Thank you for all that information. You two are so talented. There doesn't seem to be anything you two can't do. Your RV looks better than ever. So warm and inviting. "Happy Trails" to you both. Keep living the life.
A big difference from Coachmen Class B division and other Class B builders is how they make improvements. Most builders do it once per year, or maybe every couple of years. Coachmen Class B division will make changes anytime if it is something to really improve their product. They go through I testing period to see if the change is needed and is worthwhile. I mentioned in my video that mine is a later build of a 2020 model. That means I have some improvements over early builds, like the second sliding door assist handle. I too am impressed with Coachmen Class Bs, we thoroughly love ours!
It's hard to say how long it will last because of the variables. For example if you park in the shade the AC doesn't have to work as hard. Putting up the window sunscreens makes a difference. The outside temperature makes a huge difference on my 12 volt AC, my AC pulls 60 to 110 amps an hour. I don't like to fully deplete my battery so I try to use only 500 AH. So at a 100 amps an hour that would be 5 hours if it ran continuously. So one could say 5 to maybe 9 hours is possible.
Appreciate this video Gard, and so glad to hear your issues have been minor. We finally got our 2021 Coachmen Beyond 22C Li3 AWD on a 350 HD Chassis. We are now having some minor mods made before we go on our first big trip. All your videos have been so useful- but. I realize how much more I have yet to learn. I’ll let you know as I progress. :-)). Thanks so much! Mj
Great video Gard. I love your Channel and have learned so much here. We purchased our 2021 22D Li3 last August and frankly, your videos were one of the main reasons that we purchased a Coachmen Beyond. We purchased it from Sunshine State RVs in Gainesville, FL. They are a great dealer and have been very pleased with their honesty and their service. We've only had one nagging problem and that has been with the NovaKool refrigerator. We've been on 3 trips and it has failed on each of those trips. We're waiting on a new Control Board from NovaKool, which should solve that problem. Other than that, our Beyond has been fantastic and I heartily recommend it. Be well, be safe. Looking forward to another year of your great videos. George in FL.
@@CampingCoastie I dont have a van yet but just requested a brochure from coachman. I have two pomeranians and my biggest worry is traveling with the dogs. It would be great if you did a video about traveling with your adorable dog.
Thank you so much for your videos I started watching your channel and you inspired me to check out this way to travel. Just put a deposit on ours.! Did our research and was able to test drive one! We put a deposit down! Yay!! Thank you for your videos keep them coming!
Congratulations! Thanks for supporting my channel too! We have such a great time when traveling in our Beyond, it opens up a whole new way to tour our country for us.
Thanks for the update Gard and Debbie! I keep looking to see if there is one near by me in Michigan so I can go check it out. No luck so far because the RV market is so tight right now! Hopefully sometime this spring I will be able to actually sit in one! Keep doing the videos! I enjoy them!
Great video. It’s so informative to hear honest review from people who have used their rv extensively. I love the look without all the stickers and decals as well as without the awning. I love my awning (we’re still in our tt but I’m a B van wannabe so I follow channels like yours to learn).
Thank you. Awnings are very nice to have on RVs, they help create an outdoor area which expands the living area. But for us, I prefer the cleaner lines and even a little weight reduction from the top of the van.
Hello. How are you? Happy one year anniversary of your Beyond. Love all your upgrades and changes and the curtains. Going to give that a try. Stay safe.
Enjoyed the video. Great RV. If Debra has the time/resources I bet some of her custom covers etc. would sell well if she ever decided to do that as a side business.
We love ours too. We only have about 9000 miles. Had to take care of sick family member. But every chance we get we try to get away to the miss gulf coast for a night or 2 . Been to Arkansas and also Oklahoma on another trip.
Hey y’all! I really like the outside appearance you’ve updated! Nice improvements inside as well! I’ve heard those Ford Transit vans like y’all’s have transmission problems. Hopefully Ford has fixed that problem and you won’t have that problem to plague y’all. Spike is such a wonderful fur baby! Does he always become lively when the camera is on when y’all are making a video? Lol. Always happy to see a new video from y’all in my notifications box! Stay safe and God Bless! Waving from Houston!
Love you guys! We traded our Interstate (total disaster) for an LTV (that we loved) and sold to go cruising on ships (so much fir that idea). Now we want to buy a class B (more nimble) either a Pleasureway Ontour 2.2 or a Coachman Beyond. You said you had a Pleasureway and now you have a Coachman Beyond. Are there reasons you didn’t buy another Pleasureway? You mentioned it being in the shop all the time? We really value your advice.
We looked at the Ontour 2.2, the 2.0 and the Beyond models. Pleasureway makes a nice Class B for sure, but we able to make a decision for the Beyond 22C based on a couple of factors. The biggest factor was 600 AH of lithium batteries vs 200 AH of lithium in the Ontour. Even though in our Pleasureway XLTS our 200 AH batteries were enough except when dry camping in Key West. The next factor was the AC being able to run on battery for 6 to 10 hours, that helps so much with keeping Spike cool if we leave him inside while we eat somewhere. I know you can run the generator in the Ontour, but it was loud. Now both Coachmen and Pleasureway use the quieter Onan which is great. We also liked the kitchen cabinet layout better in the Beyond. The Beyond also has less openings on the sides, looks less like an RV. Both are great Class Bs. I am also an Ambassador for Pleasureway, so if you have any questions about them hopefully I can answer them for you.
