Getting 2015 264BHW

[Oobray]

Well, we finally settled on a 2015 264BHW. We're trading in our Fleetwood E3 pop up (I'm very sad to see it go) for this trailer because we have a newborn and my wife says this will be more comfy for her and the baby.

We should take delivery next week. I think we did pretty decent on the price. $12,900 out the door.

My TV is a 2002 Yukon XL with 8.1 V8 (the 3/4 ton model) with AutoRide suspension. While only a pop up, the E3 slid across the scales at 4,933lbs when I had the trailer (dry) but with firewood, generator and other odds and ends up on the cargo deck. I didn't use an anti-sway hitch and never felt like it needed one.

Will I be able to atleast make the 2hour trip home from the dealership without the hitch in order to "test" it out?

Thoughts??

 

[SkyBound]

Congrats on the new trailer! That is a very popular floor plan and a big step up from a pop-up. That E3 is a heavy beast by the sounds of things! This new trailer of yours will weigh roughly the same empty, but you will notice the increased wind drag while towing at speed. You also got a very good deal as well.

Your vehicle will handle this trailer just fine but I would highly discourage you from towing without a proper weight distributing hitch and some sort of sway control. If you get into a windy situation or passed by semi's you will be white knuckling the wheel and putting your family in danger.

For the good deal that you got and the money you saved, put it into a good hitch. It will be all the difference in the enjoyment you get out of your new purchase while in transit. I would recommend the Fastway E2, Equalizer E4, Husky Centreline, Reese Dual Cam, just to name a few.

 

[Oobray]

What axles are under the 264bhw? I assume they're dexter axles. The description says "EZ Lube" and I know they're tandem. I'm asking because I want to make sure I can get the leafs swapped to over top of the axle.

 

[Dirkdaddy]

You may have different results but I'm towing a 27BH with a 1/2 ton Tundra 4.6 w/ tow pkg. It is a pretty beefy frame truck in my opinion (many of the new ones all seem better) and I don't use a stabilizer or a WDH, I just load it equally front and back of trailer and it rides nearly perfect. THey are big empty boxes and wind affects them, but I haven't had any white knuckle experiences at 70mph on busy I-10 with semi's going past. Of course your tow vehicle may have shorter wheelbase and behave differently, but for the purpose of getting it home you'll likely be OK. I'd get dealer to estimate the height of the ball you need as you may need a drop hitch or flip it for the up of a inch or three.

Sounds like a great deal - wow. I got a used one with missing things I had to buy and paid $5k. Its still not totally all there, but usable. Make sure you know how all the stuff works - that's been a learning process for me

 

[Dirkdaddy]

Oh yea and get a trailer brake controller if you don't have one yet.

 

[canadiankid]

Dirkdaddy how much does that 27bh weigh?

 

[Dirkdaddy]

Jayco info says about 5000lbs.
2006 Jay Flight | Jayco, Inc.

Being my first TT, I was pretty impressed at how easily it towed. I was thinking it would be a dog, I am a tent camper normally and a friend had told me how her old Tahoe would not go over like 60 with their old toy hauler before they got a Duramax pickup (now they don't feel it LOL). I have to drive more like grampa, but I'm towing a 27' TT, its only being safe to slow it down and be conservative. I will say the little v8 Tundra (most use the 5.7) avoids the top gear most of the time and downshifts more than I would like, but it does the job. FWIW, the truck did have a rear sway bar on it when I got the trailer, and I've heard that helps too, but the trailer being longer than what I'm used to and the truck having a strong hitch setup seems to work well for stability.

 

[canadiankid]

I don't want to sound like I'm preaching cause I'm very close to my max numbers with my current TV and tt but one thing I didn't know before I bought my trailer was that my hitch is only rated for 5000lbs without a wdh. I've always towed a dump trailer without and didn't realize. Just some food for thought.

 

[Oobray]

Thanks for all the responses. You know what they say about assuming, but I would hope that a vehicle with a factory advertised tow rating of 13,000 lbs would be able to safely pull a 5,000 lb trailer.

Anyone with any thoughts on the axle flip?

 

[LarryJ-JAY]

I have not even thought about axle flip, what would the benefits of such be???

