Picking up 325Pack13 this weekend

[Rsgtivr6]

So after a few years away from Forest River in our Grand Design, we are coming back. Had a 2012 Grey Wolf 27BHKS and traded it in for an Imagine 2800BH and decided we wanted a toy hauler, so we found our way back. Our GW, even being an entry level TT, seemed better put together than the GD. I know we had our issues with it as well, but it just seemed less "fall-apart-y" than the Imagine.

With that out of the way, doing the delivery inspection this Saturday. I gave them a laundry list of items I noticed pre-PDI that I wanted to make sure they fixed (not my first rodeo), but wanted to ask if there are any other issues people have been noticing about the Wolf Pack line on recent deliveries that I need to check out before taking the keys. I cruised the Cherokee section a bit, but looking for things that might have been buried.

[Rsgtivr6]

Got the big beast home last weekend. It took up pretty much half of my driveway, but towed a lot better than the bumper pulls ever did. A little kicking from the bumps, but with 65PSI in the bags, it only sagged 1/4-1/2". Definitely a different tow than I am used to.

[rmac04401]

Looks nce

[Tablack]

Change the tires. Second trip on ours we had a blowout that took out the inverter. $2000+ damage. FR covered it. There are critical wires right above the tires on the driver side. Maybe add some sheet metal.

[Matt sr]

We purchased the same unit in April, 1st time camped the garage empty and got trailer sway about 65mph,second time garage loaded with golf cart n biketrailer still swayed at 65mph,did u have this problem?other then that issue we loved the new camper.

[Tablack]

I have not had any problem with sway. I usually stay at 55 but I’ve had it around 70 no problem. What are you towing with?

[Matt sr]

Camper level when hooked,had a generator intalled,wondering lowering my hitch height would maybe give a little more pin weight n stop the swaying?I've owned 3 other 5th wheel trailer n never ran across this issue,dealership where we purchased ours from was no help like it wasn't their problem.

[blackseven]

(Long post incoming)

Same trailer. I have mixed feelings on it, but we've spent ~120 days in it since we bought it in 2016. We're living full time in it right now while we're under contract on our house. Pulled it probably 15k miles back and forth to FL, 9000 mile trip of the US last summer.

Four people and two cats can camp in it very comfortably. We've had up to 8 in it on trips. ATV's, dirtbikes, no problem. Big motorcycles like my Tenere ... Not so easy to load since the trailer is so high. Have to get a running start to get up the door, and the door doesn't like that much weight. Couldn't imagin having to load a big bike like a Harley or a gold wing. Definitely upgrade those tires. That'll solve sway issues. I really hate the dinette and wish I had ordered my trailer with the couch.

The grey tank is really awkwardly small... 100 Gallon freshwater tank and 38 gallon grey tank. Not much storage, although I took out the rear cargo wall and there is a TON of space behind it. I cut the storage wall to cover up the heater/hotwater tank and put a cat door in right next to the fridgerator so the cats litter box is outside of the main living area. I can open the drivers cargo door and empty the litter box. That worked out well.

Front sewage connection is right under the slide, which makes it a pain to connect/disconnect if the slide is out.

Also I recommend some type of landing gear brace. We use the steadyfast, very good system. The rear jacks are useless. I replaced them with real Bal-c scissor jacks which made loading/unloading more stable.

Definitely add a Mor-Ryde SRE system to the center suspension equalizer if you're going to be using it frequently. The factory suspension and axles (7000lb) are close to max weight as is. The mor-ryde puts less stress on the frame and interior where wood joints meet. Really extends the usable life of the trailer.

Get a second A/C. Make sure they duct it into the rest of the duct work. It's nice when you can run the front A/C and keep the trailer cool without turning the main A/C unit on. You can have conversations and watch TV in the main living area. There are some climates where you do have to run both at the same time to maintain 72 degrees.

In case you haven't noticed yet, the garage does not have a heat vent, but the rear bathroom does... Makes no sense aside from trying to keep the plumbing from freezing up. Have taken the kids winter camping a few times, they can't sleep back there below 45 degrees without some decent sleeping bags.

I'm seriously considering trading it in for something smaller when our 15 year old graduates high school in a few years. We want to stay in the national parks out west, and this rig is just too big. A slide in + trailer for the motorcycle would be perfect for just the two of us. Or maybe a wolfpup. I was also considering a Grand Design, but what you're saying about build quality being equal to the wolf-pack is extremely concerning to me. I'm starting to do enough RV nights during the year that build quality is more important than price.

