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Old 07-14-2017, 02:02 PM   #1
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Opinions on purchasing a Shockwave Toyhauler fifth wheel

Hello all,

I am considering purchasing a new shockwave toyhauler fifth wheel to replace the a 43ft Attitude. I am looking for something smaller and lighter than what I already have. I am hoping to get some input on the quality of the shockwave trailers and what some owners think of the brand. You can never get a truly unbiased opinion form a dealer. Any input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Tony
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Old 07-15-2017, 08:50 AM   #2
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We have a new Shockwave T27SA; We love it. Well built with strong I-beam frame and load range "E" tires. We like the layout and features. Everything that we didn't like with our "Weekend Warrior", is right on the Shockwave. Great camper!
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Old 07-15-2017, 12:47 PM   #3
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Welcome. We purchased a 2016 Shockwave F28SAGDX fifth wheel. We were looking for a 5th wheel toy hauler that was on the shorter side - and this fit the bill.

You get what you pay for - I am satisfied with the purchase but have had some issues. In the price range you will get pretty good bang for the buck, but this line (Stealth/Shockwave/Sandstorm - they are all the same but by name and trim) isn't (by price or quality) in the luxury range. For example, the mattress included is a throw-away. You could go with a high-end ($$) manufacturer/model, and you would get a "real" mattress, but a memory foam topper does wonders for less. The layout works great for us - we got the living room slide option, which still allows us room to load two motorcycles and we enjoy the extra space.

The type of problems we have had are things that show a lack of attention to detail at the factory, which is something I see as a common thread in post here. We had wrong A/C unit installed (FR replaced it when I pointed it out), and we had a water leak due to poor roof sealing, which required some interior repair. FR also helped with that by providing materials for my do-it-yourself repair, but still cost me ~$800 to get re-sealed. The roof is only warrantied for short period - 60 or 90 days, something like that. Industry typical deal, not just FR. We also had a leak over the entry door and I found that they totally failed to apply any sealant over the door trim, I fixed that. Water faucet in bathroom was hooked up backwards (hot/cold reversed). FR fixed that under warranty. And the D-rings they use are cheap - we had two fail on a twisty road along the coast, which toppled our bikes and did some minor damage. I've since added additional rings and have repeated same (and other) trip w/ no problems.

But all said, we could have paid 2x what we did, and I don't think we would have got 2x better quality. RV's are made cheap, at any price point. So despite annoying quality issues, we are happy with the 5th wheel - it fits our needs well. I do wish it was a foot shorter! But that is the thing with toy haulers in general, not just FR.

Jim
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Old 07-17-2017, 09:35 PM   #4
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That looks identical to our sandstorm. Just different sticker package.
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Old 07-17-2017, 10:03 PM   #5
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Trobec, bout 18 mo's ago, if you will recall, you responded when I posted similar question as Gordon24, and helped me with some key questions that convinced me to pull the plug!
Jim
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Old 07-18-2017, 06:32 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mcwhirtj View Post
Trobec, bout 18 mo's ago, if you will recall, you responded when I posted similar question as Gordon24, and helped me with some key questions that convinced me to pull the plug!
Jim
Sounds like you found a unit that works for you despite the unfortunate issues you have had. Outside of having to replace all the brakes due to grease being on them and the floor in our bedroom slide having to be replaced our unit has been working out pretty well. Just got back from a 9 day trip to California where the only casualty was loosing our new BBQ due to a storage door coming open. Have since put longer arms on the latches to prevent that from happening again.
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