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Old 04-06-2017, 10:36 AM   #1
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2017 Grey Wolf 26DBH Limited

New here to the forums. Wife and I just purchased a new 2017 Cherokee Gray Wolf 26DBH almost two weeks ago and one week ago since taking delivery of the TT. Love the floorplan of the TT and got a decent deal on it from our local dealer here in Indiana compared to other local dealers. We are new to TT and first time owners, but needed to know a few things:

1. Is the Cherokee Gray Wolf 26DBH considered a entry level or intermediate level camper?
2. How does this unit hold up after 2-3yrs of use?
3. Any issues with the slide out ?
4. Quality of the unit compared to other brands?
5. Anything that I should be aware of for maintenance?

Any opinions or facts about this model of TT would be greatly appreciated!
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Old 04-06-2017, 10:45 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Barmstrong77 View Post
New here to the forums. Wife and I just purchased a new 2017 Cherokee Gray Wolf 26DBH almost two weeks ago and one week ago since taking delivery of the TT. Love the floorplan of the TT and got a decent deal on it from our local dealer here in Indiana compared to other local dealers. We are new to TT and first time owners, but needed to know a few things:

1. Is the Cherokee Gray Wolf 26DBH considered a entry level or intermediate level camper?
2. How does this unit hold up after 2-3yrs of use?
3. Any issues with the slide out ?
4. Quality of the unit compared to other brands?
5. Anything that I should be aware of for maintenance?

Any opinions or facts about this model of TT would be greatly appreciated!
1. Is the Cherokee Gray Wolf 26DBH considered a entry level or intermediate level camper?
When we first purchased it, I thought it was on the "upper" tier of entry level. After 2 summers, I'd say its more mid tier. It's not the cheapest you can get, but it's construction brings it down.
2. How does this unit hold up after 2-3yrs of use?
Year 1 was fine, year 2...it needed lots of work. Hopefully year 3 is better, but it's assembly/craftsmanship issues, not component issues
3. Any issues with the slide out ?
Watch your seals....if water gets inside, you will have a lot of wood replaced.
4. Quality of the unit compared to other brands?
Hard to say because I haven't owned other brands from brand new, but I'd say it's less quality than other brands that are at the top of the above mentioned "upper" tier (Surveyor, Vibe, Coachman Catalina, Jayco), but better than Shasta and some other value brands.
5. Anything that I should be aware of for maintenance?
Be prepared to fix something at the end of every trip....I don't think that's a Grey Wolf problem, just the life of being an RV'er.
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Old 04-06-2017, 03:56 PM   #3
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Thanks JustB_Rad for the answers to my questions. Hopefully we purchased a good camper. Time will tell!
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Old 04-06-2017, 08:18 PM   #4
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1. Is the Cherokee Gray Wolf 26DBH considered a entry level or intermediate level camper?

Said to be an entry level but it is nicer than our Rockwood was IMO

2. How does this unit hold up after 2-3yrs of use?

Going into our 4th season with over 15,000 towed miles and no issues.

3. Any issues with the slide out ?

I resealed my top seal because they did not do a good job in year one. No issues since.

4. Quality of the unit compared to other brands?

Hard to say, but I think it was nicer than my Rockwood as far as build quality but it did not have as may flashy (IMO useless stuff) to try and make it feel higher end.

5. Anything that I should be aware of for maintenance?

Like all trailers.. Keep an eye on the roof seams and seals, tires evry 5 to 7 years and get the bearings checked.
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Old 04-06-2017, 08:29 PM   #5
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Congrats on the new trailer. You will love it. I have a 274DBH which is the brother to your trailer. To answer your questions,
1. I think it is a mid-tier trailer.
2. We are starting our third year of use and so far no major problems, just normal things that need attention on all trailers.
3. I don't want to jynx myself, but so far no problems with slide out
4. The quality seems to be about the same as other trailers I have owned. I think it is very important to get a good dealer that makes sure everything works properly before delivery.
5. On maintenance, be sure to check the roof at least two times per year and re-seal any roof penetrations as needed. Water is your enemy.
The most important thing is enjoy the trailer and make memories with your family. I don't remember hearing anyone say "I spent too much time with my family".
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Old 04-07-2017, 12:43 PM   #6
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I have a Cherokee not the Grey Wolf Cherokee and the slide is slightly different but ......

3. Any issues with the slide out ?

- Bulb seals came out of tracks on top and rear side. Fixed under warranty so I don't know exactly how they fixed them.

