Setting the record straight! RV quality and my opinion about the RV industry.

[@thats_mr_b_]

Ah damn JD I watched that video about the rv improvement but I didn't realize it was a group effort I thought you meant you were going to be a one man show. I think it would be cool to start that program and would join.

[@gcslade]

As I think about the evolution of the trailers / RV's I've owned over 40 years, I think we the RV consumer have driven the industry to add many amenities and nice to have features that have served to increase weight, size, costs and complexity such that my recent RV ownership experience has not been ideal compared to my older "basic" RV's that experienced very little to no issues.

[@Treeplanter73]

Rv's and quality, are 2 words that are seldom said together.

[@Itsa_Mea]

Expectations & Reality never line up neither.

[@jeffschultz1047]

Thank you JD for takijg the time to put a spotlight on this topic. I think it boils down to the this- Fast, Cheap, Quality- you can only pick two.

[@philsalsbery9994]

Research and the knowledge gained from it cannot be overstated. I began researching a new HD truck and a new 5th wheel back in 2016, mainly via your channel, so thank you. I bought a 2017 Ram 3500 SRW HO Cummins / Aisin & a special order 2018 Keystone Montana 3560RL Legacy. We RV camp 4-6 times per year, probably 2,000 miles total. Truck has been next to perfect, now at 230K miles, mostly highway not towing as daily driver. I rushed Keystone to get the RV full body painted and ready for our first trip. Dealer told me to make a punch list and they would fix any issues when we returned from that first month long trip to Arizona. List was 21 problems mostly all minor, but they fixed them all, which took 6 months! Ever since, very few minor issues I've learned to repair myself. I gained tremendous education via research from watching hundreds of your videos. We RV camp with 3 neighbor couples, who all bought Forest River travel trailers. One is a 2018 with very few problems, the other two, 2022 & 2024 are loaded with problems and spend a lot of time back at the dealer, not sure why. Failed 12v fridge; leaking windows; misaligned slides; bad wiring, etc. Some say the later ones built during or soon after covid was the problem? If you want to buy an RV, be sure you are willing to spend the time to get to know it well. They are all big houses designed to roll for miles on often bad roads. You're going to have problems. I can't say enough good about the Montana brand. Most of my problems have been from dealer mistakes. The RV itself is pretty flawless, so I'm careful who works on it other than me. I've met many GD owners while camping and they rarely complain about them. Another great video, JD.

[@deanhockenberry9268]

It used to be the saying Army Intelligence were words that didn’t go together. Now the words RV and quality have dethroned the former.

[@CharlesAnsman]

One of your best yet !

[@marka9083]

I can really attest to the benefit of upgraded suspension components helping with longevity. We had our last 5th wheel for 8.5 years and put over 70K miles and 1100 nights in it including Alaska the last year we had it. We had the MorRyde IS installed early on and I believe it really helped. We got a new 5th wheel this spring with the standard equalizer & leaf spring setup and after almost every travel day we had some issue that could be attributed to road vibrations (eg blinds fell down, plumbing loosened up, trim issues, drawer slides, ...). We were able to get MorRyde IS installed and did a 6 week, 3500+ mile trip through the Appalachian regions of WV, VA, MD and out to NJ, & DE and had no issues wrt road vibration caused issues.

[@davidirvin9001]

We bought a Grand Design Solitude in 2021. 4000 miles a year and full timers. I was very diligent when We bought it. Education is the main key. You can't live in one and not take the time to get to know your unit. Very good unit. You have to know what it needs.

[@DividendHarvester]

As someone who got railroaded by grand design and lost a huge financial setback, I’d be more than happy to talk to you about my experience. Your videos from Riverstone sold us on our current rv but I wish we knew about grand design sooner

[@jetdriver]

I think this is a very fair video. I own an Imagine 2800BH that has frame failure that is being repaired under warranty by Grand Design. Our unit is used recreationally about once a month in the Spring and Summer so we are in the “normal” usage category for an RV. I will say we have been very happy with our unit and one of the very first upgrades we made was to replace the equalizer with a CRE3000 and install wet bolts and upgraded shackle straps. I have noticed that before that upgrade the ceiling mounted speaker grills would frequently fall off in transit but that’s never happed again since we upgraded the suspension. I agree with what you’re saying about Grand Design and how they are made basically like any other unit. That being said their handling of the frame problems would make me hesitant to buy another. They have never addressed why these problems were happening and what changes they are making to prevent them again in the future. They continue to make statements that are unarguably false like claiming that frame failure doesn’t affect Reflection 5th wheels when we have multiple owners that have suffered failures. They have a program to replace undersized lag bolts on the larger units but refuse to extend that to the Reflection 5th wheels. I have friends that bought one and it only has 3 lag bolts installed securing the upper deck walls and those are 3/8”. Vice the 5 1/2” that should be there. A good company would act proactively to prevent failure as this is a lot cheaper than waiting until a unit needs major repairs. I think Brinkley’s success proves there is a market for better built products. And I think a TON of what they are doing could be replicated elsewhere on lower priced products as well. Manufactures also have only themselves to blame for marketing units with “full time rated” claims that can’t even handle a few weekends a year. Component manufacturers like Furrion also need to really step up their games. I see waaaaay too many people having issues over and over with 12v fridges etc. We don’t all need $300k units. But quality even at entry level price points can and should be better. That might push the entry level prices up a bit but the price difference between say a standard suspension and an upgraded one isn’t that great.