Congratulations on your one year anniversary Gard and Deb. Your videos have been a great deal of help. My Coachman Beyond got pushed back to April, your modifications will most likely be duplicated, especially on the outside. We will probably have the awning taken off at the dealer, unless the price is outrageous. Also I just saw a RUclips video posted from a person who ordered a Beyond in December, he mentioned your RUclips name in his video. It seems like a lot of people are taking their recommendation and getting the Beyond, you convince me. And I can see many other people have taken your advice. Thanks again to both of you for your many videos.. really appreciate it. One question you said you left the brackets on when you took the awning off, are they visible? And if you wanted to hook it back up would it be difficult wiring it back? Thanks again for a great video
Thanks. I also checked the video you mentioned, that was nice, thanks for letting me know about it. The brackets are pretty flat, you almost need to be looking for them to see them. I put a big patch of Dicor self leveling sealant on them that would need to be removed to reinstall the awning. Debra and I physically removed the awning ourself, it's heavy, but had the wiring removed by Coachmen on our visit there. They said it could be rewired easily.
Hi Gard and Debra, I recently purchased the 2021 Coachman Beyond, Li3 package. I cannot use the Firefly panel to operate the Truma furnace. Are you able to control the Truma furnace with tour Fireply panel?
Mine doesn’t have that feature, it just came out on the latest builds. If you have problems contact Coachmen Class B division. They can help you with it.
Thank you. Does your bed lay flat? Mine doesn’t. I was told a shim needed to be installed under the bed so that the back rest section of the coach would raise up. Now the bed doesn’t lay flat because the back rest doesn’t lay flat. Did your Beyond have this situation? Coachman customer service told me this and did not offer to fix it. I’m very frustrated with this situation.
@@tedm.9586 I am sorry you are having problems. My bed lays flat in mine, but I have the older foam, not the new Q foam. Who installed the shims? Did You talk to Greg LeGatt at Coachmen about your problem?
Hi Deb and Gard! Thanks for all the videos, been very helpful with your tips. I recently purchased a 2021 22D Li3, love it so far. Just been taking short daily weekend trips with my family of 4. We are planning to a week long trip next month. Currently our Truma water heater is faulty and our dealer is replacing it soon under warranty. Do you have any issues of taking a 5min hot shower? Is the water temp. pretty consistent during the shower? Thanks in advance for your reply or any recommendations. Safe Travels!
Hello and thanks! My wife and I take our showers consecutively, her first then me. We start with a sponge bath and then rinse with the shower. Probably about a minute of actual shower time for me and maybe 1.5 to 2 minutes for her. We have no problem with getting enough hot water. I set my Truma to hot on propane.
Congrats on the anniversary! Thanks for the great video! I like the idea of removing all the ugly labels and placards. Where did you get the gray "fresh water" "Black water flush" labels - they look nice. Want to get some for when I remove the ugly ones.
Love your videos. Who put in your additional electrical outlet? My Kurieg sit there to the left of the cooktop. That would work perfect for my 22D. Thanks!
Thank you. I will plan a trip up there early summer as soon as they can fit me in. Your videos have been very helpful for me learning to RV on my own. I love my Beyond! It is perfect for me and my 10lb Aussiedoodle.
Is there a difference in ground clearance between the driver & passenger? Have you traveled on hilly terrain? Any problems? Ever thought of adding a lift kit?
As far as I know there is not much difference in ground clearance for each side. A lift kit might be nice, as long as it didn't affect handling stability. We don't go off road, but we have been on some pretty rough dirt roads with no problem.
Sir good video! Thanks for sharing. Would you recommend it for full time living in it for one person like myself? I’m afraid that the 600 watt hours of lithium might not be enough? I don’t like the Travato because it’s on a promaster. That has enough lithium for full time van life. I like to sleep in comfort with ac on when it’s 90 degrees outside day or night.
The Li3 is 600 Amp Hours, not Watt Hours. I think the Volta system would have an advantage over the Li3. You could probably get an extra 2 hours of AC from what I have read. We have used the AC all night in Biloxi MS one August night. We ran the engine with the dash AC full blast while charging the Li3 batteries before we went to bed. We also had our 12 volt ProAir full blast while that was going on. Turned off the engine, battery 100% full and raised the thermostat a couple of degrees. We went to bed and the AC kicked on a few times during the night. It worked out for us pretty good.
Glad you have been enjoying it. I love your videos. My Coachmen Nova has a lot of issues. They really are throwing these together right now. What's your thought on buying extended warranties on these Coachmen class Bs? Also, can your freezer actually freeze ice cream? Nobody ever talks about the fact that these freezers make all sorts of excuses for not being able to freeze ice cream. I watched a lot of videos and the salesmen and even Nick from Coachmen will call it the "Ben and Jerry's cabinet." Yeah, right! First off, the smaller fridges like mine can't even fit a small ice cream container, and they certainly cannot keep them frozen! LOL
Thanks for supporting my channel. I have not really been a fan of extended warranties. Seems like they can be hard to authorize and pay for work. Some people love them. As for the freezer, the coldest place is inside the small section I have discovered. But as for ice cream, it’s hard to keep it frozen hard. I have only had one freezer that kept ice cream hard frozen, it was a Norcold compressor type in our Roadtrek. But generally, I have been very happy with my refrigerator. I wish it would keep ice cream frozen hard, but I enjoy my soft serve Ben and Jerry’s.
I cheated some and the wiring professionally disconnected and terminated. My wife and I removed the awning using my scaffolding at home. It's heavy! Probably about 100 pounds. We left the mounting brackets on the roof and covered the exposed bolts with Dicor self leveling lap sealant.
Thank you. On the driver side near the rear are four black round items about 1.5 inches in diameter. One is for a cable TV hookup. One for the black tank flush, one for hooking up city water and one for filling the freshwater tank.
My wife has no problem with the shower. I am a big guy and the shower curtain sticks to me which I don't like. I have heard of some removing the sink but it looked kind of ugly. The sink doesn't bother my wife or me.
Hey I left comment on another video , but could you tell me measurements for distance from top of couch back rest to floor behind couch? Love the videos !! Thanks !
I will try to get that for you soon. But I can't really imagine traveling with a bike behind the sofa. There is not much room behind it. And there is no room when the sofa lays down in bed mode. Most people carry their bikes on a rack on the back with a swing mount. I have seen where one person who travels solo has a 22D model and puts their bike on a custom mount above the driver side bed.
