Impression after a couple days ownership

[Cowracer]

In totally random order... (regarding my 21SSL)

* The Forest River Manual is a total stinking joke.

* Have I been shorted a speaker? There is only one stereo speaker installed inside the unit. I have a pair on the outside, but only one on the inside. Seems crazy to me.

* Beds are much more comfortable than I thought they'd be. While puttering around inside last sunday, I laid down on one and started reading thru some of the manuals. I woke up 3 hours later.

* what the hell does the switch labelled "Interior Light" do? I cant find a single thing it turns on or off.

* Can you wear out a power awning? The neighbors must think I'm crazy, putting the awning out every time I am out in it. I just love the push-button simplicity of the thing.

* I may have gone a touch overboard in specifying a 15kBTU air conditioner. However I can now drink beer at room temperature, provided by 'room temp' you mean the inside of my camper.

* I find it incredibly odd that they mount the toothbrush holder, soap holder and hand towel ring in the bathroom, but the toilet paper holder and towel bar is left for me to mount. Then again, my wife pointed out that I probably would have disagreed with their placement had they installed them, and this way I can do it right.

* 4 zip-ties and some anal-compulsive attention to wire routing did what FR or RVW apparently could not do to the TV cables.

* It seems like such a small thing, but its a total joy having a gas-shock on the entry door, and having a screen door that latches to the main door. My old winnebago had a non-latching screen door, and people were always slamming the door into the side of the coach by flinging it open.

* damn, this thing sits high off the ground. Much more ground clearance than my old winnebago or pop-up. I shudder to think of the height if I'd have sprung for the 'off-road' option.

Thats some quick observations that I made. Reservations are made for our first trip on the 18th. Cant wait!

Tim

[F.R.O.G.]

Cowracer, congratulations on the new unit! Where's the first trip?

Before you go, stop by the Blue Owl and have a piece of Mary's pie in my name. It's been too long since I've done it myself.

[Triguy]

Manuals - The FR manual is lacking just a little but you should have also received all of your appliance manuals. I downloaded everything onto my iPad, too.

Speakers - I have three. Two are inside - A is left and B is right. C speakers are the two outside.

The "Interior Light" switch on mine controls the light over the sink. Switch that on and then try the "interior light" switch to see if its the same.

Power awning. I am sure it can wear out as its mechanical. I don't worry about it, though. I agree that its kinda fun
Air conditioner. You can replace the thermostat with a digital for better control

Gas shock. Mine is starting to pull my door apart. I am getting it fixed under warranty and might remove it.

I wish you all the best on your first trip!!

[itat]

Speakers - My 23SS has two speakers inside, both over the dinette and about 3 ft apart. The left is "Room A", the right is "Room B" (or vise versa, I can't remember). Would have been nice to even have one in the back. Room C is the 2 outside speakers. Has anyone upgraded the speakers? I don't know if the Concertone ZX75 can put out a decent enough signal to make it worth it. In my truck I upgraded the head unit first and that made a huge difference.

Wiring rats nest - I agree, but I didn't both bother putting zip-ties on them. I'm afraid Murphy's Law would get me and I'd have to cut the things off if I put any on!

Gas shock - I like the gas shock on the door too but mine is pretty strong so I'm a bit concerned about it damaging the door frame as others have noted. No problems so far but I'm the 2nd owner so I have no warranty. I'll keep an eye on it. Can it be adjusted? On the 23SS it certainly serves the purpose of keeping the door from flinging open and hitting the awning support arm. Without that arm there I'd probably take it off.

Air Conditioner - Living up here in Canada we haven't had a warm enough day to see if it'll be that cold! (But I know it works.)

Clearance - I agree its a bit high, especially with my driveway sloped as much as it is. What is everybody using for a step when the front is up in the air to get it levelled?

Triguy, is there one place I can go to get all the e-manuals? I'd like to download them onto my iPad, too.

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by itat

Triguy, is there one place I can go to get all the e-manuals? I'd like to download them onto my iPad, too.

Not that I know of. I went to each of the manufacturer's websites first. If it wasn't there, I did a Google (some retailers have them), and finally some I have downloaded from the "Herkbrary" and other helpful sources.

Maybe we should start a repository?

In the meantime, let me know what you need for your Roo. I might have it.

