Forest River products - Quality? Problems?... (2 Viewers)

Maverick355

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Apr 13, 2012
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Hi all,

Im new to the 'scene', just posted my first thread in the introductions forum.

We (me and the missus!) are on the hunt for a 5th wheel setup, weve done a fair bit of research and decided that the US truck / camper route is best for us, space is important, headroom very important, etc. Got a truck in our sights and also looking for a 'nice' 5'er - not new, but tidy, you know what I mean Im sure.

Anyway, Ive seen a lot of Forest River products for sale on the internet (dealers, ebay etc) and they look very good from the pictures, but I wondered if anyone had any first hand experience of them and (more importantly) had any bad experiences? Were looking at Flagstaff, Rockwood and Wildcat units predominantely. 30-32 feet in length, probably with a bunkhouse for our little un. And around 20-22k which means 2008ish models I guess.

I bought an RV rating software (from www.rv.org - anyone else use this?) and the comments on ANY Forest River product are terrible... Similar comments (worse even!) for the Keystone products. But they are probably the most common products out there, so they cant be all that bad, can they?...

Just looking for some advice really.
Cheers everyone, we're looking forward to being part of this community!
Simon, Elaine & Alfie
 

Griffs

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Aug 15, 2007
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5 wheel

Hi.

We used to have a fifth wheel , a mistake because it was not matched properly i.e. short wheelbase truck whitch means if you turn to sharp you WILL pop the rear window of the truck

There was a Wildcat on ebay last week very nice to, also Mercury rv in Kent have a nice long wheel base truck in stock,if we were to have a fifth wheel again it would be a globestormer from the fifth wheel company plus a Dodge truck.

Also some of the american fifth wheels are high and use a fair bit of fuel to keep warm.
 

Geo

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Re post on our Sister forum All American help and advise on there
Click here RVOC

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vwalan

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Sep 23, 2008
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that was a celtic rambler i think . if its the one i,m thinking of .
a few down here in the west country for sale . might not quite be what you wanmt . but seen them on ebay. becareful though if you have a garage as vosa would like them to be living vans if over 3,500kg gvw . then they need mot.
 

vwalan

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Sep 23, 2008
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mini artics the answer i can jack knife mine so i can almost get out the cab and step into the trailer if its raining. hee hee .
 

slobadoberbob

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Jun 1, 2009
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Mercury are in the wilds of Kent

Hi.

We used to have a fifth wheel , a mistake because it was not matched properly i.e. short wheelbase truck whitch means if you turn to sharp you WILL pop the rear window of the truck

There was a Wildcat on ebay last week very nice to, also Mercury rv in Kent have a nice long wheel base truck in stock,if we were to have a fifth wheel again it would be a globestormer from the fifth wheel company plus a Dodge truck.

Also some of the american fifth wheels are high and use a fair bit of fuel to keep warm.

Mercury RV are in the wilds of kent out at the back of Sittingbourne on the edge of the mud flats.. hell of a place to get a large RV or Fiver into... but OK in a car or small truck.

Clive is right (Griffs) what the match between the fiver and the front end... the size you are talking about really needs a dually on a LWB .. Dodge or GMC .. the Japanese trucks are just not powerful and built for the job.

One of our members Bill (Landylover) pulls his fiver with a land rover .. has an extension bar on the pin. his fiver is tall and 24' if I remember and he has full head room.. slide out.. it is unusual as the tab door is on the UK side.. made for the Australian market.

Need to make sure the hand brake has been fitted and the braking in general as a lot of the older fivers do not meet the regulations. But I would have a look at the Calder site and give Alex a call just to discuss in general about what you need to be looking at as a match... you are going to have problems with that sort of size in camp sites.

Bob:thumb:
 

chatter

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Aug 3, 2009
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Careful with your american truck search, make sure there is a train weight on the plate, a lot of trucks that are improted do not have a train weight on americans dont use the same system as us and although they are capable, without a train weight they are zero rated for towing over here. Vosa is only interested in whats on the plate and that you comply with it so if no train/towing allowance stated and you towed a fiver with it and they stopped you they would literally throw the book at you and impound said combination - and they do check out motorhomes, caravans, Rvs etc during the summer season

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Montana16

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Dec 24, 2010
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As Chatter said be careful. Our Ford F350 Dually is plated at GTW 9072 but not all are plated.
We pull a 32ft 5er. No problems so far with sites. The Big Pitch Guide is a must.
Enjoy....:thumb::thumb:
 