@@CampingCoastie thank you !! I agree not much room but I’ve been pretty creative with previous class Bs I’ve owned . I’m considering the other models . I just like idea of easy to make big bed in C Model . Also could you measure space against wall behind drivers seat , width, height to ceiling , depth to right arm rest of drivers seat ? Thanks so much !! Mike
@@CampingCoastie sorry to bother again Could you also measure from floor to top of drivers seat right behind drivers seat ? And floor to roof along wall right behind drivers seat Thanks so much !!!
Thanks for the very informative video. I am just starting to look around for a replacement class B. My 1999 Road Trek is starting to show its age. How is the driving of this unit? Especially when you have high winds or are being passed by semi‘s. My Dodge 190V is really scary to drive in those conditions.
Thanks. I hate high winds, but pretty much all vans will be bad. The dual rear wheels do help in making it a little better. The Beyond is a lot better than my previous one, it was a Pleasureway XLTS.
Congrats on the Beyond! That is exactly the RV I want. I have a question about the shower. Do you think an extendable shower rod would work in the beyond? (Stromberg Carlson EXT-3542 Extend-A-Shower)
Several people have installed them on Beyonds. I am going to make a shower modification soon I hope that I think will be liked and other people will copy.
I carry three of the small square and two of the rectangular ones. The rectangular ones are for the rear tires, if you put a block under a tire you need to have one under the tire beside it. I hardly ever use them, I mostly move to a level spot.
@@CampingCoastie Since you've been thru the factory, I"m wondering if it would be possible to retrofit a Li3 system into a non-Li Beyond during a factory visit? Maybe sometime down the road when the bank account has recovered somewhat?
My best guess is that Coachmen would be able to retrofit one to Li3. Atleast for an affordable price. For example, on the 22C model they would need to remove the generator and put the water tank there. The inverter is different, there is different wiring. It would be a lot of work. I have where several people have swapped AGM batteries for Lithium ones keeping the generator and leaving the freshwater tank where it was. The Lithium batteries sell for about $1,000 per 100AH.
My wife made two covers like big pillow cases for the two foam toppers we use. They add a little comfort and a way to make the bed with easy to wash sheets.
Nice mods - and I enjoy your videos. It's good to see a RUclipsr with a Beyond. I have a one-year older Coachmen Crossfit/Beyond. Did a lot more modifications, mostly related to electrical and power consumption. devhda.wordpress.com/tag/modifications/ Next time I'll spring for Lithium and AWD. :)
Glad to hear you’re happy with the Beyond. Have you needed to get the Ford Transit serviced yet? I’ve heard that some Ford dealers will not service a Transit based RV.
I have a Transit based RV - 350HD with dual wheels. The biggest issue is height. One dealer couldn't do a front-end alignment because their alignment rack wasn't big enough, one dealer did an oil change but charged me as though it were a medium duty truck rather than an ordinary truck, and one dealer will do oil changes for a normal price, but only one of their service bays has overhead ceiling clearance so I need to make sure they know that ahead of time. None of them said "no RV's" Overall, it's not been a big deal - just call ahead and let them know.
Gard, I would like to know more about your conversion of the bicycle rack to a storage solution. I was looking for a hitch storage solution and you got me thinking. Do you have notes or a vid on this? Thanks
I parked with them in the sun to warm them up, put my fingernail under a corner and started lifting them up and off. Go slow. I used a little WD40 to remove some residual glue. Maybe try the little rectangular Coachmen on the front door first to try it out.
One thing I would never understand why they left the connections exposed on the left side on the van instead like the Galleria hide them/Protect from elements I think thats the only bad thing the Coachmen Beyond has.. Congratulations on your one year Anniversary!! Hopefully many safe and fun miles ahead!!
When I first saw the four small connections I thought it was strange. But they aren't really that bad now that I am use to them. I would have preferred to have the freshwater tank fill inside the van, the black tank flush connection down below by the dump. The city water connection and TV connection maybe in the back somewhere. The less stuff on the sides would be nicer looking to me.
@@CampingCoastie that’s one thing I like of the Galleria of course more money the Galleria is more stealth I think you can hardly tell what it is .. I really like you took the awning off but as far as those connections it would be cool to put a box or something to protect them .. What do you think??
Nice refresher tour Gard. I'm curious about your stealth camping. It seems like most people's YT channels that do "stealth" camping are camping on city streets in big cities. It doesn't seem like there's a need to be stealthy in a Walmart or big box parking lot. Anyone seeing a van there at 3 AM will likely know someone is sleeping in it. Do you do a lot of camping on city streets? If not, where do you employ your stealth camping? What am I missing?
We do stay mostly at Cracker Barrels, Wal-Marts and rest areas. We do stay at lots of different places that being stealthy is a plus. Some of those places include a city hall parking lot, chamber of commerce parking lot, American Legion parking lots and some distillery parking lots. There is a parking lot in Key West that was $20 a night, but no RVs, and stealth vans were always in it. But to me a big thing also is that RVs always have valuables in them and crooks no that. So a stealthy van might poise as a little less of a target.
I have a 2 inch thick memory foam topper I use. The bed is comfortable to me with the topper or not. The newest models have better foam than my model, so I can't say how they are. I have back issues too and my sofa works for me. The best thing to do is try to find one and try laying on it. I know that is tough to do now. Good luck.
No holes. I parked with them in the sun to warm them up, put my fingernail under a corner and started lifting them up and off. Go slow. I used a little WD40 to remove some residual glue. Maybe try the little rectangular Coachmen on the front door first to try it out.
We use propane for the Truma Combi. That is how we heat our van and water. The Truma can run on 120 AC also, but the propane is more efficient when dry camping.
