Salem 30KQBSS tongue length

[Egret18]

Hi all,

New guy here but a long time camper. I just bought a 2015 Salem KQBSS and love the camper but have a problem with the length of the trailer tongue. My first time backing it with my Ford F150 Crew Cab I dented in the trailer with the back of the truck on a sharp backing turn. I have never had this problem with the 5 other campers I have had. I would jack knife the trailer before hitting my truck. Anyone else experiencing this problem? I have to be very careful backing up and have the wife stand by the camper to make sure i do not hit it again and this is can be frustrating and a little dangerous for her.

Appreciate any thoughts.

Michael

[Kungfu01]

I have a '15 qbss with a 2004 silverado z71 as a the tow vehicle. I noticed that situation as well luckily I noticed it just before impact. I thought maybe I was just unlucky but it sounds like it may be a problem the designers didn't take Into account when they changed to the bullet front ends.

One other thought of where we need to be careful is going over Uneven terrain. If we are turning and the terrain pitches the trailer towards our vehicles it will leave a mark.

They will probably fix the issue in later models. Not sure where that leaves us though.

[Egret18]

I am not sure where this leaves us either other than in a bit of a pickle. I am going to call Forest River about it and will post what response I get.

[Egret18]

I wanted to update this thread. I am still having the issue and have the trailer at the local Salem dealer to see if anything can be done. I did get to measure the distance from the front of the trailer tongue to the front bow of the trailer @ 29 1/8 inches, much less than the other trailers on the lot. I will keep the forum up dated.

[Tank45]

I bought a 30qbss today and while turning pulling forward my taillight on my 2014 ram 2500 made contact with the front of my salem. Dented trailer and cracked taillight, very frustrating for a brand new trailer. I have pulled many trailers and never worried about contact when moving forward, very careful when backing up. This seems like a major design flaw. Please keep the post up to date on how forest river handles the problem. Thanks.

[Egret18]

Originally Posted by Tank45

I bought a 30qbss today and while turning pulling forward my taillight on my 2014 ram 2500 made contact with the front of my salem. Dented trailer and cracked taillight, very frustrating for a brand new trailer. I have pulled many trailers and never worried about contact when moving forward, very careful when backing up. This seems like a major design flaw. Please keep the post up to date on how forest river handles the problem. Thanks.

Unfortunately Tank, not much Forrest River will do, I took my camper to the dealer and had them call on my behalf and did not get any resolution. To make more room, the Salem campers are more rounded up front reducing the tongue length of the hitch. I measured every Salem on the lot at my local dealer and they are all less than 30 inches. I am like you, in the past we would have jack knifed the trailer before making contact but that is not the case any longer. You will HIT the trailer with your truck before you jack knife the trailer as I was making a sharp turn to back up my camper. I dented my brand new camper on the way home from the dealer so I fill your pain. I called Forrest River and they told me this is the first they have heard of it, back in February of 2015, but find it hard to beleive that we are the only three that have had this problem. Something needs to be done but it will take more than three of us complaining to get Forrest River to take any corrective actions.

[baldy40]

I have a 2015 QBSS and pull it with a 2013 ram 1500. I have noticed the short tongue on the unit. But I have been lucky and have not hit the camper or the truck. Would love to see them do something about this issue.


2015 Salem 30QBSS

2013 RAM 1500

[Kungfu01]

Just following up on this topic and my post from last year (above). I now have a 2011 Ford F-250 as a tow vehicle and I do not have to worry about impact anymore. Obvious there is something different between the hitching geometry between my old 2004 Silverado and this 2011 F-250.




2015.5 salem 30QBSS


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[TMacCamp]

2016 f-150 screw xlt and 2016 cruise lite 273qbxl. Camper hit my tail light turning a little too sharp out of a parking lot...going forward. It barely tapped it but it was enough to crack the tail light.

[Kuba]

Rear reverse cameras anyone?

[Kungfu01]

And that would help how?


2015.5 salem 30QBSS


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[Ejs4029]

Not sure what types of hitches by those experiencing the problem are but I'd figure I would throw this out here. Is it possible to use an extended length shank to give you a few more inches room between the hitch and the back of you TV to help with the issue ?