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RE: Travel trailers for semi full time
What would be a good travel trailer for semi full time and around 30k? Would be pulling with our Dodge 2500 Quad cab. Might be retiring in the next 18 months and want to start looking. We kind of like the rear living area since my wife likes to stay up at night and read, but are open to ideas.
Find a good used Airstream. They will hold up to the rigors of full time living, you will have a community of like minded 'streamers to correspond with, consult about issues, or rally together. They even have their own forum and discuss full timing issues. They even make a toy hauler if that is your pleasure.
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jmtandem
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09/08/10 06:59pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Can't people read?
You all forgot one thing. People like this also vote!
The owner also spends money on RV's and is probably sick over the whole incident, ruined his vacation, maybe ruined part of his truck, and now has to figure out how to get all his stuff home that is/was in the now defunct RV. I tend to feel somewhat sorry for him even if it was his doing.
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jmtandem
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09/08/10 04:14pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Can't people read?
Around here, any overpass under 14' is marked, with at least two signs, starting at least 1/2 mile before you get to the overpass.
This rail undercrossing is not in upstate New York; what New York does is hardly relevant to Montana nor his home state California where he would have seen the height painted in large letters/numbers on the structure. All in all, I agree he was not paying attention as his visual should have alerted him to the height problem. The pic shows one sign, if there was another it would not have been in the pic, again what New York does is not applicable in Montana. Maybe after a few more crashes the city will do something about the undercrossing.
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jmtandem
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09/08/10 03:47pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Can't people read?
Of course the guy's an idiot....but who builds a bridge with only 8 foot of clearance? You gotta wonder what that person was thinking as well. Plenty of idiocy to go around.
Good point! This also speaks to inconsistent markings, the 'height' sign is on the side; in his state (California) the height is on the overpass and he might have seen it earlier. As I said in a previous post there appear to be no skid marks leading up to the crash so I suspect this caught him off guard. The City needs to increase the space between the road and the train to prevent this from happening again and paint the height clearance on the overpass. Look at the sign, it is just a few feet from the overpass. It should have been a couple hundred feet prior to the overpass so the driver could prepare to stop and do something else. But, this driver apparently did not even try to stop and that says a lot.
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jmtandem
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09/08/10 08:29am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Truck sway
I have a '99 Dodge Ram 2500 with a 9 1/2 ft Lance. I added air bags a little while back but in doing so, when I use them to level the truck out I have a 2 in gap from the over load spring and the rubber bumper. So when I go around a corner I have a little too much tilt. I have a sway bar ( 1" )that came with the truck and I can't see that adding a sway bar that is 1 1/8 would help that much. I guess what I would like to know if any one has done any mods to get there bumper to make contact with the over load spring. I think that would help with the sway going around corners???
Thank You
Add Energy Suspension Bumpers to the overloads and adjust the air bags to the point where the overloads are just touching the bumpers. It adds a surprising amount of stability.
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jmtandem
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09/08/10 08:21am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Can't people read?
I see no skidmarks leading up to the crash. Must have hit at some speed to do that much damage even to the rear of the RV. A complicating factor is that there are not many underpasses in California that are that low so he was both not paying attention nor expecting that low of an underpass. Too bad as it ruined his day.
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jmtandem
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09/07/10 09:25pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Lucky no one was killed (no pics) UPDATE #4
A visual inspection of the pinbox area when hitched up (and it is supporting all the pinweight) is a very good idea. Difficult to get you upper body in there to have a good look though when hitched up, but you can bet I'll be doing it.
It is always good to check over your equipment before using. I was not refering to change in position as in sag or less space between the truck and the fifth, nor to obvious cracks in welding, but was responding to an individual that suggested checking every weld on an RV at the dealerships prior to purchase. That is simply not practical nor in most cases productive.
Some check the amount of sag measured with a tape measure
hitched and unhitched and if the change is more than a quarter of an inch they start to get concerned, if a half inch or more they are concerned. This is probably an excellent way to determine if there are hidden issues with the structure that need attention.
Hope you get your check for the hotel soon and all works out for you in the end.
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jmtandem
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09/07/10 05:51pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Lucky no one was killed (no pics) UPDATE #4
Would I pass or fail a RV on a visual inspection of the welds on an RV. Absolutely not. Would visually observed bad welds such as these create suspicion? Absolutely. Where there is smoke there usually is fire. This particular Cougar was in flames IMHO!
Maybe I am looking at this a little differently. A non welder RV buyer would not know much about welds especially painted ones and to that end would waste time and resources at the dealership. You may know a lot about welding and perhaps could give insight into the potential for the weld to be good or bad, but for most people that is not the case.
