We Want One!

Looking to buy a B190 or related item? Post here!
MichaelB
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We Want One!

Post by MichaelB »

Hey All -

My family and I have been fulltime RVers for over 6 years, traveling the USA in a truck pulling a fifth wheel RV. Recent mechanical issues with the truck have forced us to reevaluate things. We could just buy a new truck and keep going, but we're ready for a change.

We started as a quartet but are now a trio, soon to be a duet.

We're looking to downsize into a Class B of some sort in order to be more nimble, and get in & out of places we just can't with the big fifth wheel. We want to be able to park in people's driveways, etc.

So we're looking. We currently in the San Antonio, TX area. We're planning to fly over to Tampa, FL this weekend to shop Class Bs - there are just more for sale there than anywhere in the country.

Anyway, our budget is about $12K. I'm handy with old cars so I'm not concerned about a rig that needs a few things. But it has to be "move-in" ready as it looks like our RV is sold.

If you have something in TX or FL we'd appreciate hearing about it!

If it's of any help, we run a popular RVing blog/podcast: https://ditchingsuburbia.com. If you're worried that your beloved AS is going to good hands, have no fear. We'll take good care of it and it'll get featured in a lot of blog posts.
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190-b-651
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Re: We Want One!

Post by 190-b-651 »

I love the fact the b190 fits in a parking spot good luck on your search.
Dennis

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MichaelB
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Re: We Want One!

Post by MichaelB »

Unless we end up having to pull a small cargo trailer - which is likely. ;)

But thanks!
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190-b-651
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Re: We Want One!

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Storage space isn't much duel purpose items help when ever possible. For now we are weekenders or maybe up to five or six days so it works out but for longer trips after my wife retires its going to take something in tow or alot of rethinking.
I pull my old 94 bronco sometimes it really helps for extra space but my friends have a hayday with it. The chevy guys cant resist comments like aww look he's bringing extra parts... but it is kinda funny....

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skater
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Re: We Want One!

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190-b-651 wrote:Storage space isn't much duel purpose items help when ever possible. For now we are weekenders or maybe up to five or six days so it works out but for longer trips after my wife retires its going to take something in tow or alot of rethinking.
I pull my old 94 bronco sometimes it really helps for extra space but my friends have a hayday with it. The chevy guys cant resist comments like aww look he's bringing extra parts... but it is kinda funny....
I used to tow a car on a dolly with mine. Kind of a PITA. After our crash, we went to the Outer Banks without the dolly (it had been severely damaged in the crash), and I'd forgotten how much fun the B190 was to drive and park without towing something! We just rented a car for the days we were there.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

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Re: We Want One!

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Crash? That's never good. Im not a big fan of dollys but with some vehicles you don't have a choice. The manual transfer case is lubricated off the tail shaft so it's happy in neutral on this one anyway not all you can tow like that. I wired the lights up with a plug in the grill of the bronco to the van all marker lights work. Its alot safer the the magnetic tail lights.
What happened Skater what crashed?

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skater
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Re: We Want One!

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190-b-651 wrote:Crash? That's never good. Im not a big fan of dollys but with some vehicles you don't have a choice. The manual transfer case is lubricated off the tail shaft so it's happy in neutral on this one anyway not all you can tow like that. I wired the lights up with a plug in the grill of the bronco to the van all marker lights work. Its alot safer the the magnetic tail lights.
What happened Skater what crashed?

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This thread has the details and a link to pictures.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

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Re: We Want One!

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Wow glad everything worked out and no one was hurt.

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Re: We Want One!

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190-b-651 wrote:Wow glad everything worked out and no one was hurt.
Yeah, I've learned a few things from it, so that's good. For example, we stopped letting the cat roam the camper while underway; instead he (and our current cats) stayed in a carrier or cage until we get to our destination. At any time after the crash, he could have jumped out the broken side window into traffic. It's just one of those things you don't think about until it happens, so when I see the subject come up, I always recommend having pets restrained.

