3611JS - Design Suggestions

[Hogladyrider]

We purchased our 3611JS in April and we are full timers and as we get "settled" we are noting things that we feel could be improved upon.

1. Couch in living area, needs light switch on BOTH ends of the couch not just on one end.
2. Pantry needs shelving all the way from top to bottom as there is not much kitchen storage.
3. Bathroom faucets need to be placed closer to sink as current location water gets everywhere.
4. Why no underbed storage?

Will post additional suggestions as we move forward.

FYI we downsized from a Big Horn 3875FB to the Cyclone and we are really enjoying our new Cyclone despite originally feeling that I was giving up so much living space, it is amazing what you can do with LESS to bring your motorcycle with you!

Susan

 

[avvidclif]

#3 solved http://www.homedepot.com/p/Delta-Foundations-2-Handle-Bar-Faucet-in-Chrome-B28911LF/203426296

Many others available, just the first one.

#4 mine has gas struts to hold the bed up, yours doesn't?

 

[Hogladyrider]

#3 solved http://www.homedepot.com/p/Delta-Foundations-2-Handle-Bar-Faucet-in-Chrome-B28911LF/203426296

Many others available, just the first one.

#4 mine has gas struts to hold the bed up, yours doesn't?

#3 - Yes we will be changing out the faucet when we return to our home base in Florida this coming winter, just seems like it makes too much sense to install a proper faucet when building the unit! I have seen MANY Heartland 5th wheel owners changing out the bathroom faucets for the same reason.

#4 - NO we do not have gas struts to hold the bed up, the bed does NOT go up, all we have is one very small drawer, which makes no sense at all. So another modification we will need to make on our own.

Susan

 

[avvidclif]

Why wait, takes less than 15 min to change the faucet???

 

[AJJONES]

Thank you for the input it is greatly appreciated. I did want to let you know we have now changed the pantry to add some more shelves up top on units being built now. We are working on additional storage under the bed, the main issue is the king bed sliding mechanism that moves the mattress side to side.

thanks,

AJ

 

[Lndeatr]

I know this is an older thread but our insurance is replacing a 300C due to a fire. We would love to see a queen size bed in the master with room to walk around it like the 300C. Maybe an extended front like the Ti edition to allow more room in the master between the bath wall and the bed.

 

[Rawhide]

Thank you for the input it is greatly appreciated. I did want to let you know we have now changed the pantry to add some more shelves up top on units being built now. We are working on additional storage under the bed, the main issue is the king bed sliding mechanism that moves the mattress side to side.

thanks,

AJ

We have a 2017 3611js. Two things: the king bed takes up way too much room. Tried to get the dealer to replace it with a Queen. They refused. 2). The patio door track sticks up about an in h or more. Too easy to stumble over it. In fact it was already bent when we got the trailer. Seems it could have been recessed into the floor.

 

[Hogladyrider]

We drove in the rain the other day for the first time.

When we stopped for the day we noticed wet carpet in the double slide in the living area opposite the fireplace, just above the wheel area. The wood underneath the carpet was visibly wet as well.

We were able to dry out overnight with the use of a fan.

Something for the factory and design team to consider for future design and builds.

Also another design/option consideration might be the sofa in the living area. We live full time in our Cyclone 3611JS and we would prefer theatre seating with the massage/heat chairs with space left open on either side ILO the 4 cushion couch. The wire pull levers for the foot rests do not last the handles break off very easily. Yes we are very careful.

Susan & Gary

 

[MillerTime802]

Re: 3611JS - Design Suggestions, and Warnings

We have a 2017 3611 JS.

Improvements/additions we've made.

