Jayco 166FBS Long Term Review - What Broke?

Travel Itineraries & Custom Maps: www.letsjustgotravel.com
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In this video we give you our thoughts about our Jayco 166FBS travel trailer after living in it fulltime and travelling over 50,000km with it!
Original review video:
• Jayco 166FBS - Owner T...
Solar/Lithium setup video:
• Jayco 166FBS - ULTIMAT...
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[@LetsJustGoTravel]

Check out our website www.letsjustgotravel.com for our travel itineraries and custom Google Maps!

[@dholtman5977]

very helpful first hand information. Thank you!

[@georgevenckus]

Please please please send this video to jayco so can review and make improvements , awesome work folks

[@ThomasJeffersonWolfcall-kn3bx]

Ha!

[@RVmomtube]

I sell these for a living and just came across your channel. I will be checking out more of your videos later on! it makes me so happy that I get to sell these and help people go live a dream life and make so many memories, I just love it! Considering the test you put it through, it held up pretty well.

[@MrGryphonv]

Awesome break down of all the maintenance issues with the trailer. You definitely used this harder in a short period of time than they were designed for.

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

Thanks! We definitely put it to the test

[@bryandale7125]

​@@LetsJustGoTravel Are you guys married, or disrespecting each other by living in sin?

[@topfloorstudio2684]

​@bryandale7125 at 00:20 he says "me & my *WIFE* " there shit-for-brains ......sheesh, you people are everywhere, aren't you?

[@richardkoch8752]

@@bryandale7125 Long as they're happy...........who cares? None of your concern anyway. Remember what Jesus said "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone"

[@kingpickle3712]

Here are things I recommend: Water distill, replace bolts with pop rivets (I spent a lot of time out at sea and screws are worthless), and possibly invest in some shocks (there's a reason why vehicles have those).

[@tammyjones7400]

I bought one and looking forward to many adventures. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@VanLifeByTheRiver]

Excellent video. Watching this via Starlink at Flaming Gorge in our newly purchased (2 days ago) 2022 166FBS. Your videos are what helped us decide which trailer to purchase, so much appreciated. This trailer is remarkable in its livability in such a small package. We are looking forward to many adventures going places off the beaten path, which we sorely miss after recently selling our adventure van. Thanks again!

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

Nice!! Glad we were able to help! Enjoy your trip

[@kernst8927]

Hi Mike, Thank you soon much for this awesome review of the 166fbs! I own a 2022 one exactly like yours, and it is very encouraging to hear of its performance with all that you have put it through on your epic adventures. I wish you and your wife many more fun experiences on the road.

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

Thanks so much!

[@79FatStrat]

Great video! And I agree. LRE light truck tires are the way to go. And I despise those steps. Give me a set of fold down steps any day over those.

[@jerrytalley802]

I think considering ya’ll beat the tar out of it, it held up great. Our local dealer has been great too, and Jayco excellent and fast. Unreal they replaced the axle with the off roading ya’ll did. This has been the best long term review I have seen in 2 years of videos and I have seen so many. Thanks for not bashing Jayco.

[@vincenthyland8048]

Absolutely great review for many possible Jayco customers or not . Thank you!

[@gailmrutland6508]

*Sounds like JAYCO need way better QC. Sad because the models very intriguing to a couple but not if I have to play McGiver 24//7 on the road.*

[@mathehack1]

Some things like the Axle and spare tire bracket are no bueno. They've since switched out the fridges from those dumpy ones. Otherwise I experience the same crap with loose hardware and such in my own house all the time.

[@boson285]

All Travel trailer bands are similar in QC. They aren't built for the extent of use as demonstrated.

[@KerryFP]

I've been reviewing small travel trailers to buy so I can go on my own. We have a huge Open Range that can't fit in state parks so although it's great for family trips we're still limited. Thank you for sharing this video. I'll watch your other videos before buying this one. Safe travels and great job on this video

[@papoochacoo]

Your honesty is amazing. Thank you for Solano revelations. I had thought Jayco was amongst the very best. But my research was from at least 10 yrs ago 😥

[@papoochacoo]

Great to hear about your positive customer service experience with Jayco 👍👍👍 My confidence in Jayco is restored. Now I know what to anticipate potentially. Thank you!