I wasn't going fast that day, but I drive even more carefully through that stretch now. I see skid marks in that spot from time to time, so it's not just me...
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

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190-b-651
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Re: We Want One!

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Its something I think about towing my bronco to by not having brakes active it definitely increases the stopping distance. I try to give myself plenty of distance. On the freeway or open road its not a big problem its the winding mountain roads that can suprise you. Sounds like thats what happened to you?
I did a full hard braking test with the bronco hooked up from about 40 mph as expected i had to steer to keep the tow vehicle from trying to pass me I wouldn't want to do that at freeway speeds or in a turn. I've seen a wireless break actuator that mounts in the floor of your tow vehicle and actually applys the brakes for $1200 it would be cheap compared to an accident.

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Re: We Want One!

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190-b-651 wrote:Its something I think about towing my bronco to by not having brakes active it definitely increases the stopping distance. I try to give myself plenty of distance. On the freeway or open road its not a big problem its the winding mountain roads that can suprise you. Sounds like thats what happened to you?
Not really - the dolly did have brakes. I wouldn't describe it as a winding mountain road, but rather just a rather sharp bend with cheap road/bridge building that resulted in narrow shoulders. Also, since he was mostly out of the lane, cars could pass by with no problem, so I had a false sense of security approaching him. So, it wasn't until I was too close that I realized he was in the lane and we weren't going to clear him, and there were cars in the other lane. It didn't help that I locked up the front brakes trying to stop - the rear had anti-lock, but not the front. It's probably good that happened, because if I'd hit the trailer with a glancing blow instead of dead on, it might have slid over and hit the guy instead of just rolling straight forward.

The dolly's brakes were acting a bit weird; I had planned to check them before the next trip. So it's possible that in the moment they weren't helping as much as they normally would. They were working when we left the campground, though.

I took all of the blame; the officer hadn't noted him being in the lane, and he claimed he wasn't, and that was that. But if you did the math, you'd see he HAD to be in the lane - the shoulder was only as wide as his trailer, and he was standing between the guard rail and the trailer, therefore... Oh well. It's off my record now and my policy premiums have dropped again, and we're a little wiser.
I did a full hard braking test with the bronco hooked up from about 40 mph as expected i had to steer to keep the tow vehicle from trying to pass me I wouldn't want to do that at freeway speeds or in a turn. I've seen a wireless break actuator that mounts in the floor of your tow vehicle and actually applys the brakes for $1200 it would be cheap compared to an accident.
Yeah. I assume you have to leave the engine running for those to work, but I don't know for sure. Actually maybe that's how you have to tow it anyway? I never did flat towing so I never figured that out.
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Re: We Want One!

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Im curious on the braking system being power and although they do still work without vacuum it takes both legs to almost apply the breaks but a electric vacuum pump would solve that problem isolated to just the brakes on the bronco.
I'll figure something out it keeps me on my toes and its not very often i do take it with us if its just a weekend trip I don't take it. For now anyway. I drove truck and had my own over the years everything from smoth bore tanker to heavy haul nine axle this by farr isn't the least maneuverable thing I've driven.
My friend asked me the other day after seeing the b190 isn't it kinda small? Lol i thought about that for a minute if I had a sleeper on a truck that big it would be like a five star hotel. I think that's why I like it so much I feel right at home...


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MichaelB
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Re: We Want One!

Post by MichaelB »

You can research at http://www.brakebuddy.com/ - mostly just a gizmo that smartly applies pressure to the brake pedal.

In other news, we bought a Pleasure Way Class B..a B190 just didn't come along at the right time..:(
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Thanks for the link.

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Re: We Want One!

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After reading what brake buddy had to say about the laws governing towing what they are quoting is standard trailer laws not motor vehicle in-tow of course it makes you think there product is required.
California motor vehicle code 26458 - C line A


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