Jay Flight 174BH little review and simple mods

[Kim Gass]

hmmm Never had a WDH on our unit. And its been all over the place. Dealer said not necessary and he seems to have been right. Even in crosswinds in Nebraska no issues with sway at all. Even on ice and snow which are inevitable in our travels.
When we get a bigger dual axle trailer yes there will for sure be a WDH.

WDH was not recommended for two reasons. One is the light construction of the A frame. ( and yes it will bend if you hit a pothole. ) Another is the construction of our tow vehicle. We will be upgrading that too.

[fisduki]

Your tongue looks just like ours after our first two upgrades, minus the WDH attachments After I added the second battery box, I decided that I was going to go with a single 100mAH Battle Born instead of 2 lead acid batteries. It will give me way more usable power(single BB is 100 mAH vs 60 mAH from the pair lead acid) and less than half the weight (31 lbs vs 72 lbs).

I tow with a Mercedes ML350 4matic with just a sway bar and have had no issues so far after about 800 miles in 3 trips, but am planning to go to AZ for a couple weeks over Christmas. What vehicle are you towing with? From what I have found, I have a 7200 lb towing capacity, 1532 lb payload, and 500 lbs hitch weight. I have thought about a WDH, but wasn't sure if I needed it or if I could handle the extra weight?

Originally Posted by spaniel

Joined due to this thread. Thank you to everyone contributing.

FTFW, can you share what strip LED light kit you were using?

I plan on several of these mods. I've had my 174BH since July 2019. First year was short local trips, this summer we did a two week, 4500 mile tour to the Southwest and back. First big eye opener was a WDH. We are RV neophytes so i was unfamiliar. While probably accentuated by a leaf spring failure since corrected under warranty, we had several hellish long days with long periods at 45mph on the freeway. Had a WDH waiting on thre porch by thr time we got home. Just used it on a windy day, 180 degree difference.

As we do a good mix of everything from dry camping to extended trips, i started by installing more robust scissor stabilizing jacks on all four corners, two parallel wired batteries, a battery cutoff switch, and a tray for double propane cylinders.

[iamusingamd]

All, Joined due to this thread. Thank you to everyone contributing.
I am seeing and learning from the mods and about to get to it myself.

We waited quite a while to get ours last month and have made one two trips so far.



My research got me into the blue ox chain style anti sway. Pulling with a Pathfinder with no issue. Flat road at 65, upgrade interstate at 50-55.

[rigger4343]

If anyone is interested in just a simple anti sway, this is the one I got from Harbor Freight. It has many trips in it and has been great so far. No issues with it at all.

https://www.harborfreight.com/traile...kit-96462.html

[rigger4343]

I am glad this thread has turned into something that people have found useful. When I first started it, I was just having fun making a thread and sharing what I had done. Seems like it has turned into something that has been helpful for a number of people.

I have also had some of you contact me asking questions about stuff and hopefully I was able to answer questions and help you guys out.

Now I am curious to see how long this thread will continue.

[spaniel]

Originally Posted by FTFW

I didn't use a kit per se. I bought a roll of "waterproof" strip LED off amazon for $12

Attachment 64542

I am handy with a soldering iron and can wire 12v circuits with confidence (an electrical engineer) so I was comfortable with that, some 18 guage wire... wire nuts, and those cabinet switches I posted earlier.

If I had to do it over again, I would consider buying those snap-on leads for these led strips as soldering was cheaper, but a bit of a hassle.

Question for you and your WDH. Which did you get and at what tongue weight. 90% of the ones I have seen are 1k which is way overkill for this trailer at 400#. Also, I was under the impression that WDHs dont help with sway as much on a single axle and that its a sway bar that really helps. Did you get a sway bar too?

Curt TruTrack -- integral sway control. I went with the 500-800lb TW one I believe. Given a loaded 174BH tongue weight I calculated at 450-500low lbs.

[spaniel]

Originally Posted by fisduki

What vehicle are you towing with?

2016 Ford F150 turbo V6 and long (6.5ft) box.

I just took the camper 90min down to deer camp. Windy as heck and it was a breeze (pun intended) to drive.

Last year it was just unpleasant when windy. It was the 4000 mile trip this year where it became downright dangerous. The camper had a lean to the left when we got back, leaf springs replaced under warrant to fix that. Perhaps that was making it worse. Also, one of the days in there we got to our next campground and the door of the camper would not close. I had to bend the striker plate in a good bit to get the latch to engage, and it's been like that ever since. Like the dimension changed. No idea the cause or if any of this is related to the towing issues. Reported the door issue under the warranty and they didn't find anything wrong.

