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Old 05-29-2015, 09:01 AM   #1
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Deciding 28BHBE vs 28BHKS

We are trading in our Hybrid trailer and trying to decide between the 28BHBE (jayflight) and 28BHKS (whitehawk)

Both are significant upgrades from our 19H and both will fit our family well and have all the storage we need. It seems like the whitehawk has some nice upgrades but I'm not sure if they are enough to justify the extra $$.

I'm wondering if anyone can talk about the difference in the trailer between these two. The Whitehawk has the more sloped front and the wheels are set a little differently. According to the sales guy this make for a nicer trailering experience. The fact that it comes in at 500lbs less probably also helps with that (that weight is at it sits on the lot with the Propane full)

I believe our tow vehicle (a silverado 1500 with the trailering package) should be adequate for either. Gross Rating of 9600 and both of these shouldn't come to more than 8500 fully loaded and that's with alot of equipment - we travel somewhat light. never fill the tanks, live in the flat midwest and don't venture far. So I really don't think we will have an issue with either.....just not sure if one is really significantly better

Anyone pulling these and notice the Whitehawk trailer being much better or is that just a selling gimic, appearance thing.

Also in this class of trailer what kind of gas mileage are you getting? Is it still in the 8-10 range or more like 5-6
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Old 05-29-2015, 09:44 AM   #2
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If you have the truck to pull it, I would buy the Jay Flight. Though the White Hawk line is very nice, I believe that the light weight materials used to build them are not as sturdy as the material used on the Jay Flight line. IMO, I believe that long term, the Jay Flight will hold up better. Don't just look at the GVWR of the trailer, it is the tongue weight/Payload numbers that will get you in trouble with a 1/2 ton truck. Best of luck with your decision. I bet you will be happy either way!
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Old 05-29-2015, 10:34 AM   #3
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Both are very nice TT. Like ddrueckh I prefer the JayFlight over the Whitehawk, due to the more conventional construction materials and methods. However if you are absolutely set on fiberglass sidewalls, then I would take the Whitehawk. Unless Jayco has changed, and I haven't researched it since 2013, the JayFlight fiberglass option made available in MY 2014 is not the same vacuum bonded construction process that Whitehawk & Eagle that Jayco touts as superior to other processes. In my opinion if Jayco claims their vacuum bonded process to be superior, then what they are also saying is anything not using that process is inferior.

More importantly, before you buy anything make sure you really do the research to make sure your 1500 is up to the task. Both the BHBE and BHKS are getting very close the 1500/150 limits. Depending on your family size, the way you pack your truck bed, the trucks configuration, you may or may not have an adequate truck.

If I was you, the first thing to do is load you truck just like you were going camping. Full fuel, full passengers, all the contents you would have in the truck and truck bed then hit a scale to see how much payload capacity you have left for the TT tongue weight. TV payload is where most trucks fall short first.

Secondly, 100% disregard the published weights from Jayco (or any MFG). The tongue weight is grossly misrepresented and doesn't include full propane tanks or battery(ies). This can easily add 100 lbs to the tongue weight before adding any of your gear to the TT. To get actual weights, you best bet is to ask folks here with the same TT and look for the yellow ship weight stickers on the TT. Frequently the ship weight will be several hundred pounds higher than the published weight.

Best of luck in looking for you next TT.
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Old 05-29-2015, 10:42 AM   #4
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Thanks - the ship weight on the yellow sticker does always tend to be a completely different animal than the brochure - although admittedly I didn't write down the tongue weight of the white hawk so as I'm sitting at home comparing I'm not really dealing with a full set of facts - that one had bigger propane tanks I thought - which would matter.

I'm really not overly concerned with the vehicle with this particular purchase - this is coming from someone who made the vehicle mistake once before. We aren't opposed to updating a TV if needed once the kids are bigger or if we decide to haul bikes in the truck bed, or we just don't like the way it pulls - I just want to make sure we made the right camper decision to start because I'm looking to replace that now and not again for at least 6 years realistically. I just need the vehicle to be adequate to get it home and take it out for a few trips and see if we like the setup...which I still think it is..and if it's not then we upgrade. My thought was that maybe that whitehawk trailer was just a better design to start with though....however....