[@allisgood4536]

Almost certainly your camper dealer is not Camping World. When anything breaks in our trailer, they argue with me and say they can't fix / replace it because Jayco won't pay them back. I have Jayco call them and ask what are they talking about, then the dealer will say bring it in, but it's going to take 5 - 6 months before we get to it. For example, the TV never worked and they want the whole camper for five months. Good for you guys!

[@Tboyce2000]

Excellent video! After watching, my immediate thought was "NO" on the idea of getting a trailer. You talked about way too many things going wrong in such a short time. Big things, axel, fridge, water leakage, stove, etc. Those sound live deal-breakers to me. Then I factored in that you used the heck out of this trailer in a short time, and traveled on unpaved roads a lot. I've owned a boat for 18 years and when I take it to a favorite lake of mine, I must travel about eight miles of dirt road. It shakes the crap out of everything; when I get back home, I have to tighten many screws on the boat. I really don't want to be a handyman with a trailer, but I'll have to rethink that idea.

[@goozzfraaabaa]

Extremely informative, thanks for taking the time to share your experience.

[@Uniden1100]

I was looking for that camper but could not find one so I got a different brand. Thanks for the info

[@carlroth2405]

Thank you for this comprehensive real world review. What other brands and models did you consider and what drove you to purchase this model over others?

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

Thanks I’m glad it was helpful! To be honest when we bought this trailer we were still pretty new to RVs and had only owned one other Jayco before this, so we just stuck with Jayco because we didn’t have any problems with our previous rig so why not stick with the same brand. However at the end of the day all the trailers at this price point / features are going to be similar in build quality. So it’s up to you to be able to upkeep it as needed after warranty is over.

[@tgnaweb]

It's kinda understandable what's going on during this time because it's not really a product that was think to be a house, but they need to improve all this items.

[@PeterNotSoWhite]

You must live near the lower mainland. I recognize your sweater, I have worked on the same show as a day call for the rigging grips.

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

Haha good eye! I worked on the flash for 8 seasons in the stunts dept.

[@Louie-x3d]

Jayco should make this trailers a lot stronger cuz they are expensive so jayco America is taking note or you can always go with competitors good video thank you not buying that model for sure

[@Manfordmann0]

AWESOME to hear about your amazing adventures! You should be getting paid by the company to this! Because you have perhaps put this rv through more than anybody. THX 👍

[@Samhain2323]

Excellent video !!! I thoroughly enjoy videos like this one, first hand full experience of a product !!! I have always wondered if a single axle travel trailer would make it across the country !!! Thanks so much for this incredibly informative video !!! Definitely going to subscribe !!!

[@Shan-dh4nm]

I have 2022 jay feather micro 171bh, and I had the same issues with the leak from the toilet (fiting not screw on properly). The drawers not being supported properly where I had to fix’s in on the fly on our trip (adding in supports), last year in the middle of nowhere in Cape Barton. Max air vent being mounted backwards and the bathroom fan breaking. I also had the seal on the exterior of the front of the trailer falling off and was attempted to be repair three times until the third time they replace the whole channel and now it’s good. Also on our last trip I also notice the fridge shifting. Also the kitchen sink was delaminating which is fix now and is sealed. Great little trailer. But it’s eye opening to see that some one else is having the same issues

[@Shan-dh4nm]

I also found extra and missing screws is some places, I also some unplug plugs behind the kitchen. I assume it was for the water tank pads, which I plug back in.

[@neilouellette3004]

I understand the miles you put on this but I'd be done w/it after the axle broke. And that's after a new full brake assembly replacement. I get all the other stuff mostly caused by the flexing when towing. All trailers flex but I'd be done when axle broke. Thanks for the review!!

[@GlobalCitizen1234]

Wow, sounds like a pile a garbage compared to our Escape 19. We have had our Escape trailer for 7+ years now, and have had none of the issues with repairs that you have had. We've been across the USA and Canada, in gravel, dirt, mud, sagebrush, bumpy roads, sand storms, snow, sun, rain etc... and the trailer has been a champ! Always dry, always clean inside, always reliable. The one issue, yes just one, is the plastic support to keep the door open broke off, and work around took 5 minutes to fix. That's it. And we got our Escape lovingly used. Your video is confirmation of our research before buying a travel trailer: nothing compares to a molded fiberglass travel trailer. Thanks for the video, it is a nice warning for anyone thinking of buying a mass produced headache.

