Toy Hauler quality...??

So we first purchased a used smaller fun finder toy hauler about 10 years ago. Did not have it long and did not have any issues with it while we had it. We sold it and upgraded to a XLR hyperlight and it was the biggest pile we ever owned. Awning ripped the first time we used it, the water pump never worked right and got replaced 2x, and the biggest issue is the roof had issues right off the git go and warranty would only do a patch job to fix it. I sold it and said I would never buy one again. Well that was about 5 years ago and I am not sure why but we are back in the market. I am looking for experiences with different brands on quality of units. Talking to a couple of guys that own newer XLR hyperlights it seems like we may have just bought the worlds biggest lemon. Most of what is for sale near me is all made by Forest River, so we are not seeing much variety. Help steer me in the right direction. We are shopping for a around 25 ft ish size, no slide. Would love to have a VRV or similar but don't want to pay for it.

 

We have had a couple toy haulers by Forest River. A 2015 Wolf Pack which we traded for a 2017 Vengeance. Minor issues with the 2015, trim coming loose and such. No issues with the Vengeance so far. I highly recommend a slide out, especially if you want to use the kitchen. And UPGRADE THE TIRES!

 

Really been happy with my 25 UDT Work n Play toy hauler. Had a few very minor issues in the beginning, namly the water pump needed replaced (and the quiet flex hose kit installed, it was retardedly loud before), and a trim piece I think had a staple or two pull out of it. But that's it. Other than regular routine axle/wheel bearing maintenance (which is a must for any hauler or trailer), haven't done shit to it. Wash it good a few times a year, use dryer sheets after every trip to wipe off the bugs off the front of it with ease, and put good (Maxxis) tires on it.

 

As with any RV or camper...you must be a jack of all trades to own one...most are just thrown together and tossed out the door. We love our IntechRV, but they don't make one in the size you are looking for.

 

i own a 2013 27hfs xlr hyperlite .. really popular model. Pretty sure i saw at least 2 of them a the GNF. (1 was parked right behind me and he liked his).
ANY rv in that entry level price range ($20- 30k-ish) is gonna be hit or miss. And the rv industry is a mega turnover kind of business. You are at the mercy of who and what crew worked on the one you buy, and what mood they were in that week it was slapped together.
I've had great luck with mine. I had a forest river 24' race trailer custom made, cargo mate, in GA. What a cluster fuck. took a year, they had to build another trailer as the 1st one was so wrong. all kinds of shit was wrong, the axles were placed 2' too far forward, and it was dangerous to tow. EMPTY.. at my expense, had to get it back to GA, they had to remove the walls, flooring, move axles back 2', put back together. Total bunch of rejects working in this industry in many cases. The forest river RV's are usually assembled in Ohio. Not sure if that makes a difference, but it's rare to not have issues of some quantity with rv's.
Totally agree to upgrade tires.

 

The day job (ie cover job) for the meth cookers in Indiana is to assemble trailers. Hope that gives you confidence. Do I sound disgusted with my trailer quality? Don't look behind the curtain (wall in this case) if you want to maintain a level of satisfaction. Wiring is a joke, likewise the plumbing. Preventing roof leaks has to be one the most important facets in a trailer construction, yet they are common. The counter tops were pretty, though.

 

The slides leaked more than the roof on my previous 5 er. Frustrating as hell as I actually did all the recommended maintenance.
We’re back to a work and play with no slide and are happy. It’s a bit tight but we make it work. I bought a good WD Hitch and Threw some E rated tires on it. haven’t had 1 issue.

 

Let me just start by saying this.....most of the components in all the trailer/T.H. are made by just a few to several companies. What this means is that those same components, generally speaking are going to be in most of the RVs that are on the road. So with that being said, then you get into which manufacturer decides to build their RV at a higher quality level during the construction phase.....generally speaking. Many of the cheaper units will obviously not use as high a quality components for the structural portion of the build, and in my opinion, that is where many of the issues come into play. Of course, the craftsmanship or lack of it during construction will also affect the outcome. So combine lack of craftsmanship, inferior components in the construction, and you end up with an RV that is going to give you problems....lots of problems. So where does this leave you? To some extent, you get what you pay for, BUT....every single RV out there is going to have some issues of one sort or another. Being handy and being able to repair minor stuff yourself is almost mandatory for a RV owner....unless you want to spend countless weeks/months with the RV in a shop waiting for repair by someone who may or may not know as much about the RV as you do. Also something to consider is that RV dealerships that sell whatever brand, generally speaking ar NOT obligated to service your RV, even if it's still under warranty, if you didn't buy it from them. An example is let's say.....Forest River, Keystone, KZ, Heartland....name a brand, almost any brand, if you bought it from dealer "A" in a town 100 miles away because they had the best price, dealer "B" in your home town can and will, many times, tell you to take it back to the dealer you bought if from for service. There is NO national warranty on them like there is on Cars/Trucks/etc.

