Negative: 2015 Wildwood X-lite terrible build quality- Buyer beware!!

[tahoe1840]

I read this post last night and was thinking about it this morning and had to chuckle, the OP is spot on, Forest River does not do a good job with the QC process. Nor does other manufacturers. If any of them did then forums like this would probably fade away. So, three cheers for the forum and to Forest River for the poor workmanship!

[mnoland30]

American manufacturers are lucky the Japanese don't make travel trailers. The only reason unions and federal regulations haven't priced American Travel Trailer companies out of business is because there isn't any. competition. It is pretty hard to hire good help these days. You have to pay crap help about what good help is worth, so you have to pay good help a lot. Most construction workers consider themselves heroes if they show up to work sober. All that said, I have had a fun six months fixing all of the things that should have been done right on the trailer from the factory, and a great summer using the trailer.

[KenHwy61]

Originally Posted by mnoland30

American manufacturers are lucky the Japanese don't make travel trailers. The only reason unions and federal regulations haven't priced American Travel Trailer companies out of business is because there isn't any. competition. It is pretty hard to hire good help these days. You have to pay crap help about what good help is worth, so you have to pay good help a lot. Most construction workers consider themselves heroes if they show up to work sober. All that said, I have had a fun six months fixing all of the things that should have been done right on the trailer from the factory, and a great summer using the trailer.

That is a quite a statement to imply most construction workers are not often sober while working. In reality, QC starts at the top and compared to the 6 and 7 figure incomes Forest River owners and senior management make, the builders make peanuts.
Mr. Havercamp is correct in saying management is well aware of what is going on.

[Broncorick]

2016 EVO 280RKS-- lights falling off ceiling, 2 broken window curtains, toilet valve will not shut off, inside roof panel bowing near AC, trim around door falling off wall, window near door leaking (second try at dealer), black tank flush lines leaking under bath sink( had a flood in bath before I saw it)

Just think--- Just second time out camping---It's got to get better I hope!!!

Keep smiling----

[mnoland30]

I live in NM, so I might be biased. The holes for the light fixtures on our patio were cut with a roofing hammer.

[sting88]

Wow, thank you everyone for the insight on your issues. I had no idea that I would be spending so much money on such a piece of junk, but at least I'm not alone. I suppose I'll keep updating this as I find things down the road, I'm hoping the thing lasts as long as the payment book.

[pgandw]

Originally Posted by mnoland30

American manufacturers are lucky the Japanese don't make travel trailers. The only reason unions and federal regulations haven't priced American Travel Trailer companies out of business is because there isn't any. competition. It is pretty hard to hire good help these days. You have to pay crap help about what good help is worth, so you have to pay good help a lot. Most construction workers consider themselves heroes if they show up to work sober. All that said, I have had a fun six months fixing all of the things that should have been done right on the trailer from the factory, and a great summer using the trailer.

I believe you are very wrong about the state of American labor. Very, very few come to work wanting to do crap work, not caring if they produce a crap product. But they get that way as the day goes on, and they are directed to do things that are contrary to their values, instead of being encouraged to produce the best quality they can. The best pay doesn't draw the best workers, it's the company culture.

Some employers are known to be better to work for than others - and that makes all the difference. The best employers have 1) a sense of mission that starts with and is practiced by their leadership, and flows down to the employees; 2) competitive pay with a few perks that other companies don't have; 3) leadership that cares about everybody in the company, and encourages them to become more than they are. The production workers have to see that these beliefs and practices are real, and that leadership actually walks the talk.

My initial reaction to the wiring in my 2014 Rockwood A122 was what a piece of crap work. It was just a rat's nest behind the distribution center/converter. When I had to replace my defective WFCO converter, I noticed that a real attempt had been made to do a good job on the wiring. The wiring color code from the WFCO matched the labels and the circuit ID labels. The wire size was correct for the size fuse on the circuit. Each circuit had a separate color code for the positive DC - I just didn't see it at first because it was a color stripe on white insulation. What was poor was lack of distribution points (a ground/negative bus bar for example) for wires. Instead, daisy chains of crimp-on wire nuts were used. So either the electrician didn't have access to the correct parts, or management insisted he use what was expedient and readily available. The correct sizing and color coding of the wiring tells me there really is - at the very least - a factory "how-to-wire" diagram that lays out wire colors and sizes.

My overall assessment is that a lot of the suppliers that Rockwood buys from do crap work, but the overall product is not as bad as I first believed.

