# Future 28bhs Purchaser



## Forgiven_One (May 10, 2005)

Hello all, I was so glad to discover this site before I purchase my Outback 28BHS. I fell in love with the TT the moment I stepped inside. I have a 95 Salem Cobra 29ft but with two kids and a dog it just isn't practical. The bunkhouse is just what we are looking for but being the researcher I am, I like to get the scoop on things from those who have experiance with this TT. I hope to pick mine up in the next week but while I am in the negotiation mode with several local dealers, I thought I would stop in for any information that you might think valuable before my purchase is final. Thank you all in advance for your time and information.


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

Hello and welcome to Outbackers!

I think you'll find by reading here that the Outbacks in general are a good value for the money, tops in their class of ultralight trailer, and also do experience the same quirky problems found in all brands, but no known big defects or problems. Unless you're really disturbed by the "gray" and "black" tank labels being reversed sometimes









The 28-BHS specifically has been the greatest family thing ever for us. I have two small kids and simply love the floorplan and all the storage available. It tows exceptionally well behind our 1/2 ton Suburban. We have never had a serious issue with this unit. And actually never had ANY issues at all for the first 1.5 years. After that I did need to reseal a caulk line on the roof that had cracked and started to leak. But again, this can and does happen on ALL RV's.

I don't need to say anything about the interior as it sounds you have been about as "wowed" as we were. I bought mine on the spot!

I know I probably sound like a "homer" routing for the home team here, but can objectionably say that the 28-BHS is an excellent unit that will serve you and your family well. After spending over 30 nights in our unit I'm still satisfied and feel we are lacking nothing.

Best of luck with whatever you decide









ON EDIT: Be sure to visit the FAQ section of this site and get yourself a copy of the PDI checklist for picking up your new trailer (whatever brand).


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

Welcome and good luck........Go for it, You ll love it.

Little side note on the black and gray handles. My dealer informed me the trailers do not come with the handles marked, they have to put the labels on. He runs water in the sink and opens the vavles to figure out which one is which.


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## Forgiven_One (May 10, 2005)

Thanks for the welcome and the info. I have been reading about tire sizes and was wondering if in fact the 14" tires for this size TT will work ok or should I insist on 15" tires as part of the deal. I know this TT is very light but it seems that many members think a 28ft camper should really have 15". Thoughts?


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## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

The TTs only come with 14" wheels. If you want bigger, you'll have to upgrade.

Randy


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## Forgiven_One (May 10, 2005)

Castle Rock Outbackers said:


> The TTs only come with 14" wheels. If you want bigger, you'll have to upgrade.
> 
> Randy
> [snapback]35845[/snapback]​


So the factory 14" should do just fine then?

Thanks,
Troy


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## lakesider (Sep 1, 2004)

We too love the floor plan of our 28BHS.







Love at first sight for us. Plenty of room for the kids, the dog, and even an occasional stay by my mother-in-law!

We also found it to have lots of storage space. I'm sure we will have no problem filling that up, but coming from a pop-up it is a big change for us.

We've had no major problems with the trailer so far - admittedly we've only been out three times (not counting twice camped out in our driveway) but it has been great fun.

We did have to have the radio replaced when we first picked up the unit. Didn't work on the AM band at all. The replacement unit works fine, but I have read of many others who seem to have had a similar issue with the radio.

And lastly I must point out that although we were sold on the 28BHS before finding this site, it has been a GREAT thing for DW and I. Lots of information, helpful hints, and lessons learned for those like me who have never owned this kind of TT before. And it sure helped keep our excitement up during the cold winter months.

Have fun!


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

I think the only issue that folks here were discussing was that in the event of a flat tire, the remaining 3 tires would be at or just over their weight carrying capacity. This is of course dependent upon how much weight you have stuffed into the Outback.

Certainly the way the Outbacks ship from the factory (tires) meet all DOT and safety regulations. It's just a matter of building in some extra safety by using higher rated tires/wheels.

Now I'm not positive, but it seems to me you could just change out the tires and not the rims to upgrade. I think Outbacks come with load range "C" tires on them, so why not upgrade the tires to load "D"









Maybe Andy will chime in on this since he was the one who had the blowouts and started thinking this through.

So far with over 2500 miles on mine they are fine and showing no signs of wear. I have the "Dura" brand installed and always run them at full inflation, (50-55psi, can't remember). However, when the time comes for a change out I'll probably look for some load "D"'s to replace them with.


