Crusader questions

chunker21 · 01-21-2018, 10:11 PM

Looking for information about Prime time Crusader 5th wheel. We are looking at getting a 2012 bunkhouse model to use as most time "beach house", bayou actually, and occasional tow some place. If I get it the price will be real good, bank repo. I've looked it over a couple of times and it appears solid. No leaks or delamination evident. Floors solid but I'll check more thourghly. But haven't been able to check out the systems. Fellow I know has it stored at his lot for the CU and has winterized it for me. Before I'm obligated financially I can take to get checked out and since I have a pole barn with 50amp full hookups, that seems to be ideal place.

The air conditioner, single 15K unit on the roof is ducted with no ceiling plate. Prime time literature calls it "quiet" but manufacturers claims are dubious at best. In truth how noisy and effective is the air? The trailer has only one a/c so we'll likely add a second. Hopefully it will also tie into the ducting but not sure at this point. Dometic 8 cuft refer that smells a bit musty and somewhat rusty shelves from not used and closed up. Figure we can refinish them if the refer works.

Basically at the price we can get it we can afford to replace most of the appliances and come out ahead, but hopefully everything works. Girlfriend plans to paint the walls to cover the crappy wall paper, possibly paint white the cabinets, and later replace the bunk room carpet with sheet vinyl. Other furnishings may get replaced too, i.e. dining booth, couch. Almost guaranteed that the queen bed will get a new mattress. We both like a good night's sleep.

So for Crusader owners or others with direct knowledge, how is the build quality? What red flags should I look for that are unique to Prime time and Crusader? Appreciate any and all info good and bad that can be provided.
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**Platokidd** · 01-21-2018, 10:41 PM

Greetings chunker21 and welcome to the forum.

Suggest you look over the Prime Time section of the forum. Prime Time does make halfway decent units. Like any other unit mfg today they can and will have issues.

Best advise would be to go over every inch with a fine tooth comb from roof to underside.
Best of luck

heavynlori · 01-21-2018, 10:50 PM

Check for wear under the slide bottoms - the quiet AC is definitely less noisy than the other styles that have the dump style units in the living area - our Crusader is much quieter....you are able to talk and watch television at normal levels

Adding a second air could be ducted into the same system - ours is more than adequate with only one AC here in Ohio at our seasonal site but a second air could be useful in hot climates

One issue if unit has the dark brown front cap is fading due to bad gel coat during manufacture - not sure if 2012 had that issue - only solution is proper repaint - no amount of buff/wax/polish/coating will last ....no matter what anyone has tried it will wear off eventually

Good luck with your shopping - hope this helps

chunker21 · 01-21-2018, 11:22 PM

Thanks for the comments so far. It is the 355BHQ with a white front cap. Decals are slightly curling on the edges with the color still good but I'm not surprised about that here in the south east. A second air will almost surely be needed as the trailer will spend a good bit of time in NW FL on a bayou. It'll probably be a couple weeks before we get the chance to hook it up and get everything powered. After we go through it with that very fine toothed comb we likely will take it to an independent RV repair I trust to give estimates for any repairs and have them check things also.

M109Rrider · 01-22-2018, 05:50 PM

My ac has a hard time keeping up when temps exceed the mid 90's. I do not have a second ac but I am wired for one in the bedroom vent area. I don't believe it would be a ducted unit though. The 15k ac is very quiet compared to my previous TT. I've owned mine since Nov 2010. A couple minor problems. Hasn't been to a dealer since the warranty expired. Most significant was a leaky window gasket that cause a little delam....all fixed under warranty.

djeirlessr · 01-22-2018, 08:14 PM

We have a 2016 Crusader and our AC is loud. Actually I think it is the fan or the air intake vents. If we are watching TV we have to turn the volume up. We only have one AC. We took a trip out west and been some hot days. We keep the AC on 24/7 when it is hot. Have the fan on low at night and high during the day. We also covered windows with insulation with shiny material and worked great.

djeirlessr · 01-22-2018, 08:18 PM

Overall the Crusader is pretty good. We have taken it to North Fort Myers twice and planning to go back shortly. We took it cross country for 11 weeks and had no issues. In roughly 2.5 years we put 13,000+ miles on it. Had one stock tire blowout luckily no damage.

chunker21 · 01-23-2018, 10:39 AM

My current coach has a basement air but I have had trailers in the past with roof airs that had various levels of noise. Most motorhomes now have roof airs and we have been in some that were very noisy. Unfortunately I didn't pay attention to brand. I do recall, think it was Coleman, that a recent version had a lot of noise complaints and one solution was to change the fan which helped. Not sure if is was as simple as different number of blades or a re-design. Something I read on one of the RV forums.

ben31 · 01-23-2018, 11:03 AM

Look here for what to go over with a used RV: http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ed-141120.html

The AC is a little loud. Less than a direct vent, but I have not heard a quiet RV air conditioner. You won't hear much of the A/C in the main bedroom. not much air, either. Don't let the unit decide the fan speed. Set it to medium or high and leave it. This way, it circulates the air, so you get less hot spots.

