Rockwood Build Quality

[ggrimm01]

Background info. I am a pretty good handyman and not a newbie to the RV world. I have repaired and fixed almost everything in an RV outside the electronics. So, I do have experience in this area. I am looking to the forum if anyone has heard of any issues with the 2022 build quality. My wife and I are in the process of purchasing a 2608bs TT, and we are hearing alarming news from other forums about people having major issues. We have put our deposit down and going through the waiting motion now. My wife belongs to the Rockwood Facebook forums, stating significant problems with flooding in compartments due to PEX fitting coming, not being hooked up, and having to cut a hole in the floor to fix. Another is brand new fifth wheel axles coming apart. Also, these are not just sporadic instances. There are more and more issues starting to come out every week. I understand labor, supply chain, and other issues. I am getting out of a Coachman TT due to the poor build and labor quality. We have researched for several years and landed on Rockwood for its reputation. Now I am beginning to wonder……..

[bikendan]

Your biggest problem is that you're buying a Covid Camper.
RV manufacturers have had poor quality for decades but since Covid, it's reached a new low.
Rockwood has had a better reputation than other brands but who knows now.

Make sure you do a thorough PDI/Walk-through.

[MR.M]

Don't want to debate but the Covid excuse is old and wore out . it's pure shoddy workmenship . the people on the factory lines just don't give a $%#@ . re attching an awning rail right now well came inside to cool off a bit . every screw all 30 of them were stripped out and a couple broken off . is this because of Covid ? No! it's because the people on the line don't give a #$%@ about their own quality job performance and the plant managers and quality control must spend more time at the water cooler instead of watching what's heading down the line and who's doing what . It's one thing to be delayed because of lack of parts it's another to install those parts with out any care as to the job. New employees new training and be watched for job accuracy and how they are installing things . Fact is even the factorys don't really care just good enough to get by and keep the line rolling . gotta make those bonuses , seems the protection bonuses should be reduced by the amount of warranty work that coming down the line . Rant over cooled off and headed back out to redo the awning rail correctly at my cost of material and labor on a unit that just got back from the factory for major repairs ... But that's another story

[Ken-m]

Yeah the covid excuses getting old, I pulled every screw inside and outside on my brand new trailer, I can't remember how many were stripped. But it was a lot. I removed every exterior item, every window absolutely everything and reapplied it correctly. I'm guessing I stopped at least 15 water leaks from happening on the exterior. Of course a lot of those leaks would be small and would take several years to show themselves but they would have been leaks. I guess it is what it is I paid $28,500 for a 2021 Flagstaff 25 fbls. If it was a high quality unit would it cost at least double that. But you just expect a simple screw
to be installed correctly to begin with

[JohnnyPop]

2022 owner here, ordered early 2021 and took 6 months to arrive. I can’t stress the dealer pdi and walk through enough. You must…you MUST do an overboard walkthrough with the warranty advisor person in-tow and inspect every dang thing. And I mean everything! Take video, take pictures, document it all. I missed a couple things on mine that now the dealer blames I caused after it left the dealer (even though I have pictures to prove I didn’t). Basically you have one chance to claim deficiencies and defects. They fixed a couple things during one warranty visit and have since stopped responding completely. And don’t expect a call to the RW customer service line to go anywhere - it WILL go nowhere. Partly because they probably get so many dang calls…they just deflect you back to an authorized dealer for a warranty claim.

