Any Happy Forest River Owners Out there?

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by donteeler

My interest in travel trailers are only those I can tow with my 1/2 ton Tundra--recommended to tow up to 8400 lbs maximum. Ideally, I prefer to only consider travel trailers with a dry weight under 7000 lbs. I am struggling to find a forest river option that gets good owner reviews for a new 2017 or 2018 model. On the RVT.com website, they list several brands with very high owner approval ratings: Northwood Arctic Fox. Heartland North Trail, Jayco White Hawk Ultra Lite, Dutchman Aspen Trail. The only Forest River Products listed are very heavy and expensive travel trailers, beyond the towing capacity of my Tundra

Dry weights are for suckers. You better start looking at the GVWR sticker on the side of the trailer. Also suggest you look at the payload sticker on your Tundras door frame and start thinking about loaded trailer tongue weights (12% or so of the GVWR - not "dry tongue weights'), driver and passenger weights, and your "stuff." Don't forget the weight of a weight distribution hitch (you WILL have one, won't you?) You'll run out of payload long before you run out of "towing capacity."

[MCTroy]

Originally Posted by donteeler

My interest in travel trailers are only those I can tow with my 1/2 ton Tundra--recommended to tow up to 8400 lbs maximum. Ideally, I prefer to only consider travel trailers with a dry weight under 7000 lbs. I am struggling to find a forest river option that gets good owner reviews for a new 2017 or 2018 model. On the RVT.com website, they list several brands with very high owner approval ratings: Northwood Arctic Fox. Heartland North Trail, Jayco White Hawk Ultra Lite, Dutchman Aspen Trail. The only Forest River Products listed are very heavy and expensive travel trailers, beyond the towing capacity of my Tundra

I will try to get to that site and add a positive review of our Windjammer. Love it and the only challenge we have is a stubborn oven that won't stay fixed. That isn't Forest Rivers fault. The quality of this trailer has been very good. Of course it wasn't the cheapest camper either. I am a believer that you can't compare quality on a $19,000 trailer to a $40,000 unit. Just like I can't compare our trailer to a $100,000 fifth wheel. All relative.

[KKonyha]

We have been ecstatic with our 2011 V-Lite 30WFKSS. Other than a couple of little things coming loose (which I feel is normal. I am dragging it down PA roads), we have not had any problems. Listening to the issues people are having would scare me also. I do remember the old saying that if you like it you will tell 1 person, if you hate it you will 10 people. There is going to be issues with any trailer. If I am doing research on a new purchase I look for trends. Most people that have no issues probably don't post, just enjoy camping. When we have a problem is when we come to post, thus making it seem that the majority are having issues.
However, with the recent boom in the RV industry and seeing that the assemblers get more money the more units they churn out, would lead to some increased issues. I believe dealers need to be more vigilant, but that doesn't appear so.

[fella10]

I​'ve​ read the bad reports, but that's not the Forest River we know. We have a 2015 Micro Lite 25KS and have only ​had ​two issues with it. ... (1) Last year a weld on the Murphy Bed frame broke and they agreed for me to take it to a local welding shop for repair, and to also have them beef up the other welds to prevent that from happening again. With a $600 price tag, and me still having to do the removal and reinstall, FR agreed ​to let​ me do the work myself(which I preferred to do). For $130 in parts, I did what I believe is a much better repair than the welding shop would have. Everybody was happy. ... (2) In June of this year(two months after the two yr. warranty had expired) I discovered a soft spot in the bathroom floor and also rotted wood underneath the trailer. FR required a dealer assessment of the ​damage and cause. I found a FR dealer just 12 miles away, which I was not aware off before. After their inspection, FR agreed to replace with a complete new floor. FR picked up and returned our trailer from/to that dealer. Just a two day job at the factory. To me, that is completely mind boggling, that they can lift the whole shell and everything inside off the floor, replace the floor and then reinstall everything in just two days. Would love to have been there to see that. We've gone on two trips since it's return and couldn't be more pleased with the repair or Forest River. ..... thank you Forest River .....

For anyone in eastern NC who might be looking for a GREAT dealer, that local dealer I found is Carteret RV. Wish I had known about them before we went to PA to buy our unit. Don't know about their sales dept. or their prices, but their service dept. folks are some of the nicest people you could ever want to deal with. They had no objection at all about working on our trailer even though we didn't buy from them. Just really good folks. ..... thank you Carteret RV ......

[fanrgs]

Our Mini Lite had a few problems that I repaired, but we had the same weight concerns as we towed it with a Nissan Frontier. Take a look ayt Lance trailers too--quality is good, price high for the length.