[@jesserevilla992]

Great review as always; eventually you’ll buy another TT.. Hopefully you move onto something without a slide and maybe Fiberglass shell ? I say this for your style of camping/ excursions. But you didn’t really know that when you first started out. Yet great TT for what you have put it through. Will say the axle deal would had me getting rid of the rig! But for sure you cannot go with a standard type axle with the next TT..

[@mathehack1]

Sounds like they need some lock tite on all those fasteners. Y'all beat on it and it hasn't fallen apart, good stuff.

[@lonestar227]

What a great test for this rig! Or any rig for that matter

[@boson285]

I just caught this video. Great review! Curious about cargo weight though. Anyone who lives in these single axle trailers for extended time will likely have a lot to pack. Given your scenario with the solar and battery setup, how much cargo weight have you added with full water tank? I suspect the axle issue may have been from going over weight.

[@topfloorstudio2684]

I'm just going to go ahead and subscribe because I love B.C. & the vast wilderness of northern Canada. I used to drive truck up to Alaska, The Yukon & N.W.T. so I know what it's like up there! Your video has peaked my interest due to the fact that it's the more expensive sibling to my recently acquired Jay Flight SLX 174BH that me & my family are getting ready to take on some adventures! Thanks for your vid.

[@TheKoyotetracker]

Thank you for the honest and concise review.

[@StreyX]

That's awesome that it held up so well in your travels. How much did it cost to install that solar system?

[@UnfriendlyGarage]

I’ve been considering this camper myself, and I would say for the price they’re going for and what you’ve put it through it seems like it held pretty well. With a “cheaper” trailer I feel like the build quality is pretty decent. Although it would be nice to see it with a double axle.

[@retiredafce3373]

I’ve had to rebuild my drawers and repair the tv mount so far.

[@dixiesmith741]

thank you for this informative video. I am thinking of buying this but I do not travel. Just camp in one place for the summer. Any suggestions?

[@mikey27437]

Great review, thank you. I’m curios about your truck it’s a 2015 -2017 f150, what engine? How did it hold up? Thank you.

[@MoutainGuyAdventures]

Thanks Mike. I’ve been hoping you would post a video about your Jayco. I have the Jayco 174BH Baja. It’s been okay. I had axle and break issue as well on my rig. My axle bent as well along with the Converter dying and a furnace issue. Seems like once I replaced the issues, it’s been solid though. I’m thinking of a new rig now, the Jayco 199MBS or an Ember. There seems to be some good sales. How much does Star link cost? You should do a video on that.

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

Thanks for sharing your experience! I think if you could afford the ember then it’s a better buy! Jay feather micros are friendlier on the wallet but I think the embers will generally be more durable. Our Starlink costs about $192 a month in CAD!

[@jjustj]

Do you think those rock bars actually do anything? Thinking we may remove ours to beable to carry more in camper.

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

They’re mostly cosmetic for sure! Might be useful for pushing aside brush and low hanging branches but for the most part they’re just for looks.

[@retiredafce3373]

I removed mine. In my opinion, they don’t serve a purpose.

[@paradisesyndicate]

Hey guys!!! thanks for all the awesome videos! We are going follow in your footsteps with our family of 4 :) Hopefully soon. Just looking into which Trailer to get. These are our top choices. Which one would you recommend us? NB20.3 Rockwood Mini Lite 2509S Jayco Feather 21MBH Surveyor 240BHLE Ember 22 ETS Passport 221BH Ember 221 MSL They all have about the same layout which i think will work well for our fam. But ideally we want something that doesnt fall apart during the trip and yet is very livable when stationary (so has a slideout). Do you have any recommendations? Kind Regards, Dirk&Cynthia from Mexico

[@Studogoc]

Learned a lot from your adventures. Sounds like you added more weight to the trailer , Maybe that’s why you had problems with your axle ? Plus you’ve drove over some rough Terrain hard on a one axle trailer . Great video