[@ZoeyR86]

I'm building my own rv. I'm tired of the shit framework and the lack of integration with modern tech. I have built 4 tiny homes and 2 bus conversions and extremely modified my travel trailer. I think if they built a triangular frame to fit into the walls that fully encased the RV and was welded to the sub frame, basically a roll cage. This would make 90% of rv capable of the 10-15k miles per year. I personally expect the rv to hold up to a yearly mileage equivalent the the total cost in dollars while lasting the full term of the average rv loan. Sure a 35k or less rv might have a 10yr or less loan but a 250k 5th wheel might have a 15-20 or every 30yr term I fully expect to get 15-20-30yrs of use out of a quarter of a million dollar RV The best rv i have owned were late 90's early 2k diesel pushers with the cummins. The newmars, tiffin, a few others on international/ford platforms. I have flipped a few oldies by just updating the interior and adding modern features

[@larrybush2398]

Educating the new RV owner about properly maintaining an RV is also critical to customer satisfaction. How many manufacturers and dealers do a good job at educating customers? BTBRV has recently done a video on maintaining your RV.

[@RAM-on8xb]

I agree 100% with what you stated in your video JD. People need to realize the price an RV would be if it was built to a higher standard. It's common sense to me since I have been a mechanic most of my life. The more you use a piece of equipment, the more issues you are going to have. I was an aircraft mechanic for 24 years, a state certified state safety inspection for vehicles. I know what it takes to properly inspect and do maintenance on equipment. It takes hours and money. Sadly most people dont inspect their RV. They use it until they have a problem then complain its broke. Keep speaking the truth JD. I watch your channel because you do speak the truth.

[@andrebeaule9457]

Hello JD, thanks for this video and you really summed up the root of the problem with RV quality. My wife and I have been camping/RVing for some time now. We started with a canvas tent that had inside poles (man very hard to setup and the weight way astronumous). Switched to a pop up trailer a few years later. Then went to a fifth wheel. Sold everything when we started to slow down RVing because of lack of time. Now after about 10 years not camping and being retired and my wife in 3 years, I was on the market for a new RV for over a year now. Done numerous Internet searches, went to a few RV shows, registered in a few RV owners groups and asked A LOT of questions (but it seems not enough). I even came to a level where I new some of the products better then a few RV salesperson that we met at a few dealerships. I really think that the secret to the sauce is research (I thought that I had it covered…). After over one year of research, I came to the conclusion that the perfect RV does not exist, and if it did, we would not be able to afford it. So we decided to go for an Alliance Delta bumper pulled RV. Not wanting to sell Alliance here over other brands. This choice was based on my research, but also on my level of confidence, which could be different for someone else. My wife and I also agreed that we WILL have problems with the RV that we will receive in late March of 2025. But to put more chances on our side, I decided that I will be doing some upgrades to the suspension before even going on our first trip. This includes ( Lippert Road Armor Equalizers, MORryde Heavy Duty Shakles and wet bolts, MORryde X-Factor Crossmembers, LevelMate electronic level, Snap pads, Progressive Industries Surge Protector, Weigh-Safe True Tow Heavy Weight Distribution Hitch ). I will not be doing the Shocks at first, not knowing if the available spacing required will be sufficient on RV, but if so, will most likely be doing on our second year of ownership. All of theses easily made by myself (thanks KZbin and all of the people helping others). One point that I would like to add to your video, which RV manufacturers should do and I this should be mandatory by law, is to put the REAL unloaded hitch weights on their publicity fliers and web site (including propane and battery). Here is a bref true story that I went through this year in 2024. I changed my towing truck in January of 2024 because my old truck was 13 years old and I wanted to start with a new truck/RV combo. Went to the truck dealer (note of precaution… most don’t have a clue on what is required to pull an RV). I showed the truck salesman our RV specifications (which on the RV's manufacturers web site is way off, but did not know then). From theses Specs, the salesman told me that a Ford F150 had plenty of power to pull this RV. So I bought the truck, 100k$ Canadian, I live in Canada. Now, in fall of this year (2024), we went RV hunting at some dealers and found out that the RV we wanted (after a lot of Internet research), had to be ordered. So we did, being afraid that RV prices will go up in 2025, because of the U.S. election result and the duty taxes that might be put into place between the US and Canada. After asking more questions on RV forums, I found out that the manufacturers hitch weight advertised does NOT include the propane and battery weight. Why is this… does anyone travel with no propane and batterie(ies)on their RVs?? Now factoring in this added weight and finally having someone from a forum giving me a note of precaution, that the real limiting factor is not if a truck has enough power to pull the RV, but rather, if the payload of the truck can support the hitch weight of the RV. So factoring in this information, my new F150 only had 20 pounds to spare. Definitely not enough. Wanting to go to the US RVing and not wanting to have problems with road inspections, I decided to bight the bullet and change my new 10 months old F150 truck for a F250. Loosing in the deal about 30k$ for the trade in. My mistake… I did note ask the right question to the truck salemans, I should of asked about the payload. My mistake again, I should of doubted the manufacturers advertised hitch weight which is not the real life weight. So I wanted to share my experiences to help others not make the same mistakes and also for them to realize that after buying a new RV, their are more expenses to make in order to have a good quality ride for the truck/RV combo. Keep up the good work. Andre