[donteeler]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

Dry weights are for suckers. You better start looking at the GVWR sticker on the side of the trailer. Also suggest you look at the payload sticker on your Tundras door frame and start thinking about loaded trailer tongue weights (12% or so of the GVWR - not "dry tongue weights'), driver and passenger weights, and your." Don't forget the weight of a weight distribution hitch (you WILL have one, won't you?) You'll run out of payload long before you run out of "towing capacity."

I have been towing travel trailers for the last 5 years. When I go to Dealerships, I review all of the weight listings on the trailer stickers, including GVWR, Dry Weight, Tongue Weights. I prefer to not exceed 8000 lbs GVWR, but I can control that by calculating how much additional weight I will add to the dry weight listings for the travel trailer. I discuss the weight calculations with the dealership to have a clear picture of whether it meets my truck's towing capacity.

[donteeler]

Originally Posted by MCTroy

I will try to get to that site and add a positive review of our Windjammer. Love it and the only challenge we have is a stubborn oven that won't stay fixed. That isn't Forest Rivers fault. The quality of this trailer has been very good. Of course it wasn't the cheapest camper either. I am a believer that you can't compare quality on a $19,000 trailer to a $40,000 unit. Just like I can't compare our trailer to a $100,000 fifth wheel. All relative.

I have looked at the Windjammer Travel Trailers at local dealerships, and they are quite nice, but exceed the weight limits for my Tundra Truck. There are some other heavier Forest River Travel Trailers that I like--mainly the Rockwood travel trailers, but again they are too heavy for my truck. I have looked at the Vibes, Surveyors, and Wildwood Lites--liked the Wildwood Lite floor plans but did not like the owner reviews.

[Herk7769]

Dealers lie.

Full stop.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by donteeler

I have been towing travel trailers for the last 5 years. When I go to Dealerships, I review all of the weight listings on the trailer stickers, including GVWR, Dry Weight, Tongue Weights. I prefer to not exceed 8000 lbs GVWR, but I can control that by calculating how much additional weight I will add to the dry weight listings for the travel trailer. I discuss the weight calculations with the dealership to have a clear picture of whether it meets my truck's towing capacity.

You DO know that the dry weight is NOT the weight of the trailer as delivered to you by the dealer, I hope?

[FLTBIRD]

Bought a new Salem Hemispere 272 in Jan. Have been on 3 short trips and a month long 4k mile trip. We've had virtually no problems so far. We immediately replaced the mattress and toilet, but we knew those were cheap crap when we bought the unit. Couldn't be much happier with it so far.

[changing it up a bit]

I have read several discussions about the Forest River, its quality and problems. I thought I might chime in with my experience.
I have owned my coach for 6 months. We are living in it full time, and have pulled the coach over 6000 miles since April. I admit in the first month of ownership I had some problems that I needed to address. Since I was living in the Coach, Forest River would send me the parts I needed, and I would install and repair the problem. I know not everyone is capable of this put it worked for me. Chris with the Cardinal group was very supportive and made sure I was taken care of.
Every time we go out, and we ride the horrible highways in our travels, especially in California, I am afraid to open the door when we stop. To my surprise we have not had any damage, lost any personnel stuff, and all the pictures have remained on the walls. My credit to a builder that can put a house together that experiences a 4.0 earthquake every time it travels, and survives the journey. All in All we have had our frustrations, but the 3850 Cardinal Estate is a coach that not only shows the best in the park, gets the most questions, and comments, is extremely comfortable, but mostly arrives with itself intact, and allows me all the comforts of home. I will move this Coach around the country for the next 10 years, and hope that my problems are only minor in nature. To all my friends maintenance, and knowing your weight is what I believe might be the key to the long life of a coach. I would be interested to hear from other Cardinal Estate owners to share stories, as I dont see very many Estates on the road in the western United States.

[donteeler]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

You DO know that the dry weight is NOT the weight of the trailer as delivered to you by the dealer, I hope?

Yes sir/madam--before I ever look at a travel trailer with a dealer, I go over weight issues extensively with the dealer to make sure I know the accurate and actual weight of the travel trailer they are going to show me. We discuss what has been added to the trailer to ensure accurate weight information associated with particular trailers. I also discuss extensively the accurate and actual weight limits (towing capacity) of my truck (8400 lbs), so they know my maximum GVWR limits. I know the approximate weight of the water, and related items, that we add to the trailer when we go on trips. I choose to stay well below weight maximums of my truck, so my focus is on travel trailers that are lighter trailers. That limits me to certain travel trailers that fit those weight criteria.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Had a Jayco for 10 years and sold it this April. Never really had to fix anything on it. My 2018, I'm still pushing trim back into place and adding nails every time we take it out. We love the floor plan, but the quality of construction is horrible...to say the least. The dinette bed collapsed two trips ago due to inadequate support and screws driven thru the panelling and not into what little support there was. At least my brother-in-law has offered to let me pull into 60x60 shop and keep it there this winter so I can go thru it and do some mods and reinforcement on all of it. Also pulling the 12v off the front and doing all new wires to a weather proof box under the frame. Currently all 12v connections from battery are exposed.