[@Studogoc]

Question what was the trailer cost and is the side out too short . Retiring in one more year would like to explore us thank you. Mike

[@jerrytalley802]

Not being critical, but every camper I have seen says “DO NOT TRAVEL WITH A FULL TANK”, and that’s on normal highways, lol. Incredible it held up at all going off road, lol. Excellent review though, not sure I have seen a long term boondocking review

[@tanyabrown3919]

Hello Mike, can you send the mechanic's info on axle.and what stronger drawers slide & bottom you purchase. Thanks for the video

[@jasonrudik1876]

Love the video, can you send me the link to the couch upgrade video? Thank you

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

You can find it on our channel! It’s called easy rv couch upgrade

[@hermelindoceniceros4092]

Great stuff. I bought a 2023 ! At the start the shaft for the bar b q does not go all the way in. And the wall on the slide feels lose. Did you have any issues with the things I mentioned ?

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

Hmm we’ve never had either of those issues! I would talk to your dealer about it if it’s still under warranty

[@johnmurray950]

Very good review. Nice job!

[@skischool92]

Thanks for the video. Looking at 2024 edition. Can you tell me the better queen mattress you recommend?

[@shadowtruck5991]

Axle issue was biggie for those who go off grid. Be safe !

[@muskytoe]

Hi, we just bought a Jay feather 199 mbs. Took it out one trip and have had the same fridge issue. What was the fix?

[@chrisb6866]

Great review. Seems to me the biggest issue is with cheap fasteners and cheap quality factory installation. Question... was the water tank self tapping screw failure and the fridge mounting failure a warranty issue that you just fixed yourself? I mean, had you been a seasonal camper, would that have been covered under warranty?

[@robertcampbell5355]

To much up keep for an old man like me, but I still really like this trailer

[@Dominick13777]

Great review Mike!

[@el_tejon383]

was there some kind of extended or more broad warranty that you were offered that you wish you bought considering how much you used it in a short period of time, or a third party warranty?

[@jdux9089]

Thanks for the review Mike and Daina. I have a 2022, 166 and agree with just about everything you say about it. Mine has15,000 miles on it and it just developed a Ground or Short issue and I have no 12 volt power if I'm not hooked up to a generator. Still working on that one.

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

Thanks a lot! Hope you can figure out your electrical issue.

[@seanleaverton8125]

In your opinion the issues with say the drawers falling apart was that due to poor quality or due to yall putting it through the ringer?

[@loriejohnson8706]

I’m sure the places they go contributed to it. But pretty most manufacturers will be the same.

[@lanarkwanderer]

Great video, well done. Interesting, even though I’m not thinking about buying one. Totally agree a smaller RV has many advantages if it works for you. Considering what you did, where you went, I’m impressed ! Good luck heading home !

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

Thanks a lot!

[@al-butch9611]

where did you get the Nerf Bar?

[@misstine71]

Such a great video, thank you!!

[@DrMott]

Excellent content-thank you!

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

Thanks for watching!

[@SSMWRX11]

Yeah, RVs are not meant to be on the road for long period of time because when you think about suspension, it's not like traditional like you'd find under your vehicles. So, the body of the trailer and when it's inside and or the interior will take all the beating and will start to get lose and break. Now, this all depends on often you travel and where and or the roads you choose. But, if you are mostly stationary then you don't have much to worry about.

[@williamsmardo1240]

This is probably my favorite rv on the market. Some of these problems are a little disappointing, but not very many people are going to put their rv through what ya'll have. Most won't even get off of the pavement. Thanks for the video.

[@y4buckingbulls485]

Their is no reason to make excuses for the RV industry. They charge more while they produce a much inferior product.

[@williamsmardo1240]

​@y4buckingbulls485 I wasn't making excuses. Just stating facts. They make rv' s that are designed to be taken off road. This one isn't one of them. Rv' s like this one are designed to be pulled on pavement from park to park. If you don't want one you don't have to buy one.

[@y4buckingbulls485]

In the video it looked like they were on dirt roads. Not what I consider off road. Off road to me is the Pause, MDC, Bruder trailers along that line. I live five miles down a gravel road. So using your logic I need to purchase a true off-road RV.