[DSN46]

I would have to agree with everything said here so far. Especially the manual (however Jayco didn't do any better with the one we owned).

Here is the strange thing. I don't have a gas shock on my door. From what I have read on this forum, it can be both a blessing and a curse. Is the gas shock on the door an "option" you have to ask for? One would think that it would just be on there anyway....

Im glad you are liking your new camper. We just got ours 3 days ago and I am like you. I have been going over it with my anal-retentive fine-toothed comb also. By the way, 15KBTU?? Wow! Our 13K can have us running for coats and blankets... I can only imagine what yours must be able to do! But that's also really cool (no pun intended)

James

[newtsx3]

The manual is a joke, and not even a funny one! It is very generic with nothing actually specific to your trailer.

I have a 21SS and it has two speakers inside. One is in the back across from the wardrobe and the other is above the sink under the cabinet. Plus the two outside.

Funny about the TP holder but I am glad they left it to me. There is not much room in the BR to put it so I chose to mount it inside the cabinet door. You to open the cabinet but at least it stays out of the way.

I like the gas shock on the door but do keep an eye on it. Like others here, the screws on mine started to pull out of the door frame. I chose to install bolts all the way through the door frame and used a metal plate inside to reinforce. But if I see any signs of damage I will just remove it.

It is a tall Roo due to the deep slide and the necessary framing underneath to support it. But I like having the 3 step stairs. Makes that first step easier on my DW and her bum hip. Does make towing on windy days that much more enjoyable!

[Cowracer]

Originally Posted by F.R.O.G.

Cowracer, congratulations on the new unit! Where's the first trip?

Before you go, stop by the Blue Owl and have a piece of Mary's pie in my name. It's been too long since I've done it myself.

First trip is Onondaga State Park. Kinda close (40-50 miles or so) but a good 'shake-down' location. The second one is already scheduled at the C.O.E campground on Hwy K in Annapolis.

Might do Hawn SP. soon as well. Camped there a couple years ago in the winnebago and really liked it. And a we are planning a trip to Holiday World and we will stay in Lincoln SP in Indiana. Trying to talk myself into a little boondocking at a local off-road park. Ive never camped without any hookups, so I'm a touch leery to try right away.


Ah... The Blue Owl. My wives favorite place. For those not 'in-the-know'... The Blue Owl is a little restraunt in the next town over from me (Kimswick, MO) that has some of the best pies you have ever tried.





F.R.O.G, Ya know, you can order them online. (warning, do not go to this website on an empty stomach)

Homemade Pies - The Blue Owl


Tim

[RoadDog66]

Congratulations on the Roo.

Yep, agreed the manuals are lacking. The motor may go at some point on the awning, but if you received the 2-yr warranty you can play with all you want til that runs out. I bet at some point in the heat of July/August you will be happy you have the 15K BTU A/C rather than the 13K . I was glad they didn't mount the TP holder. I bought one of those pedastal/free-standing TP holders from Walmart ($10) that fits in the corner near the sink rather than drilling holes in the panel-board. Not sure about the towel rack since space is limited. I haven't tried the cable jacks yet. No gas shock on the screen door, but I've heard mixed reviews. The height seems about right for the size of wheels/tires.

I can't recall the make of the Stereo/DVD/CD unit in my Roo 19 and it may not be the same as yours, but as mentioned there are buttons A, B, C that turn the speakers on and off. You may have figured it out already, but try playing with them to see what they turn on. One of my interior speakers is slightly hidden under the cabinets above the stove and tucked behind a light.

The size of the interior of your unit with the slide out would certainly require more than one speaker. However, because your dinette and sofa are side by side they may not have had anywhere to mount them. Where is the one interior speaker you found located?

[miatared]

I have a 19.

Room A, B and C.

Each support 2 speakers - for left and right channels. Since only 1 speaker is connected to A or B, you can not get stereo....

Wanting to add new speakers to get true stereo I was shocked to see that wires from the radio were cut. Only one pair goes to each speaker. What a shame.

[Oakman]

Hmmm, I wonder if I could get one of Mary's Levee High Apple Pies to the FROG Rally in Elkhart without it being eaten before I got there?

[red dirt]

I have a Rockwood 2604. The heater exhaust on mine is right next to the door. The shock keeps the door from covering the exhaust. Without it the door would open over it and cause it to melt the door when the heater is on.

