234 VFK Owners Chime In

racin_ny · 01-25-2018, 06:12 AM

I'm currently looking at trading in my 2014 Coachman 223FB on a Cherokee 234 VFK. We haven't gone and looked at one yet but we love the look of the kitchen and the extra room the slide creates. Current 234 VFK owners give me your gotta haves, look out for's and I wish I had's. Thanks Everyone!

krmadruga · 02-03-2018, 10:11 PM

I just purchased one last Monday. I'm following this thread so I can find other owners...Thanks!

2ondago · 05-30-2018, 09:37 AM

Picking ours up next week. Any tips?

wrsees · 06-01-2018, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racin_ny

I'm currently looking at trading in my 2014 Coachman 223FB on a Cherokee 234 VFK. We haven't gone and looked at one yet but we love the look of the kitchen and the extra room the slide creates. Current 234 VFK owners give me your gotta haves, look out for's and I wish I had's. Thanks Everyone!

We have just had our second trip in our new 2018 Cherokee 274VFK. Sat in the yard all winter, couldn’t wait to see how we liked it. I take care of the inside/DH does the outside. I love, love, love the kitchen and extra LR space! Before we picked it up, we had the dealer clip and stain the sharp corners on the peninsula overhead cupboard. Didn’t want ER trips for stitches! Told my DH he’ll have trouble getting me out of this one to trade some day! I hung sheers in the dinette and LR windows (hidden cafe rods, using 15 lb command strips and Christmas tree light clips inside the valance) rather than tinting the large windows. Filters the sun and adds some daytime privacy rather than tinted windows; Pull them back using command cord keepers when we want them open. Folks say they look factory installed. Will post photos if you’d like. Also hung up a stick up toilet paper holder and hand towel ring in bathroom; put a shower tension rod between the back shower wall and medicine chest with curtain rings to hold a mesh shower organizer nicely which travels well. Outside? Well, DH decided to trade his 1/2 ton pickup for a 3/4 ton as this trailer is heavier than our Grey Wolf. Don’t know if it was absolutely necessary, but he’s happy as a clam with it so...

You’ll love it if you get it, I think Happy decision-making.

Erock67 · 06-02-2018, 07:39 AM

We LOVE our V-nose. The kitchen is the main selling point. Everybody comments on it. The only thing I wish it did have was a separate door for the toilet. It is a walk through but you cannot walk from kitchen to bedrooms if someone is in the shower or on the toilet.
We get the same mpg on our VFK that we did on our old TT that was 2500# less. HOWEVER you will need the Equal-i-zer 4 way Weight distribution hitch. Regular chain hitches will not work with the VFK. The pry bar hits the side of the trailer. We found this out the hard way when we were picking it up from the dealers. Had to buy a brand new hitch on the spot.

wrsees · 06-03-2018, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erock67

We LOVE our V-nose. The kitchen is the main selling point. Everybody comments on it. The only thing I wish it did have was a separate door for the toilet. It is a walk through but you cannot walk from kitchen to bedrooms if someone is in the shower or on the toilet.
We get the same mpg on our VFK that we did on our old TT that was 2500# less. HOWEVER you will need the Equal-i-zer 4 way Weight distribution hitch. Regular chain hitches will not work with the VFK. The pry bar hits the side of the trailer. We found this out the hard way when we were picking it up from the dealers. Had to buy a brand new hitch on the spot.

That’s the exact reason we traded our Grey Wolf for the 274VFK. Have some funny stories of being “trapped” on one side of the bathroom or the other with our walk-thru bathroom. Trading solved that issue!

youroo · 06-03-2018, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrsees

That’s the exact reason we traded our Grey Wolf for the 274VFK. Have some funny stories of being “trapped” on one side of the bathroom or the other with our walk-thru bathroom. Trading solved that issue!

How can you be "Trapped" with a EXIT Door on each end of the unit?

Youroo!!

youroo · 06-03-2018, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erock67

We LOVE our V-nose. The kitchen is the main selling point. Everybody comments on it. The only thing I wish it did have was a separate door for the toilet. It is a walk through but you cannot walk from kitchen to bedrooms if someone is in the shower or on the toilet.
We get the same mpg on our VFK that we did on our old TT that was 2500# less. HOWEVER you will need the Equal-i-zer 4 way Weight distribution hitch. Regular chain hitches will not work with the VFK. The pry bar hits the side of the trailer. We found this out the hard way when we were picking it up from the dealers. Had to buy a brand new hitch on the spot.

You didn't have the wrong "Chain Hitch" you only had the Wrong "Snap up Brackets"! Our "Pry Bar" does NOT come close to anything when lifting snap brackets to tighten Chains!

Youroo!!

Erock67 · 06-09-2018, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by youroo

You didn't have the wrong "Chain Hitch" you only had the Wrong "Snap up Brackets"! Our "Pry Bar" does NOT come close to anything when lifting snap brackets to tighten Chains!

Youroo!!

