Host Mammoth, any bad experiences?

I'm interested in anyone that takes Host unit off road, say logging roads. Not like washout and bolder type off road but more rougher roads. How has it held up? How have the slides held up with the powergear? Any feedback on experience is appreciated :)

Not trying to thread jack, just thought since this was a Host feedback topic that I could ask a vendor feedback question.

Thanks

It was interesting to tour the host factory. They take a lot of pride in their campers. Little things like the jacks brackets are through bolted into the frame rather than lagged into a wood blocking. The aluminum frames is continuous around the arch of the windows. The sub flooring is one large sheet rather than smaller sheets with seams. I was impressed by the power gear seeing it and the rack installed open to see entirely. I was impressed by the quality of the frame welding.

As I have been working on mine adding solar/inverter and crawling around the basement I am impressed by the level of workmanship and thought that went into places most people will never see.

As far as logging roads. I have found with all the full sized campers I have owned graded dirt roads are fine but having a large camper does impart some limitations on how rough a road I am personally willing to subject the camper and truck to. Also looking at a 3 slide camper like the Host you see that shear values for wall sections has to be substantially reduced, replaced by engineering to keep structure. We are considering getting a jeep to flat tow for more aggressive exploration.

Host really stands behind their products. We bought our first Mammoth in late 2014. Turned out that the shower enclosure was defective (they use a much better quality enclosure now). Randall asked if we would be willing to bring it to them; a road trip? Heck, yes....Cruised up the freeway about 1,000 miles; they replaced the entire shower enclosure in a day. We sold that camper because we really liked the double couch setup and bought a 2017 model this past January. It developed a delamination issue in one of the slideouts (apparently, ours was one of a few that were built with "bad" glue on the slideouts. Called Randall while we were on vacation this summer in Idaho; he asked if we would mind detouring to Bend; dropped it off one afternoon and picked it up all fixed the next afternoon. Gave us a chance to do some Jeeping near Mt. Bachelor. They're good guys--and--responsive to those who purchase their products.

They didn't seal the a/c from the attic so it wasn't cooling well and blowing out foam insulation. I fixed it with some foam. That's really the only major issue I've had.

As far as off road use, I haven't done much and don't feel comfortable doing so. It's so top heavy you get a lot of rocking and flexing. Not sure how much you can get away with but I don't care to push the limits and have to deal with a poped weld. I have a good bit of experience with using aluminum for structure. I have built a few aluminum boats and use them in some of the roughest conditions offshore or in the swamps of Louisiana. A little to much flex in one spot can create a crack pretty fast. If you don't see it, then the next high stress area will go, and so forth. I will say that welder on my unit, made some good solid welds with good penetration on areas I can see.

Well, my LP alarm went off a few times and I didn't think it should. They sent me another one after I called them. problem solved. I had my awning out a few feet and it would not go back. Long story short, it was not getting power. I checked manual, this event was foreseen. I followed instructions. I pulled the 2 wire disconnects and hooked them to my truck battery with extra wire. Plus and minus, one way powers it out and other way powers it in. Simple.
Host has told me twice to take it wherever I want and they will pay the bill. I don't trust my local RV place. I will do it myself. I just need to run a new power line to the switch. They have been very helpful. Have sent me pics and diagrams of electrical.

zb39 wrote:
Well, my LP alarm went off a few times and I didn't think it should. They sent me another one after I called them. problem solved. I had my awning out a few feet and it would not go back. Long story short, it was not getting power. I checked manual, this event was foreseen. I followed instructions. I pulled the 2 wire disconnects and hooked them to my truck battery with extra wire. Plus and minus, one way powers it out and other way powers it in. Simple.
Host has told me twice to take it wherever I want and they will pay the bill. I don't trust my local RV place. I will do it myself. I just need to run a new power line to the switch. They have been very helpful. Have sent me pics and diagrams of electrical.

I agree, I don't bring mine to a rv dealer even for warranty stuff unless it's going to cost more than a few hundred bucks. It's hard to find good service and you generally have to leave it with them for weeks.

Dealer or Host themselves? This all occurred in 2013, with the release of the first Mammoth's.

Dealer installed the battery wrong (positive to negative, negative to positive) which destroyed some 12v equipment. Smoke theory of electronics was tested.

Host mis-delivered the colors, had to go back to Factory to fix it.

Blew the old plastic sliding rail for the door 3 times, back to Factory twice to repair (once with plastic rail, once for the newer metal rail).

Scratched the bathroom door multiple times. Final diagnosis was the whole shower/pantry unit needed to move towards the frig just a little over 1/4"

The loops on the doors kept pulling out, had them put in a special hidden nut/screw that fixed that problem for good.

Someone did not tighten the trap under the shower, water leaked all over the basement.

A trim piece walked it's way away from the corner in the bed room near the pantry, and had to be redone.

Huge foot print in the bedroom ceiling, non-repairable.

Scratch on inside wall, near the front driver's side window. Non-repairable.

We keep breaking door closers on the big drawer. They are cheap plastic. Bleah.

The bathroom medicine cabinet was in-complete when delivered.

The backflow preventer for the black tank flush was bad, they simply put in a piece of PEX to fix it.

Back slide came in too far, needed adjustments.

Door covering the command center was installed by a drunk. Levels are for sissies.

The fresh water tank seelevel sensor was peeled off by the chunk of foam used to locate tank. Found that the glue they used melted the foam. I had to fix this.

Tape keeps coming off the seams in the basement area, both inside and out.

Poor caulk job on seams in basement area outside on wings.

Sewer hose container is a 4" pipe, which will not hold a Rhino sewer hose. Cut that POS out and replaced with 5" fence post.

The good news?

They fixed what they could, they even paid me to bring it back to Bend from SFbay area.

Dealer I bought from was clueless. Never going to use that dealer again.

Would I buy a Host again? Yes. I'd trade this one for a Cascade with the theater seating if I could get away with it.

tad94564 wrote:
Blew the old plastic sliding rail for the door 3 times, back to Factory twice to repair (once with plastic rail, once for the newer metal rail).

Scratched the bathroom door multiple times. Final diagnosis was the whole shower/pantry unit needed to move towards the frig just a little over 1/4"

The loops on the doors kept pulling out, had them put in a special hidden nut/screw that fixed that problem for good.

Someone did not tighten the trap under the shower, water leaked all over the basement.

I know this guy, or at least he worked on mine as well. Same issues however Host was very responsive to my needs. I was able to replace the upper track (supplied and shipped by Randal at Host) for the bath door and I re-finished the door itself. It is still scraping something and I noticed it a few days ago and try to repair. My shower enclosure is floating away from the wall (pantry wall) and I think an easy fix.
I also have an early production unit built in 2014 and sold as 2015. I have reached out to Host well outside my warranty period and they have been very responsive. I say this because each component that comes with the camper has it's own product warranty. I had a stripped Rieco jack that I replaced out of pocket but didn't get Host involved. However I had to call them in regards to a solar issue and they helped with trouble shooting.
Yes I would by another.

"Huge foot print in the bedroom ceiling, non-repairable."

lol, this is a family friendly forum