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## Forgiven_One (May 10, 2005)

Awesome, thanks for the info and thanks again for the welcome. I really am excited about getting this TT, just waiting for the purchaser of my 95 Salem to come take her away and hand me my down payment







. Time to do some more reading. As I said before, I am glad I found this site and cant wait to become more involved with stories of my very own Outback. Great site, great people, great TT, what else could you want


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## stapless (Feb 20, 2005)

Welcome to the site!! I too did a lot of research before settling on OB, and also got 28 BHS. I am very happy with my decision. had it out twice now, and no major problems. I also think this web site is a HUGE bonus for OB over other brands. the people here are amazing. The volume of collective knowledge and experience to be gained from this site and its members is invaluable!! It was a significant part of my decision to go with outback. I learn something new every time i visit here. good luck with your decision!!


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## borntorv (Apr 13, 2004)

Welcome F_O,

Congrats on your choice of TT's. I envy the sense of anticipation you're experiencing. Just something particularly exciting about the pending arrival of a new RV. All the possibilities/fun!









As usual, the other posters have done a great job responding to your questions.







Hopefully you'll add your own experiences to the list of Outbackers who are willing to share their knowledge and increase the collective wisdom this board represents.

One additional thought on the tires. We've had our camper for over a year now and pulled it a fair number of miles. Towing has been easy and the stock tires have held up well. Of all the "round the fire" discussions I've had with fellow campers I can't ever remember anyone having two tires blow out at the same time. Who knows, if there are any they probably gave up camping!









Enjoy the new OB,

Greg


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## Bull Elk (Feb 28, 2005)

Forgiven One,
I do not have the trailer that you a looking at, but I have to say the Outbacks seem to me very well thought out. I only had one issue with one of my door looks on our first trip out. We tried everything and everything worked great. My DW even made a pan of brownies in the oven. My sister is seriously looking at the 28BHS, so she will be very interested in this thread. 
BEST OF LUCK!!!







This site is priceless.


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## Forgiven_One (May 10, 2005)

Bull Elk said:


> Forgiven One,
> I do not have the trailer that you a looking at, but I have to say the Outbacks seem to me very well thought out. I only had one issue with one of my door looks on our first trip out. We tried everything and everything worked great. My DW even made a pan of brownies in the oven. My sister is seriously looking at the 28BHS, so she will be very interested in this thread.
> BEST OF LUCK!!!
> 
> ...


Thanks Bull Elk, I will make sure to keep posting as I go through the final purchase process and PDI so that any usefull information I may gain can be passed on here as you all have done for me thus far. Thanks again for being a great group of RV'ers.

BTW I am assuming DW= Darling Wife


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## Humpty (Apr 20, 2005)

Another new 28BHS owner checking in....... We love ours!. Maiden Voyage to Darlington was great. Let's go to the Beach!!


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## drobe5150 (Jan 21, 2005)

hi forgiven one action

we love our 28bhs







it was the perfect floorplan for us.

so far no major problems yet, just some minor cosmetics issues that the dealer is taking care of.

trailer tows great behind our excursion.

what year is yours, interior color? what is your tow vehicle

darrel


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## Forgiven_One (May 10, 2005)

drobe5150 said:


> hi forgiven one action
> 
> we love our 28bhs
> 
> ...


The Outback is a 2005 with Jasmine interior. My TV is a 2001 Silverado Ext. Cab with factory tow package, HD coolers and 3.73 gears. I added 20" custom wheels, chrome side steps, stainless steel door handles and tailgate handle, stainless wheel opening trim and custom stereo system, which is one of my many hobbies. I of course will have to trick out my Outback after I have it for a little while.


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## Reverie (Aug 9, 2004)

Let me add my voice to the chorus of 28BHS lovers. We cannot say enough about this trailer. We have an '03 and we purchased it slightly used. I can say that we have yet to experience anything unexpected and recommend it without reservation. We pull ours with a Tundra. I agree that the stock tires and wheels are fine unless you really want to load it up to the max. That being said, when these tires wear out I plan on replacing them with a higher load rating. Since I'm sort of a "belt AND suspenders" sort of guy it could be overkill.

We have two young kids and they love the Outback. They each have their own space and plenty of common space to play in together. We have been blessed with great weather on most of our trips but on the days that haven't been so nice, the kids and the parents coexisted in the trailer without any problems.

There is an abundance of storage space in this floorplan. The cabinets over the queen bed have never been used.

I see you are in South Carolina. I hope you would consider joining us for our Southeastern Outback Rallys. You can pick up an incredible amount of information along with the occasional door prize. Just watch the Rally forum on Outbackers.com.

The only problem I have encountered with my Outback is a lack of time to go camping as much as I would like. I suspect I would have had that same problem with any other brand.

Reverie


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

[snapback]35910[/snapback]​[/quote]
I added 20" custom wheels
[snapback]35933[/snapback]​[/quote]

I did the same thing to my Burb. However, be advised that you have reduced your "effective" gear ratio with the larger diameter tires and lost some torque in the process.