Nope. Sorry. My 234VFK would not work with my Curt WDH. Saw it myself. Bar would smack the side. Glad it didn't work. Love my Equil-i-zer hitch.

krmadruga · 06-09-2018, 01:07 AM

I absolutely love my 2018 234VFK except I always drain the battery. I'm out on a 4 month journey and don't have the time to take it to a dealer to see what the problem is. It is under wartanty until February. Anyone know what it may be? Something wrong with the converter?

youroo · 06-09-2018, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erock67

Nope. Sorry. My 234VFK would not work with my Curt WDH. Saw it myself. Bar would smack the side. Glad it didn't work. Love my Equil-i-zer hitch.

Now you "ADD Curt WDH" in your Original statement you said,"regular Chain hitches will Not work on the VFK"because the "Pry Bar" hits the side of trailer! I said you only needed different "Snap Up Brackets" for the Chains! Blue Ox rotating Latch part# 62-3774 or Reese Bolt on Chain Hanger part # 58305 are just 2 and there are more that allow the "Pry Bar" to be inserted at different "Approach Angles" where the Handel does Not hit the Towed vehicle!

Youroo!!

TJBob · 06-20-2018, 08:42 PM

We've had ours out twice and absolutely love it!! The first thing I did was upgrade the WDH because the tongue weight is much heavier than a non v-nose with a front kitchen. The second was to get rid of those C load castle rock tires, they barely meet weight requirement. I went with the D load Carlisle HD tire, very good tires and well priced. I've had to fix a few little things here and there but overall very pleased with our purchase. Forest River quality control does not exist.

2ondago · 06-22-2018, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJBob

We've had ours out twice and absolutely love it!! The first thing I did was upgrade the WDH because the tongue weight is much heavier than a non v-nose with a front kitchen. The second was to get rid of those C load castle rock tires, they barely meet weight requirement. I went with the D load Carlisle HD tire, very good tires and well priced. I've had to fix a few little things here and there but overall very pleased with our purchase. Forest River quality control does not exist.

We have the 234 and it seems to be a great fit for us. Completed several mods including shifting the sofa forward 10 inches and adding an end table next to the wall. Using a Hensley hitch with 1400 lb bars. Have to agree on FR QC. Shove em out the door as fast as you can!

wrsees · 08-31-2018, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2ondago

Picking ours up next week. Any tips?

Here’s a photo of the window treatments in the slide, described in my first post.

Erock67 · 08-31-2018, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2ondago

We have the 234 and it seems to be a great fit for us. Completed several mods including shifting the sofa forward 10 inches and adding an end table next to the wall. Using a Hensley hitch with 1400 lb bars. Have to agree on FR QC. Shove em out the door as fast as you can!

I completely agree. I had my VFK234 in twice while under warranty for 8 different things (have found more since but will have to just live with it.)

2ondago · 09-14-2018, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmadruga

I absolutely love my 2018 234VFK except I always drain the battery. I'm out on a 4 month journey and don't have the time to take it to a dealer to see what the problem is. It is under wartanty until February. Anyone know what it may be? Something wrong with the converter?

This may be a little late for you but I have the same model and it came with a dual purpose marine battery. Thin plates not designed for deep discharges. I changed to two 6volt golf cart batteries an remade the fume exhaust to accommodate the second battery. Also added a solar battery monitor/controller and seeing how well one 100 watt panel did, adding an additional one and moving them to the roof.

krmadruga · 09-14-2018, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2ondago

This may be a little late for you but I have the same model and it came with a dual purpose marine battery. Thin plates not designed for deep discharges. I changed to two 6volt golf cart batteries an remade the fume exhaust to accommodate the second battery. Also added a solar battery monitor/controller and seeing how well one 100 watt panel did, adding an additional one and moving them to the roof.

Thanks for the info!

velvethippie · 11-19-2018, 08:09 PM

We love our 274VFK also ... the v-nose kitchen leaves plenty of floor space in the living area for the Great Dane's bed

I just wish the windows on the passenger side opened DOWN instead of UP ... can't ever leave them open with the dog in the camper, because he could go right through the screen....

whjco · 11-30-2018, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erock67

We LOVE our V-nose. The kitchen is the main selling point. Everybody comments on it. The only thing I wish it did have was a separate door for the toilet. It is a walk through but you cannot walk from kitchen to bedrooms if someone is in the shower or on the toilet.
We get the same mpg on our VFK that we did on our old TT that was 2500# less. HOWEVER you will need the Equal-i-zer 4 way Weight distribution hitch. Regular chain hitches will not work with the VFK. The pry bar hits the side of the trailer. We found this out the hard way when we were picking it up from the dealers. Had to buy a brand new hitch on the spot.

I moved our tongue brackets from our Starcraft to our new 274vfk and they work fine. It's an EazLift equalizing hitch and it does use the chains but it clears the V-nose just fine.

Bill J., Lexington, KY.

2ondago · 12-03-2018, 10:56 AM

We use the Hensley Arrow on our VFK. Did have to modify the skirting a bit for the pry bar, but after putting vinyl trim on it looked like factory job. For me it was worth doing as we lost a utility trailer in Colorado due to high wind and sway issues. Before jumping to defend “your” choice of hitch, I realize others work also. Just a personal choice and note here not to be afraid to make a little modification.

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