Bad roads

[AshnJim]

Hi - new here, and have a question. We are looking to get a Forest River Roo 21SS, and wonder if anyone has experience towing them over fairly rough - rocky and rutted - unpaved roads. We plan to have the unit raised at the dealership; they did this with our Rockwood High Wall and it solved the problem of trashing the stab jacks. We know hybrids aren't made for off-roading, but a couple of our fave places have a few miles of "bad road" between the paved road and the campground ....

-- Ash and Jim

[bikendan]

Just remember that a hybrid is much taller than a closed up popup, therefore has a much higher center of gravity.
A lot of those cabinets are up at ceiling level and stuff will get rocked around.

[AshnJim]

Thanks for those warnings, Padlin, about the cupboards and the cleanout. We are used to removing the microwave tray, and to carrying most things in boxes; when we get the unit we'll see how creative we can be in terms of the wardrobe. We use bungees in the Rockwood pop-up now, so that wouldn't be much different. There are not ~too~ many places we go where the road's really bad, but we'd hate to give up going to the one or two where there are a few bad miles. 🙂

[Padlin]

I've driven over a few bad roads with my hybrid, not by design. Taking it slow the trailer did fine keeping in mind what you have for clearance, low point on some is the cleanouts. Mostly had cabinet contents strewn around, clothes off hangers, microwave emptied and smashed the glass tray, that type of stuff. I know some who bungee the cabinets and fridge closed using various hooks and such to attach them to. We went through the trailer and secured what we could. These cabinets aren't built to take much abuse.

[AshnJim]

We already go slowly over these roads, for several reasons, one being the dappled shade that makes it hard to see potholes/rocks till you're upon them, and another being that sometimes there are steep dips. (Going fast makes the road worse, and also opens doors and drawers inside, and flings things about. Once we opened the door of a pop-up to a CSI-like scene.) The door to the hybrid unit we want is in front of the axle, but if we have it raised, that should help, shouldn't it?

[old_guy]

one thing we didn't do with ours is drive like a teenager over roads like that. that makes for some serious damage to structure.

[skipnchar]

One of the most important factors for towing over rough terrain is the location of the entry steps. If the door is close to the axle you're probably good to go but if the door is a ways away from the axle your steps MAY be endangered from uneven terrain. Stab jacks can also be damaged but something as simple as drag bars would protect them in many cases. I mention this because I often travel nfs fire roads and other back country roads with my Rockwood. It's build over the axles sol no problem with ground clearance but my rear door is too far away from axle and I've replaced my rear steps twice and in between those, straightened them several times.
Good luck / Skip