Coachmen RV was founded in 1964 by the Corson brothers Tom, Keith & Claude. A lot has changed since their inception, but they have never strayec from the principles that had taken three brothers from their humble beginnings in their downtown plant in Middlebury, Indiana to the diverse public giant that they have become.
With over 40 years of experience in the RV industry, it was only a matter of time before Coachmen RV would re-enter the Toy Hauler arena, and the time was now. This past month, at the unveiling of The 2006 Adrenaline XLV (eXtreme, Lifestyle Vehicle), we had a chance to catch up with John Stockman the research genius behind this new fleet of toy haulers.
Speaking with toy hauler owners across the United States, John and his crew of engineers poured countless hours into R&D (research and design). Recognizing this generation’s appetite for enjoyment, John and his crew of engineers were now driven to develop a product that would pack luxury and comfort into a toy hauler without compromising storage space. This would become their platform to further innovate the concept behind the Adrenaline. John explained that no rock was left un-turned, when it came to designing a vehicle for people that like to play hard and then rest easy. Hmm sound like anyone you know? It did to us. Creating a fleet of trailers with both 5th wheel and tag trailer options Coachmen RV launched their latest models and invited us to tag-a-long and what we saw definitely got our Adrenaline going.
Adrenalines are equipped with a 5.5 Onan generator which gets its fuel from a 28 gallon fuel station with an optional second 28 gallon tank for the toys. It is also provided with a 75 amp electronic converter — so you can run all the electric stuff when you want to. The trailers come standard with 30 amp service but have a 50 amp option available. They also have a battery tray with room for three 12 volt batteries.
6000lb EZ Lube Widetrack axles are included with these trailers, which allow you to lube the bearings without disassembly and provide more stable towing. These units are equipped with shocks, 16” wheels, and Goodyear tires with a D load rating.
Examples of the innovative design used in the Adrenaline are seen in the dove tail ramp down to the LED lights mounted on the rear outside frame. These were still visible with the ramp door opened on the 5th wheel model. There was also a rear spoiler with integrated lights that directed air flow off the rear of the coach. An optional 2 axis spot light located on the roof of the trailer had a remote control that was useable from 1000ft away. I can imagine using this coming over a hill or dune and seeing 10,000 rigs that looked all the same, just hit the remote and see where the light comes on and point it were you want it.
The 400 DS FW (double slide, 5th wheel) unit that I was looking at had a full 12 foot garage with no intrusions on the floor to get in the way. The Adrenaline also has a three track style tie down system that you can adjust to fit YOUR needs. John also checked out a lot of different toy tire sizes and then put black diamond plate high enough up the sides to accommodate the biggest tire as not to leave marks or dings on the wall. There were also storage cabinets in the garage with room for the optional single or double, queen size electric bed set ups. One more option that I have not seen in any other toyhauler yet is a cargo stacker. This lift allows you to double the space in your garage with a 1,000lb capacity. It allows you to raise toys, gear or whatever in the air when you need the extra room. With the pull down screen in the back of the garage this could make a great separate room for the kids or friends to stay. The ramp door is rated at 2500lbs. with steel coil hinges which eliminates those pesky springs or cables that are always in the way.
As you walk into the living area, the first thing you notice on the 400 DS FW is how tall it is (8’10” interior height) and one of the best entertainment centers that I have seen yet. The TV was in a spot that you could see from anywhere in the living area and best of all you didn’t have to stare into the sky to see it. All the Adrenaline coaches come equipped with a six speaker surround sound stereo system with the sub woofer aimed at the entry door for outdoor enjoyment after you turn on the Kenwood 3-way 6”x 9” marine grade exterior speakers.
Cabinet doors inside the trailer are a pressed vinyl membrane which are easy to clean and won’t absorb grease, oil, or other grime. Even the laminate vinyl flooring is rip resistant and oil spills shouldn’t disturb it. The couch and dinette cushions have inner springs for more comfort not just some foam rapped in material. They also have an indoor/outdoor sofa that you can easily disconnect from the inside and set outside under the awning if you want. One more advantage to having the removable couch is that it gives you an extra 13” of floor space in the trailer if needed. The 5th wheels also have an optional loft bed in the living area.
The kitchen area had a three burner stove with oven and a residential style microwave oven. The sink was a double bowl stainless steel type with a pull-out faucet and sprayer.
A nice touch was the built in utensil door under the sink and the 10 cubic foot refrigerator with ice maker was an option. There was plenty of room for pots and pans in all the cabinets.
The bedrooms in the 5th wheel models had slides with queen size beds and once again the mattresses had inner springs for a more comfortable feel. The tag trailers with the front baths had standard rear 60”x 80” electric beds with an optional second queen electric stacked bed
Toilet rooms in the trailers were good size and had enough room to sit comfortably on the foot flush toilet. Sinks were full size with good storage around them and a mirrored medicine cabinet. The shower was next to the sink across from the toilet room on the 5th wheel models. Tag trailers had bathtubs across from the sink on the front bedroom models.
Coachmen RV pride themselves on service, they also provide a manufacturer support system to a network of over 300 service centers, so you can buy with confidence. To check out the available options and weights for the different trailers go online to www.coachmenrv.com or call 574-825-5821.
-Terry Gluckman