Unless you always park in the shade, you will likely need a second A/C unit. If you get the companion 13.5K unit, it should tie directly into the existing venting system.

We've had our Crusader for about 18 months, although a different model, and we really like it. We've only had some minor issues (so far).

Just check it out fully and you shouldn't have many surprises.

Lastly, you can use mobile RV repair services to inspect the RV for you. They come to you.

esmoglo · 01-24-2018, 07:38 AM

There are companies that perform PDI inspections if you're not confident in your abilities to properly inspect the rig.

Overall if there's no delamination, no torn darco wrap on the slides, the roof is solid with no cracks in the sealant, you should be ok, check every cabinet in hard to reach areas as this is usually where you will find water coming in, torn underbelly, good tires. Overall RV's are not complex vehicles as many seem to think they are it's not a hard inspection if you take your time & poke around.

Most expensive appliances are RV gas/electric fridge (the BIG one) must make sure this works, AC units, Auto-leveling, water heater and furnace.

Items like TV's super cheap not a deal breaker
RV Microwave super cheap not a deal breaker (just replaced mine only $99 bucks for the same exact unit) replaced it myself.
Bedding a personal preference as RV beds usually are quite bad
RV toilet is not an expensive item either

If your getting a good deal then small items can be negotiated into the price.

chunker21 · 01-24-2018, 09:15 AM

On my second look at it the slides were out but no power was available to check any operations. It was raining and I did check much of the inside walls/corners for any discoloration. I climbed the ladder and the roof looked good but I didn't walk around the perimeter of it. At my house, where I'll do the though PDI, I have a pole barn, full hookups and concrete floor so I'll roll around on the creeper with my LED flashlight and check that side. I also plan to jack it up one side at a time to check the smoothness of the wheel bearing and brake operations.

The were comments about slide bottoms and I read much of a very long thread about temporary repairs, tape, and nylon sliders? or such. When did primetime or did they ever, change the design to stop the apparent rubbing that's causing wear? I haven't had access to it since that discussion but it will be an area of concern and inspection. The refer in this isn't in a slide but the living room slide is about 12' and I suppose heavy. I'll check them all.

Appreciate all comments and suggestions for this.

Price will be as-is. But it will be several thousand less than low retail and I can do my PDI without obligation to buy. IF the required repairs, if any, are reasonable, the purchase will be worth it. If not, other fish in the sea.

esmoglo · 01-24-2018, 10:25 AM

Sounds like you’re off to a good start in terms of doing quality inspection.

In terms of the darco wrap issues forest river across the entire product line has had issues with the corners of the slides that tear as the slides go in and out of the units. Older primetime products (not all) seem to have been doing better with this issue it’s one of those situations you either have a problem or you don’t .

I was at an RV show this weekend and I can confirm that all the primetime crusaders and Sanabel‘s that I saw had the slide pieces on the corners.

I had those specific items installed on my unit so I’ve lived through it it wasn’t a thrilling experience but nonetheless it was addressed & my unit seems to be fine now.

Brendon37 · 01-24-2018, 10:46 AM

Mine is a 2017 and it had those nylon strips installed from the factory. Ive already had to have one of them replaced as it had a big crack in it. No one could tell me why it broke but the dealer took care of it.

chunker21 · 01-25-2018, 06:24 AM

Today's the big day. Talked to the collections department at the CU and the bankruptcy court released it to sell so I'll pick it up today. It's on a friend's property so I'll meet him at 9 this morning and bring it home. The CU is being real good how we handle it, letting me bring it home and just wanting a decision by Monday, 5 days, whether I want to commit and complete the sale. I told them I hoped to be able to call them Thursday by COB with info. Since it's a bankruptcy, the court requires the bank to give the PO 10 days notice the trailer is being sold. Sooner I tell the CU the sooner the clock starts ticking and we can make it ours. I think they may even let me leave it here at my house for the 10 days, but if not it's only a few miles away to where I'm picking it up.

At any rate the big stuff will be easy to determine. I do have to put one of my batteries in to properly check the electrical systems and sine I think the propane is empty, one of my full spares will get some duty.

I do have a question about suspension. I know that you can check/change one tire at a time by driving just one of the tandems on ramps. How high do I need to get one tire in order to be able to freely spin the other. I'm not planning to remove the hubs but may if I feel the urge and have time. While having one tire suspended I plan to check/feel/listen to wheel bearing and brakes.

As far as shore gear, I remember seeing the power cord but nothing other. Been a while since my last 5'ver but where do people store the hoses? slinky, water, etc. Not as much storage as the motorhome which unfortunately is about 100 miles away and can't get to those parts to use for the inspection. I do have water hoses at the pole barn.

