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Old 10-16-2020, 09:15 AM   #1
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Eyeing a 2109S- what should I be warned about

Hi folks,

New to this forum and happy to be here.
We are looking to go full time for a year starting out in a 2014 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD MINI LITE 2109S.
We haven't purchased it yet, but I was wondering what people think about this product.

I understand that there are many choices, but this model seems to have the layout and features that fit our criteria.

Does this model have any common issues? Is there anything I should look at with a 'fine tooth comb'?

Many thanks for your time and attention!
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Old 10-16-2020, 09:28 AM   #2
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Has the fresh water tank been reinforced? I put angle iron on my 2013 for extra support.

Looks for water damage/leaks. If the TT is open and a vent fan is on or a strong air freshener odor is present there may be mildew.
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Old 10-16-2020, 09:36 AM   #3
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Has the fresh water tank been reinforced? I put angle iron on my 2013 for extra support.

Looks for water damage/leaks. If the TT is open and a vent fan is on or a strong air freshener odor is present there may be mildew.
Interesting...about the freshwater tank. I'll take a look at that.

As for water leaks, is this model prone to leaking? Or is this a general warning? (I know many RVs have similar issues) ..

and pardon the noobie question here... What does "TT" stand for?
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Old 10-16-2020, 09:51 AM   #4
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Not sure about that exact model but the common areas of concern for any trailer are water leaks which if left unattended are very costly to repair.

The typical signs of water leaks are sidewall delamination like you see in the photo below. They typically result from neglected roof seals around the end seams and or vent covers and caps or windows not sealed properly.

There are issues that can also be caused by an internal leaky shower or plumbing which if left unattended can cause the floor to go soft.

I would inspect the trailer carefully by looking for any sign of delamination outside or soft floors or stains on the inside around windows and corners etc and in the bathroom.

Hope that helps and good luck with your search.
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Old 10-16-2020, 09:56 AM   #5
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They all will leak sometime, it is our job to prevent or catch it early before damage occurs. I have had 4 leaky TT's and have only had 4 TT's.
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Old 10-16-2020, 10:28 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by njfishing View Post
Not sure about that exact model but the common areas of concern for any trailer are water leaks which if left unattended are very costly to repair.

The typical signs of water leaks are sidewall delamination like you see in the photo below. They typically result from neglected roof seals around the end seams and or vent covers and caps or windows not sealed properly.

There are issues that can also be caused by an internal leaky shower or plumbing which if left unattended can cause the floor to go soft.

I would inspect the trailer carefully by looking for any sign of delamination outside or soft floors or stains on the inside around windows and corners etc and in the bathroom.

Hope that helps and good luck with your search.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lswartz View Post
They all will leak sometime, it is our job to prevent or catch it early before damage occurs. I have had 4 leaky TT's and have only had 4 TT's.

Thanks guys! Will keep an eye and nose out for evidence of H2O
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Old 10-16-2020, 11:23 AM   #7
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Thanks guys! Will keep an eye and nose out for evidence of H2O
Water damage is often hidden. The only way to find those is to press on the wood to see if it's soft. That's true of walls, floors and roofs. Press on the floor in plumbing areas.

If you see caulking or sealant added to joints on the roof that's not necessarily bad. It is normal to have to fix cracks in the joint sealant. You'll have to do that yourself. But if the previous owner(s) didn't do that in time, water may have gotten into the trailer. Feel around the roof in the area of repaired caulking. Also look for cracks in joints that have not been repaired.

If there's no power and the owner doesn't have a working battery, negotiate how to get a working battery for testing, at least. Maybe that's BYOB, or an inverter generator.

Test every outlet and every electrical fixture. Turn on all propane appliances make sure they light and burn correctly. That includes the furnace. Make sure the air conditioner blows cool air. You'll need AC power to do that, whether from shore power or a suitably-sized inverter generator.

Ask the owner to have the refrigerator chilled before you get there. If they do and it's on electricity, switch it to propane to be sure it lights as it should. (If it chills on AC and the propane flame works, it will chill on propane.)

Plug the trailer into the socket on a tow vehicle to test the running and tail/brake/turn signal lights.

Open and close the awning fully. If it has one, move the slide all the way out and back in.
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Old 10-16-2020, 12:04 PM   #8
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....._ press on the wood to see if it's soft. That's true of walls, floors and roofs. Press on the floor in plumbing areas.
_ caulking or sealant added to joints on the roof. Also look for cracks in joints that have not been repaired.
_ Test every outlet and every electrical fixture.
_ Turn on all propane appliances make sure they light and burn correctly. That includes the furnace.
_ Make sure the air conditioner blows cool air.
_ Ask the owner to have the refrigerator chilled before you get there. If they do and it's on electricity, switch it to propane to be sure it lights as it should. (If it chills on AC and the propane flame works, it will chill on propane.)
_ Plug the trailer into the socket on a tow vehicle to test the running and tail/brake/turn signal lights.
_ Open and close the awning fully.
_ move the slide all the way out and back in.