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jmtandem
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09/07/10 11:03am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Lucky no one was killed (no pics) UPDATE #4
how do you know if you have Lippert frame?
S Sullivan,
It should be easy to determine if you have a Lippert frame. Your warranty paperwork will provide that information as the frame is under warranty for a period of time.
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jmtandem
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09/07/10 08:31am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Lucky no one was killed (no pics) UPDATE #4
and can personally inspect each and every weld from the ground up
Welds are very difficult to inspect even when out in the open and not hidden behind something. Just looking at a weld does not tell much of a story. Often welds are quality but don't look like it. I see no value in somebody insisting that the RV dealer let them look at the welds when they may not know what they are looking at. Unless you do non destructive weld penetration testing (on every weld on an RV, are you kidding?) you will not know much about the welds. It is when a weld fails that you can see inside and assess the issues. Are you planning to ask the RV dealer to provide some kind of X ray for you to use and even then most buyers will not know what they are looking for in a good weld.
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jmtandem
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09/06/10 09:22pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Lucky no one was killed (no pics) UPDATE #4
I am taking the RV back to the dealer today to have the internal/cosmetic damage repaired, and to see what they will do for me for all my troubles.
I am glad you are back home and that trip went OK for you. As I read part 1 of the epistle I learned that you and I were in the Sandpoint/Coeur d' Alene area at about the same time. It is a very pretty area. Keep us posted on the resolution of your fifth and I hope it comes out just fine for you.
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jmtandem
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09/01/10 04:25pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: We are finally RVing
Not sure about you being into RVing as much as acronyms. But, it was a GR (good read).
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jmtandem
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08/29/10 09:03pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Lucky No one was killed! (w/pics) - UPDATE #3
We have a 2004 Komfort with a Lippert frame. The front crosspiece that ties the A frame together behind the battery box has seperated at both ends. No penetration in the welds. This has allowed the frame to twist enough to break out two small pieces of the rock guard above the A frame. I have contacted Lippert and sent pictures, given the age of the trailer I doubt they will cover it.....a weld can't be expected to last six years, yea, right. The welds have been broken for some time as they are rusted were the seperation occured.
Lippert accidentally sent me an email asking about my feelings regarding a claim by someone with a 2008 Wolfpack by Forest River. Apparently the axle seals failed allowing grease to cover the brakes....yikes.
You know, if a fridge fails after a reasonable time I can understand the "out of warranty" claim, but a weld is a whole nuther thing. We all know a company like Komfort uses all these subs to put together a product, the same Loppert frame may be used on many different branded trailers, it's simply not enough to be sent to their sub for warranty and for Komfort to wash their hands of it. Then for that sub to blow you off for poor welds because of a one or two year warranty. Komfort needs to feel the reprecussions enough so that they make those subs perform. Other wise it just goes on and on. If you're buying junk, may as well get it from the Chinese at a better price. The only way any pressure will be brought to change things will be forums like this, word of mouth that will impact their sales. I spent honest money with them, I have an honest claim, I expect an honest response.
Obviously RV's are not in the same league as cars, SUV's, trucks, etc. Bad welds on a car that could cause an accident through a major weld failure would have the federal oversight folks all over it and recalls for every one made with possible substandard welds. With RV's it is up to the owner and manufacturer to work out a solution. Very different. A weld should last the life of an RV (more than three weeks or even only six years). How can Airstream still have 70 percent of every trailer built since 1936 still on the road while some other manufacturers are doing major rewelding to repair their frames that are only a few years new? Maybe we do get what we pay for?
To those that have said on this thread that you would never purchase another Lippert frame under an RV, take a big breath, pause and think that most RV's have Lippert frames and to not purchase one is to limit your RV choices. Then think that Lippert makes tens of thousands of frames a year and expperience a few have failures. The odds are in your favor of getting a good one, not a bad one.
I would like to see what the final outcome of this is between the OP and dealer and then we all can make our final decisions about our future purchases. Or, maybe we can start buying RV's with Chinese frames if we don't like the ones we now have that are made here.
