Forest River Build Quality - R-pod Owners Forum

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lostagain

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Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
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Topic: Forest River Build Quality
Posted: 09 Oct 2023 at 2:13pm

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.

Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

poohbill

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Joined: 22 Aug 2019
Location: Idaho
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Posted: 10 Oct 2023 at 2:39pm

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

2016 179 Gastropod
2017 Ridgeline

jmac2001

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Posted: Yesterday at 4:21pm

With regard to build quality - has anyone experienced a cracked frame on a r-pod? I have a 2020 r-pod 195 that I have loved. We recently had an axle failure and fire in the hub. When a service person went to replace the axle he found that the frame was cracked at both welds where cross beam above the axle joins the side frame beams. The welds appear to be to be basic butt welds with no buttressing and the gauge of the beams at the welds struck me as small gauge.

Has anyone had a problem with their frame? We were extremely disappointed to have this happen on a 5 year old unit that is in excellent condition in all other respects.

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lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2595	Post Options Post Reply Quote lostagain Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Forest River Build Quality Posted: 09 Oct 2023 at 2:13pm
	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.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

poohbill Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 22 Aug 2019 Location: Idaho Online Status: Offline Posts: 134	Post Options Post Reply Quote poohbill Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 10 Oct 2023 at 2:39pm
	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
	2016 179 Gastropod 2017 Ridgeline

jmac2001 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: Yesterday Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote jmac2001 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: Yesterday at 4:21pm
	With regard to build quality - has anyone experienced a cracked frame on a r-pod? I have a 2020 r-pod 195 that I have loved. We recently had an axle failure and fire in the hub. When a service person went to replace the axle he found that the frame was cracked at both welds where cross beam above the axle joins the side frame beams. The welds appear to be to be basic butt welds with no buttressing and the gauge of the beams at the welds struck me as small gauge. Has anyone had a problem with their frame? We were extremely disappointed to have this happen on a 5 year old unit that is in excellent condition in all other respects.