I hope I am not opening to big of a can of worms here. It has been years since we were looking at RV's. The wife thinks we need to research a new fiver. I know years ago a lot of people said stay away from this model or that one. Don't buy anything with a Lippert frame. So we are getting back into the market and I would like suggestions from you folks on how the different brands stack up. About her only must have is a dual entry camper. I would like to stay under 38 feet but those seem hard to find. Currently we have a 2007 Fleetwood Regal 325RKTS. Let me know what you think, Or tell me about your rig.Thanks

steelshooter wrote:I hope I am not opening to big of a can of worms here. It has been years since we were looking at RV's. The wife thinks we need to research a new fiver. I know years ago a lot of people said stay away from this model or that one. Don't buy anything with a Lippert frame. So we are getting back into the market and I would like suggestions from you folks on how the different brands stack up. About her only must have is a dual entry camper. I would like to stay under 38 feet but those seem hard to find. Currently we have a 2007 Fleetwood Regal 325RKTS. Let me know what you think, Or tell me about your rig.ThanksI don't think there is a best, all have their issues. Most also have the Lippert frame system. I personally have not had any issues with the ones I have had. Find what you like , and go from there. I don't know about dual entry , not many fifth wheels have two entry doors. They are out there but its pretty limited . Good luck with your choice .

We have a duel entry doors. Its a montana high country model 374fl. Front living room with the second door in front of the washroom at back on drivers side of coach. Kinda strange but works if your at a big site.

Lippert builds what the Manufacturer specs plain and simple. Most want light and cheap!Very rare to hear of a DRV frame issue.

In general they are built in similar fashion. To avoid the Lippert frame, you could go to the Pacific NW Builders, Arctic Fox and Outdoors RV, both are considered above average, and I believe build their own frames. Others with loyal followings due to better than the rest of the pack customer service are likely Grand Design, K-Z, and Jayco. Keystone and Forest River are back in the pack. Some will disagree with the order I listed them in, but I dont think too many will go too far outside these positions with the only caveat being the higher end units from some Keystone and FR products may have slightly better Q&A than their mid grade and down units. Happy hunting

The best RV is the floor plan that suits your needs and is in your price range.The all have issues some more that others, but even the Top Top of the line units still have their problems.There was a Luxe in a recent Trailer Life that was over $200K MSRP.

Best Fiver these days | Good Sam Community

Me_Again
Explorer III
May 28, 2020
One of the best frames was the Young's Welding frame that NuWa/Hitchhiker used for many years. Front over hang was manufactured with REAL channel iron.
Huntindog
Explorer
May 27, 2020
Cummins12V98 wrote:
"I think you'd have a hard time comming up with any stories of DRV frame failures."

There have been a few. Honestly if one should fail it's mine!!! 21K but is actually 24K with 6K pin..
I like DRV frames, and most everything else about them..
Not thrilled about the way they install the outer skin, but I guess it hasn't proven to be a problem... Still it looks like a mickey mouse operation.
That said, if they had a TH with an 18' garage and two bathrooms, I would probably have one on order now. Looked hard at the 455, but the toys just won't fit.
GDS-3950BH
Explorer
May 27, 2020
cummins2014 wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
So if you are a welder you should know thinner metal at a weld can fail. NOT from the weld but simply that's a stress point with thin metal as specified bu the trailer mfg. Light n Cheap!!!

So you are saying lightweight frames can’t be made strong ?

You know what they say fellows, a weld can look good and be bad and look bad and be good, but Lippert wins the award for the worst in show category consistently. I sit here having a beer under the awning of someone I met yesterday and leaned over and took this picture. Nice huh? 5 seconds with a grinder by Lippert or even the RV manufacturer might have at least made it look like someone showed a little bit of pride.
cummins2014
Explorer
May 27, 2020
Cummins12V98 wrote:
So if you are a welder you should know thinner metal at a weld can fail. NOT from the weld but simply that's a stress point with thin metal as specified bu the trailer mfg. Light n Cheap!!!