[deepsea5]

Originally Posted by silverta16

If I keep the camper long term I may upgrade the axle and add larger black and gray tanks. Just because you like small towable campers doesn't mean they have to build them with such useless size holding tanks. I really like the 154BH's but they have half size holding tanks of what we currently have now. My full size Silverado with a V8 runs away with this camper and it sleeps 4 comfortably. It also is small enough to go anywhere and back anywhere.

We own a 175RD, with small holding tanks. If we end up doing a lot of boondocking, we may replace our toilet with a Separett composting toilet, with a urine diverting setup to the existing black tank. We could then "tie" the black tank to the gray tank for a larger gray water system.

[deepsea5]

Originally Posted by rigger4343

I read some people complain about the mattress but overall I have been happy with it. My wife thinks it is fine and has had no complaints at all.

But, there have been some mornings that I woke up with a little bit of pain in my shoulder or my back. I can't really blame that on the mattress though because I already have some joint and back pain due to just life stuff. Right before this last weekend trip, I was in Walmart and decided to grab a cheap Walmart brand foam topper. It is only 1-1/4" thick but I have to say, it made a big difference. This past weekend I woke up with no shoulder or back pain at all.

It was only $16.00 ! Can not beat the price on that. Even if it only last a year, it is worth that.

Good deal on that topper!

The original mattress in ours had a stain, so that mattress was a no-go by the Mrs.
We ended up replacing the mattress with a Sealy Posturepedic residential mattress. We found it at a discount liquidator for $250. (its brand new). Very comfortable! The mattress was not heavy, I was able to install it by myself.

[snowskier79]

fisher, where did you pickup your storage bins? I like how the lids are secured during tow.

Originally Posted by fisher

Just wanted to share finished pics of outdoor shower kit and storage mount solution. I couldn’t find anything handy to attach box to u bolts. I ended up finding a bike rack holder on amazon. A handful of small u bolts for the boxes and voila...

Maiden voyage begins tomorrow!

[Irishcannoli]

This thread is amazing. I’m actually looking at a 174BH tomorrow. It looks like the perfect, no frills (but good quality) trailer.

Rigger - I think you said you had teenage girls. How does the family eat during rainy days? The dinette looks to only fit two, unless I’m mistaken? I have two preteen kids, so that’s one of the only things that’s holding me back.

[TheJoshSweeney]

Rigger4343 - Awesome thread with mods, thank you for this!

I was debating the 154bh and then when I found this thread I am now considering the 174bh. If you didn't have dogs with you, would you have or do you ever think you would have been happy with the 154bh? Especially since you said you mainly spend most of the time outside?

Thanks!

[rigger4343]

Originally Posted by Irishcannoli

This thread is amazing. I’m actually looking at a 174BH tomorrow. It looks like the perfect, no frills (but good quality) trailer.

Rigger - I think you said you had teenage girls. How does the family eat during rainy days? The dinette looks to only fit two, unless I’m mistaken? I have two preteen kids, so that’s one of the only things that’s holding me back.

Yes, we have two teen girls. One 15 and one almost 15. If it is nasty outside and we end up eating indoors, what we do is..... Let the girls eat at the table.
My wife and I normally just sit on the bed and eat. If you remember I made a stove cover earlier in this thread. I just grab that and throw it on the bed. That becomes my second table! Easy and works well for us.

You could look at the 174 with the slide. It does have a table and seating big enough for four people to sit at. But my wife and I felt like the one we have without the slide just felt more open for some reason. Plus it is less weight and one less thing to repair in the future. Ours was also about $1500 less than the one with a slide. One of the biggest reasons I picked this TT is because it is SIMPLE. Simple means less to break and maintain which also means more fun, at least for me anyway. Plus I wanted to install my own mods.

[rigger4343]

Originally Posted by TheJoshSweeney

Rigger4343 - Awesome thread with mods, thank you for this!

I was debating the 154bh and then when I found this thread I am now considering the 174bh. If you didn't have dogs with you, would you have or do you ever think you would have been happy with the 154bh? Especially since you said you mainly spend most of the time outside?

Thanks!

Honestly, I think the 154 would have been fine for us. The 154 was not on the lot at the time we decided to get our 174 so it is the one we picked. Our dogs are little. One is 15 pounds and the other is only 6 pounds. They used to sleep under the table but at one point my pup ended up sleeping with us and very shortly after that, my wife's pup started sleeping with us too!!