[@markhaney7332]

We started with a 2005 Forest River Wildcat (5th wheel) - it was decent - we took the family cross-country ... Our second RV was a 2010 Open Range 5th wheel. The Open Range was built much better than the Wildcat. We kept it for 9 years and took the family on many cross-country trips (3 weeks at a time, many miles). Had 2 tires blow out on the same side on a trip, so I had to replace the metal around the slide out. That was the main issue. We also had a slide leak, the factory replaced the slide wall - this was a build-quality issue. Our current 5th wheel is a Grand Design Solitude - had it for 4 years and it has had frame problems. That is the one issue I did not want to ever have happen on a camper ... I have lost my faith in the long-term reliability of this camper.

[@Itsa_Mea]

Our first 5er was a 2007 Wildcat 32QBBS. Guess what, frame sheared in multiple spots around the pinbox. FR & Lippert offered no help just excuses. This frame issue is nothing new. Luckily I was able to make the repair myself since I'm a fabricator.

[@HillBilly_BadKity_AR_Travelers]

I’ve owned a 2670mk GD A 351m GD. Both were good units and never had a major issue with them . We did lock a brake up and had a failure but that was a lipart part . We now have a Brinkley 3250 on order and we will see what the difference is

[@texillini1]

I’ve never RV’d before. I watch your channel for research purposes in order to decide if I want to get into the lifestyle. Thank you for your videos.

[@janehargis9301]

Outstanding video. I’m on the “still researching” side of things and, as always it seems, I learned more today and am modifying expectations and choices. Thank you for sharing your POV in an intelligent and insightful way.

[@DanMyth1206]

I've done some research on the new 2025 Pinnacle 38SSWS. Can you do a video about giving some more information about it and what size truck would be needed to tow that new beast

[@mikewadams1]

I couldn’t agree more. You are spot on here. I bought a Brinkley and I have say it has had its share of problems. I have to own up that I did not get a third party inspection, as Blue Compass talked me out of getting one. I knew better, but I was convinced of Brinkleys quality. And to be honest I think Brinkley is moving to fast and quality is starting to suffer. But I will also say that Brinkleys customer service is second to none. I am slowly getting things repaired.

[@kevinkuhlman]

I think you are 100% correct about suspension needs to be looked at. Why are we still putting leaf spring suspension when you have systems like MORryde independent suspension out there. I just put MORryde on my 18 riverstone feel like it’s the cheap insurance to protect my trailer.

[@robertjohnson4784]

This is the problem I have with RV manufacturers they claim their RVs are full-time rated which in return people are selling their homes so they could go full time and live a dream. They're not telling you you must buy the most expensive suspension or you can only travel so many miles per year because they're not reliable. Me and my wife had planned to go full timing and for 2 years we did our homework we went to many shows and looked at all brands of RVs are Top Choice was a Luxe fifth wheel the build quality and fit and finish is outstanding yes they are expensive but if I plan to sell my home I wanted to go with the best. I've spoken to Luxe owners who have lived four or five years in a unit and had very little or no problems plus they spoke very highly of service

[@marksr1907]

It won't get better because the RV influencers all say "it's an earthquake going down the road". SO WHAT? It's a Recreational VEHICLE if it's constructed too poorly to be a VEHICLE it should not be on the road. Grand Design clearly admits this in their warranty by voiding the warranty if the VEHICLE goes down a bumpy road or is subjected to weather. Until Recreational VEHICLE manufacturers are held to the legal standards (lemon law in particular) of other VEHICLE manufacturers it'll never get better. Secondly, influencers need to stop with the earthquake excuse gaslighting. VEHICLE IS IN THE NAME.

[@BTBRVReviews]

There's absolutely nothing wrong saying that these are earthquakes and hurricanes rolling down the road. That is absolutely factual, and sets the expectation better than many other analogies. If people know that they are likely to get damaged when rolling down the road, they'll have a better expectation of how to deal with that damage when it occurs. The one thing that influencers do well, for the most part, is show things that break and how they deal with them. Many influencers, turn into negative influencers because of this. And that is completely okay as well. At this point, there are so many resources available to set the proper expectation that if you choose the RV lifestyle, the information being thrown at you should set every possible expectation, even frame failure related expectations.

[@marksr1907]

@@BTBRVReviews Point taken. It is indeed factual. My 'bone to pick' is that it has become an excuse for things breaking way too much - i.e. an excuse for poor quality and not the fact you should accept a need for regular maintenance and repairs. It's gaslighting in that context because every single vehicle is experiencing an earthquake going down the road. For a build quality comparison I found it shocking to see an Australian built 'caravan' after a high speed collision - it was still in one piece and structurally sound! Unfortunately the frame got twisted from the impact but an American made RV would have exploded like a tower of matchsticks.