[Cowracer]

update.

The "interior light switch" does indeed work the over sink light. Good to know.

Thanks to Newtsx3, I found the other speaker. Its is above the sink just like you said. It don't work, but its there. I'll have to look into that one.

finally, after a second read thru the manual, it still sucks.

Tim

[Mad4sax]

Originally Posted by Cowracer

First trip is Onondaga State Park. Kinda close (40-50 miles or so) but a good 'shake-down' location. The second one is already scheduled at the C.O.E campground on Hwy K in Annapolis.

Onondaga State Park! I live in Onondaga County in New York. The location of the Iroquois tribe the cave was named after. I never knew there was a state park or cave named after them. Just Wiki it. Thanks a new destination to add to the list.

[Bttravel]

Cowracer, we'll be enjoying Johnsons Shut-ins State park this weekend, 2nd outing with the new rig, with some friends from Illinois. Just going to kick back and relax and see what little improvements I can come up with. Our close friends have a 3 wheel motorcycle they pull a small pop-up with. Guess we'll be using our kitchen.
Haven't been there in years. Looking forward to some "camp" time.

[Oakman]

Originally Posted by Mad4sax

Onondaga State Park! I live in Onondaga County in New York. The location of the Iroquois tribe the cave was named after. I never knew there was a state park or cave named after them. Just Wiki it. Thanks a new destination to add to the list.

Had the COE's Meramac Lake Project been developed, Onondaga Cave would have become a footnote in history. It really is a beautiful cave.

[Cowracer]

Originally Posted by Bttravel

Cowracer, we'll be enjoying Johnsons Shut-ins State park this weekend, 2nd outing with the new rig, with some friends from Illinois. Just going to kick back and relax and see what little improvements I can come up with. Our close friends have a 3 wheel motorcycle they pull a small pop-up with. Guess we'll be using our kitchen.
Haven't been there in years. Looking forward to some "camp" time.

I dunno about Johnsons shut-ins anymore. After the deluge, they rebuilt the whole campground. Last time I was there, there wasnt a tree within a quarter mile of any campsites.

Let me know how you like it.

Tim

[F.R.O.G.]

If you go to the interactive campsite map at Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park Loops 2 and 3 | Camping | Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park | Missouri State Parks you can click on the site number and see a photo of the site. The trees appear to be pretty well established at least on loops 2 and three.

[Oakman]

Originally Posted by Cowracer

I dunno about Johnsons shut-ins anymore. After the deluge, they rebuilt the whole campground. Last time I was there, there wasnt a tree within a quarter mile of any campsites.

Let me know how you like it.

Tim

Hopefully I'm not violating a hard and fast rule by posting this link. We stayed at Johnson's Shut-ins State Park a few weeks before the official reopening of the park in 2010. Here's my post w/pics in a different forum about the park. Had the dam burst during the camping season a lot of people would have been killed. The Taum Sauk dam disaster is an amazing story and it's hard to believe the park's superintendant and his family survived the dam break.

RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Johnson's Shut-ins w/pics

[Cowracer]

Originally Posted by Oakman

Hopefully I'm not violating a hard and fast rule by posting this link. We stayed at Johnson's Shut-ins State Park a few weeks before the official reopening of the park in 2010. Here's my post w/pics in a different forum about the park. Had the dam burst during the camping season a lot of people would have been killed. The Taum Sauk dam disaster is an amazing story and it's hard to believe the park's superintendant and his family survived the dam break.

RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Johnson's Shut-ins w/pics

Regarding the Taum Sauk disaster...

I'm a controls and automation engineer, and its a suprisingly tight-knit group in the STL area. You can take any 2 automation engineers who are otherwise strangers, and put them in a room and in 10 minutes they will discover 4 or 5 people that they know mutualy.

Anyway, the cause of the disaster has exactly NOTHING to do with the official story that Ameren uses. I have had (many) beers with guys who worked on that system and know what happened. It's a bit technical to go into on this forum, but if we ever bump into each other while camping, I'll tell you the true story.

its not a huge conspiracy or anything. Just a simple chain of mistakes that are hugely embarassing to Ameren in hindsight. Of course, any country boy will tell you that you dont impound a billion gallons of water without a spillway, but, well... There ya go.

Tim