Larry J
2015 264BHW

 

[Oobray]

Be fit would be that my driveway angle is pretty steep and I'm pretty sure the black water hose is going to drag. That and some of the campsites I got to require some ground clearance. I'm pretty sure it will work. In 05 Jayco made a Baja version of the 264bhw. Only difference were some exterior lights, axle flip, and onboard Cummins Onan.

 

[Dirkdaddy]

(edit didn't see your post before this- I see you have a bit of rough angle in your own driveway - well, go ahead, I don't think it would be a big deal and might look cool)

If it ain't broke, why fix it? are you off-roading with the trailer? Compared to some others I've seen my 27BH has good clearance. I'd try it for a few months like it is. You may not need to do anything.

Raising it may give more clearance, but it also may affect stability around corners as the center of gravity is raised, more wind tippyness I'd guess.

I have heard of popup folks doing axle flips, for going off road and because the tires are so small, using bigger wheels. I guess that's where you're getting the idea? I've not seen a TT with axle flip yet, but you could do it and let us know how it goes!

BTW, your TV sounds very adequate

My Tundra is the small v8 rated at 8000lbs or thereabouts, although I will say those "ratings" pre-2010ish I heard were by the MFG's calculations, which were for marketing purposes, somewhat dubious in some cases. My 2010 Tundra they actually recalled the truck to put different stickers (with lower figures) and new trucks use a SAE standard for towing which is usually lower. That said, sounds like you have more than enough TV capacity which is good and your PU was nearly the same weight more or less. I wish I had a bit more umph on mine, but I can deal with it and take trips about 60-65 which is comfortable for the powertrain.

 

[Oobray]

Well, my driveway is a concern, but I also do plan on taking the trailer in some spots that are a little "rough". I'd be hesitant to call it "off roading" though because it's technically a forest service road. And Jayco actually used to offer the 264BHW floorplan in a Baja model which had the axles flipped, bigger off road tires, exterior lighting and an onboard Cummins Onan generator. That's where I got the inspiration from. I talked to Jayco this morning and they said that as long as the spring perches were welded in place on top of the axle that it would NOT void the factory warranty. So the dealer I'm buying it from is doing the work before I pick it up for $250 including parts. The salesman said he'd take measurements before and after so I'll post them. Also, do a youtube search for "travel trailer axle flip" and there are several videos regarding it. The SLX is considerably lower than say the Whitehawk line. IRRC the Whitehawk line actually comes from the factory with the springs above the axle.


Just a quick google search and I found this photo. I saw one for sale in NM a week or so ago. They wanted $17k and it was a 2005!!!

 

[tdk2765]

Ditto all that's been said about the WDH and the brake controller. It's too big an investment to not spend the few hundred more $ to do it right. We have the same trailer & really like it. Where did you get yours, if I may ask?

 

[Oobray]

We pick it up tomorrow actually. We're getting it from Camper Land of Oklahoma in Tulsa.

 

[tdk2765]

That's where we got ours, too. We've been very pleased with everything.

 

[ccso2213]

"The SLX is considerably lower than say the Whitehawk line. IRRC the Whitehawk line actually comes from the factory with the springs above the axle."

My SLX 287 BHSW came from the factory with springs over axles. Do you know for sure yours doesn't come that way? Would hate for the dealer to charge you for labor when it comes that way from the factory.

 

[Oobray]

While I have not laid eyes on this one in particular. The ones I've seem had the springs below the axle. I'll be able to tell when I see it because there shod be the original spring perch on the underside.

 

[Oobray]

Well, I got her home today. Lift was installed and looks awesome. I can't believe they make these without the axles on top. It was parked next to a 31' Jay Flight that can from the factory with axles on top. Don't know why the 264s are below. Towed like a dream on the 2hr drive home (although I went 60-65 the whole way). Got it home and in the driveway much easier than I anticipated. I had to get my pole saw out and trim a lot more branches than I thought where I park it. I'll get some more pics of the lift. Also the salesman did a before measurement at the black water drain at 10". I'll measure again when I get it on level ground, I forgot.

 

[ccso2213]

Looks good with the axle flip!