1. Over Frig Storage: Added gas shocks to hold up the storage door over the refrigerator.
2. Master King Bed: Replaced the king bed to a queen. Easier to make up and window side person to get in and out.
3. Master Bed Frame: Added under bed storage. Removed existing plywood, installed new plywood piano hinged to frame at head of bed. Added 2 gas shocks to hold bed up. One shock each side of bed frame. Had to remove the gas shocks for the bed frame slide, which moves the bed frame to window side when the slide closes.
4. Garage Let Down Bed: Drilled new set pin holes in the chain driven slide channel to hold the bed down off the ceiling. I did this so the air conditioner/heat strip would push air to the garage. With the bed in its stock location, you can't turn on the ac/heat because it snugs too close to the bed.
5. Jumbo Slide tables (2 thus): I removed and respaced the floor receivers for the table legs so i could install a single table between the two easy-chairs. Allows the ability to use the tables in stock position or a single in the middle. (This is very very useful for diversity comfort usability.
6. Jumbo Slide Table Area: (This is the best thing to do) The original spacing for the legs (side by side) on the small JS tables and the garage large table are the same. I purchased additional table legs with top and bottom receivers to I could use the large garage table in the JS slide area. There's tons of space to the big table allows lots of table room for dining room and general area use. We get 7 people around big table. One small table can be used in the garage area, allowing easy access to the rear patio via the garage through the bench seating.

Buyer Beware:

1. Buyer Beware #1: Garage Patio Awning: My awning was not properly attached to the rear panel, differing from the awing's installation manual by not using connection plates and using instead 5 self tapping screws secured to only the gauge metal siding. It fell to the patio deck resulting in just under $8,000 repair costs. Discovery: If you open your awning and see only 5 screws through the back of the awning enclosure, you may have a problem needing repair.
2. Beyer Beware #2: Aluminum Wheels: If you have SenDal 16-6 8 lugs on 6.5" style T07 (black wheels with face brushed aluminum spokes) I believe these wheels are not properly sized for a 5th wheel of this size. Or, it's a defect in the wheel. Upon returning from a long trip, I noticed 3 of the spokes had full penetration breaks in them......I was on the verge of a catastrophic failure which could have resulted in life/safety issues. I know of one other Cyclone trailer using the same wheel that broke in the same way. I'm 2 months out of my 1 year warranty and my dealer (Explore USA Denton TX) says they can't do anything to help me except to turn in a warranty claim (but not hopeful since I'm out of warranty), recommended I contact the MFG myself since I'll have more pull with the MFG than they do!!! What!!!!! Don't agree with this, but will contact MFG on Monday and see if they can assist me with this life/safety issue. No, i didn't hit anything, overload the trailer, run off the road or hit large pot holes.

Buyer Beware #2 Update: Just got off phone with the wheel manufacturer's representative. He checked loads and says the wheel is within load specifications and should not have cracked. They are sending me a new wheel (at no charge) so I can return the cracked one for their investigation and testing purposes. Best experience I've received from anyone regarding my new trailer. Oh, they're sending the wheel express service so I can have it for my upcoming road trip.

Recommended Improvement:

1. Recommended MFG Improvements:
   1. Add a door under the center seat area in the couch in the Jumbo Slide for light storage (paper plates and towels, Dixie cups, napkins, plastic ware, etc.
   2. Add plastic angle brackets to the head and foot of the garage let down bed to keep it from sliding to the windows and tearing off the window valances.
   3. Insulate the water lines running through the trailer for freeze protection. This 4 season trailer freezes up with the slightest, short duration freezing weather.
   4. Place shut off valves to water lines running to the exterior showers and washer bibs. Mine froze (faucets) and broke while camping, resulting in need to turn off all water to the trailer until I could get to Home Depot and but some pvc plugs for the water lines. Further, I recommend having turn off valves for all faucets in the RV so you can maintenance the faucets w/o turning off all the water.
   5. MFG to design in all things I added....thus far...I have more areas to improve.

Good Luck All.

 

[MillerTime802]

Oops. Forgot to mention a couple more adds.

1. added shelving in the pantry below the stock shelves.
2. added a shelf over the stove storage area.
3. Placed sealant around the garage 1/2 bath counter. Didn't have any and water could move between the counter and the wall.
4. Finally put in family photos in the picture over the main cabin entry door, ha.
5. Big Improvement here: Storage over the fireplace/under the tv: I flipped the door/hinges to open down in lieu of up so I could see and have easy access to the stereo stuff and small storage area. Also, Velcro'd a 2x6 under the stereo to raise it so the IR would read through the frosted glass.