The battery is doing great so far. I can run my AC off the battery, which is wonderful when boondocking. In normal hot weather, 80 to 95 degrees, I can usually run my AC overnight on battery. Driving the next day to our next place recharges it. We just got home from a trip where the temperature was too hot, in the 100s while in Kansas. I could only run my AC for about 4 -5 hours on battery. It ran constantly, it would never cycle off.
There are two types, the 2019 chassis and earlier have windows that pop out hinged on the front edge. You pinch two levers and pus it out. The 2020 chassis has sliding windows and I am not sure how they work. If you need more information on the pop out ones let me know.
@@CampingCoastie Do you think the pop out type open far enough to give adequate ventilation? Thanks so much for your help. I really have enjoyed your videos and love the additions you’ve made. The curtains and seat covers are very cleaver and your storage tips are very helpful.
Thank you for supporting my channel. As for the pop out windows, I have a love hate relationship with them. I love that the are Ford OEM windows and can replaced at a Ford dealer. I love that I can drive with them open. I love that they close nice and tight. What I don't like is that in the rain I can't really use them because the rain can come in. They do flow a lot of air when using the roof fan, but they are a bit restrictive. Those problems are cured by running my 12 volt AC. The new model Beyonds have the new sliding windows and they open up a lot!
Yes, it's used by the Truma Combi for cabin heat and heating the water. Some people order the coached with a propane stove, but we prefer the induction cook top.
Waiting for my identical beyond to be delivered can you give me an estimate of when your gas mileage is when you’re just on an interstate at 70 miles an hour for an extended period of time
I don't have a built in generator like an Onan. What I have is basically a high output second alternator, it's what Roadtrek called an Underhood Generator on their vans.
Thank you for all that information. You two are so talented. There doesn't seem to be anything you two can't do. Your RV looks better than ever. So warm and inviting. "Happy Trails" to you both. Keep living the life.
Thank you very much!
The. more I see of Coachmen the more I’m impressed with their class B vans. Thanks for the review.
A big difference from Coachmen Class B division and other Class B builders is how they make improvements. Most builders do it once per year, or maybe every couple of years.
Coachmen Class B division will make changes anytime if it is something to really improve their product. They go through I testing period to see if the change is needed and is worthwhile.
I mentioned in my video that mine is a later build of a 2020 model. That means I have some improvements over early builds, like the second sliding door assist handle.
I too am impressed with Coachmen Class Bs, we thoroughly love ours!
I like your updates, it's often the little things that makes it a 'home', thank you for sharing !
Thank you.
Deb did a beautiful job on the curtains. First time watching your video. Great honest review. Thank you
Thanks! Deb is a good seamstress.
Very informative video. Congrats on one year of ownership. Both of you have made lovely mods to the van. Thanks for sharing your home away from home!
Thank you!
You took out the awning. I like that look.
We do too, looks cleaner and sleeker.
@@CampingCoastie how long could you run the ac on the battery before recharging? The beyond is in the top of my list right now. Thanks
It's hard to say how long it will last because of the variables.
For example if you park in the shade the AC doesn't have to work as hard. Putting up the window sunscreens makes a difference. The outside temperature makes a huge difference on my 12 volt AC, my AC pulls 60 to 110 amps an hour. I don't like to fully deplete my battery so I try to use only 500 AH. So at a 100 amps an hour that would be 5 hours if it ran continuously.
So one could say 5 to maybe 9 hours is possible.
Appreciate this video Gard, and so glad to hear your issues have been minor. We finally got our 2021 Coachmen Beyond 22C Li3 AWD on a 350 HD Chassis. We are now having some minor mods made before we go on our first big trip. All your videos have been so useful- but. I realize how much more I have yet to learn. I’ll let you know as I progress. :-)). Thanks so much! Mj
Thanks, it's nice to know people enjoy my videos and that it helps them. Looking forward to hearing about your travels.
What do these vans cost?
Congratulations to you and Deb!🇺🇲❤ So glad you make these great videos. Thanks a million.
Thanks!
Great video Gard. I love your Channel and have learned so much here. We purchased our 2021 22D Li3 last August and frankly, your videos were one of the main reasons that we purchased a Coachmen Beyond. We purchased it from Sunshine State RVs in Gainesville, FL. They are a great dealer and have been very pleased with their honesty and their service. We've only had one nagging problem and that has been with the NovaKool refrigerator. We've been on 3 trips and it has failed on each of those trips. We're waiting on a new Control Board from NovaKool, which should solve that problem. Other than that, our Beyond has been fantastic and I heartily recommend it. Be well, be safe. Looking forward to another year of your great videos. George in FL.
Thank you very much! We really love our Beyond. I hope you get your NovaKool fixed soon, that would be annoying. Safe travels to you too.
@@CampingCoastie Thanks! I'll be at Sunshine State as soon as they receive the part from NovaKool. :)
I really like your van. Just discovered your channel today. Really love your window coverings!
Welcome! I try to make travel and product reviews related to RVing.
@@CampingCoastie I dont have a van yet but just requested a brochure from coachman. I have two pomeranians and my biggest worry is traveling with the dogs. It would be great if you did a video about traveling with your adorable dog.
I will try, I love having him along. He is small but is a good watch dog, he helps protect us.
Your last 30 seconds were the best. Thanks
Thanks! I really mean it too, the United States is a great place to see and enjoy. Plus Spike making an appearance is priceless, he is a great dog.
Thank you so much for your videos
I started watching your channel and you inspired me to check out this way to travel.
Just put a deposit on ours.!
Did our research and was able to test drive one!
We put a deposit down! Yay!!
Thank you for your videos keep them coming!
Congratulations! Thanks for supporting my channel too! We have such a great time when traveling in our Beyond, it opens up a whole new way to tour our country for us.
GREAT Job !.... love Spike
Thanks
Cool video, I liked your neighbor's truck!
It's a nice truck, I like those stepsides.
