"was immediately put off by the white 'wagon wheels' and Chinese tires. Then, I found out I'd have to install Mor-Ride myself, no disk brakes, etc. I was pretty bummed about the whole thing, frankly."
bcfast, thanks for your interest.
First, Aluminum Rims are a popular option on the Bighorn, so if you buy, you can order yours with the upgrade rims.
As far as the "Chinese" tires, I've looked into Kenda, our tire mfgr. They've been in business since 1962 and have offices overseas and in the United States. They are ISO 9001 Certified (Iternational Organization of Standards) They are also QS 9000 Certified. (Quality system of the "big 3" U.S. auto manufacturers) I know that tire quality is a HUGE concern, due to heat and detreading issues on RV tires, but so far we havn't had any failures on a Kenda tire. It's also safe to say there are several other RV manufacturers using Kenda tires on their fifthwheels.
More Ride suspension is not an option at this time on Bighorn, as the weights are considerably less than Landmark. To a certain extent, some manufacturers use More Ride as a remedy for improper weight disribution caused by poor holding tank placement, axle placement and floorplan design. All our units are CAD (computer aided design) drafted, and our engineering department knows the weight disribution is correct before we ever build the coach. And lastly, if you could get More Ride, leather furniture, solid granite countertops, body paint, solid maple hardwood cabinetry, power awning, etc., on a Bighorn, then it would be a Landmark! (and cost 20K more)
Disk brakes. What a can of worms. Disk brakes are hydraulic, hence the need for an onboard pump and power supply, lines, fittings, etc. Our slides are hydraulic, but if you have a hydraulic failure on your slide, you will be upset, but you probably won't be killed in a wreck. Brakes are a safety issue, and electric drum brakes are tested, proven, and are more than sufficient to stop a Bighorn. "If it ain't broke,....." Just my humble opinion.
I know that dollar for dollar and pound for pound, Bighorn should easily make your "short list" when you're shopping for a fifthwheel.
You all have a great evening, it's been fun! (still working on those option weights for you, Rosco)
Ray