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Old 10-19-2016, 06:51 PM   #1
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Saying good bye to the 27RKSS

Sorry for the long post but sadly this has been one of the biggest mistakes we have ever made. We purchased the Surveyor April of 2015 and after a summer with it decided it really didn't suit us so this spring (March) we traded it in on the 27RKSS. Loved the floorplan. But it soon became a hate relationship. We have had many types and makes of RV's but this one is the RV from you know where.

first time out the bathroom door wouldn't shut - adjusted and resolved
The remote for the awning, power stabilizers and slide didn't work. Still doesn't
next the TV quit
Then the slide wouldn't come in
Then the slide wouldn't go out
Then the big drawer under the dinette booth fell apart
Next the cabinet drawers fell apart

I fixed all of that myself as it is abut 80 miles to the dealer and figured I can do at least as good as whoever attempted to put it together.

All of that before April 20th when we headed for Grand Canyon from NW Arkansas for a 12 day run.

Somewhere in the trip the bedroom wall panels popped loose and the bedroom door guide fell off and it developed a big bump right above the cap on the front left side. Dropped it at the dealer and they fixed the panels that were loose and put a new door guide on. Said there was nothing structural under the area where the bump had developed and opening it up would not show them anything. Appears the metal for some reason just buckled there. No idea why. Said to keep an eye on it and if got worse they would contact FR and go from there. Couldn't figure out why the remote doesn't work.

I bring it home again and it sits for about 2 months and take it out for a long weekend and find the panel on the front of the kitchen peninsula is now flopping and had only 2 staples that had been holding a section about 4' long. I bring it home and park it. Open it up the next day to fix the cabinet and find the entire bedroom door, track mount, everything lying on the bed.

Made a deal Monday with the dealer (Colaw RV in Carthage, MO) to trade it back to them for almost what we paid for it. We lost less than a grand but did get the "enjoyment" of it for a few months. They were very accommodating and apologetic. I honestly would have taken it somewhere else as I'm pretty burned with FR right now but the best offer we got other than the dealer we purchased from was $10K from what we paid for it. Nobody wanted it and all other dealers, even FR dealers, said this make was a problem child.

Hope this new 32WB 5er is better than what we had. We pick it up Saturday. Wish us better luck.
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Old 10-19-2016, 06:56 PM   #2
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forgot to add the water pump would cycle for about 2 seconds every 15 minutes or so and they never could find out why. No leaks we could find.
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Old 10-25-2016, 11:19 AM   #3
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we too have the 27RKSS and have had slide issues, fuses blow, the front jack broke and the bed platform is splitting in multiple areas. I Love this floorplan and model but geez, the problems!
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Old 10-25-2016, 06:28 PM   #4
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Yep, I feel your pain. We were the same way but it finally came to the point we were done.
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Old 10-25-2016, 06:50 PM   #5
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I'm interested. Did y'all experience a great deal of away? Wondered if the rear kitchen makes it back heavy or something.
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Old 10-27-2016, 07:39 AM   #6
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If you are talking about sway in towing then the answer is. no. It towed better than any TT we have ever had.

Lots of rocking and swaying when set up. All stabilizers down and set firm on pads, X chocks on both sides and it still had quite a bit of rocking.
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Old 11-09-2016, 01:53 PM   #7
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I've had a 27RKSS now for over a year and a half. We love it. The drawer under the dinette fell apart other than that no issues with FR. I guess I got lucky
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Old 11-15-2016, 10:16 AM   #8
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Had ours for over a year now and love it. It has been set up a permanent spot. We don't leave the slide out when gone. So it has been opened every weekend from memorial day to labor day. That's a lot of open and closes. No probs yet. I think the fridge uses alot of power. But all else is good. Sorry for your luck on that one.
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Old 11-15-2016, 11:27 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OzarkPreacher View Post
If you are talking about sway in towing then the answer is. no. It towed better than any TT we have ever had.

Lots of rocking and swaying when set up. All stabilizers down and set firm on pads, X chocks on both sides and it still had quite a bit of rocking.
We have questioned ourselves on how to keep so much rocking/bouncing from occuring so much but haven't come up with a solution. If anyone has recommendations other than the stabilizer bars already equipped on unit, we would appreciate the info.
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Old 11-15-2016, 11:29 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Wa11y757 View Post
Had ours for over a year now and love it. It has been set up a permanent spot. We don't leave the slide out when gone. So it has been opened every weekend from memorial day to labor day. That's a lot of open and closes. No probs yet. I think the fridge uses alot of power. But all else is good. Sorry for your luck on that one.
that is great. We love it for so many ways. Just a few issues that have come in rapid succession I am afraid. We almost flipped it the first time we took it out so I think I am spooked about it on top of all. I am sure with time and maybe xanax, I will be just fine (lol)
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Old 11-15-2016, 11:30 AM   #11
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I've had a 27RKSS now for over a year and a half. We love it. The drawer under the dinette fell apart other than that no issues with FR. I guess I got lucky
it is a great layout and I hope all the bugs are early on. It does bounce a good bit when walking around. Did yall do anything special to your unit?
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Old 11-15-2016, 12:27 PM   #12
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Holy crap!,... almost flipped it?
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Old 11-17-2016, 12:04 PM   #13
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i use step stabilizers and stack stabilizers mid trailer on frame both sides, i have also seen some campers use the scissor style mid way as well, porch side i put one just front of tires and slide side under slide but far enough forward i can get to it with slide out
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Old 11-18-2016, 06:53 PM   #14
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I tinted all the windows with limo, hung a tv mount in the bedroom, put a home shower curtain rod in the bathroom to hang towels, added a water filter to the cold side under the kitchen sink, put a vent cover on the bathroom vent, added a small computer fan in the fridge, and changed the fridge buld to led.
Also added some digital displays for power too. Makes it easier to see my ac/dc and amp draws. I use 2 scissor jacks, each one in front of the front wheels for extra support. We don't feel any "wiggle waggle" when we are walking around.
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Old 01-17-2017, 10:48 AM   #15
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In honesty were not super happy with ours either. We love it a lot, but only because of what it should be. It has had a lot of bugs in the almost 2 years we have owned it. Hopefully this will be our last Forest River camper, were going to keep it through the warranty (5 years), but the day it's expired were trading it in. Everytime we road trip with it, I fear that when we get to our destination that everything (cabinets, blinds, pretty much anything that is held in with screws) will be laying in a pile on the floor when we get there, but miraculously it stays together with a handful of screws that will be loose. All and all it's not a horrible camper, but I feel for $20,000 there should be some sort of craftsmanship to it atleast!

All the day shades messed up and had to be re-wound.
The siding outside by the walk in door bulged, dealer replaced, and it bulged again before it left the dealership. Turned out there is no support between the walk in door and the big window behind the alum siding, and it's "Normal"...
half the outlets wont work when we get where we are camping and, I have to reset all the breakers to make them start working. Dealer wouldn't fix, because it didn't do it while at their shop.
I'm on the 3rd stereo for the outside speakers constantly quit working. It works now, but I don't have much faith in it.
There is obvious signs of a cheaply built and thrown together rv all through out our camper.
I'm constantly having to tighten the screws on the cabinets and drawers. It's because they use a #6 screw on crappy composite board furniture. The toilet paper holder... Forget about it, I took it off, before it fell off!

As far as the wobble and sway when setup for camping. We use two screw jacks to help stabilize it. Right under the frame by the steps. I have to buy new ones though because they got stolen out of the bed of my truck a few months back. A friend of ours actually fastened them to their frame, but I'm a little lazy for that....lol
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