NEWB in need of purchase advice - 3931FB

[Seegrannygo]

Hello everybody!

My hubby and I are in the comparison phase, preparing to purchase a pre-owned 3931FB. My eyes are crossing trying to compare features between the 2018 - 2020 models. We have contenders for each year, and while I have been able to determine the Legacy edition upgrades (for the most part), it seems that each year the standard features changed a bit. It's a tight competition between 4 right now, and we need to make a decision. Any bits of wisdom would be so greatly appreciated!

We are also in the process of purchasing a tow vehicle so advice is welcome there, too! I promise I will set up a signature asap, once we have all the pieces of the puzzle.

Thanks so much, we're excited to get this party started!

-Nancy A, Katy, Texas

[AZ Traveler]

Nancy,

Welcome to the forum!

Pick the one you like the best and can get the best deal on - there is not much difference in those years.

Lots of threads on tow vehicles to read and help out. Ask yourself if it's going to be a pure tow rig or a daily driver. If it's a daily driver there will be tradeoffs to consider - will it fit in your garage, how easy to park at the store? If it's only a tow vehicle - go big.

[Seegrannygo]

Originally Posted by AZ Traveler

Nancy,

Welcome to the forum!

Pick the one you like the best and can get the best deal on - there is not much difference in those years.

Lots of threads on tow vehicles to read and help out. Ask yourself if it's going to be a pure tow rig or a daily driver. If it's a daily driver there will be tradeoffs to consider - will it fit in your garage, how easy to park at the store? If it's only a tow vehicle - go big.

Thanks for the welcome and information! We’re going to be full timing, selling our house and hopefully doing some long term stops across the country. I’ll be following in my car, so the tow vehicle will be strictly that. You confirmed my husband’s desire to go big!

I’ve seen some 3931’s with anniversary packages, disc brakes, slide toppers etc so I wasn’t sure if those things were specific to certain years, and the more I research, the more confusing it is. Guess I’ll follow my instincts!

[AZ Traveler]

Nancy,

Most Legacy models came with disk brakes but early 18 models didn't and some done during Covid did not have them. Drum brakes will do the job but disk brakes are better. Drum brakes can be upgraded to disks in a day.

Toppers were not standard but options or added after market.

There are always changes to a particular model within a year of production.

[Mikendebbie]

Nancy - our unit (3921FB) was manufactured Nov 2017 and we bought it January 2018. We have drum brakes - not disc brakes. They have been fine. I had a 2014 Chevy C3500 long bed single rear wheel truck. It towed the unit no problem. We bought the 2019 dually in my signature Feb 2019. Towing and stopping experience is MUCH better with the dually.

Be sure to check the dates on the tires…hopefully they are not the original tires.

We have really enjoyed the Suburban IW60 on-demand water heater because we have the full tub across the front. There are a few “quirks” to learn for the water heater…you can’t wash dishes and take a shower at the same time and get hot water at both places.

Make sure previous owners have replaced the 50 amp hydraulic slide breaker with an 80 amp breaker. If not - you can do it yourself for $40 or so. The 50 amp breakers are too small and the living room slides don’t work well. There are lots of threads on the subject in the forum.

The bedroom slide is a Schwintek electric slide. Lots of folks don’t like them and experience problems. Fortunately for our model the bedroom slide is small and probably well suited for the Schwintek mechanism. Read about them in the forum and watch YouTube videos for how to keep it going. I keep mine lubricated with teflon spray and synced properly, and have had no problems. Also I believe the placement of our bedroom slide far back from the nose helps to prevent frame flex…another often discussed item here in the forum…but this is only my theory - I have no engineering proof to back it up.

Let us know which unit you choose! There is lots of help available here!

Edit: I believe the 2018 model will have the “second generation” of the in-command system like mine. It will NOT control the air conditioners or the furnace. Based on my reading about issues others have had with “generation 3” in command - I am glad I have Gen 2! I have only had 1 issue with our in command…some living room lights fluttered inssesantly. Someone in the forum suggested I should swap relays in the control board and it was fixed!

[Kfinnert]

Hi Nancy A -

I agree with all of the comments in this post. I have an older Montana that was restored; being older, I did add a few items to bring about the comfort the newer models provide. I prefer older models insomuch as their systems and electronics are what I understand. I am careful not to get wrapped around the axle on the latest fad insomuch as the more moving or electric components, the more that can go wrong!