- Leans down slightly when fully extended. Dealer and Mfg claim it is within specifications. When fully in, the seal at the bottom still touches but not as snugly as the top.

- Dealer found "voids" in the wiper portion of the seal which allowed dribbles of water to get inside. Also fixed under warrant, not sure how it was fixed.
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Old 05-10-2017, 03:15 PM   #7
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I've had a 2013 26DBH since new in 2013 and use it at a seasonal campsite... so it sees allot of usage more so than most... but sees less towing than others... out in the spring, and back home in the fall

Still quite happy with it, have had no big concerns. Only fixed little odds and ends, mostly trim pieces.

Slide has been fine, everything big and expensive has been fine.

Would recommend to others.

If anyone expects it to be like a BMW car and be perfect fit & finish and be aghast that EVERYTHING isn't warranty for years... well that kind of person is better of staying in hotels and giving them the bad yelp reviews lol... normal people that can roll with the punches are the ones that enjoy camping & RVing
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Old 05-10-2017, 03:49 PM   #8
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IMO for the price & weight of a new stick & tin 1 slide Gray Wolf 26DBH you can purchase a gently used aluminum framed/fiberglass sided mid-level bunkhouse with 2 slide-outs. Lots of trade-ins arrive at this time, so ask several dealerships to call you when something good arrives...

In 2014, at an RV Show, we took a long hard look at new Gray Wolf 26DBH's for $19K-$20K because they came with a lot of cosmetically appealing "upgrades" for the price... However, after opening every access panel & taking bright flash pictures of every nook & cranny I was not impressed. The wood framing pieces did not even touch at the joints & were crudely stapled together, etc. The wiring/plumbing was stretched to the point of kinking/breaking (unfortunately even high end TTs have this problem...)

So in 2014, for the same $20K, we purchased a mildly used 2-slide PrimeTime Tracer 3150 which has the better aluminum framing/welds, fiberglass exterior, an entire 2nd slide-out for the kids' bunk room, a deluxe outdoor kitchen, a larger 8 cu. ft. fridge (for our family of 5), all in a package that is only 6,500 empty w/empty tongue of 650...

That's the key - for about the same WEIGHT as a Gray Wolf we get 2 slide-outs...

My favorite features are that the kids have their own room to get changed in & I have an outdoor kitchen. The outdoor kitchen makes it easy to prepare a quick meal when we first arrive at a CG tired & hungry. I also love that I have an outdoor sink to wash my hands when preparing meals outside, even if we use the fire to cook...

I purposefully looked at new & used TTs in heavy rains & found that some new ones leaked badly whereas our used TT was bone-dry & had no signs of prior water penetrations. (I spent 2 hours looking it over before making offer/subsequent PDI) We bought ours from a local dealer for the same price as folks wanted on CL/eBay/etc. & the dealer included a "free" Equalizer 4 1200 WDH & installation, pressurized leak test & re-caulking, new battery, new CO2 detector, and adjusted all slide-out & awning tracking during our 2.5 hour PDI.

Before our first trip we installed a comfy mattress & Maxxis Tires... We have camped for 3 years without any serious issues not caused by me breaking something (I bent a rim & broke some trim off inside - but both were easy repairs...) I'm SO glad we didn't go smaller (1 slide) because now that our boys are older they feel they have their own space/privacy.
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Old 05-10-2017, 04:26 PM   #9
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cherokee gray wolf

also got a 2017 grey wolf, ours is a 23mk, been great so far. Don't forget to get the 2nd year warranty from Forest River. A TPMS is not a bad idea also
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Old 05-10-2017, 07:31 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Rhino View Post
IMO for the price & weight of a new stick & tin 1 slide Gray Wolf 26DBH you can purchase a gently used aluminum framed/fiberglass sided mid-level bunkhouse with 2 slide-outs...

In 2014, at an RV Show, we took a long hard look at new Gray Wolf 26DBH's...
I would like to add that we spent over an hour inside of one & my kids hated the cramped upper bunk, which made them feel like they were going to sleep in a coffin. I hated the raised dinette - I'm 6'2" & couldn't get in & out without cracking my head. Like ours the 26DBH has an outside entrance to the bathroom but the windowless doors don't match the siding...

All of that said, I LOVE our FR product & think FR makes better TT's than the Thor/Keystone equivalent... However, before settling on a floor plan you should spend an hour inside with your entire family... Our kids really helped us to make the right decision.
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