In the future, I could see going with a smaller TT. Or a small toy hauler so that we could take our motorcycle with us. Maybe in the future when it is just the wife and I going camping, I could see getting a small Teardrop or something kind of like that.

The big TT's are cool but we just like the smaller trailers. For me, it is easier to use and maintain which translates into more fun for me.

[TheJoshSweeney]

Ya that’s where I am at currently is I just want something small that’s convenient and enjoyable for a weekend and doesnt feel like I’m taking an entire house with me every time I want to use it. Just something to help me get out enjoying different places.

Thanks for the feedback!

[rigger4343]

Originally Posted by TheJoshSweeney

Ya that’s where I am at currently is I just want something small that’s convenient and enjoyable for a weekend and doesnt feel like I’m taking an entire house with me every time I want to use it. Just something to help me get out enjoying different places.

Thanks for the feedback!

Most of our trips are leave Friday after work and school. Then head back Sunday afternoon.

Occasionally we get a three to five day stay somewhere. For that kind of use, a small TT just makes sense for us.

[FTFW]

Just to second what Rigger said...

We have our 2 kids eat at the dinette and my wife and I eat at the edge of the bed. Also at night when we play card games, we sit on two camp chairs by the dinette. Works well. We have a small dog that sleeps on the dinette chair at night.

We would hate the 154BH. We looked at it first. Having to change the dinette to bed every morning and eve would be a killer. Just not worth it at all. It is nice not having to reconfigure anything....

Which gets me to the slideout. I like simple and fewer things to break and easy setup. We have taken 2000 mile trips in ours and it is nice to stop to use it without having to level and extend the slide, etc.

[rigger4343]

Originally Posted by FTFW

Just to second what Rigger said...

We have our 2 kids eat at the dinette and my wife and I eat at the edge of the bed. Also at night when we play card games, we sit on two camp chairs by the dinette. Works well. We have a small dog that sleeps on the dinette chair at night.

We would hate the 154BH. We looked at it first. Having to change the dinette to bed every morning and eve would be a killer. Just not worth it at all. It is nice not having to reconfigure anything....

Which gets me to the slideout. I like simple and fewer things to break and easy setup. We have taken 2000 mile trips in ours and it is nice to stop to use it without having to level and extend the slide, etc.

You are probably right about changing the dinette around every day. I think that would get on my nerves after a while.

Another nice thing about NOT having a slide is we can stop on a long drive and still use the camper. Make lunch or use the bathroom is no issue at all without a slide.

[FTFW]

Originally Posted by rigger4343

You are probably right about changing the dinette around every day. I think that would get on my nerves after a while.

Another nice thing about NOT having a slide is we can stop on a long drive and still use the camper. Make lunch or use the bathroom is no issue at all without a slide.

That and you lose a bunch of that big storage space in the basement with the 154.

During these times of Covid, we don't go into places. We pack our food and use the TTs bathroom. So when we stop for gas, lunch, or for bathroom time, it is super convenient to not have to do anything. But open the door and do whatever we need to do, or get to.

The fam doesn't have to worry about dirty bathrooms... and don't have to deal with "we should buy something since we used the bathroom" expenses.

BTW... according to my wife... that pantry light was a great diy improvement. I need to do that mod to the overhead storage over the queen bed next.

[rigger4343]

Originally Posted by FTFW

That and you lose a bunch of that big storage space in the basement with the 154.

During these times of Covid, we don't go into places. We pack our food and use the TTs bathroom. So when we stop for gas, lunch, or for bathroom time, it is super convenient to not have to do anything. But open the door and do whatever we need to do, or get to.

The fam doesn't have to worry about dirty bathrooms... and don't have to deal with "we should buy something since we used the bathroom" expenses.

BTW... according to my wife... that pantry light was a great diy improvement. I need to do that mod to the overhead storage over the queen bed next.

I was thinking more about doing that same thing. I have a bunch of LED strip lighting that was removed from a boat. I could use it since I have it. I also thought about just throwing some battery powered puck lights in there too. Easier but I like your idea better.

Other thing I was thinking of was adding some small lights around the outside of the camper. Seems like we always arrive in the dark so It may be handy. I was thinking of one up front by the tanks. One to light up the hose, power and water heater area. And one more at the back where we use the outdoor shower the most.