As for build quality…RW is not a complete disaster but they are far from perfect. It is after-all, an Indiana trailer…and like all rv’s that are built in that region, it will suffer from low build quality - anyone who says different is bs’n! I don’t care if it’s whatever SOB…it’s the same junk different pile! As a buyer, it all comes down to the floorplan, the detailed specs, and the features/options. Rockwood lures people in with incorporating some premium/optional features, like frameless dual pane windows, day/night roller shades, torsion axles, factory slide toppers, etc…some are options that simply can’t be had on competitors units in the same class (some of which are same class and cost 10k more!). If RW didn’t offer those options, I wouldn’t have bought one - not a chance!! I realize this now after owning one. Is it a bad rv? No. But it could be better. I spent a week going through mine when I first got it home…fixed a lot of stuff…some of it was an adjustment, some things were completely unacceptable and required some skill and supplies to repair. I have added and changed numerous things, and did some customizations to make it better - which i would have done regardless of brand. But it doesn’t fix the bones…the 1-1/4” (1.25 inch) thick walls and the substandard roof construction…both which make the unit challenging to cool and heat, and transmit increased noise…even though I ordered the dual pane windows. I wish I would have went thicker walls, drop frame, and wide body…but that increases the price significantly and narrows down options to a couple units and floor plans in the max length I can have. At the end of the day…it’s not a house. They aren’t meant to be lived in full time, even though that’s the current social media trend and some manufacturers rubber stamp their units as certified for full time use. Guess what!?! It’s not. They are designed for seasonal and occasional use, operating in temperate climate conditions…not inclement climate conditions. They’re also hand made/assembled…which introduces a lot of room for error and variation.

At the end of the day, you will need to make the go or no-go decision the day you see your ordered unit in person. Go through it extremely thoroughly and document it all, force the dealer to correct deficiencies before taking it home, and be accommodating on items that you can adjust yourself. You’ll need to do this for the first year of ownership. I’ve been camping in my new 2022 for 4 weeks now and I’ve had to repair/adjust/replace quite a few things, and this is after my thorough going-through after delivery, a couple weeks at home in the spring, and 1 trip to the dealer for warranty items. I expect a few more things through the rest of the season but once it’s shaked out…it should be a reliable rig. But it doesn’t fix the bones I mentioned above!! So be sure you know what you’re buying, then proceed with caution…regardless of brand.

[ggrimm01]

The Dillema

To everyone who has answered. Thank you. We have been rv'er for a long time. We had different brands over the year and purchased a Sonic, and had issues, purchased a Coachman 248rbs and had many issue which I fixed or dealer fixed. However we have a slide leak only driving down the road in heavy rains. That was the last straw and we have been looking at Rockwoods 2608bs for several years now and decided to pull the trigger and get one. We put our order in 4/14/22. I don't want to get another disaster.

As to inspections, I am the kind of guy that is a show me person. We go through everything. When I purchased my last trailer we literally took almost half the day going through the camper. I even made them fill up the fresh water tank and go through it all. We have a GoPro and I will be videoing the whole thing since I have CRS. Can't Remember Stuff. Y wife states something changed at the beginning of the year. She never saw all the issues on her Facebook forums until 2022 year.

Well enough ranting. Thanks for all the advice.

[Lundy]

So this post is going to take a more positive spin. We bought our 2608BS in November of 2020. Yes , smack dab in the middle of covid. We lost our current TT and we had to buy during that time frame. I'm glad we did buy then because the prices they are asking now are insane. We paid 35,000 for ours and I thought we over paid then. Now for the build issue, this is my fourth TT from 3 different manufactures. After we purchased I installed my own solar and had to do some extensive dismantling of the trailer to run wires/controller etc By the way I installed solar on all my other trailers as well. This trailer is built like a tank compared to the others. In fact it was so well built it made completing the solar more difficult when it came to running wires etc. I have had to fix exactly two things this on the trailer. First was the straps that hold up the tank drains, they both broke and I had to reengineer them to make them stronger. Second was a loose panel by the dinette, had to put a couple of L-Brackets in to support the stem wall. We also had the window over the recliners shatter on a trip home. Not sure why that happened, but my hypothesis is that it worked loose because the road was vey rough and slammed shut shattering the window. At the time we were four months out of warranty and FR sent us a replacement on their dime, I did have to install it myself. They didn't have to send me a free window. That is the extent of our problems after 18 months and about 10,000 miles. I do recommend a very through PDI, the dealer we bought from let us stay two days in a a full hookup pad they have on their lot. We found some very small things that were instantly fixed, nothing major. We had the opportunity to try every component on the trailer. Remember, on the internet sites, you hear about the people who have issues and don't hear from the many owners who have had no issues. I am on four different RW/Flagstaff sites on FB and really haven't seen many issues with these two models. Not so much with FR other brands, they tend to show up more often. We also have had two close friends buy RW after seeing ours and neither of them have had any issues. With all that typing done, I will state that I think any trailer can be a crap shoot. I have seen $200,000 motorhomes that are total wrecks and $14,000 trailers that are trouble free. The 2608BS floor plan is awesome, we love ours.

