My 195 after a full season of camping
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Topic: My 195 after a full season of camping
Posted By: mjlrpod
Subject: My 195 after a full season of camping
Date Posted: 19 Oct 2019 at 3:22pm
So after a full summer season of camping in my 195, I am mostly happy with it. I did have some issues though. I have it at the dealer being repaired. First, ive mentioned before that the dump tube is to low, 4 1/2 inches from the ground when level. Also my brakes completely sucked, as in they felt like they did nothing, even with 12 volts of power supplied through my P3 brake controller. I had a few more things fixed also, the spray port, and hopefully the awning arm. I have been negotiating with forest river to cover these items, and they atleast have agreed to have a dealer look at it. My dealer agrees the black drain pipe was absolutely set up wrong (I didnt buy from them) and have already fixed it. Even with the fix, I still think the whole camper is to low and i'm going to try to make forest river pay to lift the whole camper 3 - 4 inches, depending on what the lift kit measures. The dealer told me the brakes were not working due to there being cosmoline all over the magnets, and they were never being activated. He said he was blaming lippert for that, and was going to bill them. He also said they used crappy grease in the bearings, and he said it looked liked crap when he looked at the bearings. He cleaned it all out, and put in the "right" grease. On the street side of the camper, he said the grease was in horrible shape there too. He said when he cleaned it out, he saw some scoring he has never seen before. So he replaced the bearing, and packed it with the "right" grease. I will be letting forest river know about this, and expecting they pay the full bill. I'll let ya's know how it goes.
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2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195
2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl
I'll be rpodding
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Replies:
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 19 Oct 2019 at 4:11pm
Originally posted by mjlrpod
So after a full summer season of camping in my 195, I am mostly happy with it. I did have some issues though. I have it at the dealer being repaired. First, ive mentioned before that the dump tube is to low, 4 1/2 inches from the ground when level. Also my brakes completely sucked, as in they felt like they did nothing, even with 12 volts of power supplied through my P3 brake controller. I had a few more things fixed also, the spray port, and hopefully the awning arm. I have been negotiating with forest river to cover these items, and they atleast have agreed to have a dealer look at it. My dealer agrees the black drain pipe was absolutely set up wrong (I didnt buy from them) and have already fixed it. Even with the fix, I still think the whole camper is to low and i'm going to try to make forest river pay to lift the whole camper 3 - 4 inches, depending on what the lift kit measures. The dealer told me the brakes were not working due to there being cosmoline all over the magnets, and they were never being activated. He said he was blaming lippert for that, and was going to bill them. He also said they used crappy grease in the bearings, and he said it looked liked crap when he looked at the bearings. He cleaned it all out, and put in the "right" grease. On the street side of the camper, he said the grease was in horrible shape there too. He said when he cleaned it out, he saw some scoring he has never seen before. So he replaced the bearing, and packed it with the "right" grease. I will be letting forest river know about this, and expecting they pay the full bill. I'll let ya's know how it goes. |
"I still think the whole camper is to low and i'm going to try to make forest river pay to lift the whole camper 3 - 4 inches, depending on what the lift kit measures."
That's the West Coast Version. You bought a East Coast version. Wish you the best on that argument, yet still don't believe the OEM lift is the best way to lift. Another discussion..
"He also said they used crappy grease in the bearings, and he said it looked liked crap when he looked at the bearings."
I won't say 'crape' grease, I'll just say 'production packed'. Attention to packing is not like you would do. I do advise others to re-grease bearings once home. I found mine to be light on grease. 'Production greased'. I have a mini grease gun I carry and used a tube on each once it got home.
"he saw some scoring he has never seen before"
Concerns me as to his knowledge. Did he elaborate on the scoring? One side vs. the other? Curious on this one.
I'll be following and watching to see how this goes. First question is: Are you still within warranty?