I also had 3.73's and with my increased diameter the effective ratio was reduced to 3.56. Because my towing capacity with the 28BHS was marginal I planned to replace my stock rear with the Eaton unit anyway so I changed it out with a 4.10. Now my effective ratio is back to 3.73


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

Also, from what I have read, stopping is harder on the brakes because of the moving mass of rims.


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## Jacko (Feb 14, 2005)

Welcome you will find this web-site very useful and not having it would be a rough road. Anyway, we love our Outback 28BHS. It pulls very well with our TV, and sway is very little. The appliances are working well and we have had no problems othe than a leaky window seal. We enjoy it a great deal, and I think you will too.

Stay in contact with California Jim, he seems to have the most time with his bhs--lot of good ideas and things to share. "Thanks Jim"

Jacko


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## Forgiven_One (May 10, 2005)

Thanks for the info Jim, I hadn't thought about the size difference on the tires causing change in gear ratio. I kept my factory rims and tires just incase I decided to get rid of the truck for something larger. I may consider changing my rims and tires out when I go camping. I know many are thinking, he's crazy thats a big pain to do, but since I dont get away to much and I have mechanics that would change them out for me(I manage a car dealership) it wouldnt be to bad.

I will also keep an eye out for the Rally, that would be awesome to actually be able to meet and learn things from all you seasoned Outback owners.


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## 100acrewood (Apr 12, 2005)

Forgiven_One said:


> Hello all, I was so glad to discover this site before I purchase my Outback 28BHS. I fell in love with the TT the moment I stepped inside. I have a 95 Salem Cobra 29ft but with two kids and a dog it just isn't practical. The bunkhouse is just what we are looking for but being the researcher I am, I like to get the scoop on things from those who have experiance with this TT. I hope to pick mine up in the next week but while I am in the negotiation mode with several local dealers, I thought I would stop in for any information that you might think valuable before my purchase is final. Thank you all in advance for your time and information.
> [snapback]35809[/snapback]​


Welcome to the site Forgiven One!!
We are now in our third camping season with our 28 BHS and still love it as much today as the day that we purchased it. We have only had a few minor issues with the TT and the majority of them we had repaired within our first season while it was under warranty. My wife really appreciate all of the storage and interior space (especially on rainy days!!) we have and I have been impressed with the way it tows. I think you will find that you will be very happy with your decision.


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## Reverie (Aug 9, 2004)

We are currently in the planning stages for both Summer and Fall rallys. Check us out over in the Rally forum, usually labeled "Southeastern" Rally.

Reverie


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## luv2rv (Jun 21, 2004)

One more thumbs up for the 28BH-S !! Very practical unit for a family. Lots of room inside (for those rainy days) bunks are great ... kids love em.

Enjoy

Wayne


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## Forgiven_One (May 10, 2005)

Quick update on my negotiations(sp?) with the dealer. Looks like I found a dealer that is just 45 minutes from my home that will sell me a 2005 BHS with all the options and color we want for 19500. Does that seem to be a fair price for that unit. I have seen them as low as 18900 way up north and as high as 25500. Thoughts?


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

Assuming 18,900 was in michigan, I think you did well. I was happy if my dealer was 1000 over michigan and they were after dealing.

Good Luck

John


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## Forgiven_One (May 10, 2005)

I found 18900 in Indiana with free delivery up to 500 miles but that still leaves me some driving to do. Wonder why they are more expensive in the south. Is the factory that builds them in the north? Maybe if it is there is less destination fees and such. Guess I'll stick with the closer dealer that way I can build a relationship with the dealer for possable future upgrades







. Looks like I'll picking her up saturday. The wife and kids are really excited. Thanks again for all the info so far. Gotta go find that PDI list I printed out action


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## Forgiven_One (May 10, 2005)

I finally have my 28BHS in the drive way! The wife and I spent most of this evening loading it up getting ready for next weeks memorial day voyage. I cant wait to get to the campsite and set it up for our first of many outings to come.


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## cookie9933 (Feb 26, 2005)

Forgiven_One said:


> I finally have my 28BHS in the drive way! The wife and I spent most of this evening loading it up getting ready for next weeks memorial day voyage. I cant wait to get to the campsite and set it up for our first of many outings to come.
> [snapback]37350[/snapback]​


 action Congratulations,
You and your family are going to have some Great







times together!


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

Forgiven one,

Congrats on the new Outback!









Have a great summer. sunny

Mark


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## oshields (May 3, 2005)

If you don't mind me asking, what did you finally pay for your 28BHS? Did you buy a unit off the dealer's lot or did they order one for you? We're trying to decide between the OB 28BHS, OB 26RS or Jayco 27BH. Based on the prices I've gotten, the Outback is about $5500 more than the Jayco. Thanks for your help.


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