 

[danemayer]

Aluminum Wheels: If you have SenDal 16-6 8 lugs on 6.5" style T07 (black wheels with face brushed aluminum spokes) I believe these wheels are not properly sized for a 5th wheel of this size. Or, it's a defect in the wheel. Upon returning from a long trip, I noticed 3 of the spokes had full penetration breaks in them......I was on the verge of a catastrophic failure which could have resulted in life/safety issues.

Hi MillerTime802,

Call Tredit at (800) 537-2925 about the wheels. I believe Tredit has a lifetime warranty on wheels.

 

[MillerTime802]

Hi MillerTime802,

Call Tredit at (800) 537-2925 about the wheels. I believe Tredit has a lifetime warranty on wheels.

Thanks for the information. I'm cruising their web site now. I want to upgrade the load carrying capacity of the wheel to 4,000 plus pounds in lieu of the stock 3,200 #.

 

[MillerTime802]

Here's a great modification I made to my JS Toy Hauler:

1st: I spaced the table leg receivers screwed to the floor in the cabin area the same distance apart so I could place one small table in the middle position, between the two lounge chairs. This give us a common table between the loungers and allows us to lay them back into comfort position. This also allows to place the two small tables in their stock placement in front of the lounge chairs. This in itself as a great improvement to add flexibility to table placement. The floor receivers use small length wood screws. I'll include photos of the small tables soon.

2nd: It just so happens the large table originally intended for the garage has three table legs receivers that are interchangeable with the small tables intended for the cabin. Two of the table's receivers are spaced the same as the small tables. Those are the two back legs closest to the sofa in the attached photo. The front left table leg receiver is in the stock position for the garage legs. I simple used one of the small table legs in that receiver to make a triangular pattern (as is in the garage) and purchased a new floor receiver from Amazon. This same front left leg has a base to match the existing in the cabin area, but is NOT screwed to the floor as I'm not sure the screws will interfere with anything when the slide closes. So the base just sits on the carpet. I purchased from Amazon a new table leg, floor and table receivers to match the existing ones, and installed it as the front right leg...also just sitting on the carpet.
This configuration provides a good stable base for the large table to be used in the very large cabin area room. We can sit 8 people around the table relatively comfortably. If its just my wife and me, then the large table is still greatly appreciated and again, isn't too large for the massive size room.

3rd: One of the small cabin area tables will fit perfectly in two of the receivers in the garage, which allows for a table at the bench seating while giving room to move from the garage to the rear patio area from the other side bench. I'll add a photo of that soon.

Added garage pics to show the small tables will fit in the garage too. I also drilled holes in the upper bed frame's slide channel to lower the bed below the air conditioner so it would properly circulate air. I have kids and grandkids that stay in the garage from time to time, so I have to keep the upper bed.

 

[Hogladyrider]

Thanks for sharing your modifications/updates with us.

Do you have any photos of the king to queen bed modification that you could post?

We live full time in our 3611 so under the bed storage would be nice providing we watch our overall weight of our rig. Not sure how you accomplished this modification when part of the bed frame moves when the bedroom slide comes in.

Great suggestion on flipping the hinges on the small storage above the fireplace and below the TV!

We removed the drop down bed in our garage and we just have the two happy jacks in the garage.

We spent all last spring/summer/early fall out in Custer, SD in 2017 and we had no issues with freezing in our unit. We actually feel that the furnace in the 3611JS is more efficient than the furnace we had in our Big Horn!

We have run into some issues with an outside wear pattern on all the 3611JS tires and we aren't sure why the camber would be off as we are not overweight at all. Something we have to bring the RV into a shop to have looked at before we head west again next summer. We are considering upgrading to Moryde suspension when out west next year.

Susan

 

[MillerTime802]

Thanks for sharing your modifications/updates with us.

Do you have any photos of the king to queen bed modification that you could post?

We live full time in our 3611 so under the bed storage would be nice providing we watch our overall weight of our rig. Not sure how you accomplished this modification when part of the bed frame moves when the bedroom slide comes in.