As this proceeds I'll post my findings and if anyone has additional suggestion on areas to check, we're all ears.

DR

**Platokidd** · 01-25-2018, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brendon37

Mine is a 2017 and it had those nylon strips installed from the factory. Ive already had to have one of them replaced as it had a big crack in it. No one could tell me why it broke but the dealer took care of it.

The new style PT wear strips are thin and flimsy. The older style and first version of the strips are wider thicker, more robust and still holding up on my 2014. Look for the slide catching on screw , nail or other.

New stlye

Older and better style

Brendon37 · 01-25-2018, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platokidd

The new style PT wear strips are thin and flimsy. The older style and first version of the strips are wider thicker, more robust and still holding up on my 2014. Look for the slide catching on screw , nail or other.

New stlye

Older and better style

Well since they replaced that one all is good. I looked as best I could and i couldnt see or find anything dragging. The darco wrap has no scratch marks. Time will tell. I do like the look of those older style strips though.

chunker21 · 01-25-2018, 06:49 PM

Well the inspection went well. All appliances work and well. Can't get the outside lights to work, patio and security. I'll check the bulbs and wiring later.

Only real issue is water. Virtually no pressure when hooked to city water. Great pressure on the pump. When I disconnected the hose after bleeding off the pressure inside, a large volume of water shot out of the connection. My guess is that there is a valve or check valve set wrong or malfunctioning. I looked behind the wet bay and of course a bunch of spaghetti with all the water lines. Couldn't see anything out of order, i.e. valve that was closed. With the pump on, we had excellent water pressure and volume at all locations.

Unfortunately doe to the bankruptcy court rules, I have to wait 10 days to complete the purchase and have to return it to the storage lot so it will be a few days before I can do any more troubleshooting. If someone has a suggestion, I'm listening.

The underside of the slides were pretty good with minor abrasion to the black fabric. I can see where an abrasion strip would help. Anyone know a source? Otherwise I'll use some gorilla tape. One white wire to left rear brake was broken. Will fix that. Roof good but will clean up some of the sealant. All in all pretty good and will be a great deal.

Appreciate all the posts and inspection suggestions.

rracer5 · 01-25-2018, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunker21

Well the inspection went well. All appliances work and well. Can't get the outside lights to work, patio and security. I'll check the bulbs and wiring later.

Only real issue is water. Virtually no pressure when hooked to city water. Great pressure on the pump. When I disconnected the hose after bleeding off the pressure inside, a large volume of water shot out of the connection. My guess is that there is a valve or check valve set wrong or malfunctioning. I looked behind the wet bay and of course a bunch of spaghetti with all the water lines. Couldn't see anything out of order, i.e. valve that was closed. With the pump on, we had excellent water pressure and volume at all locations.

Unfortunately doe to the bankruptcy court rules, I have to wait 10 days to complete the purchase and have to return it to the storage lot so it will be a few days before I can do any more troubleshooting. If someone has a suggestion, I'm listening.

The underside of the slides were pretty good with minor abrasion to the black fabric. I can see where an abrasion strip would help. Anyone know a source? Otherwise I'll use some gorilla tape. One white wire to left rear brake was broken. Will fix that. Roof good but will clean up some of the sealant. All in all pretty good and will be a great deal.

Appreciate all the posts and inspection suggestions.

You are correct. There is a check valve at the inlet that prevents water from the pump being pumped back out through the inlet when on pump power. I just may be stuck from "nonuse". You could try removing the screen/gasket & pushing on the valve with a screwdriver. Also, if your water selector valve is set to "Tank Fill", you won't get any "city water" to the faucets.

chunker21 · 01-25-2018, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rracer5

You are correct. There is a check valve at the inlet that prevents water from the pump being pumped back out through the inlet when on pump power. I just may be stuck from "nonuse". You could try removing the screen/gasket & pushing on the valve with a screwdriver. Also, if your water selector valve is set to "Tank Fill", you won't get any "city water" to the faucets.

This one doesn't have the tank fill valve. Tank filling is right beside the city water and is gravity fill. When I get it as mine I'll trace the city water lines looking for some sort of obstruction or valve. The city water inlet had a valve and it looked like it was a problem. I didn't try to operate the pump without the hose connected but I'm going to guess there might be a problem. In 10 days I'll research that.

rracer5 · 01-25-2018, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunker21

This one doesn't have the tank fill valve. Tank filling is right beside the city water and is gravity fill. When I get it as mine I'll trace the city water lines looking for some sort of obstruction or valve. The city water inlet had a valve and it looked like it was a problem. I didn't try to operate the pump without the hose connected but I'm going to guess there might be a problem. In 10 days I'll research that.

Yup. That's where the backflow valve is, right at the connection. Just give it a push.....after you've relieved the pressure by opening a faucet lest you want a bath!

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