My Geo Pro 12RK Thread.

BlueBomber · 02-27-2018, 07:52 PM

This is long winded - please bear with me.

So I have noticed that there isn't much conversation at all online about these little trailers. Understandably the trailer isn't for everyone...it IS small after all, and as a result has a limited audience. But I wanted to get some info and pics out there of one actually in use for the next person that's looking at one. I couldn't find one instance of one in the real world when I bought mine.

I bought this little guy to fit my tow rig, a 2016 Jeep Wrangler 2DR. It's rated for 3500 pounds - and if I had pushed my luck I could have gotten a 14RK, or one of the smallest R-Pods, or something along those lines, but I didn't want something the Jeep would 'pull', I wanted something that it would PULL, know what I mean?

My girlfriend is a tent camper, but I like to have a couple more luxuries and I just can't sleep on an air mattress. It's too hot to sleep in the summer in Louisiana, and the cold gets a little bitter too...

I have had it for 8 months or so. The shortest trip was 15 minutes to the local state park for an over night stay. The longest was 1500 mile round trip to Missouri and back.

The Jeep pulls it great. 65 MPH no problem in 5th gear with transmission temps staying at 'not towing' levels. Even in the hills of southern Missouri the Jeep wasn't labored getting around. No troubles at all.Trailer has a torsion axle and rides super smooth too. The AC, even as small as it is, will freeze you out on low unless you back the thermostat way down. The heater...the same - only need low, half throttle and you can still leave the windows open at 30* outside.

Set up is easy...I rarely use the rear leveling jacks and when I do its only to level out the stove so my grease doesn't roll to one side of the pan! We can set up in about 5 minutes at most...since really all that entails is dropping the landing gear, unhooking, and plugging in water and power.

Stock inverter would not run the fridge - it was undersized. I didn't bother fighting the dealer over it. Bought a larger inverter with an auto transfer switch and put it in - now the fridge runs off 120V by default unless it detects loss of power, then it switches to 12V. My Jeep is setup to charge the trailer so my fridge hasn't had any problem staying cold on 10 hour drives. Overall it's better than factory so no loss to me...

Speaker fell out of the overhead (probably in Jackson MS, rough roads!). It was just screwed into the thin wood veneer. I reattached it with speed nuts and it's better than new now.

My biggest complaint is lack of hot water. Minor, but would be nice to have. I may devise a solution for this one day.

Oh, and the attention you get. Every place we stay we make new friends. Everyone wants to see it. We stopped for gas near Enid, MS and the gas station owner ran out and had to see it, and then a NPS Ranger at the same stop. A state highway patrol officer in Missouri, and of course at least one or two campers in every camp ground. Everyone wants to know where the bathroom is! I say it's over there! (and point to the bath house). Most places we go to have nice bath houses and I don't mind walking - can't have everything I guess!

So, here are some pictures of mine, and I'm going to post more as we go on more adventures and as I do work to this one.

Next projects:

Roof racks (in progress, using a modified hitch carrier) to carry some other gear
Cooking light for the passenger side
Fishing rod tubes
Additional receptacles on the outside of the trailer, each side
Box on tongue to hold my fresh and grey water hoses and wheel chocks

Anywho...

Jay2504 · 02-28-2018, 09:01 AM

Wow! And I thought that I wanted a small camper! Is the inside all bed? Think of all the places that will get into that there is no hope for a bigger unit to fit. Jay

BlueBomber · 02-28-2018, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay2504

Wow! And I thought that I wanted a small camper! Is the inside all bed? Think of all the places that will get into that there is no hope for a bigger unit to fit. Jay

Yep. All bed inside. It basically amounts to a tear drop that has so much head room you can stand on the mattress and bend over a little and get dressed. It amounts to having a climate controlled tent that you don't have to set up and a kitchen you don't have to pack back into boxes when your done.

alexcarey · 03-05-2018, 12:07 PM

Thank for being the guinea pig! My wife and I are looking at getting this now that we got a little one in tow. We'd be brand new to owning anything like this.

Had a question hopefully you can answer. Does this thing have a furnace and is it run on propane. I watched a video review online that said there was no furnace.

Also do you know the difference between the Geo Pro G12RK and the E-Pro E12RK?

BlueBomber · 03-05-2018, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexcarey

Thank for being the guinea pig! My wife and I are looking at getting this now that we got a little one in tow. We'd be brand new to owning anything like this.

Had a question hopefully you can answer. Does this thing have a furnace and is it run on propane. I watched a video review online that said there was no furnace.

Also do you know the difference between the Geo Pro G12RK and the E-Pro E12RK?

The heater is built into the main AC unit and runs off 120V power. You can buy these trailers with or without the roof top AC, just depends on how the dealer ordered it. Mine also has the heated mattress. The only thing the propane is used for is the stove.

There is no difference between the two outside of the physical appearance of the trailer (the graphics). They are both the same trailer with the same available options. I literally bought the Rockwood version because the graphic package looked nicer.

Also, I'm adding a roof rack and an 8 foot ARB awning to it this week.

alexcarey · 03-05-2018, 12:38 PM

can you run the AC unit(for heater) on batteries? I can't imagine that lasting long if you could.

