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Thread: 390RK Owners Opinion please
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01-30-2020, 10:49 AM #1
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390RK Owners Opinion please
My wife and I currently have a 310GK and we use it for 1 to 2 week excursions but lately we have been considering going full time and have been looking at the 390RK. We love the floor plan, the extra storage and the larger bathroom. I think we would have the 7K or 8K Morryde IS axles and disks brakes, a washer/dryer and some lithium batteries added after we purchase the rig.
However before we jump off and order one, we would like to hear from current 390RK owners about their experiences with owning a 390RK. Please give us your thoughts, likes and dislikes and what surprised you after you have used it for a while. Please respond and let us known, we would greatly appreciate your feedback.
Thank you in advance!!Brian and Susan
2019 F-350 Dually
2019 GD 310GK
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01-31-2020, 12:20 AM #2
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Brian, Welcome to the 390 family. We took delivery of ours in mid November and our shakedown was 2 days in Myrtle Beach then 4 in Charleston. Not having finished moving some stuff, empty black and Gray tanks, and about 1/3 fresh water, W/D installed and generator not, and no effort to balance out the load, I had 3540# on the pin and 14,170 on the axles. Nothing has really "surprised" me other than the effectiveness of the Dexter brakes and they were much better than I expected. I still haven't made it thru my original list of STD, but that is more of too many irons in multiple fires.
On my list is install the Progressive EMS, adding either a coax cable fitting or a CAT6 plug, neat work in the front basement, install vent covers, and such as that.
I have moved both inverters to a vertical wall to increase open floor space, and am going to re-route some wiring and pex tubing, then add cut off valves to the toilet, w/d, and kitchen. I plan on mounting the EMS to the vertical studs behind the fireplace and I had been dreading that, but then I decided to skin that cat in a different direction and am going to remove the fireplace to install the EMS. Right now one of the things I am studying at is the heat system. Knowing that I have the ability to heat the basement is great, but having sporadic spells of sub freezing nights coupled with unbalanced distribution has me considering partially blocking some vents, starting with the bathroom and adding blocking to the basement vents to cut them off when not needed. Another addition will be LED strips in the basement.
A little further out will be the 8K IS w/ dick upgrade then possibly the Baer wheels.
When we had our Class C, our next coach was to be our last but moving to the 390 with the time constraints that we had on the time schedule is making this one our "learner" since we couldn't take time to customize and order. Outside of the "normal" options we may add a second heat pump up front, and a MaxAir vent in the bathroom. One thing in my learning curve was that if you are using the fireplace heat and have the bathroom and or bedroom door closed, they will get cold. The fireplace will heat the main room and kitchen and the closed doors cuts off the convection to the BR and bath. You have to keep the fireplace thermostat low enough to allow the other system to work, but keeping the doors open will help lower the gas usage tremendously if too low for the heat pump. The heat pump loses it's effectiveness at around 42-45 degrees depending on the heat being held in the chassis. I also have the four ceiling vents in the kitchen closed, but the kitchen still seems to get the majority of the heat from the pump. We are hooked to a 250 gallon LP tank, so gas usage isn't too big of a concern, but I again am looking for mod options for next winter.
The only real advice otherwise is tell your dealer to plan for at least a four hour PDI. Moving from a 310 to the 390 will not entail the culture shock of going from a (wonderful) Thor Class C to a 5th wheel, so I don't think I need to explain that one, but if you are getting the W/D, do a load of laundry during the PDIunless you can spend the night close by.
We are also planning on the Raleigh RV show 3rd weekend in February. That is where we started this journey 3 years ago. The only real thing on the agenda other than a change of scenery is a meeting with a guy who designs and installs custom slide out drawers. During the Home Show last weekend, he told us that he has a contact to build upwards of 2K cabinets for the Mercedes Class B and C chassis, but didn't tell us for which company.
I know this has been long and convoluted at times, but I wanted to get it knocked out before the sleep monster (Ambien) attacks. If we can do anything else, please don't hesitate to ask.
Rather than interjecting this, I will add to plan on either swapping or replacing the mattress in short order. Ours is to the point that I am sleeping on the base and I have decided on a Costco foam mattress as the replacement and I still need to contact the mothership as to if I am on my own for this.Last edited by ThePowells; 01-31-2020 at 12:46 AM.