I pulled it up Monarch pass in Colorado, and Powder Pass in Wyoming. Trailer gets the job done and pulls with no issues at all behind that F-350.

PS... Yes, the top of that main AC unit is 13'6" on the dot.

[blackseven]

Originally Posted by Matt sr

Camper level when hooked,had a generator intalled,wondering lowering my hitch height would maybe give a little more pin weight n stop the swaying?I've owned 3 other 5th wheel trailer n never ran across this issue,dealership where we purchased ours from was no help like it wasn't their problem.

Welcome to RV Ownership. My dealer couldn't care less about me either after the money changed hands. Hitch RV in Delaware sucks.

If you haven't already, upgrade the trailer tires. I put the Sailuns on mine, great upgrade for reasonable money. If you have a short wheelbase truck and a shortbed with a heavy hitch, you may have to live with some sway. I had an F-250 and didn't like the sway. I had an opportunity to trade up for the F-350 dually so I took it, but really any Crewcab truck with an 8 Foot bed should have no sway pulling this trailer. The F-350 also has a rear-swaybar that the F-250 did not which I'm sure had a lot to do with the increased stability.

[Matt sr]

Sorry 4 the delay,Ford 350 extended cab 4x4 off road package diesel auto trans 8' box,some one told me if my sway bar bushings in trk.is worn that will cause it..any one ever hear of this?

[blackseven]

Originally Posted by Matt sr

Sorry 4 the delay,Ford 350 extended cab 4x4 off road package diesel auto trans 8' box,some one told me if my sway bar bushings in trk.is worn that will cause it..any one ever hear of this?

You can hop under the truck without putting it on jackstands and see what the condition of the sway bar bushings are. I would say that's likely not the problem. Are you pulling with anything in the tanks? Is the trailer level when pulling? Are you still running the original tires? What's the tire pressure in the trailer tires?

Getting the trailer axles aligned will also help with pulling the trailer straight. I know mine are off because of the tire wear I just need to find a shop that can do the alignment.

[Matt sr]

Trailer has 1"lean forward from rear to front of frame,yes tanks empty, except 30 gal gas tank to run generator, camper tires @80psi only have 2 trips on them, roughly 80miles both camping trip...thinking maybe it's them Castle Rock tires???read so much bad about them.

[Matt sr]

I lowered my hitch so I'm nose diving 1"-2",solved all my sway problems! Thanks to all that suggested ideals to try.also by doing this I noticed it was now setting my truck suspension on the helper spring..pulled n rode excellent.

[Rsgtivr6]

Haven't checked back in recently, it's been a busy summer so far.

I read a propane line horror story from a blow-out somewhere, also. I see all the stuff ran under the wheel wells. I will definitely have to come up with some protective measures there.

I don't get any sway, but I do have a good bit of bucking from the camper. pretty much any bump in the road translates back to the hitch. That's the only towing issue i have noticed so far.

The only real gripe we have had so far is the hopeless touch-pad thermostat. Any way to change this to the old button style Dometic?

Otherwise, we have camped a couple times so far and it has been a very good trailer. I, too, wish we had the couch vs the dinette. I think we might try to trade it out, but it's livable for now.

So far, so good! Thanks for the replies!

[tom_bergstrom]

Whats wrong with the dinette?

[smkauffman]

We just picked up a 24PACK14+ the week before Memorial Day. Just got to use it for the first time last week. A very definite upgrade from the pop up I've had for the last 15 years.

[Rsgtivr6]

Originally Posted by tom_bergstrom

Whats wrong with the dinette?

The cushions are only slightly better than sitting on the bare plywood. I miss the couches in the last two for comfortably sitting and talking or watching TV. We already have the rear dinette in the garage (with more comforable bench/couches). Don't need 2.

[rmac04401]

Originally Posted by Rsgtivr6

The cushions are only slightly better than sitting on the bare plywood. I miss the couches in the last two for comfortably sitting and talking or watching TV. We already have the rear dinette in the garage (with more comforable bench/couches). Don't need 2.

Replace with recliners!!!!

[Aztec1382]

Are they offering 7k axles now
I thought they only made them with 6k axles

Whats does your carrying capacity sticker state

[Rsgtivr6]

Originally Posted by Aztec1382

Are they offering 7k axles now
I thought they only made them with 6k axles

Whats does your carrying capacity sticker state

I would bet you can custom order with 7k, but mine are 6k. I am 12k dry and 14k GVRW with about 2k pin.