This is an awesome checklist! THANK YOU!!
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Old 10-16-2020, 12:50 PM   #9
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"They all will leak sometime, it is our job to prevent or catch it early before damage occurs. I have had 4 leaky TT's and have only had 4 TT's. "

How bloody true.
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Old 10-16-2020, 01:02 PM   #10
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We have a 2017 2109S and it is the perfect "couple's travel trailer". Not our first RV, but the best so far. We really like the size and ease in towing. Like the prior responders, be diligent about inspecting for water leaks. The only problem we have had is the caulking where the gutters meet the downspouts and each of the four corners of the roof. All easy to re-caulk. Test every system before you buy. Hope you enjoy yours as much as we do ours.
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Old 10-16-2020, 01:03 PM   #11
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A few more things to check

Quote:
Originally Posted by chriscowles View Post
If there's no power and the owner doesn't have a working battery, negotiate how to get a working battery for testing, at least. Maybe that's BYOB, or an inverter generator.
You can always use jumper cables to your car/truck. This may not provide enough power for a slideout but it should test everything else.

This is a six-year-old unit. Plan to buy a new battery and all new tires (including spare). This is especially true if the tires are one of the Chinese brands.
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Old 10-16-2020, 01:07 PM   #12
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Interesting...about the freshwater tank. I'll take a look at that.

As for water leaks, is this model prone to leaking? Or is this a general warning? (I know many RVs have similar issues) ..

and pardon the noobie question here... What does "TT" stand for?
TT stands for travel trailer.
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Old 10-16-2020, 01:21 PM   #13
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Smile 2109S

We have a 2017 2109S which we purchased in 2016. We've been very happy with it overall. There have been no leaks, although, my husband did check all the caulking on the roof this year and used Etrnabond to reinforce some that was bubbling. I'd recommending checking the roof. Also, I just want to note that for me the jack knife sofa is very uncomfortable for any long-term sitting, but my husband thinks it's fine. Check to see how worn the mattress is, too. You'll probably need to replace it or at least get a topper.
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Old 10-16-2020, 01:59 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brendon11 View Post
Hi folks,

New to this forum and happy to be here.
We are looking to go full time for a year starting out in a 2014 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD MINI LITE 2109S.
We haven't purchased it yet, but I was wondering what people think about this product.

I understand that there are many choices, but this model seems to have the layout and features that fit our criteria.

Does this model have any common issues? Is there anything I should look at with a 'fine tooth comb'?

Many thanks for your time and attention!
We own a 2017 2109s and love it. In fact we are in Colorado camping with it right now. It is well built and we have put close to 10,000 miles on ours. Plan on reinforcing the water tank brackets (easy and cheap-lots of designson the forum) and figure you’re going to have to replace the tires (go with Goodyear Endurance). I also just had our wheel bearings greased and the brakes checked.
We store ours inside during the winter and have had zero issues with water leaks but you’ll want to check the roof just to be sure.
Have fun!
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Old 10-16-2020, 05:01 PM   #15
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This is an awesome checklist! THANK YOU!!
Also search inside cabinets for evidence of water damage. Distorted wood or wall covering should be evaluated.

Ask the seller to have water in the fresh tank so you can check plumbing function. Flush the toilet, run each sink and the shower. Be considerate of how much water you actually run. The seller has to get rid of it somehow.

Even if it's hooked up to a water source you still want to run the water pump to test it. Use the supply hose to put enough water in the fresh tank to confirm that it works.
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Old 10-16-2020, 05:01 PM   #16
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One of the issues I have with my 2019 model is the location of the water filter. You have to basically crawl halfway into the pass thru storage area in order to reach the water filter canister. The canister also sits above some electrical components making changing the filter tricky.


One of the other issues I have heard about is that the shower floor is not very well supported and you might want to check the bottom of the shower for leaks and cracks. You might also want to reinforce the floor.



There are a number of threads on this site that talk about various modifications people have made on this model and things you might want to look at when inspecting the camper.


Another thing to ask about is how you manually open and close the slide out. There are apparently several different slide out mechanisms used over the years and some are easier to manually operate than others.


Bye the way I pull my camper with a chevy Colorado (V6) with the factory installed towing package and on the hills in KY the vehicle has to work fairly hard at pulling the trailer.
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Old 10-16-2020, 08:02 PM   #17
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We own a 2019 2109S and it was the best floor plan for us as well. We keep seeing people complain about the sofa being uncomfortable but I have no idea what is uncomfortable about it. we like ours. Check the roof well. We pulled ours with a Tacoma with towing package. Pulled OK and stopped fine in the Smokie Mountains but could only get about 100 miles between fillups so we bought a Tundra with a 38 gal tank. If no issues with the camper I say you will be happy with it. Good luck and good camping.
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Old 10-16-2020, 08:53 PM   #18
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We had an 1809S which is a smaller version. The only thing we didn't care for was the fold out couch. We would have preferred the dinette in the 2104S. We traded in the 1809s in for a 2304S which has the dinette and a murphy bed with a fold down couch under it. Now we have the best of both worlds.
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Old 10-17-2020, 02:49 PM   #19
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We had a 2015 2109s about 4 years. No problems throughout that time. We liked that trailer but were drawn to the 2511s Mini because of a larger living area and bath and walled off BR. Still a mini lite and really only a couples camper.
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Old 10-17-2020, 11:35 PM   #20
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I suggest pulling the propane/carbon monoxide detector (2 screws) and check the date of manufacture on the back label. If close to or over 5 years old, needs replacing.
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