[@SleepyBirthdayCake-zk7km]

I agree with you regarding the suspension on RV's. They're like the suspension on a utility trailer. Upgrade the suspension, and some of the other issues will go away. Are there torque specs for the wall assembly to the RV frame and the roof assembly? Do they use Loctite on fasteners to prevent them from losing up? Qualify start at each station. I watch your walk through videos and Josh the RV Nerd videos, and based on what I see, all the RV's manufacturers do is tweet the floor plans by moving the cabinets and furniture and call it a new floor plan. No wonder they only spend $10,000 on engineering. You know the saying of doing the same over and over and expecting different results is insane. It's long past time for the RV industry to improve their quality.

[@ronstoner1656]

We are current and previous Grand Design 5th wheel owners. These fifth wheels have been great for us and our family. We have stayed at RV resorts with owners of all brands and have had many conversations as it relates to other owners 5th wheels. Grand Design is better than most as it compared to any other 5th wheel on the market. That being said, the RV industry needs to improve their dealer body and level of service provided their customers. We have added the roadmaster IS suspension to our current 5th wheel. This has almost eliminated the vibration and impact sort of damage to the 5th wheel. Balancing tires is another area we would highly recommend.

[@thechroniclesofmaintenance4192]

Another good video. I appreciate your suggestions for doing the simple improvements like balancing the tires, suspension upgrades etc. that’s good advice for reducing vibration damage. I’ve posted my experience and opinions on the principles of continuous improvement many times, the minimal costs involved, versus the savings potential to be realized so I won’t bore you with that again. One point I will make is this, if manufacturers could just eliminate assembly mistakes due to unrealistic production demands, quality improvements would be realized to the designed specs of the product. Too many fasteners missed studs, too many loosely crimped electrical connectors, too many interior trim pieces falling off, etc. Is getting out that one extra unit per day worth sacrificing the quality on every unit that was built that day? Quality equals revenue, mistakes equal warranty claims and financial liabilities.

[@JayK-v6m]

Just got a Brinkley 3970. Love the twin bathrooms.

[@JandAReview1]

Great video JD! We really like the Influence line, definitely keeping it on the list for next camper. Merry Christmas Bro!

[@JoseMartinez-ot7cb]

I appreciate your channels and your videos. With all of the issues that have popped up with different manufacturers and what people have pointed out with these rvs they have made us put a slight pause on purchasing our first RV. Yes I know that there is no true perfect RV and they will always be things to fix due to the nature of the beast, that being said just because they are seen as “earthquakes on wheels” that we should be ok with shoddy work specially getting into a unit of 100k or above. You’re right I would rather pay for a better frame and better suspension than a fancy shell that will fall apart the minute it hits a pothole. So we are going to wait just a little bit longer and see how the industry rights itself

[@j.l.thomas3912]

Hi JD. I thought about participating in your program. However, I live in Canada and figured it was only open to people from the USA. Keep up the good work!

[@dodge8802]

Realizing that I’m an above average user I use my rv full time traveling for work is different for me lol

[@walterrafolski5662]

The problem with Grand Design is they don’t own their issues, I can absolutely say that Alliance listens and doesn’t ignore issues. I also wonder why the older Rv’s lasted so much longer without major issues? Another thing is owners need to maintain their unit and address issues as they come across them.

[@BTBRVReviews]

It's not really that older RVs lasted longer. It's how much the industry has sold in the last 5 years. There are millions more RVs on the road than ever before. The same percentage of failures back then equate to a significantly higher volume of units today.

[@Itsa_Mea]

@BTBRVReviews .... and then you add in Social Media for people to publicize it, then quickly it seems like the sky is falling.

[@gcslade]

JD, Thanks for sharing. I think you've been very objective and educational in all that you do. if anything, you give benefit of doubt where there are not solid answers - as you should. Bottom line, owners need to do their own research and take responsibility too! No question, all RV's will have issues at some point, but there are a few manufacturers that do a much better job on design, quality and standing behind their customers.

[@rickmorris588]

Sorry people call you names, that's something I would never do. I do enjoy your content for the most part. In fact I am exploring the idea of purchasing the B&W Continuum for my Airstream due largely to your review. After 10 RV's over 25 years, I feel I have learned quite a bit. Most of my knowledge was purchased from the school of hard knocks. The majority of my campers were the Jayco brand. I loved my Jayco whether it was a TT or 5th wheel. I touted the brand and the local mom and pop shop dealership. This love affair all came to an end when I purchased a new 2021 Jayco Eagle HT 27RS by Thor (yes I know Thor also owns AS). Honestly the quality was okay. Since I enjoy tinkering I actually prefer taking care of minor warranty items and maintenance. Then one year to the date of purchase, the rear axle came lose from the U-bolts. I managed to limp to our destination, a state park 100 miles from home and about 75 miles from the next major city. I contacted a mobile tech who made the 4 hour round trip. He was able to make it good enough for me to limp back 100 miles home. The techs bill was $275.00 for the patch and &75.00 for the trip. That's when I learned Jayco doesn't pay trip charges even though they approved $350.00 for the repair. So anytime anyone asks me about Jayco, what story do you think I'm going to tell? That's right; Jayco screwed me out of $75.00! And I know for a fact my story has cost them business. One thing manufacturers COULD do is to streamline their warranty process. It is a complex nightmare that is pretty much industry wide but if NIRVC can do things to help the motorhome industry, certainly the manufacturers could do something, anything to help. One last thing. I remember when GD first came to market they were known for being exceptionally clean from the factory. No screws tossed about, no insulation blowing out of the AC ducts during the 1st few times of use, etc. And their customer service after the sale was impeccable. If something broke, they fixed it, period. My how times have changed.

