RockStaff 2104s/21DS Owners Thread

[Flagger]

This forum is pretty light on these models so just hopefully bringing us together in one thread similar to others.

I just made the switch from a Jayco 171BH Micro to a Flagstaff 21DS. Could not be happier, however, there are way more active forum users on the Jayco site (probably for good reason, yikes!). So, hopefully us small trailer folks can get to know each other, I have made many friends through the Jayco forum!

[trailerdude]

We are always looking at other new trailers to see if there is any better for us but the 2104 has remained unbeatable. For it's size it is amazingly roomy inside and the L kitchen is really attractive. We have a limited storage space so this size trailer is perfect. Ours has had a lot of use so I hope you enjoy yours as much.

[Flagger]

Originally Posted by trailerdude

We are always looking at other new trailers to see if there is any better for us but the 2104 has remained unbeatable. For it's size it is amazingly roomy inside and the L kitchen is really attractive. We have a limited storage space so this size trailer is perfect. Ours has had a lot of use so I hope you enjoy yours as much.

That is so great to hear! What is some of you “can’t live without” mods on your 2104? It is so tricked out I am no sure what I need to actually do. We are putting in a better faucet and battery, but beyond that…

[2WheelJon]

We love our 2021 2014s trailer. I've done a lot to it but I would start with this:


1. Check all water connections to make sure they're tight. Don't ask me how I know this. Also check all cabinet hardware, hinges, screws, etc. for tightness.
2. Look under on the frame. My master circuit breakers were mounted there with no weather protection. I enclosed them in water-proof boxes.
3. Get a piece of foam to sit between the right hand drawer under the dinette and the kitchen base cabinet when the slide is in. In the event it pops open when traveling this will keep it from getting marred. Again, don't ask.
4. The foam in our dinette cushions collapsed when sitting on it. Replace with stiffer foam from Foam Factory.
5. Replace the shower head with one that as an on/off switch to easily turn off the water between soaping and rinsing. Saves water.


These are the first things I did. There are 1000s more you can find on this forum and others. Enjoy.

[trailerdude]

It's hard to pick a favorite mod, they have all made a big difference. I agree with above, the foam in the dinette needs to go. We really love the lights in the cabinets. The dimmers are nice too. I would recommend getting the battery monitor soon, I find it very helpful to know what going on there since we boondock all the time. Get a solar panel if you don't have one, I despise listening to generators, only used mine a couple times in the last 6 years. Between my thread and Tundra with the 2109 there are endless mod ideas!

[Flagger]

Originally Posted by 2WheelJon

We love our 2021 2014s trailer. I've done a lot to it but I would start with this:


1. Check all water connections to make sure they're tight. Don't ask me how I know this. Also check all cabinet hardware, hinges, screws, etc. for tightness.
2. Look under on the frame. My master circuit breakers were mounted there with no weather protection. I enclosed them in water-proof boxes.
3. Get a piece of foam to sit between the right hand drawer under the dinette and the kitchen base cabinet when the slide is in. In the event it pops open when traveling this will keep it from getting marred. Again, don't ask.
4. The foam in our dinette cushions collapsed when sitting on it. Replace with stiffer foam from Foam Factory.
5. Replace the shower head with one that as an on/off switch to easily turn off the water between soaping and rinsing. Saves water.


These are the first things I did. There are 1000s more you can find on this forum and others. Enjoy.

Doing the foam! Thank you. Rest of those seem to be taken care of in the 2023 update, like that drawer in the slide misses hitting anything if it opens. Going to get latches to keep all drawers and cabinets shut in transit.

[Flagger]

Originally Posted by trailerdude

It's hard to pick a favorite mod, they have all made a big difference. I agree with above, the foam in the dinette needs to go. We really love the lights in the cabinets. The dimmers are nice too. I would recommend getting the battery monitor soon, I find it very helpful to know what going on there since we boondock all the time. Get a solar panel if you don't have one, I despise listening to generators, only used mine a couple times in the last 6 years. Between my thread and Tundra with the 2109 there are endless mod ideas!

Oh! Motion lights in cabinets over the dinette is a must. Agreed, mods for life.

[Dupesy]

Ordered my 2104 the beginning of December, upgrading from a GeoPro 19FBS. Dealer figures an April delivery. Cant wait!

[Flagger]

Originally Posted by Dupesy

Ordered my 2104 the beginning of December, upgrading from a GeoPro 19FBS. Dealer figures an April delivery. Cant wait!

Made all the difference for us, barely longer and just a wack amount of space.

[JayArras]

I'm assuming this thread is for ALL model years of the 2104S/21DS twins?


When we purchased our used 2013 MicroLite 21DS, those "dead space" panels in the overhead cabinets irked me. So I contacted Forest River and found out that I could order additional matching doors and hardware to cover the spaces. So that's what I did, and I am very pleased with the outcome.

I didn't think to take "before" pictures, so those are stock photos from the internet, but my setup is the same.

[Wiscampsin]

Great job!

[Sbadocko]

I also am a member of the JOF. Over 2k posts, but I'm here b/c I'm considering a MiniLite. Interested to hear about your impressions between the brands.

[chriscowles]

Originally Posted by Sbadocko

I also am a member of the JOF. Over 2k posts, but I'm here b/c I'm considering a MiniLite. Interested to hear about your impressions between the brands.

Never having owned a Jayco, I can't make a comparison, but we really like our Rockwood. We started out with a Flagstaff hybrid and later upgraded to a 2507S. Build quality is decent and value for the money is excellent.

As with any RV manufacturer, some of their production choices will leave you shaking your head. It's mostly stuff you can improve yourself and none of those improvements are essential. Helpful, yes, but nothing prevents you from enjoying your trailer as built.