[MrPukaShell]

Ours took a little over six months to build, ordered a 2021 and got a 2022 model. Got it 9/11/21. The build quality is pretty good with only minor issues so far. The front gray tank was leaking but ended up being a loose clamp. Had to replace the bedroom slide topper due to a hole. Bedroom double pane window had a bad seal and fogs up between the panes. They ordered a single pane to replace it, still waiting for the new window. Couple of loose or stripped cabinet hinges but other than that everything else was acceptable. We have spent about 12 weeks in it so far and no major problems. Plan on redoing some of the solar system, charge controller in the trailer and battery upgrade. We have three of the GoPower 190 watt pannels on the roof and an extra 100 watt panel on the ground if needed. We like the floorplan and has tons of room for the two of us. Wonder what the 2023 model will look like. Should have a carpet less slide and personally I would change the bathroom floorplan to the same as the 2516 as it has more inside storage. Safe travels

[EODDave]

We have a 2022 Rockwood Utralite 2614BS. We are experiencing the following issues:
1. Slide outs (x2) only work on shore power.
2. PS2 stabilizer mimmick the slide outs. Requires shore power to operate.
3. Trailer brakes totally locked up. Have to remove umbilical from truck (2017 Chevy Silverado 2500HD) to release brakes, nullifies backup camera.
4. GFCI circuit is totally dead. Breakers check out good. No power to line load of GFCI outlet.

Our biggest issue? Dealership refusal to acknowledge warranty work request.
Trailer purchased at 2022 Seattle RV show in February. Delivery was made in Mar/April 2022. We have only used this Trailer once between delivery and today.
We have contacted Forest River HQ for help. Got an email back with list of local dealers authorized to do work.
So... long story short, we currently have a $50K lawn ornament. Still waiting to hear from dealership on what to do or plan to acknowledge warranty.

OK... so we have a lemon. Caveat emptor. (Buyer beware). Sad, because we fell in love with design and layout. Our daughter & S-I-L, in laws have Rockwoods and we traded for one. Other than the trouble issues above, the rest of the trailer is of quality build. Top notch. I'm afraid ours was built on a late Friday afternoon or the first one on a Monday morning (hangovers).

Depending on warranty coverage, we're still on the fence looking at that $50K lawn ornament....

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by EODDave

We have a 2022 Rockwood Utralite 2614BS. We are experiencing the following issues:
1. Slide outs (x2) only work on shore power.
2. PS2 stabilizer mimmick the slide outs. Requires shore power to operate.
3. Trailer brakes totally locked up. Have to remove umbilical from truck (2017 Chevy Silverado 2500HD) to release brakes, nullifies backup camera.
4. GFCI circuit is totally dead. Breakers check out good. No power to line load of GFCI outlet.

Our biggest issue? Dealership refusal to acknowledge warranty work request.
Trailer purchased at 2022 Seattle RV show in February. Delivery was made in Mar/April 2022. We have only used this Trailer once between delivery and today.
We have contacted Forest River HQ for help. Got an email back with list of local dealers authorized to do work.
So... long story short, we currently have a $50K lawn ornament. Still waiting to hear from dealership on what to do or plan to acknowledge warranty.