[@BobbyBaumgarten]

I think the builders should put money into better suspensions. Also I have an issue with my jayco on a slide issue and they aren’t willing to help me out and send me the correct parts

[@mikealexanderEE]

JD - nothing is going to change until RVs are covered by the same “Lemon Law” requirements that the automotive OEMs are subject to. I won ‘t buy a new RV largely because that I know I’ll have to fight with an RV OEM if anything breaks, so I’ve stuck to used on 5th-wheels with substantial frames and bodies as a baseline and can work around everything else. And without writing a book, the design and build processes are antiquated and seem to be trapped in a pre CAD-CAM/Six Sigma era. CAD tools, in the rare cases where they are used, seem to be used as “digital blueprints” with very little in the way of modeling and the numerous benefits these tools allow. I’ve made several plant tours, watched videos (including yours) and these are “craft” products - they’re “dimensioned” (blueprinted), the large parts are manufactured (such as the frame) and then parts are fitted as needed. Above all,though - we’re the problem. Many (most?) buyers insist on high-content, large RVs that can be towed with as small a tow vehicle as possible and this a huge requirement that drives the flexibility of the RV and is the root-cause of many RV quality issues. This won’t stop until we collectively realize that OEMs need to add mass, mostly above the frame and that we’re going to have to upgrade our tow vehicles.

[@lincolnhudgens3007]

Quality costs money, and the consumer demands companies keep prices low. So it's a balancing act for them. Also people demand features that cause problems ( drop frames are more prone to flex) my own opinion is that the easiest thing for a rv manufacturer to do is MUCH better suspension,

[@GDRVMajorIssues]

Yes, enhance the suspension and stop trying to cheat the customer hoping they/we won't notice. We notice and now the RV assembly companies or at least Grand Design RV / Winnebago are feeling the pain because of it because we are not letting up. Also, enhance the quality and the thickness of the I-beams (not less than 3/16" or 0.188 for a 5th wheel toy hauler) and the rest of the steel structure throughout the frame. Stop using plastic breaker boxes as well (fires)! That should be a NHTSA complaint! Yes, people will have to get an appropriate truck to pull those frames/structures but they should be doing this anyway for the type of RV that they want to purchase. So JD, I hear you say all this but what they should do is get rid of the leadership like Don Clark (Grand Design RV, CEO/President) and Mike Happe (Winnebago CEO) who knew what they were doing here. They don't care about their customers or they would have been more transparent and still to this day, they are covering it up. New leadership needs to be found and these two need to be sent on their merry way before anyone will trust these two companies again. They need to stop lying to their customers, let alone the Wall Street analysts and their investors! The Wall Street analysts know they (Mike Happe) are lying to them during the earnings calls. Ask me how I know? JD, I can rightfully say, after everything that I have seen and heard my site members go through, Grand Design / Winnebago does not care about their customers and more and more of them are starting to recognize this. This isn't just about frame failure either. There are so many other build quality / safety concerns that we are seeing from my site of 6,025 members Grand Design continues to Deflect. Delay, and Deny many of their customers. Think about all the NDAs (non-disclosures agreements) / Settlement Agreements they make people sign to buy back these unsafe RVs. Why should anyone have to sign an NDA for this to happen, let alone forcing people to sign life-time NDAs. Yes, they are doing this! I'm going to get off my soapbox here but JD, just know that I know a whole lot more about this in depth and can prove it all! You know how to get a hold of me. Hopefully soon, I will have the new website open to ALL RVers ( just been super busy).

[@kylepokorski6045]

Biggest thing there's a lot of work and when your buying one new or used don't be cheap don't listen to the dealer pay for a quality inspection

[@jeffwatson2234]

JD ok this is a Thumb up video, I can see you put a ton of thought into putting this video together, And i also feel when you started reading and reviewing the GD video you did, Why there was anger from GD owners and i want to believe you didn’t mean too ignite a already bad deal for many. Also i want to share with you i am a GD owner and just retired and was sold the travel dream , NOW I’m faced with two choices. #1 spend thousands of dollars on suspension and frame upgrades so i can travel the miles and see the sites from coast to coast and hope the box doesn’t fall off. OR #2 I can take a 40% financial hit on a one year old 5th wheel and trade it in. What would you Do ?? JD I am going throw one more thought at you Lippert has skin in this game, to the tune of 30% . when a frame has lateral cracking and they have TSB and repair plates to weld to the frame this is a problem on them. JD your an engineer and you know customer will drag you down a rat hole to save a buck , and there time when you have say NO i wont, Lippert apparently didn’t say no enough and now thousands of RV are out there with let call a frame problem - you pick the term.