Jerry & Kelly Powell
Zebulon, NC
2020 Solitude 390RK-R :target:
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01-31-2020, 07:59 AM #3
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Thank you Jerry and Kelly for all the wonderful information, it really helps us in our research. We love the 310Gk but it just does not have enough storage for us. We have replaced our mattress with a Sleep Number and love it!! We have two 1500 watt electric heaters that we will use in colder weather instead of ordering the heat pumps. We do plan on getting the double pane windows more for the sound reduction rather than the thermal qualities but that will be a plus as well.
Thanks for the pin weight info, 3549lbs is more than I expected but we should be fine with that.
I do have a few more questions if you don't mind.
1. Does the W/D shake the 390 much when it is running?
2. Is there ample room behind the entertainment area for 6 lithium batteries and two 3K inverters? I could put the inverters in the basement area under the bath/bedroom.
3. We are thinking about adding the 3rd A/C, how hard is it to cool that larger rig with only 2 A/Cs?
Thanks again for all the information, this has been invaluable information!!
Happy TravelsBrian and Susan
2019 F-350 Dually
2019 GD 310GK
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01-31-2020, 02:31 PM #4
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1-It depends on the load. Light stuff like t-shirts, socks, and bloomers are barely noticeable whereas towels and a couple of pair of my 5.11 work pants are noticeable, but now it's just background like the furnace or A/C.
2-There is a butt load of open space in there. I can pop in there in the morning and give you an estimate of available floor space. Also, the Getaway Couple on youtube has a video on their Li battery system install and has lots of info.
3-That's a question for somebody else as I have no experience but from what I have read is that running the wiring is the hard part. Both of ours are connected to the racetrack so the front A/C is helping with the large room rather than depending on the migration of cooler air.Jerry & Kelly Powell
Zebulon, NC
2020 Solitude 390RK-R :target:
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02-04-2020, 06:45 AM #5
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Ok we just discovered something new that we did not expect. The bedroom on the 390RK and the 310GK almost identical, I thought. As it turns out the bedroom slide on our 310GK extends about 28 inches and gives us about 27 to 28 inches between the dresser and the foot of the bed inside. On the 390 the bedroom slide only extends about 18 inches so the area in front of the bed is noticeably smaller. Plus the bedroom slide windows are smaller as well. This got us to measuring the other slides on the 390RK compared to the 310GK and they all do not extend as far.
Does anyone know why GD decided to make this change? Could it be a weight issue, cost savings, any other ideas?Brian and Susan
2019 F-350 Dually
2019 GD 310GK
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02-04-2020, 08:45 AM #6
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Maybe the difference in the bed sizing or dresser? I have 23" between dresser and bed and the dresser is 15" deep.
Jerry & Kelly Powell
Zebulon, NC
2020 Solitude 390RK-R :target:
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02-04-2020, 08:54 AM #7
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Yeah I may have been off on the 18", the mattress may not have been snugged up against the headboard when I measured. We also measured the slides from the outside and all the slides are a little smaller. The living room slides on the the 310 roll out about 33" where as the 390 are only about 28". I know it is not much but I was more curious as too why as much as anything.
Brian and Susan
2019 F-350 Dually
2019 GD 310GK
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02-04-2020, 11:45 AM #8
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5"s can be a lot.That would be like the differece between the width"s of a regular trailer and a wide body trailer. Now double that in the living area with opposing slides.
Marcy & Gary
2014 Grand Design - Reflection 303RLS
2022 GMC 3500 Denali Duramax Longbed SRW
2015 GMC Denali 3500 - Retired
2003 F350 - retired
Michigan
We're in trouble now, the dog are bloggin'!
https://3dogsandatrailer.wordpress.com/
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02-04-2020, 11:13 PM #9
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Gary does raise the point, but when I pulled up the 310 specs it shows the 101" body.
Jerry & Kelly Powell
Zebulon, NC
2020 Solitude 390RK-R :target:
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02-05-2020, 08:33 AM #10
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But if both trailers have the 101 width body but one trailer's slides are 5"s wider then where they are opposing that is 10's.
Marcy & Gary
2014 Grand Design - Reflection 303RLS
2022 GMC 3500 Denali Duramax Longbed SRW
2015 GMC Denali 3500 - Retired
2003 F350 - retired
Michigan
We're in trouble now, the dog are bloggin'!
https://3dogsandatrailer.wordpress.com/
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