Some examples of poor suppliers:
WFCO - converters that are known for not operating according to spec
Dometic - the fridge grills are supplied by Dometic for installation of their fridge. What a horrible design - forcing hot air to sink to get through the grill. And no bug screen.
Lippert frames that don't have adequate supports for the liquid tanks.

just my thoughts
Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122 A-frame

[mike.t]

Jeez

[androclesandrocles2]

Originally Posted by KenHwy61

That is a quite a statement to imply most construction workers are not often sober while working. In reality, QC starts at the top and compared to the 6 and 7 figure incomes Forest River owners and senior management make, the builders make peanuts.
Mr. Havercamp is correct in saying management is well aware of what is going on.

Hello, Warren Buffet?

[androclesandrocles2]

Originally Posted by pgandw

I believe you are very wrong about the state of American labor. Very, very few come to work wanting to do crap work, not caring if they produce a crap product. But they get that way as the day goes on, and they are directed to do things that are contrary to their values, instead of being encouraged to produce the best quality they can. The best pay doesn't draw the best workers, it's the company culture.

Some employers are known to be better to work for than others - and that makes all the difference. The best employers have 1) a sense of mission that starts with and is practiced by their leadership, and flows down to the employees; 2) competitive pay with a few perks that other companies don't have; 3) leadership that cares about everybody in the company, and encourages them to become more than they are. The production workers have to see that these beliefs and practices are real, and that leadership actually walks the talk.

My initial reaction to the wiring in my 2014 Rockwood A122 was what a piece of crap work. It was just a rat's nest behind the distribution center/converter. When I had to replace my defective WFCO converter, I noticed that a real attempt had been made to do a good job on the wiring. The wiring color code from the WFCO matched the labels and the circuit ID labels. The wire size was correct for the size fuse on the circuit. Each circuit had a separate color code for the positive DC - I just didn't see it at first because it was a color stripe on white insulation. What was poor was lack of distribution points (a ground/negative bus bar for example) for wires. Instead, daisy chains of crimp-on wire nuts were used. So either the electrician didn't have access to the correct parts, or management insisted he use what was expedient and readily available. The correct sizing and color coding of the wiring tells me there really is - at the very least - a factory "how-to-wire" diagram that lays out wire colors and sizes.

My overall assessment is that a lot of the suppliers that Rockwood buys from do crap work, but the overall product is not as bad as I first believed.

Some examples of poor suppliers:
WFCO - converters that are known for not operating according to spec
Dometic - the fridge grills are supplied by Dometic for installation of their fridge. What a horrible design - forcing hot air to sink to get through the grill. And no bug screen.
Lippert frames that don't have adequate supports for the liquid tanks.

just my thoughts
Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122 A-frame

I just took a peek behind and under a few things and places. Looked just like the picture of a : " rats nest" that would be in a dictionary! But ur right, striped wires! Not for human consumption for those over fifty without a spy glass & a ( Shuren Williams color card set thank you Warren Buffet for buying them four years ago ; with Forest river 10 yrs ago) color chart.
No wiring diagrams from F&R unless through a former employee on the dark web: so you'll have to find an electronic genius and make your own, It'll add 10% to the resale?

PS FIRST TOOL should be a 12 VDC /120 AC portable vac!
The wood shavings, snipped wiring insullation, Aluminum chips and/or pop rivet remains, other metal chips all of which obey the laws of gravity. If they used magnetic screw/nut/fasteners etc. they didn't ) it wouldn't help with aluminum or no- iron materials?

But a vuc would have REALLY HELPED! Just a quick push of compressed air don't : "GET R DONE"!
UNSAID: Asecond application would only disperse it further and some this " in there" don't react to bullets R chips too well? ( not too much too close, if when your vac inhales a IC chip/processors or XYZ'SYOU won't know until a lot of tears & $$ later: so ya might wanna : take a picture of some things ~~before & after? Helps memories also when the button is press and nothing happens or worse: everything happens at once! A good solid ground path also helps until you need it?

I liked a few step drill bit holes WITH filters (coffee pot filters will make due and can be changed cheaply. Save those "silicon packing you throw away" dry and they come in handy for small places? THE BIG moisture absorbers are great! To ADD to your CHECK LISTS so you don't improve things IN REVERSE!
CHECK amazon for "orange 'remove before flight' key rings" come in very handy, even though YOUR neighbors and others may think you're odd or perhaps QUITE MAD! Until they: forget one day!
Then we become :" HEAVENLY GENIUSES " But who cares, do it any way with love for all, just tell me you won't have to "sell" em: we all learn?

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by androclesandrocles2

Hello, Warren Buffet?

You've awakened a thread which has been asleep since Aug. 9 last year. I'm sure those who were interested are no longer paying attention to the thread.