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Maverick355

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Apr 13, 2012
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Preston, Lancashire
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Careful with your american truck search, make sure there is a train weight on the plate, a lot of trucks that are improted do not have a train weight on americans dont use the same system as us and although they are capable, without a train weight they are zero rated for towing over here. Vosa is only interested in whats on the plate and that you comply with it so if no train/towing allowance stated and you towed a fiver with it and they stopped you they would literally throw the book at you and impound said combination - and they do check out motorhomes, caravans, Rvs etc during the summer season

Wow, thats really interesting! The truck Im looking at is a 2003 Silverado 2500HD with the 6'6" bed. Its got a fifth wheel hitch already and Ive seen its picture around quite a bit on various 5th wheel internet sites (UK) so I assume its well known.
Went to see the truck on Saturday, I found a plate on the drivers door (near the striker plate) but it only had the GVW and GAWR front and rear. No mention of the train weight - where would this be found?? Is it possible to get this sorted if its not already declared on the V5 (it wasnt, i looked...).

Simon
 

rainbow chasers

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Also look at the Nissan Titan for tow trucks! Made to compete with tthe ram and the likes, it has the nissan refinements, in a big pick up - about the same size as an F350:thumb:

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Ant&Debs

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Jun 24, 2009
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Hi

Hi

Last year we had a Forestriver Wildcat 31 THSB (33 foot) which we had from new. Our tow vehicle was a GMC 2500HD 8 Foot Bed.

On Our first trip abroad after owning the Unit for all of 5 months the rear axle failed and we lost a wheel, Lucky we were only 300 meters away from the site in spain. we managed to limp on to the site.

When looking on US sites it seemed to be a recurring problem with that particular axle that was fitted to the willdcat. The wildcat forum in the US had lots of pics showing axle failures, some at spead causing a lot of damage.

We were able to get a replacement axle from the states but that's another story.

Just do you homework and check on us sites for recalls on particular models.

We now have a Forestriver Rockwood Signature Ultralite 8244s (26 Foot) which we tow with a Dodge Ram 1500 SLT 4.7 (6 foot Bed)

I found no difference having a 8 or 6 foot bed. I have seen some euro trucks with strike damage to the cab due to jack-knifing. But as with all towing it comes with experience.

Best Wishes

Ant
 

Popeye

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Sep 5, 2011
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One of the members on here has just sold his 5'er and is about to sell his Pick up.

I have seen it and it is magnificent. It has the sought after economical Cummins engine and is the F-350 Dually, his name is "ehuplad", really worth a look and he would also advise on 5'ers.

Welcome aboard.......Griff:thumb:
 

chatter

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Aug 3, 2009
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Wow, thats really interesting! The truck Im looking at is a 2003 Silverado 2500HD with the 6'6" bed. Its got a fifth wheel hitch already and Ive seen its picture around quite a bit on various 5th wheel internet sites (UK) so I assume its well known.
Went to see the truck on Saturday, I found a plate on the drivers door (near the striker plate) but it only had the GVW and GAWR front and rear. No mention of the train weight - where would this be found?? Is it possible to get this sorted if its not already declared on the V5 (it wasnt, i looked...).

Simon

I dont know if the paperwork can be changed once a vehicle has been imported, someone else may be able to answer that, I went with a euro pickup and a lightweight trailer that way i know im ok, also any 5th wheel you look at make sure it has a proper handbrake, once again in the states they dont deem them to be needed but over here you have to have one.

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Maverick355

Free Member
Apr 13, 2012
14
8
Preston, Lancashire
Funster No
20,533
MH
5th Wheel
Exp
Newbie
Hi

Last year we had a Forestriver Wildcat 31 THSB (33 foot) which we had from new. Our tow vehicle was a GMC 2500HD 8 Foot Bed.

On Our first trip abroad after owning the Unit for all of 5 months the rear axle failed and we lost a wheel, Lucky we were only 300 meters away from the site in spain. we managed to limp on to the site.

When looking on US sites it seemed to be a recurring problem with that particular axle that was fitted to the willdcat. The wildcat forum in the US had lots of pics showing axle failures, some at spead causing a lot of damage.

We were able to get a replacement axle from the states but that's another story.

Just do you homework and check on us sites for recalls on particular models.

We now have a Forestriver Rockwood Signature Ultralite 8244s (26 Foot) which we tow with a Dodge Ram 1500 SLT 4.7 (6 foot Bed)

I found no difference having a 8 or 6 foot bed. I have seen some euro trucks with strike damage to the cab due to jack-knifing. But as with all towing it comes with experience.

Best Wishes

Ant

That sounds like a nightmare...! Thanks for the info, I will look out for similar issues on anything which takes our fancy. I do like the look of the Rockwoods....

Simon
 

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