Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-09-2015, 12:33 PM   #261
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tdogg0413 View Post
Thanks, I think it is a bit nose up as well. I'm guessing I will need to drop the hitch ball 1 hole and try it out. My truck rides a little higher than the previous owner's.

As far as the weight distribution, I'm pretty new at this. The previous owner used 3 links, I went to 4. Do I need to move up 1 more? When I lower the height of the ball, will that make a difference how many links I have to use? I'm using an Eaz I Lift that came with the trailer.
I just hauled my 2011 290BHS last week for the first time and had some issues with nose up too. I lowered the ball and tilted it back some. The spring bars should be parallel with the frame. There should be tension when you raise the chain lift brackets but not enough that you have to strain to lift them. Here is a really good video on WD setup.
https://youtu.be/mkewkvU8Ot8
hbrady is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2015, 12:49 PM   #262
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Posts: 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by hbrady View Post
I just hauled my 2011 290BHS last week for the first time and had some issues with nose up too. I lowered the ball and tilted it back some. The spring bars should be parallel with the frame. There should be tension when you raise the chain lift brackets but not enough that you have to strain to lift them. Here is a really good video on WD setup.
https://youtu.be/mkewkvU8Ot8
Thanks! Handy Video!
Tdogg0413 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2015, 03:53 AM   #263
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by sledhead77 View Post
I now officially hate ours!! Leaks, stuff falling apart, junk! I guess, we wanted to get a fifth wheel anyway, just didn't think it'd be this soon! Hopefully yours works out better than ours did! 3 years and done (if you even count the first year that it was in the shop more then we used it)! Ugh!! Done!! Good Luck!! Oh and I will never buy another Forest River product again!

Amen!



Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums
bjcohn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2015, 04:11 PM   #264
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 31
Must be something with the newer ones, I was honestly surprised how rock solid our 2011 is. 7'' of rain in past 2 weeks and not one drop anywhere (knock on some serious wood). Happy Saturday night from Poland Spring Campground in Maine
__________________
2015 RAM 2500 Crew Cab 5.7L Hemi
2011 Coachmen Freedom Express 290 BHS
hbrady is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2015, 09:31 PM   #265
Senior Member
 
Scubanut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Canada
Posts: 516
Yah it's to bad your having that much frustration with it. I still enjoy mine and any issue other then the leaf springs was a breeze to fix my self. The other issues were so minor, I think you must of lucked out with a lemon.



2012 F150 FX4 Crew 5.0
2012 Coachman Freedom Express 292BHDS (outdoor Kitchen)
Scubanut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2015, 09:15 PM   #266
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Austin,TX
Posts: 268
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tdogg0413 View Post
Thanks, I think it is a bit nose up as well. I'm guessing I will need to drop the hitch ball 1 hole and try it out. My truck rides a little higher than the previous owner's.

As far as the weight distribution, I'm pretty new at this. The previous owner used 3 links, I went to 4. Do I need to move up 1 more? When I lower the height of the ball, will that make a difference how many links I have to use? I'm using an Eaz I Lift that came with the trailer.

The links on the WDH will depend on how much weight you need to shift to the front axels to bring them back to level.

My advice, return that EAZLift WDH and get a better quality non-friction bar WDH. We started with the EAZ lift and did not like the experience with wind or passing trucks, or passing mini vans for that matter.

The Blue Ox made a huge difference.
__________________
2007 Rockwood 1640 LTD Popup -- SOLD
2004 Bantam 19 HTT -- SOLD
2015 Coachmen Freedom Express 292BHDS -- SOLD
2013 RAM 2500 CTD
2018 Prime Time Crusader 319RKT
Loraura is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2015, 09:50 PM   #267
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Posts: 25
Thanks. My funding line needs to recover a bit. I'm gonna try to get everthing level and see how it goes....
Tdogg0413 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2015, 07:56 PM   #268
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 31
If Blue Ox is as good as I hear the investment would be worth keeping my BP down. 20-30 mph gusts last weekend had me white knuckled.
__________________
2015 RAM 2500 Crew Cab 5.7L Hemi
2011 Coachmen Freedom Express 290 BHS
hbrady is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-14-2015, 02:30 PM   #269
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Richland, MI
Posts: 7
No experience with the Blue Ox, but I have been towing with 2 different weight ratings of the Equalizer since 2008 and it's amazing. Virtually no sway, etc, even if you try to make it sway. Highly recommend Equalizer.
Campfire79 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-14-2015, 02:33 PM   #270
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Posts: 25
Thanks for the info, I will look into each one. I know there are other threads, but had anyone used the Anderson hitch with this?
Tdogg0413 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2015, 11:29 AM   #271
Senior Member
 
Thurman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Albany, GA.
Posts: 1,359
"steeleshark2": The photo of your kitchen looks to be the same as my 310BHDS. I think the only difference in the TT is my extra two feet, the bunk slide, and outdoor kitchen. I bought mine in January 2015 and have made four trips to date. The GF, myself, and three g'son's love it.
Thurman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2015, 03:00 PM   #272
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Austin,TX
Posts: 268
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tdogg0413 View Post
Thanks for the info, I will look into each one. I know there are other threads, but had anyone used the Anderson hitch with this?
I shied away from the Andersen even though I liked that it was the lightest of all the WDHs on the market. I read several posts where people with longer and/or heavier TTs had some issues with them. My understanding is that part of how it works is that it pulls the TT very tightly against the ball and some people had trouble with this causing the ball-lock mechanism on the tongue to break.

I've since seen some posts where people were happy with it even with heavier trailers, so I guess the jury is still out. Some people love them.

My only complaint about the Blue Ox is that my husband keeps leaving the wrench behind at camp grounds! We've now purchased 3 wrenches. FYI you can use a socket wrench just fine on it. I still make him buy a new one from etrailer.com every time he leaves it behind!!! I swear I'm going to tie it to a 6 foot long rope attached to the storage bin! Maybe I should spray paint it neon orange?
__________________
2007 Rockwood 1640 LTD Popup -- SOLD
2004 Bantam 19 HTT -- SOLD
2015 Coachmen Freedom Express 292BHDS -- SOLD
2013 RAM 2500 CTD
2018 Prime Time Crusader 319RKT
Loraura is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:32 AM.