Kimberley Kampers USA

[Catastrofe]

I am upgrading from my current 2011 Kimberley Karavan to a Kimberley S3 Kruiser. If the timing goes well, Dave plans to have it on display at EXPO in September.

I have not posted my Karavan for sale yet. I'll probably get it posted this weekend. It's been awesome for me and taken me to many, many wonderful backcountry camps. I'm just getting older and softer so looking for additional room and comforts.

Poke me if your interested.

Kimberley Karavan Images - Brad Garland

Brad Garland Photography

bgarland.smugmug.com

Brad
520-906-2821

Congratulations!

 

[rehammer81]

I am upgrading from my current 2011 Kimberley Karavan to a Kimberley S3 Kruiser. If the timing goes well, Dave plans to have it on display at EXPO in September.

I have not posted my Karavan for sale yet. I'll probably get it posted this weekend. It's been awesome for me and taken me to many, many wonderful backcountry camps. I'm just getting older and softer so looking for additional room and comforts.

Poke me if your interested.

Kimberley Karavan Images - Brad Garland

Brad Garland Photography

bgarland.smugmug.com

Brad
520-906-2821

Brad, I'm in Tucson. I would love to look at your Karavan.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

 

[calicamper]

Suggestion remove the data mining requirements for the brochure. That alone is enough to turn people off especially given I can’t tell if any of the models would have a bunk layout that would work for my family based on the choppy website info and drawings. Meaning your not getting peoples info if they have doubts that the basics would work for their needs.

 

[bomar]

I have a 2020 Karavan and I opted for the couch that converts to bunks and it has worked out well.

This is my second Kimberley as many others here in US. Once you own one I don't know if I would own any other.

Dave @KKUSA is second to none as straight shooter and helping you with any issues and just a wealth of knowledge. So many options to make it just like you want it.

 

[donthompson]

I previously posted about ordering a new S3 Kruiser. I recently changed my order to a T3 Kruiser that was already in the production queue in Australia. I hope it will be ready to ship to Ohio about 6 weeks after my S3 would have shipped. It will be the first T3 built for the U.S. market.

 

[Landlocked]

It looks like the T3 would support full-time occupancy almost anywhere, very comfortably. The T3 looks like an awesome machine. I look forward to hearing your comments on the T3's design and build, especially in cold conditions.

 

[dasadab]

I have been looking at the S3. I have kinda stepped back and may reconsider a Black Series HQ19, even though there is some muttering about quality issues. The HQ is less expensive, but it is also a dual tire trailer. My only other experience with a single tire on each side trailer like the S3 was with a small Lance offering. There was a fair amount of fish tailing. But...maybe with the superior suspension of the S3 there is not the same level of tracking issues one might experience with a single wheel on each side. It does seem just like common sense that having two wheels on the same side will result in much better tracking.

 

[Catastrofe]

I have been looking at the S3. I have kinda stepped back and may reconsider a Black Series HQ19, even though there is some muttering about quality issues. The HQ is less expensive, but it is also a dual tire trailer. My only other experience with a single tire on each side trailer like the S3 was with a small Lance offering. There was a fair amount of fish tailing. But...maybe with the superior suspension of the S3 there is not the same level of tracking issues one might experience with a single wheel on each side. It does seem just like common sense that having two wheels on the same side will result in much better tracking.

I understand your concern as I would prefer dual axle myself, but Kimberley has been producing their trailers this way for many years. If there was an issue, they probably would have updated their design. They have a loyal following in Australia, and I'm sure that customer base would have been very vocal regarding towing issues as AU has stricter DOT compliance than the US.

Edit: I was considering a Black Series but their designs left me wanting. A simple thing like a large(r) refrigerator could not be had on a smaller trailer. To get the big fridge, I had to move up in size to a larger trailer that sleeps an entire scout troop. It's just me, the wife, and the dog so it was a non-starter. . .that's when I stumbled upon KK.

 

[Trixxx]

The Kimberly USA website sure has me wanting more... A couple really simple things could go a long ways:
1. More and better pictures.. They have $170k trailers with hardly any good interior photo’s to “really” get a feel for the interior.
2. Convert the dimensions/capacities from SI to Imperial

 

[Tucson T4R]

The kimberley Kampers Owners Group North America (Facebook Group) has a video walk through of the E Kruiser that shows it off pretty well.

 

[Landlocked]

That's a very effective video tour of the E Kruiser!

