[Chuck v]

Ray and rundlc,

The Tour Master models with the really long driver side slide are the T-40F and T-40U and I believe this long slide was first offered in 2008. I have always had concerns about a slide that long -- essentially the whole distance between the front and rear axles...

My Tour Master has three slides as do all the others in that series for 2008, the T-40A, T-40B and the T-40C that I have (except that my own T-40C is a 2007 year model.) Speaking of 2007 versions, that year also had a T-40D that did have just two slides -- as well as a shorter T-36 that also had just two slides.

The T-40B, T40C and T-40D all have the front desk that is separate from the dining table, whereas the T-36, T-40A and T-40F do not.

I have the Mercedes engine in my rig and like it a lot. It is not rated at many HP -- just 330, but it has 1000 lbs-ft of torque so I find it a very good balance between power and economy. It tows the 5000 lb Acura MDX like it is not even there. I have the air brakes for the toad so they are fully proportional.

As far as layout and furnishings go, the 23 cu ft residential refrigerator and 35 x 48 inch shower are real benefits for living aboard, as are the generous overhead cabinets above the normal ones that Gulf Steam calls the 'attic' storage -- and the deep kitchen counters are very welcome for meal preparation. We already posted about the stacked washer and dryer and how handy they are.

I have several threads on this site detailing what modifications I have made to increase storage space and organization even further, as well as updating the televisions to full HD, adding dimming to some of the lighting fixtures, etc. I even added a mod to the small storage bin under the desk to accept hanging file folders...

Since I have owned this coach I have also upgraded the inverter to a real sine wave unit to work better with my electronics aboard, and I have replaced the main transfer switch with one that has its own surge protection so I don't have to mess with an external one.

Chuck