Thanks for the review. We loved the “Beyond D)...Love the Elevated Fridge, and Bottom Freezer so I don’t have to get on my knees to make a Salad!
Thanks. The refrigerator was a big determination in our choice. Also the microwave up high is good too.
Spike’s awesome
Thanks
Thanks for the update Gard and Debbie! I keep looking to see if there is one near by me in Michigan so I can go check it out. No luck so far because the RV market is so tight right now! Hopefully sometime this spring I will be able to actually sit in one! Keep doing the videos! I enjoy them!
I hope you can find one soon. Take care and be safe!
Thanks for the wonderful tips and info. We are ordering one right now!
R&T
Glad to help.
Good video Gard! Thanks for posting :)
Glad you liked it! Spike was a bit excited!
Great video. It’s so informative to hear honest review from people who have used their rv extensively. I love the look without all the stickers and decals as well as without the awning.
I love my awning (we’re still in our tt but I’m a B van wannabe so I follow channels like yours to learn).
Thank you. Awnings are very nice to have on RVs, they help create an outdoor area which expands the living area. But for us, I prefer the cleaner lines and even a little weight reduction from the top of the van.
Hello. How are you? Happy one year anniversary of your Beyond. Love all your upgrades and changes and the curtains. Going to give that a try. Stay safe.
Thanks. Any update on when you will get your Ontour? I know that is going to so much fun for you two.
@@CampingCoastie We were told that we might get the OnTour around April instead of May or June of 2021. We are very excited!!!
Y’all seem like nice people. I hope to see you on the road in a similar vehicle soon. ✌🏼
Thank you! If you ever see us flag us down!
Just putting it out there,due to health issues our Li3 is up for sale.
@@dannytolley2695 Sorry to hear about your health problems.
Great honest review. I have seen a few, didn't like the twin beds though. Nice touches for sure! Good job Deb !!! Enjoy and happy trail's ✌❤
Thanks! I can’t sleep on the twins, I need to make the whole bed because I am a bit on the large size. Thanks again and happy trails!
Enjoyed the video. Great RV. If Debra has the time/resources I bet some of her custom covers etc. would sell well if she ever decided to do that as a side business.
Thanks. Her projects take too long to complete to be profitable. But she does great work!
Nicely done.
Thanks.
I really love the curtains Debra made for the Beyond. Did you do a video or blog on how yoy made these?
Hope this helps.
How my wife made the curtains on the side windows in our Class B.
ruclips.net/video/D08LyMkO54M/видео.html
Thank you so much for the great ideas and creativity! ❤️
We love ours too. We only have about 9000 miles. Had to take care of sick family member. But every chance we get we try to get away to the miss gulf coast for a night or 2 . Been to Arkansas and also Oklahoma on another trip.
Hopefully one day we will meet somewhere, the way we travel is pretty unplanned.
How is the bed in the Bey for comfort, and where do you stow your bedding when it’s in couch form? The Beyond is at the top of our list….
Our bed is not bad, the new 22C models have the new Q foam and it is very nice. We store our bedding behind the sofa when not needed.
That was great. Thanks
Thank you.
Hey y’all! I really like the outside appearance you’ve updated! Nice improvements inside as well! I’ve heard those Ford Transit vans like y’all’s have transmission problems. Hopefully Ford has fixed that problem and you won’t have that problem to plague y’all. Spike is such a wonderful fur baby! Does he always become lively when the camera is on when y’all are making a video? Lol. Always happy to see a new video from y’all in my notifications box! Stay safe and God Bless! Waving from Houston!
If I am filming just him he gets quiet. When he sees me using my laptop or being filmed he gets crazy.
Good video
Thank you
Love you guys! We traded our Interstate (total disaster) for an LTV (that we loved) and sold to go cruising on ships (so much fir that idea). Now we want to buy a class B (more nimble) either a Pleasureway Ontour 2.2 or a Coachman Beyond. You said you had a Pleasureway and now you have a Coachman Beyond. Are there reasons you didn’t buy another Pleasureway? You mentioned it being in the shop all the time? We really value your advice.
We looked at the Ontour 2.2, the 2.0 and the Beyond models. Pleasureway makes a nice Class B for sure, but we able to make a decision for the Beyond 22C based on a couple of factors. The biggest factor was 600 AH of lithium batteries vs 200 AH of lithium in the Ontour. Even though in our Pleasureway XLTS our 200 AH batteries were enough except when dry camping in Key West.
The next factor was the AC being able to run on battery for 6 to 10 hours, that helps so much with keeping Spike cool if we leave him inside while we eat somewhere. I know you can run the generator in the Ontour, but it was loud. Now both Coachmen and Pleasureway use the quieter Onan which is great.
We also liked the kitchen cabinet layout better in the Beyond.
The Beyond also has less openings on the sides, looks less like an RV.
Both are great Class Bs.
I am also an Ambassador for Pleasureway, so if you have any questions about them hopefully I can answer them for you.
@@CampingCoastie Extremely helpful. Thank you so much for your prompt detailed answer. We are now avid followers of your channel.
So much pink🤣🤣
I know, I voted for tiger stripe camo but Deb and Spike voted for pink. I need to talk to that dog before the next vote.
Congratulations on your one year anniversary Gard and Deb. Your videos have been a great deal of help. My Coachman Beyond got pushed back to April, your modifications will most likely be duplicated, especially on the outside. We will probably have the awning taken off at the dealer, unless the price is outrageous. Also I just saw a RUclips video posted from a person who ordered a Beyond in December, he mentioned your RUclips name in his video. It seems like a lot of people are taking their recommendation and getting the Beyond, you convince me. And I can see many other people have taken your advice. Thanks again to both of you for your many videos.. really appreciate it. One question you said you left the brackets on when you took the awning off, are they visible? And if you wanted to hook it back up would it be difficult wiring it back? Thanks again for a great video
Thanks. I also checked the video you mentioned, that was nice, thanks for letting me know about it.