[@JustinPhu-ey4dk]

Thanks for the video

[@gil9417]

Sounds like you took a camper designed for paved roads and beat the crap out of it for 31,000 miles! Most if the issues were caused from dirt, dust and pot holes! I think it held up very well considering the abuse it received!

[@icare7151]

The Dexter Axels are a nightmare.

[@JCAJCA3]

Very nice video!

[@jimjones5368]

What dreams are made of 🤙

[@IGGYBoy568]

Congratulations, after all that time, still married. I would off mysteriously diapers by now😂

[@ThomasJeffersonWolfcall-kn3bx]

So what I'm hearing is, if I use it normally over the years, then all of this stuff will still break, but out of warranty. Cool.

[@BrodylechmanVK]

Could a Toyota Tacoma pull that short distances?

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

Definitely but I would recommend a weight distribution hitch and don’t load your bed up too much. Depending on the payload capacity of your Tacoma, the tongue weight of the trailer will already be significant.

[@brucemaliska2718]

What model year is this trailer?

[@donkeykingkong1261]

Good video, this model was on my top to buy list, but now, maybe. RV's are not regulated like automobiles, 99.99% of them are garbage quality. Forest River warranty with their product was a joke, made you wait weeks for work or parts.

[@dougwirzberger679]

Considering a Jayco Feather. I think I read in their warranty that it is voided if you bring the trailer in Mexico. Was that your experience?

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

I’ve never heard of that! Where did you read it? I had warranty work done before and after Mexico and never had any issues, but then again none of the shops or jayco asked if I took it there…

[@kingpickle3712]

Why all the hate? Did you piss off someone from Thor or something?

[@douglaskirk3036]

So....50k miles and everything inside is either completely worn out or in need of serious repair. Obviously you used it as a living space for all that time and daily. So a normal usage of possibly one weekend a month and one or two full weeks a year is actually pretty good usage. Hmmm, typical slightly heavier usage would be One weekend a month and two weeks a year equating to just under 45 days in a year, that comes out to close to 8 years and that doesn't even account for your harsh conditions that most people will never do. The fact that the honey moon falls off dramatically after the first year or two means even less usage. Shoot, most people are gonna get 12-15 years use. Thats not to bad for a 30K trailer.

[@laurenm6511]

Jayco isn't made for extreme weather or rough terrain

[@mariettasurratt5428]

😊

[@puceater2311]

Note to self; do not buy Jayce

[@terrypfeffer8504]

What is a jayce? We own a JAYCO and it is great

[@briandavis8585]

It's the TEMU version of Jayco​@@terrypfeffer8504

[@artetacousin6801]

just wached this man talk for 5 minutes straight at the beginning without showing us athing

[@rand8530]

Wow. Talked me out of buying this. These are major fails. I have no DIY skills, so I couldn't fix what you did. You don't have that many miles or time in it for this many issues.

[@LetsJustGoTravel]

I’m glad I could help you make your decision! Keep in mind that almost every trailer you can buy has the potential to rattle things loose if you do a lot of travelling.

[@retiredafce3373]

The new 2023-24’s are better built. But keep in mind if you do look at it, inspect the drawers.

[@ro0t14]

Soooo pretty much EVERYTHING on this trailer broke. Brutal. I liked Jayco but I'm re-thinking this brand. Cheaply built garbage.

[@icare7151]

I won’t purchase a Jayco as they are very poorly built.

[@bluesky-ud9wg]

Yea Jayco are garbage

[@bryandale7125]

This is WAY too many structural failures for a trailer that is less than a year old. As a custom home designer/builder who creates structures for life, I would call this a piece of junk.

[@JohnDoe-fg2oq]

Sign Me up, I want to buy an Rv with 100K miles. LMFAO

[@arthurmanderson4892]

Great video but proved again these mass-produced travel trailers no matter how nice they look are built like cheap garbage that rattle apart when being towed. Set it on a pad and leave it you might have a shot at it lasting more than 5 years.

[@bryandale7125]

Are you guys married, or disrespecting each other by living in sin?

[@reneedickerson4489]

Thanks for information. Nock on wood 🪵. What size truck to pull the RV. with.