[@kenp9469]

Some makers need to offer heavy duty models. Trying to make so many models, towable by a half-ton. I think started the quality decline. Add some of the weight back. Charge an extra 5 grand, and use it to make it more sturdy. The maker that does that, and brings it in under 50 thousand. They will sell more than they can imagine.

[@DevineHopeFoundation]

I can tell you right now if you own a fifth wheel or a travel trailer you're going to have issues some more than others, Forest River in regal used to be one of the better brands out there and they're having problems with their travel trailers and fifth wheels now too so it's depending on the day that it was made and who was making it so going after Grand design just wholeheartedly and not looking at all the other companies is ridiculous. It's like GMC Ford or Dodge you're going to have problems with those products some days you're going to have good days and some days you're going to have bad days. Some of these people don't give their RVs or fifth wheels maintenance how do you think it's supposed to hold up when you're letting it sit in a hurricane or at the beach without not maintaining your your equipment ✌️😎🤬😡

[@RichardSevcech-hz3xu]

I have a2019 37 Alpine my friend bought a 2020 Solitude and his wife said floor in bedroom moved up and down so he and I check out and wood was big enough we replaced them we check my camper and I had aluminum support then he had frame problem sold camper bought Keystone

[@stevemaloney7903]

Doing it right. Such a simple concept. Not using the correct plumbing fittings, electrical connections, etc Penny wise pound foolish. Grand Design had the opportunity to build a better reputation if they had just done the right thing.

[@tybysdad]

Great info, very much enjoy the videos. Why don’t we ever see you on camera? Listening for 40 minutes while looking at an RV Kitchen is ok, but It would be nice to see the person talking.

[@BTBRVReviews]

Thanks for commenting. Here is a video to check out kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6TRmot8hJqdh8ksi=3yEM5G6HPenIgh-O

[@magnum12pm]

I’ve been saying for years RV suspensions are a serious weak point , that causes many problems on the road. You would think you could get at least a serious suspension on a 100k plus dollar vehicle!

[@TheGnomeontour]

I think Brinkley is really not much better than anyone else. Watch some videos of RV inspections on a Brinkley there are just as many issues. Brinkley may do some things better if they still use brass fittings instead of plastic in plumbing.

[@DevineHopeFoundation]

I'M GOING TO SAY THIS ATTACKING A MAN'S CHARACTER LIKE HUNTER THAT WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING FOR A LONG TIME IS PRETTY DAMN RIDICULOUS.😡🤬 I REALLY BELIEVE THAT HUNTERS TELLING THE TRUTH AND I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD ATTACK A MAN'S CHARACTER. CUZ YOU DON'T BELIEVE HIM WHATEVER YOUR INSECURITIES ARE THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT RESPECT THIS MAN ON THIS PLATFORM AND YOU ATTACKING HIM AND CALLING HIM A LIAR JUST PISSES PEOPLE LIKE ME OFF. WE WILL BACK HIM 100%. MAINTAIN YOUR FIFTH WHEELS AND YOUR TRAVEL TRAILERS AND DON'T COME AFTER A MAN'S CHARACTER BECAUSE YOU DON'T BELIEVE HIM. DO YOUR DAMN RESEARCH WE SUPPORT YOU HUNTER AND I'M SORRY THAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THIS 🤬 I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS CHECK SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR AND WILL PROTECT THEIR REPUTATION AT ALL COSTS WHEN I KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO GAIN SOMETHING OUT OF THIS.

[@BTBRVReviews]

Hello my friend. I wasn't aware he was being attacked. Hunter is a great guy.

[@gcslade]

You do know that writing in all CAP'S is like shouting at everyone.

[@Itsa_Mea]

@@gcslade did you read the post? Caps seem intentional.

[@JodiPugh-f4m]

It needs to be set straight

[@lbrumleve]

Well I’m going to say. Yes things break in all rv’s. Yes there is dumb ass’s out there that would drive off a cliff and say the it’s the manufacturer. But when you have an issue with inferior parts and your shit starts falling apart and many others have the same issues. Then the manufacturer says oh well. Wrong answer. So I would never buy this brand you are speaking of. Watch your videos all the time. Enjoy them.

[@richwitt3559]

Just like owning a home, most people can't or don't know how to perform basic maintenance. RV's require you to have some skills to maintain or you end up having a Dealer or RV Repair facility to do the work and along with that comes the expense and in a lot of cases weeks to get the repair done. We have an Arctic Fox 29-5T 5th wheel and love it. But it is far from perfect as I've had to redo a lot of the electrical connections (12 volt), adjust or tighten cabinet doors and hinges, main entry door etc. Arctic Fox builds their own frames which is a plus, and I've never heard of a frame issue with them. The things a lot of RV's need to last longer is going to be unseen by the vast majority of RV buyers such as frames, suspension, axles, tires, joint sealant, etc. No different than a car or pickup that most drivers purchase, if it doesn't start they have no clue what to look for. Most have no idea what their Pickup or Motorhome has for weight capacity, just load it up and go. I think for safety, all 5th wheels and travel trailers should have electric over hydraulic disc brakes standard. There really isn't a comparison to the electric drum brakes, as the disc brakes are superior.