The brackets are pretty flat, you almost need to be looking for them to see them. I put a big patch of Dicor self leveling sealant on them that would need to be removed to reinstall the awning. Debra and I physically removed the awning ourself, it's heavy, but had the wiring removed by Coachmen on our visit there. They said it could be rewired easily.
Hi Gard and Debra, I recently purchased the 2021 Coachman Beyond, Li3 package. I cannot use the Firefly panel to operate the Truma furnace. Are you able to control the Truma furnace with tour Fireply panel?
Mine doesn’t have that feature, it just came out on the latest builds. If you have problems contact Coachmen Class B division. They can help you with it.
Thank you. Does your bed lay flat? Mine doesn’t. I was told a shim needed to be installed under the bed so that the back rest section of the coach would raise up. Now the bed doesn’t lay flat because the back rest doesn’t lay flat. Did your Beyond have this situation? Coachman customer service told me this and did not offer to fix it. I’m very frustrated with this situation.
@@tedm.9586 I am sorry you are having problems. My bed lays flat in mine, but I have the older foam, not the new Q foam. Who installed the shims? Did You talk to Greg LeGatt at Coachmen about your problem?
I hope Coachman installs that electrical socket/plug at the end of the counter on all...I can see that being very handy.
It is very handy, maybe they will, Coachmen is always improving their Class Bs.
Power Tower, you can get them
Muy Bonito 🤩 saludos desde Mexico 🇲🇽
Gracias! Saludos a usted!
Happy with the 12 V AC? What the BTUs? Is it sufficient for the 100 degree days?
We love how quiet it is, the low power use and that it runs just off the battery. It cools okay, wish it cooled a little quicker.
Hi Deb and Gard! Thanks for all the videos, been very helpful with your tips. I recently purchased a 2021 22D Li3, love it so far. Just been taking short daily weekend trips with my family of 4. We are planning to a week long trip next month. Currently our Truma water heater is faulty and our dealer is replacing it soon under warranty. Do you have any issues of taking a 5min hot shower? Is the water temp. pretty consistent during the shower? Thanks in advance for your reply or any recommendations. Safe Travels!
Hello and thanks! My wife and I take our showers consecutively, her first then me. We start with a sponge bath and then rinse with the shower. Probably about a minute of actual shower time for me and maybe 1.5 to 2 minutes for her. We have no problem with getting enough hot water. I set my Truma to hot on propane.
We enjoyed the video.i like the cutting board / drying mat is that from Amazon?
The cutting boards and drying mat were bought at Ikea.
Congrats on the anniversary! Thanks for the great video! I like the idea of removing all the ugly labels and placards. Where did you get the gray "fresh water" "Black water flush" labels - they look nice. Want to get some for when I remove the ugly ones.
Thanks, I am trying to find the website I ordered them from.
doityourselflettering.com/create/
Love your videos. Who put in your additional electrical outlet? My Kurieg sit there to the left of the cooktop. That would work perfect for my 22D. Thanks!
I had it done at the Coachmen plant when they removed the wiring for my awning.
Thank you. I will plan a trip up there early summer as soon as they can fit me in. Your videos have been very helpful for me learning to RV on my own. I love my Beyond! It is perfect for me and my 10lb Aussiedoodle.
Ask them if the can do that for you, I believe the guy that installed my outlet, Matt, has moved to the camper division.
Is there a difference in ground clearance between the driver & passenger?
Have you traveled on hilly terrain? Any problems?
Ever thought of adding a lift kit?
As far as I know there is not much difference in ground clearance for each side. A lift kit might be nice, as long as it didn't affect handling stability. We don't go off road, but we have been on some pretty rough dirt roads with no problem.
Sir good video! Thanks for sharing. Would you recommend it for full time living in it for one person like myself? I’m afraid that the 600 watt hours of lithium might not be enough? I don’t like the Travato because it’s on a promaster. That has enough lithium for full time van life. I like to sleep in comfort with ac on when it’s 90 degrees outside day or night.
The Li3 is 600 Amp Hours, not Watt Hours. I think the Volta system would have an advantage over the Li3. You could probably get an extra 2 hours of AC from what I have read.
We have used the AC all night in Biloxi MS one August night.
We ran the engine with the dash AC full blast while charging the Li3 batteries before we went to bed. We also had our 12 volt ProAir full blast while that was going on.
Turned off the engine, battery 100% full and raised the thermostat a couple of degrees. We went to bed and the AC kicked on a few times during the night. It worked out for us pretty good.
Glad you have been enjoying it. I love your videos. My Coachmen Nova has a lot of issues. They really are throwing these together right now. What's your thought on buying extended warranties on these Coachmen class Bs? Also, can your freezer actually freeze ice cream? Nobody ever talks about the fact that these freezers make all sorts of excuses for not being able to freeze ice cream. I watched a lot of videos and the salesmen and even Nick from Coachmen will call it the "Ben and Jerry's cabinet." Yeah, right! First off, the smaller fridges like mine can't even fit a small ice cream container, and they certainly cannot keep them frozen! LOL
Thanks for supporting my channel. I have not really been a fan of extended warranties. Seems like they can be hard to authorize and pay for work. Some people love them. As for the freezer, the coldest place is inside the small section I have discovered. But as for ice cream, it’s hard to keep it frozen hard. I have only had one freezer that kept ice cream hard frozen, it was a Norcold compressor type in our Roadtrek. But generally, I have been very happy with my refrigerator. I wish it would keep ice cream frozen hard, but I enjoy my soft serve Ben and Jerry’s.
Love your coach! Do you like it better then your Pleasure Way? I’m in the process of making the decision as to which one to purchase.Thank you!
You answered my question right after I asked. Thank you!
If you have any other questions let me know.
Any trouble taking off the awning, holes, wires etc.... Van looks stealthy now, never cared the way it stuck out. Happy trails folks.