Hopefully KK will produce a supplemental video covering topics of special interest to customers in the North American market. Here are some ideas:

* Details of the optional winter package, and general discussion of how the 2021 Kruiser models deals with sub-freezing temperatures. Video shots of the plumbing insulation under the trailer. Are there temperature sensors on any of the plumbing components? Does the battery management system (BMS) monitor the internal temperature of the lithium batteries, and prevent charging when below the low-temperature spec?

* Details of the heating system. BTU rating? Duct locations? Noise level? Can the bathroom be made significantly warmer than the cabin? Since many of us in North America have no experience with diesel heating, some discussion of that technology would be helpful. Should one expect to occassionally smell either the diesel fuel or the diesel exhaust inside the cabin?

* Tongue weight and towing stability. "Drawbar" weight ranges in KK brochures seem to top out at ~10% of trailer weight. My understanding is that 10% is consistent with customs/standards in Australia and Europe. In North America tongue weights of 15% are often recommended because our highway speed limits are higher?).

Of course tongue weight is only one of many trailer-design factors (e.g. aerodynamics and suspension systems) that determine towing stability. Does KK have recommendations for max towing speeds at specific tongue weights? If higher-than-nominal tongue weights are recommended for North American customers, are there specific (and non-obvious) suggestions for increasing tongue weight in the Kruiser models?

The kimberley Kampers Owners Group North America (Facebook Group) has a video walk through of the E Kruiser that shows it off pretty well.

 

[Catastrofe]

That's a very effective video tour of the E Kruiser!

Hopefully KK will produce a supplemental video covering topics of special interest to customers in the North American market. Here are some ideas:

* Details of the optional winter package, and general discussion of how the 2021 Kruiser models deals with sub-freezing temperatures. Video shots of the plumbing insulation under the trailer. Are there temperature sensors on any of the plumbing components? Does the battery management system (BMS) monitor the internal temperature of the lithium batteries, and prevent charging when below the low-temperature spec?

* Details of the heating system. BTU rating? Duct locations? Noise level? Can the bathroom be made significantly warmer than the cabin? Since many of us in North America have no experience with diesel heating, some discussion of that technology would be helpful. Should one expect to occassionally smell either the diesel fuel or the diesel exhaust inside the cabin?

* Tongue weight and towing stability. "Drawbar" weight ranges in KK brochures seem to top out at ~10% of trailer weight. My understanding is that 10% is consistent with customs/standards in Australia and Europe. In North America tongue weights of 15% are often recommended because our highway speed limits are higher?).

Of course tongue weight is only one of many trailer-design factors (e.g. aerodynamics and suspension systems) that determine towing stability. Does KK have recommendations for max towing speeds at specific tongue weights? If higher-than-nominal tongue weights are recommended for North American customers, are there specific (and non-obvious) suggestions for increasing tongue weight in the Kruiser models?

Why not contact David Bates with your questions/suggestions?

 

[Landlocked]

Dave has been very responsive to my questions about KK products. Since I'm not making any purchase in the near term, I throttle my inquiries so that he can spend his valuable time with more likely buyers.

I guess the point of my post was to suggest (to KK) topics that may be on the minds of many North American potential customers.

Why not contact David Bates with your questions/suggestions?

 

[Catastrofe]

Dave has been very responsive to my questions about KK products. Since I'm not making any purchase in the near term, I throttle my inquiries so that he can spend his valuable time with more likely buyers.

I guess the point of my post was to suggest (to KK) topics that may be on the minds of many North American potential customers.

I agree it would be nice to have this information available on the KK website, but I don't think I've ever seen a manufacturer publish that level of detail. Not that there isn't an opportunity to "do it better". . .

 

[Romer]

All I can do is post about my Karvan that came with the winter package. You can see the hoses are insulated and their are membrane heaters on the side of both tanks.

As far as diesel, that's beenn around the US a long time. Sprinter Vans use them as do Some RVs

My friends with other Kimberleys have them and have no complaints

I have a karavan so I heat the compartment up at once, but since the toilet is across from the stove top, I can turn them on

I just installed the diesel heater. I had been using the hot water air heater from the factory that sucked. I should have upgraded then. Since it runs of the diesel hot water It ran all night and never smelled diesel inside. The hot water heater was noisy

In my test of my newly installed D2L Espar Diesel heater, it runs much quieter

I will be in Moab this week I will get a chance to try it with low 40's. I don't have a lot of experience with sub freezing temperatures, so cant really comment on how well the weather gear works. I know Brad Garland did and he added some insulation on one section of hose and was happy, but that again is a Karavan