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RE: heated mattress
This is one of the "extras" that Forest River products have (and most dealers put in) even in their lowest end units "LTD series." It is a very very nice extra on a cold night. Don't have to worry about those cold bunk ends, that's for sure... Down on top, warm body to the right and heated mattress below and the mountains around you... It doesn't get much better than that.
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Kavoom
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09/23/08 05:00am |
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RE: Forest River (Rockwood and Flagstaff) Quality?
Didn't see any bashing... just consumer education from many different perspectives...
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Kavoom
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09/22/08 04:59am |
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RE: Forest River (Rockwood and Flagstaff) Quality?
Oh, by the way, I am not a Forest River fanatic. Frankly, if I had to do it all over again, I would have probably gone with a Fleetwood 8 box (Sedona or Taos) due to the standard equipment electric brakes and lower tongue weight and if I could have gotten within a couple of hundred bucks. I agree on the design being most important. I personally love those side dinettes but you do lose sleeping capacity for example.
And if you want, do get underneath lift stuff up and check different brands for quality issues, fit, finish... I'm certainly not getting on someone for being P.O'd at a brand. I'd love to see some comparative pics of various equivalent areas of manufacture on pups (e.g. electrical). There are certain things I won't buy again (Frigidare) due to similar issues and if someone asked, I wouldn't hesitate to tell them my experience...
So, we all go out and consume, consume, consume...and roll the dice. It's going to come up snake eyes sometime...
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Kavoom
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09/21/08 09:02am |
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RE: Forest River (Rockwood and Flagstaff) Quality?
Hmmm, I'm at 3 years on my Flagstaff with nothing but a few loose screws... In and on the pup not me... Well, some might argue... I do have to stay handy with the spray paint on the frame I will also admit but Rustoleum "hammered" black is virtually a perfect match. Can't tell the difference unless you are right up on it.
I've been very happy. My only complaint is probably the heavy tongue weight but not a biggy and if you pay attention you know it going in. Also no brakes on 8 boxes and 10 boxes whereas others will have sometimes. And if you look on sites like this one, you will find them being about average. Remember you are getting the tip of the iceberg here with people who are "really" upset with Forest River.
You will find MORE people talking about Fleetwood roofs and Aliner floors than Forest River Products on the boards. It can also be the day yours was made. The day after the fourth of July wouldn't be a day I would want mine manufactured. Something tells me attention to detail might be lacking. I must have had a good one. If you ask the same question and replace it with another brand name you will get approximately the same kind of responses.
Some of it is simply a result of the numbers sold. If more people buy them, you have a larger base of potential unhappy customers and if one of them is online, he can have influence far beyond his individuality. I think Fleetwood gets nailed on this aspect particularly. Although Forest River as a whole is second on sales if I am not mistaken and I might be.
As for price and features, I believe economies of scale are in play there. Forest River can negotiate dramatically lower pricing on items like tanks, refridgerators, mattresses, rollers, screws etc. because when you take in all their lines of products irrespective of what you think of them, they probably buy 10 times more product than any of the other manufacturers and thus can buy them cheaper...and pass it along to you hopefully well measurably if you compare...
Warren Buffet invested strongly in Forest River, they must be doing something right.
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Kavoom
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09/19/08 05:06am |
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RE: Towing with Suburu
I tow a Flagstaff 176 coming in around 1900 lbs loaded with my 07 Forester. It tows great. Ditto to Caddy except I'm not sure I'd push it quite as much as he does.
Even though I have a Forest River product, I feel the Fleetwood Taos or Sedona would be your best bets particularly as they come standard with brakes and those are a must. Retrofitting brakes on a pup is counterproductive if you can get them on it new. But you could easily go with the 10 box Yuma also (160 lb tongue weight) and that is probably about it. With a battery and full propane tank you will come in around 40 to 50 lbs above the dry hitch weight.
http://www.fleetwoodcampingtrailers.com/model_detail.aspx?mid=2&sid=1
In Australia they rate them at 230 lb tongue weight BUT they come with the load leveling struts at least on the Forester with the rough equivalent of a Class II hitch. Oh, you will also HAVE to have a transmission cooler put on if you have an automatic.
Of interest is that Aliner has a new TT called the Amelia and their pic has a Forester pulling it.
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Kavoom
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09/14/08 06:32am |
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RE: towing problems
Whoa!, that's right no brakes on the 176. I have a 176SD and they do NOT have brakes. You NEED brakes unless you live on the flat and NEVER intend to go up a big hill or mountain or worse come down it. On the flat, you could get away with it. I had to have brakes retrofitted at purchase (TV-Subaru Forester)which entailed a 12 box axle (with the flanges for brakes) being switched in. Since I did it at purchase they could use my original axle as new so I got away with new controller, hitch, wiring for my TV and the axle/brakes for 350 in 2005.