OK... so we have a lemon. Caveat emptor. (Buyer beware). Sad, because we fell in love with design and layout. Our daughter & S-I-L, in laws have Rockwoods and we traded for one. Other than the trouble issues above, the rest of the trailer is of quality build. Top notch. I'm afraid ours was built on a late Friday afternoon or the first one on a Monday morning (hangovers).

Depending on warranty coverage, we're still on the fence looking at that $50K lawn ornament....

Did you know that you can use an independent RV shop or mobile RV technician? You just have to get pre-approval from FR and be willing to be reimbursed.

[Jeepinj1990]

I've had zero issues with my Roo 235s that was built end of March.

I THINK the dealership had to fix a loose connection on my hot water tank, ( had some seeps from the styrofoam jacket the first few times I used it) but it has since stopped.

Also had a few locks that they needed to adjust and screen door latch, but I caught those at the PDI. Like others have said, go through everything. Bring a outlet tester. Test them. Hit the GFCI test on it on every outlet. Go up on your roof. Etc etc etc. Try things on battery. Run the slide in and out.

Make sure your dealers reputable and they should fix the glaring issues before you even get there. If you find BIG issues ( stove or oven not working, furnace, leaks etc), then that should be a big red flag that THEY THE DEALER didn't spend much time looking at the trailer THEY BOUGHT FIRST.

[EODDave]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Did you know that you can use an independent RV shop or mobile RV technician? You just have to get pre-approval from FR and be willing to be reimbursed.

Yes, we understand that. We got the Diamond extended warranty package. I called them and they said the same thing. It's our last option. Trailer still under warranty. IF dealer refuses, then we will press on and have our local RV repair shop conduct the work. The shop wanted us to try the proper channels first because it's factory warranty is still in effect and they didn't want to void it. Hoping to get things ironed out today. Thanks for feedback!!! 😀

[JohnnyPop]

When I was deciding on what model 5th wheel and brand to purchase…it was down to 3. GD, Highland Ridge and Rockwood/FR. I made several calls to GD with questions on specifications/construction and mid-year changes on a unit that was on a dealer lot, and also a custom order - their customer service was TOP NOTCH. Even though I wasn’t an owner they took the time with me and were thorough. May not be the case after purchase but the engagement I had was positive and reassuring. HR - again, made 2 calls inquiring about specifications and construction and they ended up putting me in touch with an engineer. Him and I talked for a good 30 minutes! He mentioned other brands, didn’t knock them but praised the positive effect for the industry and competitiveness/quality/innovation; overall was very knowledgeable on the product and it’s application in the regional market segment I’m in. I was impressed! Ultimately those 2 models didn’t get my purchase because I was picky on dimensions, floorplan, specs and options…but the customer service I received from those brands was excellent. How about FR/RW? I reached out 2 times (as an owner)…once got through and was told to go to an authorized dealer (even as they took my VIN to verify me as an owner). I also tried emailing customer service, which sent me to warranty, which was forwarded to the parts department…which responded and told me to go to a dealer. Basically I get nowhere except “pound sand”. As for the selling dealer…they accommodated a couple small/select warranty items in one visit…they have not followed up or followed through on remaining warranty items…communication stopped after I picked up my unit from it’s one and only warranty service visit. So I guess I’m on my own, which I was hoping a call to forest river would help but nope. I even tried another dealer and they said “we can schedule it in but there’s a 4 week backlog”….and because I didn’t buy from them they weren’t interested in servicing it.

So, at the end of the day…I bought a brand new 5th wheel, that has a “1 visit warranty” not a “1 year warranty”. I’ll be returning to buying gently used the next time…lesson learned. Will it be a FR product? Remains to be seen…

[jsk125]

We purchased a 2021 Rockwood Mini Lite 2522s, but it took so long we ended up with a 2022 for original 2021 price (good deal). We picked it up in August of 2021 - and yes, it is a 2022 model.

Overall, the build quality has been very good, with only two exceptions.