This is actually interesting because I thought people would come down on the side of the whitehawk being the nicer model as it is the more expensive one but I'm getting the feeling there is a lot of love for the Jay Flight being a little sturdier and that trailer design may not be as big of a deal.
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Old 05-29-2015, 11:03 AM   #5
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We just bought our 28BHBE and we love it! We camped over the Memorial Day weekend and it was amazing. We upgraded from a 25ft and I love the room we have in the BHBE. We have 2 kids and 2 dogs, even on the rainy day we all had space inside the camper. We didn't look at the WhiteHawk so I can't help with that. I love the way the Jayco is built, very sturdy. Good luck with your decision!
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Old 05-29-2015, 11:05 AM   #6
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I think you will find that people have reasons to love both the White Hawk and the Jay Flight. You really can't go wrong with either one. The only negative I have read about the White Hawk is that the layered floor sometimes feels soft/bouncy. I do not think it is as sturdy as the Jay Flight plywood floor. I have not walked in a White Hawk and have not experience this...so take that with a grain of salt. Maybe go check yourself if you can. Buy the one that has the options and layout that you like the best and get camping!
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Old 05-29-2015, 11:25 AM   #7
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We got the 28BHBE after looking at both models. We went with the aluminum siding and got the elite with thermal package. We preferred the sturdier construction over the lighter weight even though we to are pushing to the upper level of our towing ability due to payload. I worried about the flooring material in the White Hawk and I after a lot of thought like how much easier and cheaper any kind of wall repair is with the aluminum siding over fiberglass. 3 trips in our Tundra tows well even through the Appalachians over Memorial Day. Our big trip 8 hours to DC is next week and I'm confident in our towing ability on our new camper. The space is very nice and I love the configuration. We have 3 kids and my mom comes with us regularly. This set up is perfect for our family.
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Old 05-29-2015, 11:29 AM   #8
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We have a Whitehawk 29SQB, and one of the reasons we bought it over a Jayflight was we wanted metal framing and fiberglass and not stick and tin like our previous TT.

The weight savings of the Whitehawk over the Jayflight is also a nice bonus.

Oddly the 33.5 foot Whitehawk tows easier and gets about the same (if not a little better) mpg than our old 16.5 foot Roadrunner TT.
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Old 05-29-2015, 03:30 PM   #9
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We also looked at both models and went w/ the Jay Flight. There was just something that I liked better about it. We'd been out in it twice so far and love it w/ my family of 4. We pull it w/ a 2012 suburban and it does ok. I'm still getting used to it, but from what I'm reading, the burb will do good for a while. We don't travel w/ much of anything other than snacks in the TV. EVerything else is in the trailer.
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Old 05-29-2015, 03:59 PM   #10
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If you are ever going to do a lot of forest road traveling I would go with the JayFlight. The frame is FAR stronger than the Norco NextGen frame on the WhiteHawk. Also the tank capacities are lower on the WhiteHawk, especially the water tanks. I think the sandwhich floor design is questionable; apparently Jayco did too cause the 2016 WhiteHawks now have 5/8" ply.
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Old 05-29-2015, 07:06 PM   #11
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Good look with your decision. I like the Jayflight, but each has it's advantages and dis-advantages...
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Old 05-29-2015, 08:10 PM   #12
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We also looked at both and went with the Jay Flight; really a matter of preference. The 28 BHBE "hit us" as soon as we walked in, after looking at quite a few trailers at various lots. It actually was the only one that hit us all, as "this is the one". It may not be for everyone though, to each his own. I'm sure you will be fine with whichever you decide to go with; Jayco puts out a nice product. Good luck, and happy travels!
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Old 05-30-2015, 05:38 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MnMom2 View Post
We just bought our 28BHBE and we love it! We camped over the Memorial Day weekend and it was amazing. We upgraded from a 25ft and I love the room we have in the BHBE. We have 2 kids and 2 dogs, even on the rainy day we all had space inside the camper. We didn't look at the WhiteHawk so I can't help with that. I love the way the Jayco is built, very sturdy. Good luck with your decision!
MNMOM - Quick question (and to others who don't have it listed) what are you towing with?

Initially my post indicated we are not concerned with weight but there will be a Yellowstone trip in my summer so that changes things if we are pushing the limit. (time to pull out the calculator)
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Old 05-30-2015, 06:14 AM   #14
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Not towing one of the trailers you're looking at, but I believe we are slightly heavier than the 28BHBE. The Tundra pulls it with no issues whatsoever, no matter the terrain.
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Old 05-30-2015, 08:04 AM   #15
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We tow our 28BHBE with a 3500HD Silverado. It is a great trailer that tows easily. Our heavy loaded tongue weight with full fresh water runs around 1200lbs. (Total weight was 8800lbs)

Camper Bob previously towed his 28BHBE with a 1500 Silverado so he can give you better idea on towing with your truck.
Happy camping and don't forget to hit the scales
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Old 06-01-2015, 06:30 PM   #16
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I pulled my 2013 28BHBE with a 04 1500 3 different times, it has been parked as a seasonal for except for one weekend when we spent a weekend at the race track, yes the 1500 doesn't have it going up a hill but it tows very nice, asked the dealer to install an anti sway bar and was told to pull it a few times before I bought one and we don't need one, on thing I have to add is I have 17" LT tires and a factory installed ride control on my truck.
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Old 06-02-2015, 09:00 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Northern Jay View Post
We tow our 28BHBE with a 3500HD Silverado. It is a great trailer that tows easily. Our heavy loaded tongue weight with full fresh water runs around 1200lbs. (Total weight was 8800lbs)

Camper Bob previously towed his 28BHBE with a 1500 Silverado so he can give you better idea on towing with your truck.
Happy camping and don't forget to hit the scales
Rightyo! That's me!

I towed the 28BHBE for a while with my GMC Sierra 1500 and while it worked, it wasn't great. I was always worried about weights, and the driving experience always took significant "driver input", I was never relaxed. With the BHBE loaded for travel, and we load light (or used to before Junior came along! LOL!) we were close to or over max GVWR (but always a good margin under GAWR). It was never a warm and fuzzy feeling towing, and the 5.3 Vortec just didn't have the fortitude for confident towing of this much trailer IMHO.