I cheated some and the wiring professionally disconnected and terminated. My wife and I removed the awning using my scaffolding at home. It's heavy! Probably about 100 pounds. We left the mounting brackets on the roof and covered the exposed bolts with Dicor self leveling lap sealant.
Love the disconnect of the awning did you a video.?
Thank you for both of your informative videos.
Question- Is there a portable water fill on the exterior?
Thank you. On the driver side near the rear are four black round items about 1.5 inches in diameter.
One is for a cable TV hookup. One for the black tank flush, one for hooking up city water and one for filling the freshwater tank.
Great video. Do you use the shower? If so, how do you like it? Could the bathroom sink be removed for more room? Thanks
My wife has no problem with the shower. I am a big guy and the shower curtain sticks to me which I don't like. I have heard of some removing the sink but it looked kind of ugly. The sink doesn't bother my wife or me.
Hey
I left comment on another video , but could you tell me measurements for distance from top of couch back rest to floor behind couch?
Love the videos !!
Thanks !
I will try to get that for you soon. But I can't really imagine traveling with a bike behind the sofa. There is not much room behind it. And there is no room when the sofa lays down in bed mode.
Most people carry their bikes on a rack on the back with a swing mount. I have seen where one person who travels solo has a 22D model and puts their bike on a custom mount above the driver side bed.
@@CampingCoastie thank you !!
I agree not much room but I’ve been pretty creative with previous class Bs I’ve owned . I’m considering the other models . I just like idea of easy to make big bed in C Model . Also could you measure space against wall behind drivers seat , width, height to ceiling , depth to right arm rest of drivers seat ? Thanks so much !!
Mike
@@CampingCoastie sorry to bother again
Could you also measure from floor to top of drivers seat right behind drivers seat ? And floor to roof along wall right behind drivers seat
Thanks so much !!!
Thanks for the very informative video. I am just starting to look around for a replacement class B. My 1999 Road Trek is starting to show its age. How is the driving of this unit? Especially when you have high winds or are being passed by semi‘s. My Dodge 190V is really scary to drive in those conditions.
Thanks. I hate high winds, but pretty much all vans will be bad. The dual rear wheels do help in making it a little better. The Beyond is a lot better than my previous one, it was a Pleasureway XLTS.
Thanks for the reply. I didn't know the Beyond had dual wheels. Expensive when you have to buy new tires!
True, two more tires.
Congrats on the Beyond! That is exactly the RV I want. I have a question about the shower.
Do you think an extendable shower rod would work in the beyond? (Stromberg Carlson EXT-3542 Extend-A-Shower)
Several people have installed them on Beyonds. I am going to make a shower modification soon I hope that I think will be liked and other people will copy.
Thanks for great video Gard. Lots of good info. I have one question, exactly what seat covers did you get for front seats?
Thanks
This is a link for them:
amzn.to/3tfRAqY
I really like them, I bought them on Feb 7, 2020 and they are holding up real good.
@@CampingCoastie Thanks for info
Great Video. Very Informative. Wondering if there's someplace in the Bathroom to plug-in an Electric shaver and electric toothbrush?
Thanks. Sadly there is not an outlet in the bathroom, but I added one just outside it on the end of the kitchen cabinet.
How many leveling blocks do you carry ? What brand, if you remember?
I carry three of the small square and two of the rectangular ones. The rectangular ones are for the rear tires, if you put a block under a tire you need to have one under the tire beside it. I hardly ever use them, I mostly move to a level spot.
Your water pump issues is the internal relief valve leaking back thru. Pretty common issue. Replace pump.
Thanks.
@@CampingCoastie Since you've been thru the factory, I"m wondering if it would be possible to retrofit a Li3 system into a non-Li Beyond during a factory visit? Maybe sometime down the road when the bank account has recovered somewhat?
My best guess is that Coachmen would be able to retrofit one to Li3. Atleast for an affordable price. For example, on the 22C model they would need to remove the generator and put the water tank there. The inverter is different, there is different wiring.
It would be a lot of work. I have where several people have swapped AGM batteries for Lithium ones keeping the generator and leaving the freshwater tank where it was.
The Lithium batteries sell for about $1,000 per 100AH.
How is it sleeping on the sofa bed? Do you use a top mattress pad?
My wife made two covers like big pillow cases for the two foam toppers we use. They add a little comfort and a way to make the bed with easy to wash sheets.
Nice mods - and I enjoy your videos. It's good to see a RUclipsr with a Beyond. I have a one-year older Coachmen Crossfit/Beyond. Did a lot more modifications, mostly related to electrical and power consumption.
devhda.wordpress.com/tag/modifications/
Next time I'll spring for Lithium and AWD. :)
Thanks.
Glad to hear you’re happy with the Beyond. Have you needed to get the Ford Transit serviced yet? I’ve heard that some Ford dealers will not service a Transit based RV.
I have had the oil changed twice, no problems. Once in Cody, Wyoming and once in Jasper, Georgia.
I have a Transit based RV - 350HD with dual wheels. The biggest issue is height.
One dealer couldn't do a front-end alignment because their alignment rack wasn't big enough, one dealer did an oil change but charged me as though it were a medium duty truck rather than an ordinary truck, and one dealer will do oil changes for a normal price, but only one of their service bays has overhead ceiling clearance so I need to make sure they know that ahead of time. None of them said "no RV's"
Overall, it's not been a big deal - just call ahead and let them know.
@@diconustra thanks for the info!
Gard, I would like to know more about your conversion of the bicycle rack to a storage solution. I was looking for a hitch storage solution and you got me thinking. Do you have notes or a vid on this? Thanks
ruclips.net/video/9ihfww-uX-8/видео.html
I’m about to buy one, please do a run down test on the roof ac being on continuously and show battery drain until almost empty. Thanks.
I will, but I need to wait until it gets hot. The cooler it is outside the less power it takes.