I bought a Keystone Fuzion Impact 303 back in 2016 and almost immediately had an issue with one of the slideouts not working correctly. The selling dealer was 375 miles away (my choice to purchase there because of the unbelievable pricing), so I decided that I would download the service/adjustment manual for the slide unit and do the job myself. Towing there and back (750 miles round trip), just wasn't an option if I could do the work myself. So, after a downloading and reading the manual, I proceeded to check out the slide and found it out of adjustment and no way of locking the adjustment when I was done. So I adjusted it and added 1/4-20 nuts to the adjustment rods and locked the adjustment down, like it should have been done from the factory. Done!

The point I'm making is that even the higher $$$ units are going to have some issues, some things to deal with, and unfortunately, it is just part of the "privilege" of owning an RV. Overall, I think the Keystone brand (lots of sub-brands within this company and a LOT of different models) is one of the better ones out there. But like everything else, they make "entry level" stuff, "mid-grade" stuff, and then the higher end stuff. Mine pretty much falls into the mid-grade, and I'm hoping that someday I can get into a bigger T.H. as retirement is right around the corner and I could see living in one for a month or two while travelling and enjoying retirement.

 

So not downsizing to a van anytime soon?

 

I could, no problem. My wife on the other hand...
I was looking at vans for the MA stuff when i’m Usually alone. Hell, yours would almost be too big for just me.

 

I have an XLR Nitro 23KW. Like others, have had a few minor issues. Nothing I couldn't fix.
There is no RV out there that won't have issues. They puke RVs out way too fast, quality suffers.

 

Basically what everyone above me said is 100% truth. The way these units are built is amazing, and not usually a good amazing. OP sounds like you the one you had was mostly bad do to the components, except the roof issues. Which if you saw how they assemble the roof you would understand. The components from a Keystone, FR, etc are all made by the same few people. The individual manufacturers can and do have slight differences in their slides, awnings, etc that can sometimes make a difference.

So basically you are rolling the dice to some degree when you buy one of these things. Just do some research and maybe pray a bit.

That being said I have heard good things about the Keystones, Work and Play and Jayco models.

Good luck....

 

All these replies are spot on. Do not be fooled by the gold coating they throw on the interiors of them, the walls are usually filled with shit.

t11ravis and I seem to have the same outlook on these things...KISS principle. No slides = no chance of it not working, no chance of another source to leak from. If I had to get another trailer for the price range of my current toy hauler, I'd get a custom enclosed trailer built. All I really want is a shitter, a sink, big ass refrigerator that can work off propane and electric, and at least an Onan 5500 genny. No hot water tank. No shower. I'd probably have a separate living quarters, with a couch that makes a bed or some shit.

 

Don't know about that^^^. A shower unit is very handy when you would otherwise have to wait in line at the track. Not to mention taking a cold water shower! Done racing for the day? Put your crap away, take a shower and it's Miller time in less than a half hour.

 

Livin Lite Quicksilver 26 FBR for me. It’s awesome. Mine is a 2015 and is all aluminum. No wood anywhere. Even the roof is a one piece sheet of aluminum. I feel that I got a good deal on it as a used unit and private sale.

It’s a bit sterile inside. My wife prefers the softer touch of the conventional units. I’m practical and want a lightweight and no-rot construction.

Consider Livin Lite or ATC. They are not easy to find but worth a look.




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I've always been frustrated with the fact that most haulers have a tiny gray tank, but a massive fresh water tank. So you're stuck doing a camper shower if there's 2 adults showering in it (or you have a wife that doesn't do the "camper shower" life). And the water pressure of a real shower can't be beat.

And I don't have to clean my shower because it never gets used. And since I don't use it, it doubles as more storage. LOL

 

TL;DR

 

He quit track riding and is now the Towing/TH Scold. Love ya bud.

 

yup.. if you don't have a shower in your RV, you may as well not have an RV, and stick with a blow up mattress in a cargo trailer ..

 

Fixed... then ya have a couch for the day....