[@ejmtnt]

I have been talking up these Cruise Master ATX type suspensions for a long time. All the rv mouthpieces out there promote Moryde and Lippert they are substandard by today’s standards. It’s the Indiana cartels, they will be going out of business soon due their poor quality and prices.

[@markadams5823]

It use to be you got what you paid for The RV industry isn't doing that anymore.

[@i70show]

Only 15% of the products out there are worth buying. Stuck in there ways = doing it the cheapest way possible.

[@majorsten]

Any brands you can offer up in that 15%? More dirt road oriented?

[@i70show]

@@majorsten most the ones priced out of reach but not all, I personally like the Outdoors RV brand with an independent inspection by a professional of my choice at or before purchase/ pick up !

[@BTBRVReviews]

​@@i70showAgreed! ATC, LUXE, Riverstone, DRV, Outdoor RV, Nash, Palomino Pause, Flagstaff, Rockwood, Oliver, Casita, InTech and several others.

[@Metal_Stacking]

​@@majorsten 5th wheel. Search the brand you are looking at, plus frame flex. ​find a story look elsewhere.

[@majorsten]

@@i70show thanks! I’ll check them out!

[@GDRVMajorIssues]

Actually, as I had discovered many of the first 145 comments (I have them in a Word document) were not from my site, "Grand Design RV Major Issues" as I looked them up. You did take your video down three times and cleaned out most of those comments though. Again JD, I do believe you mean well but I think it was the way you presented it in that video and like I said in my email, you should have researched it better before presenting in that manner. With that said, maybe it is time to be a bit more truthful about where a majority of those comments came from. Like I told you, I wasn't told about your video until the next day (Monday morning) and I did post your video on my site so whatever was said to you or about you on Monday was on you. Probably gave you more views as well so you're welcome! Myself, I'm not in it for the views at all and it is all volunteer with no compensation for helping these folks because I prefer it that way. I will go to my grave with my integrity!

[@BTBRVReviews]

My friend, I can track linked visits to my videos and where they come from. And yes, the overwhelming majority came from a Facebook link. Almost 5-7% of the views on that video came from there within the first 2 days. That is well over the typical 1-2% that comes from Facebook. My friend, I know you're a conspiracy theorist an anti RV manufacturing industry proponent, for good reason. There's actually nothing wrong with that, as long as your message is consistent and accurate. Many of the points that you made in your email to me were made out of anger and spite with more jabs and not accurate (ex: why the GD area was empty when I filmed), with quite a bit of factual information layered in as well. You also inaccurately describe etrailers relationship to RV manufacturers just because they, along with just about all Auto/RV Online retailers, sell LCI accessories and replacement parts. Again, not accurate information that just adds to a conspiracy vs accuracy. The journalist approach, which I don't feel is your goal, would be to present the good and the bad. It would seam as if most of your goal is mainly to present what's wrong, which as an advocate for change is important! Now again, nothing wrong with that, but it does cast a dark light over the overwhelming number of RVers who have a great experience with minimal numbers of issues. It seams as if you'd prefer all RV youtube channels only point out what's wrong with the industry to pass your muster of being a "credible KZbinr", which again, overshadows the folks who love and enjoy their RVs, which again, makes up the overwhelming majority of RVers. Keep doing what you're doing! It's needed for sure HOWEVER please don't criticize and bash any channel that gives a more 2-sided approach to RVs and the lifestyle. Even the channels you criticize do a lot of good for RVs who want to learn about RVs, how to fix them, and what makes them easier to use. Merry Christmas, God bless, and Happy New Years! 🎁🎉

[@GDRVMajorIssues]

@@BTBRVReviews Yes, as of Monday morning when I posted on my site (after watching it first) that is true but the 145 comments I saw initially were before I posted it on my site. Clearly you deleted those comments after I saw your video get posted a second time and then again, you removed it a third time. So the initial comments were from the time you dropped your video on Sunday to before I posted it. Like I said once I posted it, then yes, I would have expected quite a few of my site members to see it and respond negatively, given what so many of them have been through. I know because I talk (phone) to so many of them on a daily bases. Personally, I'm glad so many people did see it and considering you don't own a Grand Design and clearly didn't do the research behind what you stated, this makes people question many of the corporate KZbinrs. We do not care about someones Views, or Follows, or Likes. We care about not being played for fools and being dismissed by the RV industry and certain people that tend to defend these companies, like certain brand ambassadors (C.L.). I think most of us can say, we have had enough! You can take that for whatever it is worth.

[@BTBRVReviews]

Just so I understand, what specifically did I say (that wasn't factual) to make you believe "I didn't do the research" in my video? That's the point that I'm confused by. I think it was more that you may not have agreed with what I said, versus it not being accurate. But I would love to know specifically why you felt I didn't do research based on the actual things I said in that video.

[@mgtf15001]

I can’t buy your excusing the RV industry for when you go through a product and saying that just because the unit you’re looking at has flaws, it doesn’t represent the rest of the products they produce. If they don’t have good quality control, and don’t design their products properly, it’s on them and the consumer shouldn’t bear the cost for their shortcomings. Eventually their reputations will suffer and their customers will rightfully go elsewhere. The manufacturers can’t build a product assuming the end consumer will only use it for less than X days of the year. That’s BS and a cop out.