I do have a few thoughts for you. First and foremost, assess how you will be using the 5th wheel. For example, my wife quilts, so we have to have space for her quilting eq. I like to hike and fish, so I need a spot for my poles and tackle and bait. We like to be off the grid and desert camp, so we needed solar for power, a method for transporting and storing water, large black tank capacity. I refuse to use a black tank towable and prefer to hook-up and dump at a station.

I am not a big fan of the Schwintek electric slide systems. I have a friend who has it on his, and he has had no problems. But, as mentioned earlier, use what you know, and I understand the hydraulic systems and have hydraulic slides on mine. I do not have the hydraulic landing gears, mine are the electric with the worm drive.

I think slide toppers are a must. Keep the top of your slides, relatively, clean of tree debris and dirt. You will see many RV'rs without toppers on top of their roofs sweeping or blowing off the slide tops before they close up!

A/C and heating options are a must. If you are going to be in hot climates, I would want at least two A/C units. If you are boondocking, then you will want a generator to run electronics and soft starts on the A/C units. Think about portable heater options for cold climates that can be used in your RV. Lil Buddy, small oscillating heater, electric blankets or mattress pads, and electric fireplace, etc.

Think about the weight you will be carrying and the necessities you would like to have. Every RV has a maximum carrying capacity and you want to stay below or at that weight! I am a bad example, since I may be overloaded at times due to large fuel tanks I have on my truck, which I fill to capacity when making a long haul.

A good tow vehicle that meets your trailers hauling specs is critical in the decision process. I recommend going bigger than "just right". I see a lot of > 1tn trucks hauling larger trailers. Always go bigger than what you need. I have hauled many a mile using a variety of tow vehicles and hauled loads from gravel to livestock. The right tow vehicle makes the trip more enjoyable and lessens your anxiety.

Final consideration based on your statement that you are selling your home to go fulltime. ALWAYS look to the future and have a plan for the time when living as a nomad is no longer enjoyable or doable. I know many people that set out on their dream Nomadic lifestyle only to realize that life had other plans. ALWAYS have a back-up plan for housing and medical needs as you age!

Best of luck and we hope to see you on the road!

Cheers

[Seegrannygo]

What a wonderful group you all are to provide such detailed information! I can't tell you how beneficial it has been for us to have guidance from those who have been there and done that! We're considering all our options currently, hopefully we will reach some decisions soon. Again, thank you for your kindness!

-Nancy A. in Texas

[DutchmenSport]

Welcome to the forums!

New or used, either way, purchase the camper and use it for at least 1 year before you plan on selling your house. In the course of that year you'll learn how to camp in all 4 seasons of the year, how to boondock, have full hooks, route plan, and get some experience with different types of campgrounds and set-ups ... State, Federal, Private, full hook-up, no hook-ups, Summer, Winter, in grandma's drive way or as a camp host in a state park. So, use that year to learn how to handle the camper in all these environments so you won't have a shock while you still have your stick-n-brick home to retreat, regroup, replan, and try again! Once on the road, you are stuck ... if you end up getting "stuck."

The year will give you time to acclimate yourself to using the camper, making modifications, a hook here, move the pots and pans "there." How much garden hose do I really need to carry? How much sewer hose do I REALLY need to carry all the time? Where do we store all this stuff when traveling?

The year gives you familiarity to the lifestyle, the short fallings of the camper, and gives you the time, place, and resources to make adjustments and changes to the actual camper.

What happens if you get the drum brakes and then determine they are not really working right? So, at home, you are in a much better position to have disk brakes installed than on the road when you have no other place to stay, except a motel.

So whatever you get, plan on at least a year, camping as much as humanly possible so you can flush out all the bugs, make these adjustments, and really learn the in's and outs of your new camper with the luxury of returning to your stick-n-brick home and not have to "wing it" in frustration once on the road. When you hit the road ... you are prepared and your camper is now outfitted for your personal lifestyle.

It took us 2 years to figure out we REALLY wanted a washer and dryer in ours .... (just for an example)....... Now that we spend about 10 months of the year away from our stick-n-brick home, it was one of the better choices we made. But it took 2 years to make that decision.

[Theunz]

Lots of good advice here, but disc brakes should be high on your list. Sure lots of users feel drum brakes are fine, but one panic stop with them will have you wishing for disc’s. The ARE that much better. Disc brake conversions will set you back from $2 to 3 grand. Better tires can save you thousands in body repair bills, when not if, the cheap Chinese tires blow. H rated Sailun’s excepted. Do some research on “China Bombs”.