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Gulf Stream Vista

Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: Non-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Mods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Same as podmods, just... not for pods
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=13259
Printed Date: 05 May 2025 at 1:32pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: Gulf Stream Vista
Posted By: David and Danette
Subject: Gulf Stream Vista
Date Posted: 31 Oct 2019 at 7:03pm
    Having our camper looked at to see if the front tongue should be strengthened because it bows some when fully loaded. We have the heaviest Vista model for the their 23 foot models and have noticed the 2020 models the front tongues are built with a stronger frame. We are taking it to Tropic Trailer in Fort Myers Florida while there they will repack bearings and inspect frame and make their recommendation if it should be strengthened or not. I just feel unsafe the tongue may break while being towed I never had a camper where the tongue would bow like the Vista does. Has anyone else had a camper or trailer that the front tongue would bend without it being a problem? I am trusting the engineers at Gulf Stream know what they are doing but wandering why the 2020 models now are built with a stronger frame for the tongue.

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2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-              
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019)
2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014)
Middle Tn
2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab




Replies:
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 31 Oct 2019 at 8:42pm
You can't be the first one to notice that it bows. If a tongue bows (and they all do), the amount should be invisible to the unaided eye.

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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost

Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 01 Nov 2019 at 8:26am
Is there a a Vista or GS user group of any kind where you have e better chance of contacting owners of that particular configuration?

Manufacturers do address issues as model years go forward.. reinforcing a frame is a pretty standard thing.

I agree all tongues deflect, AND it shouldn't be obvious.


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Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 01 Nov 2019 at 8:58am
Steel is a very flexible material so the frame will deflect a lot (probably at few inches) before it gets near a yield failure (failure being defined as the point at which it doesn't return to its original shape when the load is removed). So you might see what looks like a lot of deflection but in reality it might not be an issue for the frame other than visually.  A problem that could crop up though is damage to the trailer box walls and floor which are too stiff to flex along with the frame. 

Reinforcing the trailer tongue/frame won't hurt anything but it will add a bit of weight and reduce ground clearance if you add steel under the existing frame rails. If you do add reinforcement I suggest carrying it back under the box a ways rather than stopping where the tongue and frame meet, when I looked at frame loads on rPods the max load was a couple of feet behind the front of the trailer box, not on the tongue itself. 

You could try running a string line along the tongue and frame and see if you can measure the deflection when the trailer is loaded vs when its unloaded and de-watered. Also see if you can find where the deflection is max, it will probably be a bit behind the front of the trailer box. 






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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 01 Nov 2019 at 4:01pm
Originally posted by furpod

Is there a a Vista or GS user group of any kind where you have e better chance of contacting owners of that particular configuration?

Manufacturers do address issues as model years go forward.. reinforcing a frame is a pretty standard thing.

I agree all tongues deflect, AND it shouldn't be obvious.
I am on the Gulf Stream forum and there is about one post every two weeks from a owner of a Vista Cruiser maybe not even that often. There is a facebook forum for the Vintage Cruiser but I am not on facebook. The Gulf Stream Visa or Vista has never been a very popular camper not sure why we are very happy with ours. As far as seeing the bend in the frame it is obvious my guess if you were to take a strait edge from the front of the tongue to where it joins the frame under the camper to the front hitch there would be about a half inch gap or more in the center. When we load the camper for our trip to Florida I will measure with a strait edge to know the gap in the center as to how much it is bending.

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2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-              
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019)
2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014)
Middle Tn
2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab



Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 01 Nov 2019 at 4:15pm
Thank you, Your explanation makes me feel better perhaps the engineers at Gulf Stream do know what they are doing. I may still ask to have it looked at or least get a opinion at Tropic Trailer when I have It there to have bearings repacked.       
Originally posted by offgrid

Steel is a very flexible material so the frame will deflect a lot (probably at few inches) before it gets near a yield failure (failure being defined as the point at which it doesn't return to its original shape when the load is removed). So you might see what looks like a lot of deflection but in reality it might not be an issue for the frame other than visually.  A problem that could crop up though is damage to the trailer box walls and floor which are too stiff to flex along with the frame. 

Reinforcing the trailer tongue/frame won't hurt anything but it will add a bit of weight and reduce ground clearance if you add steel under the existing frame rails. If you do add reinforcement I suggest carrying it back under the box a ways rather than stopping where the tongue and frame meet, when I looked at frame loads on rPods the max load was a couple of feet behind the front of the trailer box, not on the tongue itself. 

You could try running a string line along the tongue and frame and see if you can measure the deflection when the trailer is loaded vs when its unloaded and de-watered. Also see if you can find where the deflection is max, it will probably be a bit behind the front of the trailer box.       






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2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-              
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019)
2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014)
Middle Tn
2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab



Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 01 Nov 2019 at 4:18pm
Try to take a string line back well behind the point where the tongue attaches to the frame if you can, it is fairly likely that the deflection starts farther back than that point. 

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 02 Nov 2019 at 7:11am
Originally posted by David and Danette


I am on the Gulf Stream forum and there is about one post every two weeks from a owner of a Vista Cruiser maybe not even that often. There is a facebook forum for the Vintage Cruiser but I am not on facebook. The Gulf Stream Visa or Vista has never been a very popular camper not sure why we are very happy with ours. As far as seeing the bend in the frame it is obvious my guess if you were to take a strait edge from the front of the tongue to where it joins the frame under the camper to the front hitch there would be about a half inch gap or more in the center. When we load the camper for our trip to Florida I will measure with a strait edge to know the gap in the center as to how much it is bending.


Yeah, I have wondered why they aren't more popular, we really like the Vintage Cruiser line. And back when we were first looking, the Visa line had a couple very nice (to us) floor plans.

I know many people think/feel Facebook is evil.. But like anything, it's all in how you use it. It might be worth it to join, and join that one group, just to see how much action there is there. It doesn't cost anything, and you can just never go back, and remove your profile, if it isn't helpful.

Taking some measurements would for sure be a good idea, even if only for future reference of changes.


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Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 02 Nov 2019 at 8:04am
Ummm, its not about how you use Facebook, its about how they use YOUR data. YOU are the product they are selling, and your control over how they use your information is limited.  You can exercise some control though if you take the time when you set up your account. Personally the benefits aren't worth it to me. 

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 02 Nov 2019 at 10:40am
Originally posted by offgrid

Ummm, its not about how you use Facebook, its about how they use YOUR data. YOU are the product they are selling, and your control over how they use your information is limited.  You can exercise some control though if you take the time when you set up your account. Personally the benefits aren't worth it to me. 


You literally can make up a name. I used a throw away e-mail address. They don't know anything you don't post.


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Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 19 Nov 2019 at 12:41pm
  Went to camping world and looked at the new 2020 Vintage cruisers with the new frames. They look stronger all the way around but decided to leave our frame the way it is and just be careful not to overload the tongue weight. It made me think of a 18 wheeler with a long flat bed trailer how they are arched up and when heavy loaded they are more flat and sometimes bowed in opposite direction. So I thought that was a good example how steel will flex under heavy loads and flex back to original shape not under a heavy load.

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2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-              
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019)
2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014)
Middle Tn
2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab




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