? YMMV of course.

How are the rattles, vibrations, and wind noise in the Crossfit?
Any "Don't make me come back there" noises while driving?

I just returned from a few weeks on the road in France and Germany and my hawk eyes spied a grand total of 1 Transit RV, 3 Sprinters, but countless Ducato (Promaster) RVs.

[bobojay]

Yep, in the rest of the world the Ducato is the top RV chassis by a wide margin...

[Phoebe3]

Originally Posted by Yodar

If you Google "Arbogast Crossfit 22CF" you'll see a shot of the sofa. It even has Super Spring Suspension. Now if I can find an Crossfit Eco-Boost in "Blue Jeans" with denim sofa I'll sign on the dotted line.

Is there a "sweet spot" mph for highway cruising? It seemed the RT Sprinter Agile felt comfortable @ 75 mph but no more. Is 80 out of the question?

The Lichtsinn Paseo/Crossfit comparison touts better mileage on the EcoBoost Paseo. 12-14 mpg (Crossfit) vs 15-17 mpg (Paseo) which is counter-intuitive to me. Is their mileage claim for the 3.7 reasonable? YMMV of course.

How are the rattles, vibrations, and wind noise in the Crossfit?
Any "Don't make me come back there" noises while driving?

I just returned from a few weeks on the road in France and Germany and my hawk eyes spied a grand total of 1 Transit RV, 3 Sprinters, but countless Ducato (Promaster) RVs.

It doesn't surprise me that there are more European-made vans in Europe - and Sprinters are much more expensive than Fiats.

I get about 16mpg in the 3.7 L in mixed highway/city driving. Lots of hills but we rarely exceed 65 mph and reduce to 55 on steep hills. Lichtsinn doesn't sell Crossfits so wonder where their numbers come from.

Folks on the FordTransitUSA forum indicate mileage of about 13-15 on the twin turbo. That said, your mileage is probably more a function of the weight of your foot than the type of engine. I would speculate that buyers of the turbo like acceleration and acceleration costs in miles per gallon. Ditto for speed. Want good gas mileage? Drive 30 miles per hour in a Lotus; want bad gas mileage? Drive a giant flat-fronted box van at 80.

The Agile has single rear wheels while the Paseo and Crossfit have duallys and I find the duallys to "feel" more stable at speed. However, they cost a mile or two per gallon and the gas engine consumes more than the Sprinter diesel to begin with. We have not felt the need for stiffer suspension. Ford has a "feature" that applies some independent braking in crosswinds - I am astonished at how well the Transit handles, but I haven't put the Sprinter through the same test so can't really compare the two.

As far as noise, we had to pad a couple of things: the dish that sits in the microwave now has a washcloth under it and we put padding under the glass lids that fold over the stove and sink. Also, the chain that releases the TV taps on the wall to we padded that as well. Nothing major and we are surprised after driving trucks for the past 20 years at how we can have a normal conversation in the van. It is, in fact, the most comfortable vehicle we own.

The sliding cabinet doors and aluminum shower door on the Paseo made quite a bit of noise and we couldn't see an easy way to fix the issue.

And, yes, we flew to another state to get the BlueJeans color and it was totally worth it!

[GeorgeRa]

Wow, indeed, where this data came from, off the cuff to drive the point. It needs Maxwell Smart follow up, OK, it is 12-14, well, would you believe 14-16, alright, would you believe 16-18.
https://www.lichtsinn.com/blog/paseo...hmen-crossfit/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hd2e_tRBlY

[Phoebe3]

Originally Posted by bobojay

Any Coachmen Crossfit owners here having any troubles with their Nova Cool fridge?
Some of the folks in the Facebook groups with Paseos and Travatos with the same fridge are having an issue with them just shutting down randomly and not coming back on until it feels like it.
They have started a case with Winnebago and Nova Cool tracking serial numbers of fridges and coaches to see if there is any commonality

I'd like to see this question asked in the "General" section since the Nova Cool is common to several manufacturers, this might not be seen by members o Class B Forums who have Travatos, etc.

I do know someone who had a Nova Cool issue in which the refrigerator simply wouldn't get down past 42*F if the van was hot (I don't think it shut off completely), but ours has worked fine.

[booster]

The RV manufacturers are jumping into compressor frigs quickly but their understanding of how to make them work well is lagging very far behind, IMO. We learned first hand how important it is to get exactly the right airflow to make the compressor frig work properly (we have an Isotherm that uses the existing outside vents.) The condenser cooling air handling made the difference between not being able to hold temp at 75* ourside and our current less than 50% run time at 98* and on the sunny side. No other changes beyond airflow control.

The RV folks are not getting the hot air out and cooler air in to the compressor and condenser, plus they are using inside air that can be quite hot besides, especially if they are getting along an outside, maybe sun heated, wall. Many have been adding extra fans to move the air out, which does work well many times, but does increase the power consumed.

A properly vented compressor frig should be able to keep the frig cool to at least 100* ambient temp, IMO.

[GeorgeRa]

I agree about the importance of compressor fridges cooling air flow. Regarding the Isotherm fridges; I installed the 21 Century electronic controller by Isotherm which made the fridge practically silent. The original bang/bang electromechanical capillary thermostat was great for WWII times. The unit is applicable for B35 Danfoss compressor. I also changed the original fan to a very efficient and quiet one to reduce current draw.

https://www.indelwebastomarine.com/i...nergy-control/
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/sh...&postcount=771

[Phoebe3]

Originally Posted by booster

The RV folks are not getting the hot air out and cooler air in to the compressor and condenser, plus they are using inside air that can be quite hot besides, especially if they are getting along an outside, maybe sun heated, wall. Many have been adding extra fans to move the air out, which does work well many times, but does increase the power consumed.

I have an early Crossfit. The microwave is above the refrigerator and has a vent around it, which is where the hot air from the back of the Nova Cool exits. In my rig, there is a solid wood panel below the refrigerator, but I notice that in the new ones, there is a large vent. I don't know if there is a fan behind it or if it just depends on convection to draw cooler air from the floor area, up the back of the refrigerator and out the upper vents.

There are dark windows running the length of the van so the back of the refrigerator could get hot if it's on the sunny side. If we find that we have issues, we'll pull the refrigerator and insulate the window behind it then add the vent at the bottom. Glad we had this discussion - I learned a lot. Thank you.