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jmtandem
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08/28/10 08:41am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Lucky No one was killed! (w/pics) - UPDATE #3
I love it the way the coin turns. Now that the OP has gotten patched up, it's, "Oh well, a catastrophic frame failure is just something we have to live with now and then, like those darn Chinese tires."
dieselhorse,
The crisis is over, the calm returns. The OP will have a chat with the dealer who might show some remorse for the problem by offering an official dealership hat to the OP, might even call Keystone and chat about the trailer for a few minutes. But the dealer will not dump Keystone over one trailer problem, Keystone will not quit purchasing frames from Lippert over this issue and customers will keep buying frames under fifth wheels that were made by Lippert. Life goes on with the OP wearing an official dealership hat for his troubles. The dealer counsels him that RV's can have some minor glitches when new that need to be worked out and that glitches are to be expected. OP is reminded that the dealer only sells the trailers, not makes them so he is on the OP's side not against him in case there is ever a lawsuit. He assures the OP that customer beta testing is the new RV norm, and to be glad that he got the hat for it, too.
And now on to the next imminent crisis...........Chinese tires, water tanks falling out, axle alignment issues, under reported brochure dry weights, power awnings, and poor TV reception at the campground.
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jmtandem
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08/27/10 07:48pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Lucky No one was killed! (w/pics) - UPDATE #3
ib516,
I have Chinese tires on my RV, so far so good. I won't purchase Chinese next time but will not throw these away just because they say China on the sides.
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jmtandem
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08/27/10 09:09am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Lucky No one was killed! (w/pics) - UPDATE #3
I am almost certain that Lippert's own management is working way overtime trying to find out how ib516 got such a badly welded frame, learning what other frames sold might have such defects, and telling its customers what frame identification numbers to look for. They have to do this to protect themselves from loss of customers like Crossroads.
I doubt management is working way overtime to address this trailer's frame issue. They also know that there are very few frame manufacturers for RV's and that most RV companies simply don't want into the frame business. We will see how much overtime they put in if they send a representative to the trailer and inspect it or if they are just happy it is fixed by the local welder. Knowing it is fixed is one thing, knowing how it failed is entirely another to prevent other trailers from failing. Time will tell. While many here said they would not purchase another Lippert frame, how many buyers never even visit this forum and will purchase RV's without regard to the frame manufacturer? How many purchasers are more interested in where the magazine rack is placed, or other foo foo stuff that is what is almost always discussed as purchasing considerations (besides weight and price). Virtualy nothing will change becuase of this one incident and that is unfortunate as consumers or as manufacturers. According to RVIA there are over 150,000 fifth wheels and travel trailers manufacturered each year, one has a failure mentioned on this forum. For a few hundred dollars cost to the manufacturer it was fixed, barely an earth shaking event for Lippert or Keystone. Unfortunately it was a huge disappointing event for the OP.
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jmtandem
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08/27/10 08:09am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: dodge mega cabs
Boy, after weighing my 2007 mega cab ctd, I was very surprised to see the truck weight of 7300#'s. According to the GVWR of the truck, which is 9000#"s with the 3.73 gears, that only leaves 1700#'s for pin weight. Sigh.................. How many people are towing fifth wheels with the dodge mega cabs similar to ours and what is your pin weight?
The megacab dually has a higher gross, 10,800 pounds, much better for pin weights and all the people and stuff it will also carry.
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jmtandem
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08/26/10 07:25pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Lucky No one was killed! (w/pics) - UPDATE #3
This has been very interesting and glad you reposted to let us know how it is going to turn out. The welds are pathetic in your pics, if that is bashing so be it. Let the manufacturer's do better welding and we will all congratulate them not criticize.
Keep the trailer as it is better than new at least as to the rewelded sections. A good welder will not let it leave without being welded just right. Getting another trailer from the dealer or manufacturer is just another gamble on what was or was not correctly welded.
Most RV's are built to 'recreational quality' that is a cut below horse trailers or many other on the road commercial trailers. It is unfortunate but that is the way it is. When was the last time you saw a horse trailer goose neck or fifth pin broke from normal use? While some RV's are better framed than others (like
Airstream or Arctic Fox/Desert Fox that makes their own frames) the entire industry is in huge need for upgrading to better quality. This is not bashing, it is the truth.
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jmtandem
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08/26/10 08:29am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: I get so happy when I see another truck camper on the road
Just completed a 1600 mile trip in the Pacific Northwest. Must have seen 50 or 60 truck campers. Most are towing something behind.
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jmtandem
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08/25/10 07:09pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Best Hitch - New Tango TT
Tango 299 bhs owner here. Get the best hitch you can afford and if your budget will allow go for the ProPride or Hensley. You will need real good sway control with your tow vehicle. If you cannot afford a premium hitch, look hard at the Reese dual cam. I have an Equalizer and it is too maintenance intensive and does not try to recenter the trailer. The Centerline hitch from Husky looks promising.
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jmtandem
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08/25/10 07:05pm |
Travel Trailers
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