Great suggestion on flipping the hinges on the small storage above the fireplace and below the TV!

We removed the drop down bed in our garage and we just have the two happy jacks in the garage.

We spent all last spring/summer/early fall out in Custer, SD in 2017 and we had no issues with freezing in our unit. We actually feel that the furnace in the 3611JS is more efficient than the furnace we had in our Big Horn!

We have run into some issues with an outside wear pattern on all the 3611JS tires and we aren't sure why the camber would be off as we are not overweight at all. Something we have to bring the RV into a shop to have looked at before we head west again next summer. We are considering upgrading to Moryde suspension when out west next year.

Susan

Susan:

As soon as we return from our Thanksgiving trip, I'd be pleased to photo our mods. It's great hearing from other JS owners to share experiences and modifications. I noticed the outside tread on all my tires is wearing faster than the rest of the tire. I asked the dealer about it, and of course, they didn't have any answers, ha.

I'll look into the Moryde suspension too and also I'm upgrading my wheels to 17.5" wheels and the next step load range tires when I burn the tread off the ones that came on the trailer.

From another thread I gentleman suggested these for balancing the tires on the RV. http://www.centramatic.com/balancers.rhtml I'm pretty sure I'm upgrading to this too so my tires will last longer.

BTW, what are happy jacks?

Thanks,
Brad

 

[Hogladyrider]

Hi Brad....the happy jacks are the two "couches" that fold down to a bed in the garage. Removing the queen bed in the garage, which we would never use, unblocks the garage AC unit as well, plus less weight for traveling.

Gary is very familar with the balance item you shared, he used it once when he was an over the road driver. Unfortunately our tire wear pattern is not a balance issue. We plan on addressing the problem when we return from our Jan/Feb cruise later this winter.

We removed the two middle seats of our sofa this summer, they were never used as we each sit on each end of the sofa. Both pull chords for the end recliners broke. They are easily replaceable via online purchases but we absolutely hate the seats, for me being 5'2" they are too big for me; hence very uncomfortable.

We looked at furniture when we were in Elkhart this fall and thanks to this forum we found Best Home Furnishings!

When we returned to Florida we visited local furniture stores that sold Best Home Furnishings. We ordered two custom recliners with power headrests and power recline and they are ready for us to pick up when we return from our Thanksgiving visit to New England. I will post an after picture once we have them installed. I am attaching a before picture to this post.

More than likely we will look for some type of storage "seat" that we can put inbetween the two new recliners.

Next us is to replace the bathroom sink!

Susan

 

[MillerTime802]

Susan:

Here's photos of the bed modification. Really simple except I'm 6'4" and getting under the new platform was pretty difficult, ha.\

1: Removed the king size bed and replaced it with a queen size.
2: Removed existing plywood over main frame, a couple of small sections. Kept the existing plywood over the slide out. Reused the small sheet of Masonite board used to span the gap between the slide out and the bad frame.
3: Removed the pistons that move the bed slide out, as they were in my way. Don't need them anyway with the queen since the slide no longer needs to extend to fit the king. Just leave it almost closed to flush with the side of the queen mattress.
4: Purchased and cut a single sheet of plywood. I think I used 1/2", but you may get away with 3/8". Cut a plywood end closure at the head of the bed frame to install a new piano hinge between the head of the bed and the new plywood to support the mattress.
5: Purchase two new pistons with ends to bolt to new plywood base cover, and to bolt to the side of the existing base. This is a bit tricky as you have to figure out what length the new piston needs to be to secure to the bottom of the new plywood and the existing base.
6: Installed all with screws, except for the piston to the bottom of the plywood mattress support. Used small diameter through bolts so i wouldn't worry about pull out issues.
7: Kept the existing drawer.
8: Placed the new mattress on the modified frame and all works well. It's a bit heavy, but not a big problem. Hint: purchase sanded plywood for the mattress support. If it's smooth, then the mattress will more easily slide when you lift the bed....it slides towards the foot of the bed since it bottoms out at the head when you lift.

That's probably clear as mud, I know, ha.

Good luck,
Brad