K-Z: The Spree (35-6) By Garth
W. Cane |
Go
On a Camping Spree With K-Z
Pack all of your vacation gear into the Spree and head
out on a wonderful weekend trip
wherever the open road can take you! This easy-to-tow
trailer has an attractive profile
and all the needed amenities for a comfortable night’s
sleep. |
If
you’ve ever had a family member complain about “roughing
it” during a camping trip, then maybe it’s time
to consider to improving your accommodations from tent camping
to the RV lifestyle. K-Z’s Spree Travel Trailer caters
to campers looking for an easier place to cook, eat, sleep,
and relax!
I travelled to Ultimate PowerSports & RV, Bellville, Ontario,
to pick up a K-Z, 21-foot Spree Travel Trailer for a road test.
This tandem-axle fibreglass trailer has a hitch weight of 459
pounds and is available in six different floorplans, including
21-foot to 31-foot units. Its dry-axle weight of 2,783 pounds
doesn’t include the weight of the propane in the tanks,
fresh water, food, clothes, etc. However, this still leaves
room for 3,758 pounds before exceeding the GVWR (Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating) of 7,000 pounds. The Spree rides on 15-inch tires
with scissor-type jacks at both the front and rear to stabilize
the unit.
You can access storage areas from the exterior of the unit under
the double bed and also under the front dinette seat. At the
rear corner on the street side you’ll find a Marinco-style
electrical inlet, so that the cord is easier to store. There’s
also a connection for cable TV, waste dump valves, and (just
above the valves) a white courtesy light for hookups after dark.
There’s an outside shower unit on this side of the trailer
for rinsing off, yourself or the catch of the day, without getting
the area around the entrance door all muddy. The Spree’s
propane tanks are installed inside a compartment on the A-frame
of the trailer. A spare tire has been included on the back of
the unit (just in case).
Inside
There’s a 48 x 74-inch bed in the rear corner with a 28
x 74-inch bunk above. The dining table converts into another
double bed for two youngsters if need be, with storage under
each seat cushion for sleeping bags and pillows. Above the dinette
are four cabinet doors with tinted see-through door panels.
In the area over the kitchen there’s a large two door
cabinet and a Sylvania microwave oven with Jensen exhaust fan
over the stove, and a Sony Weatherman CD stereo radio (with
Megabass).
The kitchen counter is quite large for a trailer of this size,
featuring a large stainless-steel double sink, and three-burner
Suburban stove top and oven. Covers over these provide more
workspace during meal preparation. The sink has a tall faucet
that allows you to easily clean up deep pots after your meal.
Below the kitchen counter, the unit has good storage with four
drawers and a large door to access the storage under the sink.
The 120 V to 12 V converter is from World Friendship Company,
and has six circuit breakers and 11 fuses to protect the electrical
wiring and appliances. Right next to the stove is a large closet
for hanging clothes with a six-inch deep drawer below and another
large storage compartment for shoes and other things.
The bathroom has a solid door enclosing the toilet and shower
area with its Alsons-type hand unit and a large fibreglass tub
with ABS surround, allowing most persons to sit while having
a bath. Above the tub there’s a skylight, as well as an
exhaust fan in the ceiling lumidome to take out moist air after
a shower. A Thetford toilet and a generous sink, with silver
coloured faucets, are provided, as well as a medicine cabinet
above.
On the street side of the interior, there’s a double-door
Norcold refrigerator with a large freezer section on top and
a large food section on the bottom. Below that is another drawer
(you always need drawers) and the Suburban furnace. A tall cabinet
with four separate compartments for canned food and bottle storage
is between the refrigerator and the entrance door.
Our Tow Vehicle
Our tow vehicle for this test was a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee
that easily handled the trailer. Our ‘Limited’ model
had a tow rating of 7,200 pounds, well within the maximum GVWR
of the Spree. Equipped with the 5.7 L Hemi V8 engine, it has
multi-displacement, allowing the Jeep to run on four cylinders
when cruising (for better fuel economy), or on eight when acceleration
is required for climbing hills. The five-speed 545RFE transmission
also has a feature called ‘Tow-Haul’, which holds
the transmission longer in lower gears, and prevents it from
hunting back and forth from overdrive to fourth gear, and back
again.
The Cherokee also has Quadra-Drive II fulltime 4WD for back
roads, and Electronic Stability Program, which prevents over
and understeer on slippery roads. One feature we enjoyed was
the ultrasonic ParkSense Assist, displayed in the headliner
above the rear flipper glass, making hooking up the trailer
easier. This also prevented us from accidentally backing into
objects in the campground after disconnecting the trailer. Since
Jeep Grand Cherokees are very popular with car thieves, we appreciated
the fact that it had a security alarm installed, and a Sentry
Key engine immobilizer. When towing the trailer, we found the
in-dash satellite navigation radio a godsend when driving in
unfamiliar territory. We also thought the rear-seat video entertainment
system, mounted in the ceiling to entertain any back seat passengers,
was a nice touch.
Getting Hitched
The Ultra Pro Star equalizing hitch we used for the test was
provided by John Aristone, manager of marketing and engineering
at Eaz-Lift. The unit allows for fine tune adjustments of its
spring bars, and has an easy method of adjusting the amount
of hitch-head tilt, designed to provide a stable platform while
towing. The hitch is also prepared for the installation of double
friction sway controls. Zerc fittings come included in the hitch
to facilitate the lubrication of the swivel joints where the
spring bars connect to the hitch head. Since the spring bars
insert and lock into the head with clamps, there’s no
need to get your hands dirty from any grease when hooking and
unhooking, as is the case with some other hitches.
Bottom line, the K-Z Spree is an excellent trailer for a young
family who needs to tow with a lighter vehicle. Although we
used a Jeep Grand Cherokee to tow our test unit, it could be
towed by many less powerful cars or vans by owners who want
to give their children the experience of on-road travel.
SPECIFICATIONS
Interior Height: 78”
Exterior Width: 8’
Exterior Length: 20’9”
Exterior Height: 10’ 3”
Refrigerator: Norcold gas/electric 621LM
Fresh Water: 40 gal. / 152 L
Gray Tank: 32 gal. / 120 L
Black Tank: 32 gal. / 120 L
Furnace: Suburban NT16
Tires: 205R15C 50psi
Price as tested: $19,995 plus freight and PDI
www.ultimatepowersports.ca
www.kz-rv.com
www.jeep.com
www.eazlift.ca (Page Top) |
|
