not a good start

camperdave825 · 03-29-2014, 01:30 PM

Brought my new Crusader 290RLT home last Friday. Went to put the passenger side slide out and I hear a loud crunching sound ( slide had moved only out about a foot to a foot and a half out); stick my head out the door and see the skirt on the slide pushed out and separated from the trim. I retracted the slide and called the dealer to say it would be coming back the next day (emailed pictures to them). When the tech was giving us the demo he showed us restraining straps but he said he had no idea what they were for.
With the second recliner blocking the doorway and the closeness of the two slides when retracted along with the location for the slide power buttons it is impossible to to see to the rear of the trailer. I climbed over the rocker and went to the rear to see that the inside trim on the slide was pulled away and that obviously the second rocker had moved forward against the slideout, (no way to ever see this rocker) causing the whole problem. I have owned two 5th wheels previously and have never had the furniture move (one had two recliners at the rear) Obviously the straps have a purpose and the storage of the swivel rockers must be in a better location -- no information in the literature from Prime Time. Now I am waiting for the 5th wheel to be repaired and will see how good my dealer is in customer relations. (Also when I originally picked it up I noticed the RCA home theater was missing as was the 50 amp service cord.
Needless to say it hasn't been a good start.
Any feedback on the 290 RLT would be appreciated (like, dislikes, problems :0( )

SKnight · 03-29-2014, 01:40 PM

I've got four chairs and two recliners, they didn't move bringing it home or on my first weekend but thinking about it I'll use the straps just in case.

Once you use the straps, I wouldn't store it with the straps in place. I don't want to put permanent dents in the foam padding.

Hope round two goes much better!

Robecage · 03-29-2014, 01:54 PM

Had a similar incident happen to me but on a very rough ride through the Adirondacks. Dealer was great fixed it all and somehow put it through warranty. Since then, I climb over the chair in the kitchen before DW moves the slide. Planning on removing the couch that we don't use and putting the chairs in that space. Then I will make a bench across the back that doesn't move. Moving that chair is a real pain.

rattleNsmoke · 03-29-2014, 01:57 PM

Those recliners are real heavy and a PITA to dance with across the trailer floor.

Old Geek · 03-29-2014, 04:02 PM

I posted my displeasure with the 290RLT soon after buying ours about 18 months ago. What we did at first was to turn the drivers side chair upside down on the sofa. Got tired of doing that and took two dinette chairs out and slid the chair over under the dining table This was still a pia but the best solution we could come up with.
About two weeks ago we found a permanent solution. We traded it for a 295RST and couldn't be happier. We really like Crusader but the engineer that designed the 290 should have his head examined! That engineer might say the same about me for buying a 290 without seeing all this in advance.
Happy camping.
PS. I need to update my sig to reflect the 295.

irishrv · 03-29-2014, 04:26 PM

Exact reason we didn't buy the 290 (or numerous other manufacturers rear recliner configs we looked at). Couldn't imagine recliner wrestling before each trip.

SKnight · 03-29-2014, 04:41 PM

Wow, see I was looking for that exact arrangement before I found my rear entertainment unit. My recliners are in the right slide but if they move, nothing is going to get crunched later.

Todouble · 03-29-2014, 05:50 PM

My old keystone I had to move a recliner to bring in the slide. I said
I would never buy another rig that I had to move furniture to get the slides in. We bought a crusader 315 this year and love not moving a thing. We do have to strap down the four dining chairs but it's a piece if cake. We love our crusader and hopefully you will get into the groove of setting up yours and like it just as much. Good luck

rscconrad · 03-30-2014, 05:48 PM

Wow. I just bought and took home a 290. I would not want any other floor plan. I think the engineer was an absolute genius. I put a dinning room chair we here the drivers side recliner and the recliner where the chair came from. Nothing is blocked with the slides in. Simply walk to the back and check that all is good. Have a seat on the sofa if you would like. It's An excellent flood plan. What makes it so great to me is when it is closed up you can still easily get to everything

Robert

Weezer · 03-30-2014, 06:04 PM

Our 8528 has the rocker/recliners across the back. Our PDI didn't explain the straps either, we figured that out ourselves. We will *always* strap the recliners in, and use a small pillow between the recliner lever and the wall to prevent marking the wall, thanks to a tip from "jurczeck" yeah, I know I slaughtered the name, sorry!

I put the felt sticky pads on the bottoms of the feet so moving them is a snap and won't leave marks on the flooring over time.

I absolutely love the rocker/recliners, much more than the theatre recliners in the V-Lite, so much so that eventually I'd like to remove the sleep number style love seat and put in two more of the rocker/recliners in that area, even though that love seat *is* more comfortable than the sofa in the V-Lite. It's just the two of us so an additional sleeping area isn't a want or need.

I agree that having non-anchored chairs in the path of a slider is not smart on the designers' part, especially with so little clearance allowed.

camperdave825 · 03-30-2014, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rscconrad

Wow. I just bought and took home a 290. I would not want any other floor plan. I think the engineer was an absolute genius. I put a dinning room chair we here the drivers side recliner and the recliner where the chair came from. Nothing is blocked with the slides in. Simply walk to the back and check that all is good. Have a seat on the sofa if you would like. It's An excellent flood plan. What makes it so great to me is when it is closed up you can still easily get to everything

Robert

I agree with you on the floor plan -- very similar to the two other Titaniums we owned (only this one is 4' shorter and 3000#'s lighter). We are downsizing. The wife liked this one because the furniture was fabric covered and not the leather most others had. I am sure once we get over this "snag" life will be better. Wish you a healthy and enjoyable 2014 camping season

PrimeTime · 04-01-2014, 07:50 PM

We have 2012 290 RLT. I also think the open floor design is the best. I didn't like the rockers in the rear. Stack the outside dinning chairs upside down on the inside chairs. The 2 rockers will fit on either side od the table. Always check the slide both ends before opening including the one in the bedroom. Check clearance outside on the power side. You don't want to open into the power pole or anything else that might be close.

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