You are going to be looking at quite a bit more retrofitting a 99, but will need it on the brakes you have on the van. If I were you, unless they are practically giving away the pup, I would be looking at something like a used Fleetwood Taos that comes standard with electric brakes. I love my Flagstaff, but they are also tongue heavy, coming in a little over 250 lbs after you put a full propane tank and battery on it (178 lbs dry tongue weight) whereas the Taos will run around 210 lbs loaded tongue weight (150ish dry tongue weight). Otherwise the two pups are quite similar. I'm not trying to start a whose pup is better argument people... So, figure at the very least 600 for the brakes etc on the Flagstaff over and above what you are paying. If you could find a Taos under the difference I'd go for it. They are out there.
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09/09/08 05:05am |
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RE: towing problems
Here's the link to the 176ST. I don't think they have changed much since 99.
http://www.forestriverinc.com/nd/default22.asp?page=floorview&model=176ST&choice=ftc&nav=rec&name=2&series=MAC
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Kavoom
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09/08/08 05:24am |
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RE: 3 unsolicited offers to buy my PUP
The big thing I have noticed this year is the LACK of RV (buses) and fifth wheelers on the highways. Very noticable. I've actually seen quite a few pups...
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Kavoom
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08/20/08 05:13am |
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RE: A liner
You might want to check here there are some good deals and bad deals. The site is legit and I have been watching it for a couple of years. You can sometimes run across something nice and close.
http://www.alinerclub.org/swap_shop.html
Edit: made link clickable...mike
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Kavoom
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08/15/08 05:58am |
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RE: What are your best tips and tricks while camping?
>>We bought the family size personal organizer from LL Bean..<< Those are nice, we found the same thing for the same reasons.
I saw someone note that those shower hangers that go over the shower plumbing with little shelfs are great for the poles over your bed and you can put your keys, flashlight or whatever in them for easy access.
And my favorite is the big rubbermaid "Action Packer" the one with the gray top, black sides and red handles. It is just big enough to fit inside the door and is big enough to hold all of the set up supplies including small tool box axe, extra batteries, lynx levelers (sorry won't hold a Bal), stakes etc. It is the first thing out of the pup and the last thing into the pup and makes a great bench around the fire and is tough as nails and slides easily under the pup when not traveling. I love it.
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Kavoom
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08/02/08 05:32am |
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RE: Inexpensive air compressor for winterizing?
I got a Sears 3 gallon that you can carry around easily and will run a brad nailer just fine in addition to what you are looking for. It's relatively compact also. I just popped it in the trailer on the last trip and did the blow out at the campsite (electric site obviously). They are normally 120 but they go on sale for 99 all the time and I got mine for 89 with a 20 piece fitting kit (20 bucks normal) with a Craftsman Club card. It's great and has more capability. I have seen even better killer deals at Harbor Freight if you have one.
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07/26/08 06:06am |
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RE: Memory foam on a heated mattress
Could you put it under the heated mattress? It would seem the point is to get rid of those hard points where the body touches the wood of the bed end???
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Kavoom
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07/09/08 05:13am |
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RE: Picked up our Chalet LTW
>>2007 Honda Civic EX 5SPD>Chalet LTW>4990 lbs>Rockies<<
Amazing!!!! Scary!!!! IMHO...
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Kavoom
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07/02/08 05:10am |
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RE: How I wound up with a PUP
"Somewhere along the line, most folks lost track of the economy idea."
They'll be back...
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Kavoom
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06/25/08 12:16pm |
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RE: Anyone towing with a Subaru Outback (2003)
Ditto to Caddy as I pull with a Forester, but I have had to go to second gear coming up the west side of the Rockies to the Eisenhower. If I am not mistaken, you also have a better torque to power profile in the older ones rather than the newer ones where they "fixed" everything so you could get on the highway rather than tow...
If you have an auto, you will also need a tranny cooler.
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Kavoom
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06/19/08 05:11am |
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RE: Retired?
I always wanted to be a harbinger...
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Kavoom
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06/13/08 02:48pm |
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RE: Retired?
I think there could be another observation out of this. Are people that want to camp but can no longer afford their massive RV's going to consider "for many" a move down into a pup?
Idavis0101, perhaps you are but a harbinger?
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Kavoom
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06/13/08 02:48pm |
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RE: Coachman vs.Forest River Flagstaff
"I think Coachmen makes a better quality PUP than Forest River."
And an equal number of individuals will think just the opposite. There are other brands also but you know that... And don't forget that the Rockwoods are clones to the Flagstaffs except for badging and colors. IF you went that way be sure to check out both dealerships if you have both in your area. I saved a lot of money doing that.
Forest River's are tongue heavy but don't sway, I can't speak to the Coachmen but there are good reports on them.
I am a veritable font of late...
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Kavoom
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05/30/08 06:23am |
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RE: What am I forgetting?
Rubbermaid Action Packer (black with red handles) to hold all the stuff. First thing out last thing in, makes a good seat also. Axe, bungees, level...
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Kavoom
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05/23/08 03:41am |
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RE: Fixing rotten wood in Roof
There used to be a picture "story" by someone on one of the pup sites that showed exactly how he did it. It's been a couple of years since I saw it though and I think it was on pop up explorer...
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05/21/08 04:59am |
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