I have to ask, how did you so elegantly remove all the labels and in particular the badging (Coachmen, etc)?
I parked with them in the sun to warm them up, put my fingernail under a corner and started lifting them up and off. Go slow. I used a little WD40 to remove some residual glue. Maybe try the little rectangular Coachmen on the front door first to try it out.
One thing I would never understand why they left the connections exposed on the left side on the van instead like the Galleria hide them/Protect from elements I think thats the only bad thing the Coachmen Beyond has.. Congratulations on your one year Anniversary!! Hopefully many safe and fun miles ahead!!
When I first saw the four small connections I thought it was strange. But they aren't really that bad now that I am use to them.
I would have preferred to have the freshwater tank fill inside the van, the black tank flush connection down below by the dump. The city water connection and TV connection maybe in the back somewhere.
The less stuff on the sides would be nicer looking to me.
@@CampingCoastie that’s one thing I like of the Galleria of course more money the Galleria is more stealth I think you can hardly tell what it is .. I really like you took the awning off but as far as those connections it would be cool to put a box or something to protect them .. What do you think??
Maybe, but a box on the side of a van looks like something on an RV.
Nice refresher tour Gard. I'm curious about your stealth camping. It seems like most people's YT channels that do "stealth" camping are camping on city streets in big cities. It doesn't seem like there's a need to be stealthy in a Walmart or big box parking lot. Anyone seeing a van there at 3 AM will likely know someone is sleeping in it. Do you do a lot of camping on city streets? If not, where do you employ your stealth camping? What am I missing?
We do stay mostly at Cracker Barrels, Wal-Marts and rest areas. We do stay at lots of different places that being stealthy is a plus. Some of those places include a city hall parking lot, chamber of commerce parking lot, American Legion parking lots and some distillery parking lots. There is a parking lot in Key West that was $20 a night, but no RVs, and stealth vans were always in it.
But to me a big thing also is that RVs always have valuables in them and crooks no that. So a stealthy van might poise as a little less of a target.
Does the sofa bed turns into a supportive and comfortable bed? I have lower back issue.
I have a 2 inch thick memory foam topper I use. The bed is comfortable to me with the topper or not. The newest models have better foam than my model, so I can't say how they are. I have back issues too and my sofa works for me. The best thing to do is try to find one and try laying on it. I know that is tough to do now. Good luck.
need a walk around
Will make one soon.
How did you remove the stickers and Coachman logos? Did it leave holes?
No holes. I parked with them in the sun to warm them up, put my fingernail under a corner and started lifting them up and off. Go slow. I used a little WD40 to remove some residual glue. Maybe try the little rectangular Coachmen on the front door first to try it out.
Good video! What is the fuel consumption over one year?
Thanks. About 1,300 gallons.
👍👍
Just watched your new video and you mentioned that you have a propane tank. What do you use the propane for??
We use propane for the Truma Combi. That is how we heat our van and water. The Truma can run on 120 AC also, but the propane is more efficient when dry camping.
What about a the battery and how long does it last?
The battery is doing great so far. I can run my AC off the battery, which is wonderful when boondocking. In normal hot weather, 80 to 95 degrees, I can usually run my AC overnight on battery. Driving the next day to our next place recharges it. We just got home from a trip where the temperature was too hot, in the 100s while in Kansas. I could only run my AC for about 4 -5 hours on battery. It ran constantly, it would never cycle off.
Can you explain to me how the windows open. I’ve watched lots of videos but no one ever opens the windows.
There are two types, the 2019 chassis and earlier have windows that pop out hinged on the front edge. You pinch two levers and pus it out.
The 2020 chassis has sliding windows and I am not sure how they work.
If you need more information on the pop out ones let me know.
@@CampingCoastie Do you think the pop out type open far enough to give adequate ventilation? Thanks so much for your help. I really have enjoyed your videos and love the additions you’ve made. The curtains and seat covers are very cleaver and your storage tips are very helpful.
Thank you for supporting my channel. As for the pop out windows, I have a love hate relationship with them. I love that the are Ford OEM windows and can replaced at a Ford dealer. I love that I can drive with them open. I love that they close nice and tight.
What I don't like is that in the rain I can't really use them because the rain can come in. They do flow a lot of air when using the roof fan, but they are a bit restrictive.
Those problems are cured by running my 12 volt AC.
The new model Beyonds have the new sliding windows and they open up a lot!
@@CampingCoastie Thanks again for the help. I really appreciate you for being so willing to help by sharing your knowledge. Not all channels do
???? Does the Beyond 22D LI3 have propane ?
Yes, it's used by the Truma Combi for cabin heat and heating the water. Some people order the coached with a propane stove, but we prefer the induction cook top.
What kind of gas mileage did you get over those 21,000 miles?
14.5 to 16.5 mpg is about the average for me.
What sort of mpg are you averaging ? Thanks
Depends a lot on speed. If I drive 70 mph I usually 14.5 to 15. If I drive 63 mph I get right at 17.5.
@@CampingCoastie dang good for a little house.
Waiting for my identical beyond to be delivered can you give me an estimate of when your gas mileage is when you’re just on an interstate at 70 miles an hour for an extended period of time
Hello, congratulations on your purchase. Driving 70 mph gets about 14.5 to 15.5 mpg. Going 65 mph gets me about 15.5 to 16.5 mpg.
Thank you. That’s not too bad- fully loaded and spinning a second alternator. are you burning regular or super?
Regular, 87 octane.
Again thanks - you are a gold mine of information. Do you idle the engine often to charge the batteries?
I actually do, we run the AC a lot when parked. We usually travel in warm areas, so being able to idle and charge is great.
do you have a gen
I don't have a built in generator like an Onan. What I have is basically a high output second alternator, it's what Roadtrek called an Underhood Generator on their vans.
awning looked like work van..
Kind of more the look we wanted, less RV.