BlueBomber · 03-05-2018, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexcarey

can you run the AC unit(for heater) on batteries? I can't imagine that lasting long if you could.

AC and heat will only work with 120V power (your house or an RV spot).

**bikendan** · 03-05-2018, 02:00 PM

Wow, I would think that these trailers are built for boondocking or dry camping, yet they force you to need electric hookups or a generator for heat!

We dry camp a lot and I would never have this kind of heat source.

BlueBomber · 03-05-2018, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikendan

Wow, I would think that these trailers are built for boondocking or dry camping, yet they force you to need electric hookups or a generator for heat!

We dry camp a lot and I would never have this kind of heat source.

Yea, depending on your region the heat part is a big deal. Here in Louisiana it's not much of an issue in terms of heat. The interior space is small (the size of a double bed and about 5 feet high) so it doesn't take much to generate some warmth.

AC however is a big deal if I'm going to camp during the summer, and with that you have no choice but to be on grid or mess around with a generator.

That being said, for me personally, if I'm going off the grid for a trip we just load up the tent gear. Actually, my roof rack will probably be carrying my tent and some other non RV camping items so if we are out on a trip and find an awesome hike in spot or whatever we have options with us.

BlueBomber · 03-06-2018, 07:02 PM

Added an ARB awning. No more packing around an EZ UP. This can be set up by myself if need be.

BlueBomber · 03-13-2018, 09:58 PM

Added roof rack. This was made from a Harbor Freight cargo carrier. Left the receiver tube out. Will hold a few Action Packers with extra gear. Fishing stuff etc. Will be adding a tube next inboard of the awning to hold a couple of my fishing poles.

Jay2504 · 03-13-2018, 10:40 PM

Is that a aluminum rack? I can’t tell from the picture. I am working on converting a Harbor Freight folding hitch hall into a rear rack (steel). If I Remember Correctly geo pros don’t have rear bumpers. In your case you need access to the kitchen. Jay

BlueBomber · 03-14-2018, 06:25 AM

Yep it's the steel version. Since the top of the rack is 7' from the ground I'm also going to carry a 3 step ladder on the tongue so I can reach stuff in the basket lol. Figure that can be helpful for a variety of reasons anyway.

Jay2504 · 03-14-2018, 11:04 AM

I was looking at the pictures again. Where does the stove go when you are not using it? Jay

BlueBomber · 03-14-2018, 11:19 AM

Sits on the counter top between the fridge and the sink. Has a little buckle that keeps it from sliding around. At camp it just hangs on the side of the trailer and I can use my counter space how I see fit.

tc cruiser · 03-16-2018, 07:13 PM

BlueBomber
Nice setup. If I was younger that is the way I would go.
TC

Tonka67 · 03-25-2018, 07:24 PM

Wow !! Finally someone else that has one!! My girlfriend and I just recently bought a e-pro 12rk in early February and could not find anything on it online! We love it so far but have not tried the fridge yet , we will try this coming weekend. Our’s also did not come with propane, Came with the Coleman stove for the screw on propane tank. They said 2018 models just not come with it even though it was on the window sticker saying we paid for it . Where did you get the racks for the top? And what about the awning ? Thank you for all the info so far !

deeeeeee2j · 03-25-2018, 07:41 PM

I just got mine Friday! Fridge also not working for me.. tried the other plugs also, plugged into shore power did not work either although I tried the outlet below the counter. Did you hear the fridge running and it just wouldn’t get cold? That’s how mine is. Have not tried running an extension cord to the fridge itself and seeing if that works.. did your dealership or forest river ever give you closure or reimbursement for the replacement inverter?

Bev4banff53 · 04-06-2018, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deeeeeee2j

I just got mine Friday! Fridge also not working for me.. tried the other plugs also, plugged into shore power did not work either although I tried the outlet below the counter. Did you hear the fridge running and it just wouldn’t get cold? That’s how mine is. Have not tried running an extension cord to the fridge itself and seeing if that works.. did your dealership or forest river ever give you closure or reimbursement for the replacement inverter?

I am picking up my new Flagstaff e-pro 12RK on April 26 and now I am concerned because two of you here have claimed issues with the inverter for the fridge. I am completely clueless about inverters and how this fridge is supposed to run, but I am going to be very upset if my fridge won't start up and maintain the cold. Would appreciate any updates from anyone who has purchased one of these.

Bev4banff53 · 04-07-2018, 09:52 AM

Hi! I read your posts last night with great concern about the fridge/inverter issues. (I pick up my 2018 unit from Ohio in less than 3 weeks). So, I wrote to Forest River and was told that the inverters they first installed were too small to run the fridge (just as you suspected!) And they have replaced them with a larger inverter. Also found out I can't run fridge while running down the road unless iI install batteries (my unit only has a propane tank) so have been in contact with my dealer to see about that.. Would also like solar panels, but not sure how much those cost.

Anyway, I really do appreciate you taking the time to posts your experiences with your geo pro. You've been very helpful and hopefully I can get my issues resolved BEFORE I get to the dealership to pick up my unit and head down the road for my trip!

Thanks so much!

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