The proverbial straw on this camel's back was our desire for long trips in the near future. See, with just me and DW and Wonder Mutt, we were okay tooling around the flat coastal prairies. But when DS came along, things got heavier, and our usage pattern changed. So now I'm towing with a 2015 RAM 2500, 6.4L Hemi. First trip out and I knew in minutes I had made the right decision. You can totally tell this is what my truck was MADE for; DRAMATIC difference. Now I have not one second thought about loading up whatever we need for any length trip, and I'll still have PLENTY of capacity left over; I NEVER had that level of confidence with the GMC.

The weight difference between the Flight and the Whitehawk is not significant enough to make a difference in this instance; either one will push or exceed the limits of your truck. It all comes down to your usage pattern. You'll probably be fine for your weekend jaunts around your state, but you're going to kick yourself if you get an HD truck AFTER your trip to Yosemite. Let's just say that's not a tow I would be looking forward to with my old setup.

Why not get a smaller trailer you ask? Simple; this was the one we fell in love with and will serve us VERY well for many years to come.

One other difference not mentioned above is head room; the Flight is taller inside. Add this to the differences in construction already mentioned and the "stick & tin" body proven over decades of heavy use (and easy to repair), and the decision was easy for us.

But the 'Hawk has the advantage of a more sloped front cap, which will make a big difference in towing. The 28BHBE can be had with smooth sides if that's what you really want. We wanted aluminum, and that's what the dealer had on the lot, so it worked out for us.
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Old 06-02-2015, 03:00 PM   #18
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we just got the 28bhbe a few months back after looking at those two as well. I can't remember exactly why we went Jay Flight. I liked the stream lined look of the other, but ultimately decided I the Jay Flight seemed better in every other way. Our Jay flight does have the fiberglass (smooth) finish option that is available on the 2015 models.

Our only complaints have been we experienced a bit more sway than we expected, but upgrading the hitch to the Equalizer seemed to make a HUGE difference! In addition, we are having lots of issues with the queen bed. That 1/4" plywood is just flimsy as all get out. We have only taken it out 3 times so far, but LOVE it!!!!
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Old 06-02-2015, 03:32 PM   #19
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Thumbs-up for the White Hawk!

Quote:
Originally Posted by vtdanokim View Post
We have a Whitehawk 29SQB, and one of the reasons we bought it over a Jayflight was we wanted metal framing and fiberglass and not stick and tin like our previous TT. The weight savings of the Whitehawk over the Jayflight is also a nice bonus.
When shopping for our TT, tow weight (based on our previous truck), floor plan (both sides of the bed provide easy access), and length (California SP campgrounds have stringent limits) were the deciding factors. DH is a licensed contractor working in the energy-efficiency field so he appreciated the construction concept of the WH; he continues to be pleasantly surprised as he tests out the various equipment for his profession. Must say that when I'm doing the towing, it's like it isn't even there. We made the right choice for us, and wouldn't change it even if offered a 'do-over'.
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Old 06-02-2015, 05:53 PM   #20
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Here is a note I sent my Dealer in reguards to my 28bhbe,
Just FYI on numbers for towing the 28bhbe with the 5.3L and 3.23 rear end.
My truck did great towing the camper to Alaska. After talking to several people on towing trailers I was advised not to upgrade the rear end to the 3.73 gear but just tow in 3rd gear and the RPMs would be about the same as if I had installed to 3.73 gear.
3rd gear at 60 MPH = 2500 RPMs and 70 MPH = 2800 RPMs
5.3L with the 3.23 gear has a Max Trailer weight of 6900 lbs and a GCWR of 12,000 lbs.
5.3L with the 3.73 gear has a Max Trailer weight of 7900 lbs and a GCWR of 13,000 lbs.
The trailer was at 8420 lbs loaded with only 20 gallons of water which was 1520 lbs over the max towing weight and 14,460 lbs GCWR. Which is 2460 over the GCWR weight. I kept a eye on temptures which were all in the normal range my average speed was 54.37 mph for the 2762 mile trip doing it in 50.8 hours. Mileage was good in the states with 9.5 mpg but in some parts of Canada in droped to 7.5 mpg but this was due to head winds. Also lower mileage in Canada was do to speeds of 70 mph. I had no sway problems with winds and speed due to a good hitch set up and a wind deflector on the truck, I believe a wind deflector is a must if towing long distance, it keeps the trailer under control with wind flow. I have reached speeds of 88 mph down hill passing trucks with no sway. Just a note that I was driving across Canada in the spring time when the temps were in the 50s and in the fall it will be the same on the return. I would not recommend this kind of driving in mid summer with high temps crossing the mountains.
Anyways just wanted to share the numbers with you if you have some one with weight questions or concerns towing with a 5.3L and over weight.
The log below is fuel stops and distance and time towing if you can use it for numbers on towing great if not then its just FYI.

Thanks Again for a Great Trailer.
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