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways
2017 Tacoma
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build
2004 F150 My Overlander
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Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 20 Oct 2019 at 8:29am
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Yes I am well within my warranty. I bought this camper in June this year (probably a first production run model) The dealer said they used red grease, that was turning black. He said they have always used green grease (I believe that is marine grease, and weatherproof) and that is what he repacked them with now. He told me the scoring he saw looked like it might have been there from the manufacturer. He said he had never seen scoring like that (which makes sense, since it probably wasn't scoring but a manufacture imperfection). He is pretty knowledgeable about R.V.'s. I looked at other 195's in the area, and they are about 3 inches higher, so I like my chances of getting forest river to go along with it. If not i'll cover it, and i'll never buy another forest river camper. I've been buying one every three to four years, so it would be worth it to them.
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2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195
2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl
I'll be rpodding
|
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 21 Oct 2019 at 8:13am
Originally posted by mjlrpod
Yes I am well within my warranty. I bought this camper in June this year (probably a first production run model)The dealer said they used red grease, that was turning black. He said they have always used green grease (I believe that is marine grease, and weatherproof) and that is what he repacked them with now. He told me the scoring he saw looked like it might have been there from the manufacturer. He said he had never seen scoring like that (which makes sense, since it probably wasn't scoring but a manufacture imperfection). He is pretty knowledgeable about R.V.'s. I looked at other 195's in the area, and they are about 3 inches higher, so I like my chances of getting forest river to go along with it. If not i'll cover it, and i'll never buy another forest river camper. I've been buying one every three to four years, so it would be worth it to them. |
The dealer said they used red grease, that was turning black.
That's what I use. Red typically is a higher temperature grease (though color can be deceiving). I use a high temp, #2 rated at least GC with a NLGI stamp. If it comes out black, it's done and good that your greasing! The green grease is more of a multi-purpose grease, though still good for our axle bearings, just lower temp grease.
I, like you, tend to run for distances, so I check bearings before each outing. I did this when I first brought Lily home and found that they only wiped the bearings. I packed the bearings! Personally, from what I saw, I thought they used a #1 general purpose grease..
He told me the scoring he saw looked like it might have been there from the manufacturer.
Sorry to hear that! That's Lippert and hope you have the same success with them as I did on my frame. And hopefully a little quicker..
-------------
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways
2017 Tacoma
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build
2004 F150 My Overlander
|
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 21 Oct 2019 at 8:15am
Originally posted by Olddawgsrule
Originally posted by mjlrpod
Yes I am well within my warranty. I bought this camper in June this year (probably a first production run model)The dealer said they used red grease, that was turning black. He said they have always used green grease (I believe that is marine grease, and weatherproof) and that is what he repacked them with now. He told me the scoring he saw looked like it might have been there from the manufacturer. He said he had never seen scoring like that (which makes sense, since it probably wasn't scoring but a manufacture imperfection). He is pretty knowledgeable about R.V.'s. I looked at other 195's in the area, and they are about 3 inches higher, so I like my chances of getting forest river to go along with it. If not i'll cover it, and i'll never buy another forest river camper. I've been buying one every three to four years, so it would be worth it to them. |
The dealer said they used red grease, that was turning black.
That's what I use. Red typically is a higher temperature grease (though color can be deceiving). I use a high temp, #2 rated at least GC with a NLGI stamp. If it comes out black, it's done and good that your greasing! The green grease is more of a multi-purpose grease, though still good for our axle bearings, just lower temp grease.
I, like you, tend to run for distances, so I check bearings before each outing. I did this when I first brought Lily home and found that they only wiped the bearings. I packed the bearings! Personally, from what I saw, I thought they used a #1 general purpose grease.. Grayish color..
He told me the scoring he saw looked like it might have been there from the manufacturer.
Sorry to hear that! That's Lippert and hope you have the same success with them as I did on my frame. And hopefully a little quicker.. |
-------------
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways
2017 Tacoma
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build
2004 F150 My Overlander
|
Posted By: AlaskaAviator
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2019 at 7:59am
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I have a 195 also. I had to drag the brakes for nearly ten miles when I first got it to get the brakes to start working. And thats after I repacked the bearings and washed the drums and magnet off with brake clean. I raised the black tank drain so it is against the frame, about an inch or so. Wish it was routed closer to the tire.
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