I'll start this thread and jot down a few comments on my CrossFit. Feel free to hijack it for any Crossfit related topics.
I have a 2019 CrossFit since October & have a few thousand miles and a dozen and a half nights in it. Here's my thoughts (as of now).
Transit chassis:
Compared to a circa 2015 half-ton pickup, it's rough riding, noisy, under powered, and wanders all over the road on windy days. I had the toe-in adjusted to try and help. I have no idea how it compares to other cargo vans. It's the only one I've driven since I got rid of my 1981 Chevy van thirty years ago.
Seating and driver position is OK for me, but not for my petite wife. Adjustable pedals and/or the 10-way seat would help a lot.
On my 2019, I have no Sync3 or lane keeping. Both would be nice. I'd prefer Sync3 and steering wheel controls to the Kenwood that Coachmen installs. There is nothing special about that Kenwood. Actually, it kind of sucks.
Dual RW, 2-wheel drive, 4.10 open differential:
Mine doesn't have a locking diff. So far this winter (very mild, very little snow) it's been about as good in the snow as an ordinary RWD pickup. The stock tires on the 350HD are Hankook's, which for me have adequate traction in snow considering they are only all-seasons. I'm not in the mountains though - it's pretty flat around here.
I'm paying attention to the after market locking differential market and eyeing up Nokians just in case.
Ford 3.7:
Adequate. Having owned a 3.5l egoboost F150, it's under powered. But it's still more than adequate for what's approaching a 9000lb vehicle. The 6spd seems to be a decent transmission. I like Ford's hill descent, tow/haul and shift buttons. Better/simpler and more intuitive than Chevy.
FWIW - I'm getting an indicated 15mpg over 4000 miles. I figure that as heavy as it is, and with dual wheels and at 8500-9000lbs, that's fair enough.
The coach:
I like the space behind the driver seat, the option for either E/W or N/S sleeping, the coach build quality, fit/finish, etc. It's well designed, well thought out, well laid out, and very usable. They put alot of thought into minor things that make life easier.
I like the passenger-side galley - the side that has the most window is the side that usually faces the campsite.
Coachmen uses factory Ford windows from the passenger van, which look great and are functional. The design allows for lots and lots of light - something that is essential for us. They don't tip out though, so venting the campervan in the rain will be hard.
The fresh water and plumbing is inside the camper & presumably a bit less temperature sensitive. I camp year-around in Minnesota & like the idea that I can keep it wet a bit longer in fall and earlier in spring. I'm watching the temperature inside the walls where the fresh water is plumbed, to see how cold they get vs. the outside temp.
The Truma is slick. This is the first time that I've not had to trip over electric heaters in the aisle when winter camping. But Coachmen didn't put a bypass on the Truma, so it's annoying to winterize.
The sewer connections are neatly hidden under the running board and don't hang down too far, but as a result are tough to get to without going on hands & knees. The sewer hose storage was hanging down below the rear bumper and looked like it would drag pretty easily, so I moved it up under the passenger side running board. Now it's even harder to get to than the sewer connections.
Batteries:
Poor, poor, and poor - considering it has a large compressor fridge and a sizable parasitic power draw. There is no way that I can keep either the fridge or the Truma furnace fan going overnight without hitting the 12.2 volt automatic battery disconnect. The stock coach batteries are lead acid 105ah, and either because they are already shot or because its cold outside, I'm not getting anywhere near the expected amp-hours. They are up under the rear fenders behind the rear axle, so even getting at them is a PITA.
I'm assuming that new AGM's under the coach combined with some lithium inside the coach will get me decent battery life.
Storage:
Lots of overheads and drawers, but very little cargo space other than that. The space behind the couch is all that's available for camping gear & bedding. The fresh tank takes up the space under the couch and the benches have power and heat under them. The space behind the drivers seat is usable though.
The manufacturer:
Coachmen was very responsive to an e-mail request for a cabinet part that got lost and an e-mail inquiry about the coach batteries. The former showed up in the mail a week later, and the latter was addressed by the engineer who designed the coach calling me directly about an hour after I initiated the query. That was unexpected. kudos to Coachmen's 'B' team.
It's a Class B:
I've been tent camping for fifty years and have had a travel trailer for a handful of years, but this is my first cargo van/class B. We're still figuring out how to shrink down to the available space and how to get along without a separate vehicle. I'm used to a pickup bed full of camping junk, so this is a change for me. I'll have to figure out if a cargo box is the way to go. Not sure yet.
It's tough to track down all the rattles. Ugh...who ever thought is was a smart idea to drive down the road with your kitchen six feet behind your ear.
2019 Coachmen Crossfit
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