[pgandw]

Originally Posted by ScottBrownstein

Hey, I am a class A owner who appreciates that my chassis is made by a company (Ford) who makes their livelihood on heavy truck chassis durability and maintenance, but your last line caught my eye as well. "My first trailer was a 1987 Jayco 21 foot that was ten times the trailer this one is." Since that was 30 years ago, do you happen to remember how much that rig weighed when compared to your current unit. From what I can tell from a distance, the quest for "ultra light" and towability has significantly reduced the gross weight of this stuff. Am I right?

Very true. And add that even 20 years ago, slide-outs on the sides were almost unknown. Slide-outs add weight which must be removed from other areas (frame, cabinetry) to remain "ultra-light" and within the capabilities of a half ton pickup. The trade-off for the increased room for the slide-out is increased mechanical complication, which naturally results in increased maintenance and reliability issues, especially in a poor quality control and design manufacturing environment.

Anther change over the years that have caused increased maintenance and repairs is provisioning and installation of electronics - TVs, stereos, antennas, charging ports, LED lighting, solar panels, etc. All of those were virtually unknown in campers 30 years ago.

Also, to keep costs down, particle and wafer boards substitute for real, seasoned wood of adequate size. The use of substitutes with glued on finishes further reduces labor costs to finish real wood in furniture or cabinetry. Of course, this trend takes place in new home as well as RV construction.

If you want solid wood construction and a heavier frame, buy the 30 year old camper. Replace any rotten wood (and fix the cause), and redo the wiring to today's standards. Then you will have a solid 30 year old camper without any slide-outs or fancy finishes. It will have less apparent room and weigh more than today's equivalent.

Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122 A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time

[TheWolfPaq82]

Slideouts were introduced in 1990, by 1997, 11 different brands were all selling Trailers with slideouts. When we tore apart a 1970's Terry my son bought to rebuild...guess what ? The construction was pretty much the same as in a new trailer. 2x2 frame walls, similar paneling over the frames, way better insulation than I've found on my 2018, but of a much better quality than what is being produced today. More "Nails" and not as many "Staples" as being used today. When they talk about UltraLite...a 21' ROO weighs more than my 28' 2007 Jayco did.

[BandJCarm]

Years ago, trailers weighed a million pounds. We had a 'hand me down' Holiday Rambler from circa 1972, from late Father In Law. That was about 22 feet long and weighed more than the space shuttle.

However......reducing weight, even in the last FEW years.........has resulted in things like slide tubing metal going from 1/2" steel to 3/8" or less. Pins are smaller. Cogs are smaller. Wood is thinner. Luan is used all over where it can be. That's what it takes to make these things able to be pulled by smaller vehicles. But it reduces strength, without question. And that's the trend, getting worse.

[RVer1976]

We purchased a new 2017 FR3 MH in December 2016 and have been pleased with it. We have 6,000 on it already and only had minor issues but nothing worrisome. Did get a recall letter last week about a potential roof sealant issue that concerns us. Hopefully the fix won't cause other issues.

[w021095]

This is our third Forest River camper, 1st was a Roo-(New) canves fit issue- was fixed with no problems, 2nd 2011-8317RKSS (New)- no problems what so ever, 3rd is a 2018-8328BS (New)- water heater board-fixed, sofa-fabric cut two short, came apart-fixed, 110v wall plug not wired-fixed. Two of the problems are supplier issues, and the wall plug shouldn't have happened, but it's just one of those things. When we purchase another camper it will most likely be another Forest River product.

[whaines]

I have ROO and it's quality unit. Like most, problems pop up. A good dealer is the key!
Forest river has been very responsive. I keep mine very well maintained and it's never let me down. Go camping and enjoy!

[ricknlisa]

I don't think there is any quality check completed on these trailers....we are first time travel trailer owners and we picked up our trailer and stored it for 2 weeks. We decided to take a test run nearby and the tires, rims blew off the left side of the trailer. We found lug-nuts on the ground 1 tire/rim on the street and the other we found the next day on the off-ramp of the freeway. Obviously, this is all under warranty but its been 4 weeks and we stillnhaven't gotten the trailer back.

Tighten those lug-nuts people.