[@BTBRVReviews]

It's only a cop out if it weren't true. So what you're saying is that if the company that transports the unit to the dealership encounters a extreme off-road situation that causes damage to the RV, I should just assume that all RVs are going to have that same damage? It's okay to be critical, but you also have to have common sense and look at both sides of the coin sometimes.

[@mgtf15001]

I also suggest you look back at the US auto industry in the 1980s, the products they produced were junk. My dad bought a Chrysler product that came from the factory with 4 bolt drums on the front and 5 bolt drums on the rear. You had to cross your fingers if you got a flat tire. Obviously a result of non - existent quality control. The Japanese ate the lunch of the Big4 in that period and gained huge market share. Just look at Chrysler now vs Toyota. I don’t know who will rise to the top of the RV market in this time of poor quality but it makes a great opportunity for the manufacturer who puts quality first.

[@mgtf15001]

@@BTBRVReviews They should not experience any more extreme damage than the end-user. If the manufacturer can’t get a product to market without damage, then the product is flawed, not the transporter.

[@BTBRVReviews]

And even back then the automotive industry used a significant amount of automation and robotics to assemble vehicles during me assembly line process. The RV industry still lacks any type of automation, robotics, or equipment to properly regulate quality control on the line.

[@marychristie6194]

No RV is worth spending big bucks-We ordered a Newmar Dutch Star in 2023 -It truly has been a pile of junk this whole time we have owned it -Bought brand new -We literally have had to rebuild it and I am not kidding-Thank God we bought an extended warranty-As a result, we will NEVER buy another RV of any kind -We will use the Newmar for a few more years and probably use other means to travel as we get older -It is to disappointing to pay huge amounts of money and have a supposed high end motorhome just literally fall apart 🤷‍♀️🤯

[@bbfgggv6987]

NHTSA has started an investigation. Having been trained in automotive failure analysis my comments are simple, all comments thoughts and predictions by the general public and even “creators” is fraught with mis-leading and even erroneous information. You are adding to the confusion. Shock , shake , rattle and roll issues? There are no shock absorbers on most trailers.

[@BTBRVReviews]

Yeah there are, without a method of damping the shock radiating from the road through the tires, wheels, hubs, axles, hangers and shackles, the RV itself acts as a shock absorber....come on brother, as a trained "automotive failure analyst" you should know this my friend. 11million RVs owned and on the road. Grand Design makes up a tiny fraction of that. Your goal of making the roof collapse over the industry will likely just lead to stress. That said, they absolutely need to and must improve.... Have a Merry Christmas! Stay safe and healthy.

[@bbfgggv6987]

@@BTBRVReviewsYes I do know that, it’s one point of my comment. But you know the main point?

[@BTBRVReviews]

It's great that enough pressure through advocacy was put on the NHTSA to open an investigation! I support that wholeheartedly! You and I both should have the same curiosity in mind at this point, and that is, what will rhe findings reveal? An investigation doesn't necessarily mean anything's going to happen. It's simply them looking into the complaints that have been lobbied against the manufacturer. Getting them to open an investigation isn't the hard part, it's understanding what changes will or will not come from it. And that's the part of the story we should both be monitoring closely.

[@AH-ne3qn]

All RV manufacturers are garbage except for a manufacturer like LUXE but they still aren't perfect

[@hammer48ful]

Enjoyed your video. Many of the RV's that are shown on the RV channels are fancier than my house. We have a small towable RV that gets us to all the places that the fancy RVs go and more because we don't need all the hookups they do and can get into places the bigger RV's can't. Being a ornamental and industrial blacksmith for almost 50 yrs. I can see why many of the 5th wheel campers have frame problems. They have too many sharp angles that are hard to properly support. Especially with all the things people are putting in them or on them that they are told are important to enjoy the lifestyle.

[@jamesm8965]

It depends we had a travel trailer that was a pile of crap we had to Lemmon law. The replacement unit was flawless for 8 years. We just upgraded to a unit that knock on wood has been solid in its first year. Yes it needs upgraded fixtures and such but we wouldn’t have been able to afford our unit if everything was of the highest quality for how we use it. My biggest concern is the seals on the outside like you said in the roof. As long as it stays water tight everything else can be done over time.

[@GDRVMajorIssues]

OK, JD, come on to the site. We do have other VIPs on the site. I'll let you see for yourself. I'll send you an email invite. Maybe you should see what is going on. Pete

[@marka9083]

I can really attest to the benefit of upgraded suspension components helping with longevity. We had our last 5th wheel for 8.5 years and put over 70K miles and 1100 nights in it including Alaska the last year we had it. We had the MorRyde IS installed early on and I believe it really helped. We got a new 5th wheel this spring with the standard equalizer & leaf spring setup and after almost every travel day we had some issue that could be attributed to road vibrations (eg blinds fell down, plumbing loosened up, trim issues, drawer slides, ...). We were able to get MorRyde IS installed and did a 6 week, 3500+ mile trip through the Appalachian regions of WV, VA, MD and out to NJ, & DE and had no issues wrt road vibration caused issues.