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Forest River Build Quality |
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poohbill 
Groupie 
Joined: 22 Aug 2019 Location: Idaho Online Status: Offline Posts: 87 |
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 Topic: Forest River Build QualityPosted: 10 Oct 2023 at 2:39pm |
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This all makes sense to me. High strength in lightweight materials is expensive, period. My pod buddy only has his 176 two years before he traded it in on a Micro Minnie that he was showing the last trip up a long, rough, Forest road. It had twin axles, a beefier frame, heavier cabinetry, etc., but at almost double the weight, his TV was not happy on a couple rises in the road.
But the trailer shrugged off the trip up and presented well in camp, while we lost parts on the road up and just put a thousand into repairs before bedding for the season. The larger slide-out on the 179 hasn't given us problems but it does look a likely source of future expense.
Bill |
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2016 179 Gastropod
2017 Ridgeline |
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lostagain
Senior Member 
Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2587 |
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Posted: 09 Oct 2023 at 2:13pm |
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Can't complain too much about our FR Sonoma. There is some of the usual sloppy work that I've fixed, but the basic trailer, after almost 4 years of use, it's still doing fine. I think one of the benefits of this trailer is the I-beam frame and a leaf spring mounted axle directly under the frame instead of a box tube structure with the cantilevered torsion axle. Also, the lack of a slide out, though inconvenient, does not stress the frame and axle as has been the case with many rPods.
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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
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gpokluda
Senior Member
Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Location: NM Online Status: Offline Posts: 276 |
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Posted: 09 Oct 2023 at 1:10pm |
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Personally, I believe the longevity of a trailer declines significantly as the manufacturer attempts to make them lighter in order to appeal to a wider range of customers who wish to tow with their small trucks and SUVs. Any stick-built trailer is going to require a significant amount of care and feeding to keep it on the road which shouldn't be the case, but it is the reality. While we intend for our Escape 5.0 to be our last trailer, if I had to buy another, I would stay away from single axle, lightweight units.
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Gpokluda
2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023) 2022 Escape 5.0TA 2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB Triumph T120 |
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poohbill
Groupie
Joined: 22 Aug 2019 Location: Idaho Online Status: Offline Posts: 87 |
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Posted: 07 Oct 2023 at 10:18pm |
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Ours has been in the shop for a month and I must say, it has taught me to monitor ALL systems over the years and keep a ready toolbox and a friendly Users Group. In 2016 though, if we had been presented only $40k price tags at the dealers for well made, reliable, and long lasting trailers, we would never have signed up for this adventure.
The issue I have is with the disposable nature of the whole industry, making thousands of these every month, knowing how many will be worthless in ten years due to lack of attention, interest, and abundance in Craig's List, yet selling to mostly first time buyers. Second generation buyers tend to buy quality.
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2016 179 Gastropod
2017 Ridgeline |
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gpokluda
Senior Member
Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Location: NM Online Status: Offline Posts: 276 |
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Posted: 01 Oct 2023 at 4:47pm |
That's what we did. We purchased an Escape. We were lucky with our previous 179 because even though it had it's share of issues, they weren't nearly as bad as bent frames, sagging floors and separating walls. In the end, we purchased the Escape because we planned on longer trips and higher mileage and wanted something that would have longevity, so fiberglass was the obvious choice. As StephenH said, it all comes at a price. I will say we made some great memories with our Rpod and I had a lump in my throat when it rolled away with it's new owner. They are nice trailers but need continual TLC.
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Gpokluda
2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023) 2022 Escape 5.0TA 2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB Triumph T120 |
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lostagain
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2587 |
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Posted: 01 Oct 2023 at 2:21pm |
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Having driven in Ireland a few years ago was a mind bender for me. One has a well developed spatial sense for where the side of the car opposite the driver's position is located, but switching to the opposite drive really messes up knowing where the opposite of the car is vis a vi the roadway. Forgetting which is the correct side to drive on, especially with turns, is also a brain twister.
The trend seems to be to switch from driving on the left side to the right. The last big country to make the switch was Sweden in 1967. Since then a number of smaller countries have made the switch too, such as Iceland and Nigeria.
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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
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GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2630 |
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Posted: 01 Oct 2023 at 9:40am |
That would be a big ol' bummer. We recently had a fatal head-on near here. There was single-lane control lights where they were working on a short section of road. A driver visiting from Australia (where they drive on the left side of the road) left the single lane, and accidentally left the single lane on the wrong side of the road. He collided with a local car, and two of the passengers were fatally injured.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
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lostagain
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2587 |
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Posted: 30 Sep 2023 at 6:33pm |
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For example: https://www.donedeal.ie/caravans-for-sale/new-swift-sprite-ew-quattro-6-7-berth-caravan/34713463
But, if you get ones from countries that drive on the wrong side of the road, the entry door is on the wrong side too.
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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
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wvanauken
Newbie 
Joined: 13 Mar 2019 Online Status: Offline Posts: 29 |
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Posted: 30 Sep 2023 at 6:30pm |
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Once again...exactly.
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2019 R-pod 180
2008 Toyota Tundra |
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288 |
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Posted: 30 Sep 2023 at 5:17pm |
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Or people will look to Escape or Bigfoot trailers from Canada. They seem to be built better also. However, it is the price point also. You will never get a Rolls Royce at a Chevrolet price. The old equation applies:
Cheap Fast Quality You can only pick 2 out of the three.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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