So you are saying lightweight frames can’t be made strong ?
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
May 27, 2020
"I am the only one to report a GV Endurance failure! GY as a good will gesture paid 50% on the cost to replace the tire."

ENDURANCE "FAILURE" would be considered if it was NOT road hazard. GY does stand by their products and at times when they really didn't have to!
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
May 27, 2020
"I think you'd have a hard time comming up with any stories of DRV frame failures."

There have been a few. Honestly if one should fail it's mine!!! 21K but is actually 24K with 6K pin..
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
May 27, 2020
So if you are a welder you should know thinner metal at a weld can fail. NOT from the weld but simply that's a stress point with thin metal as specified bu the trailer mfg. Light n Cheap!!!
cummins2014
Explorer
May 27, 2020
GDS-3950BH wrote:
Having had 2 Grand Designs, currently a Solitude, I would not buy another. There is nothing Grand, at least not anymore.

This current one has more issues than you can shake a stick at including frame flex now causing sealants to fail. I feel eventually we'll be facing cracks in the filon skin at some point. Grand Designs stellar service is no longer stellar. They might send you some cheap parts if you hound them enough, but the days of bending over backwards for the customer are over. What someone else said is dead on, they delete most of the negativity from their Facebook pages or factory sponsored forum. They build mediocre mass produced RVs like most of the others. What they still are able to maintain is a cult like following of owners who drink their Kool-Aid. I never joined.

For the price, look at the Keystone Montana. Compare the size of the main frame rail to a comparably sized Grand Design and most others. You'll like what you see.

There has been a lot of crying about frame failures on the Montana fifth wheels, they are far from immune . I owned two of them for nearly 14 years, and had good luck, like some that make that famous statement " I had no issues with mine " I got the a good one that was built in the middle of the week, after the hangovers were over with I guess :B
cummins2014
Explorer
May 27, 2020
4x4ord wrote:
cummins2014 wrote:
memtb wrote:
I “must” take a differing view on Lippert frames! They “may” build to the manufacuring specifications.....but, they have been plagued with quality control issues. These issues have “zero” to do with manufacturing specifications!!! memtb

Its funny to hear I have zero issues, when weld quality can raise its ugly head on any unit , including the high end such as the Mobile suites. Building specs having nothing to do with the quality of the weld, if it's poorly welded its coming apart .

Its hard to understand ,why we get to hear ,I have had zero issues, well that sure doesn't make the person or persons that are having the issues feel any better . Just because one doesn't have an issue, doesn't mean others didn't or couldn't .

You're right that one person having zero issues doesn't mean a lot but the DRV frame is stronger by design than most other 5vers out there. I think you'd have a hard time comming up with any stories of DRV frame failures.

That wasn't my point at all , I'm sure those DRV's are solid, they are heavy trailers. My point is Lippert is well known for poor welding, and there could always be the possibility of a weld failure. Have they stepped up their game, it seems you hear very little these days. Maybe those guys finally learned how to weld.

I spent my entire working life in the steel fabrication business, I had a lot of guys that claimed they could weld, but could not pass a pretty simple weld test . We trained more welders than anything. We got a lot of guys that played with a welder in high school shop class , and at least knew how to turn the welding machine on, and we worked with them from there .
GDS-3950BH
Explorer
May 27, 2020
Having had 2 Grand Designs, currently a Solitude, I would not buy another. There is nothing Grand, at least not anymore.

This current one has more issues than you can shake a stick at including frame flex now causing sealants to fail. I feel eventually we'll be facing cracks in the filon skin at some point. Grand Designs stellar service is no longer stellar. They might send you some cheap parts if you hound them enough, but the days of bending over backwards for the customer are over. What someone else said is dead on, they delete most of the negativity from their Facebook pages or factory sponsored forum. They build mediocre mass produced RVs like most of the others. What they still are able to maintain is a cult like following of owners who drink their Kool-Aid. I never joined.

For the price, look at the Keystone Montana. Compare the size of the main frame rail to a comparably sized Grand Design and most others. You'll like what you see.

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