1) We have the 12v fridge which is boxed out in the slide out. Apparently many people have had the same problem - the framing was poor and fridge leaned, and we could not close the door without banging the side. It was quickly fixed under warranty. The dealer had to remove the fridge and rebuild all the crappy bracing.

2) The large bedroom drawer on the door side wall - and slides under the kitchen cabinet - a screw came off one of the slides. When I remove it, it also had shoddy bracing, which I fixed.

Other than that - everything appears be solid, we have had zero problems with solar, electric, water, slide outs, AC, heat, inverter, pumps, etc. They did adjust the flashing at bottom of the slideout so it fit more snugly when closed, but that was minor.

We really like the 2511s. I had a KZ Vision, and has zero problems over 8 years. I'm hoping for the same. Other than two issues - we couldn't be more pleased.

The bracing issue was irritating, but they fixed it quickly, and no issues since then.

Good luck with yours!

[shakeitdaddy]

Originally Posted by Lundy

So this post is going to take a more positive spin. We bought our 2608BS in November of 2020. Yes , smack dab in the middle of covid. We lost our current TT and we had to buy during that time frame. I'm glad we did buy then because the prices they are asking now are insane. We paid 35,000 for ours and I thought we over paid then. Now for the build issue, this is my fourth TT from 3 different manufactures. After we purchased I installed my own solar and had to do some extensive dismantling of the trailer to run wires/controller etc By the way I installed solar on all my other trailers as well. This trailer is built like a tank compared to the others. In fact it was so well built it made completing the solar more difficult when it came to running wires etc. I have had to fix exactly two things this on the trailer. First was the straps that hold up the tank drains, they both broke and I had to reengineer them to make them stronger. Second was a loose panel by the dinette, had to put a couple of L-Brackets in to support the stem wall. We also had the window over the recliners shatter on a trip home. Not sure why that happened, but my hypothesis is that it worked loose because the road was vey rough and slammed shut shattering the window. At the time we were four months out of warranty and FR sent us a replacement on their dime, I did have to install it myself. They didn't have to send me a free window. That is the extent of our problems after 18 months and about 10,000 miles. I do recommend a very through PDI, the dealer we bought from let us stay two days in a a full hookup pad they have on their lot. We found some very small things that were instantly fixed, nothing major. We had the opportunity to try every component on the trailer. Remember, on the internet sites, you hear about the people who have issues and don't hear from the many owners who have had no issues. I am on four different RW/Flagstaff sites on FB and really haven't seen many issues with these two models. Not so much with FR other brands, they tend to show up more often. We also have had two close friends buy RW after seeing ours and neither of them have had any issues. With all that typing done, I will state that I think any trailer can be a crap shoot. I have seen $200,000 motorhomes that are total wrecks and $14,000 trailers that are trouble free. The 2608BS floor plan is awesome, we love ours.

Hi, That seems like a good price, Can you recommend your dealer seems like you are in my state.

[Chuck_S]

"Rockwood" is not a monolithic brand. Every different "model name" or "line" * with few exceptions is built in a separate factory with different employees and management so trying to measure corporate quality is literally impossible.

* Aurora, Berkshire by Forest River, Cardinal, Cedar Creek, Charleston by Forest River, Cherokee, Dynamax, EVO, Flagstaff, Forester, FR3, Georgetown, IBEX, Impression, Independence Trail, No Boundaries, Ozark, Riverstone, Rockwood, R-Pod, Sabre, Salem, Sandpiper, Sandstorm, Shockwave, Sierra, Solera, Stealth, Sunseeker, Surveyor, Vengeance, Vibe, Viking, Wildcat, Wildwood, Work and Play, and XLR. ... and probably more.

-- Chuck

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by shakeitdaddy

Hi, That seems like a good price, Can you recommend your dealer seems like you are in my state.

The post you quoted is more than a year old. Situation has likely changed.

[shakeitdaddy]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

The post you quoted is more than a year old. Situation has likely changed.

Most likely yes, but great family-owned dealerships should still be great unless bought out by one Nasdaq listed corporate.