[BD Nomad]

Greetings,

Had our Microlite 21ds nearly 4 years now. We primarily boondock- sometimes miles from the nearest civilization. During this time, I've been upgrading and modifying the trailer to better suit this type of camping.

The latest changes include an ARP Fridge Defend, automatic fire extinguisher for the absorption refrigerator access bay, and new freshwater tank with plywood and unistrut support.

I've done several projects during the time I've had the trailer. Please let me know if you have any questions or ideas.

Take careAttachment 288080

[trailerdude]

Just curious why the fridge defend. We like getting off grid but don't have 4wd so not too adventurous. What other mods have you done boondocking?

[Superbigben]

[ATTACH]288083

2021 21DS. Love the trailer . Tongue weight is pretty heavy, 850-920 lbs.

2 x 6V = 125 lbs + 2 x 30 lbs capacity propane bottle

[JayArras]

Originally Posted by Sbadocko

I also am a member of the JOF. Over 2k posts, but I'm here b/c I'm considering a MiniLite. Interested to hear about your impressions between the brands.

Depending on the number of people you're taking with you, the MiniLite is just about the perfect size, not too little, not too big. We have just my wife and I most times with our grandson sometimes, and our Flagstaff 21DS is just about perfect for our needs. And we can pull it with our Nissan Pathfinder.

Although Flagstaff and Rockwood are sister brands, I think the Rockwood is a tad higher end. That's just my impression. When new, the options on the Rockwood seem to be of a slightly higher quality. The build construction for both however, I believe to be on the same level. You really won't go wrong with either brand.

[BD Nomad]

Originally Posted by trailerdude

Just curious why the fridge defend. We like getting off grid but don't have 4wd so not too adventurous. What other mods have you done boondocking?

Essentially, the fridge defend monitors the stack temperature of an absorption refrigerator. If the device detects an abnormal temperature it will turn off the heater or heating element, which in turn will prevent high temperatures and the possibility of a fridge fire.

Other things I've done include:

1. Adding a Renogy 200 watt solar suitcase for battery recharging

2. Replacing dealer installed batteries with two Interstate 6 volt golf cart batteries

3. Installed a Victron Smart Shunt to monitor battery usage (amps, volts, time remaining)

4. Installed a 12v power socket and USB ports on my wife's side of the bed to run her CPAP machine and charge her electronics. (for some reason, our trailer came with these things on one side only).

5. Installed a 600 watt power inverter so that we can watch TV or movies and shows on our media hub in addition to powering a fan while on battery power.

6. Modified the fittings on my Weber bbq and propane fire pit to work on the low pressure propane port on the trailer (eliminates the need to carry separate canisters).

7. Got two 38lb 2000 watt Champion invertor generators for running the A/C (when needed), and for running the microwave- Although, I only need one geny for this. Why two instead of one? It's a lot easier for me to load and unload two light generators than one heavy.

So, how well does my setup work? One night I got down to 25°. Our furnace was set to 60° and kicked on and off all night in addition to my wife running her CPAP machine. In the morning, I still had 82% of my battery life left.

Keep in mind that we have a propane refrigerator. I do not know how my setup would work with a 12 volt refrigerator. Typically, we can go 6 to 7 days before needing to refill freshwater and pump tanks.

Again, it's the kind of camping we like to do. I hope you find this information useful.

[Ex-tenter]

Originally Posted by JayArras

Although Flagstaff and Rockwood are sister brands, I think the Rockwood is a tad higher end. That's just my impression. When new, the options on the Rockwood seem to be of a slightly higher quality. The build construction for both however, I believe to be on the same level. You really won't go wrong with either brand.

Having toured the factory, I can assure you that the build quality is identical because both are run mixed together on the same assembly line, they don't have time to change up the process from one to the next. It's a fun tour, I highly recommend it if you are ever in the area. Contact them first for an appointment.

[trailerdude]

Originally Posted by BD Nomad

Essentially, the fridge defend monitors the stack temperature of an absorption refrigerator. If the device detects an abnormal temperature it will turn off the heater or heating element, which in turn will prevent high temperatures and the possibility of a fridge fire.

Other things I've done include:

1. Adding a Renogy 200 watt solar suitcase for battery recharging

2. Replacing dealer installed batteries with two Interstate 6 volt golf cart batteries

3. Installed a Victron Smart Shunt to monitor battery usage (amps, volts, time remaining)

4. Installed a 12v power socket and USB ports on my wife's side of the bed to run her CPAP machine and charge her electronics. (for some reason, our trailer came with these things on one side only).

5. Installed a 600 watt power inverter so that we can watch TV or movies and shows on our media hub in addition to powering a fan while on battery power.

6. Modified the fittings on my Weber bbq and propane fire pit to work on the low pressure propane port on the trailer (eliminates the need to carry separate canisters).

7. Got two 38lb 2000 watt Champion invertor generators for running the A/C (when needed), and for running the microwave- Although, I only need one geny for this. Why two instead of one? It's a lot easier for me to load and unload two light generators than one heavy.

So, how well does my setup work? One night I got down to 25°. Our furnace was set to 60° and kicked on and off all night in addition to my wife running her CPAP machine. In the morning, I still had 82% of my battery life left.

Keep in mind that we have a propane refrigerator. I do not know how my setup would work with a 12 volt refrigerator. Typically, we can go 6 to 7 days before needing to refill freshwater and pump tanks.

Again, it's the kind of camping we like to do. I hope you find this information useful.

Sounds very close to what we have done. Don't know if you've seen my mod thread or not but you might like some the the stuff.