Whether you are buying a traditional travel trailer or fifth wheel, it always has some risks attached to the process. Like anything you buy, quality and manufacturers often vary from one another and you want to be sure you find the right option before signing the dotted line. In the modern age, you can easily buy one of the 5th wheel brands to avoid.
Since all brands try to do as best they can to give you quality vehicles, it is hard to fault someone. However, the worst-rated 5th wheel campers have such a bad rating for various reasons. You would want to avoid falling into the trap of buying one of these vehicles and rather focus on buying something that suits your needs.
Since there are plenty of great 5th wheel brands that people often talk about, we should consider the other side of the spectrum. If you are searching for a 5th wheel, you can use deduction to eliminate some of the bad brands first. This will ensure that the worst fifth-wheel brands never come up on your potential list of new fifth-wheel campers.
Top 5 5th Wheel Brands To Avoid:
We should mention that even though some of these brands have the potential to eventually deliver great products and some of them even have excellent products, they often lack some important features. If you are looking for a brand-new 5th wheel camper for your trips, you are better off steering clear of these brands:
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Keystone:
You might be surprised to see a popular brand like Keystone make the list. After all, they are one of the most popular brands on the road today and many clients are happy with their purchase. Some might even swear by their Keystone camper. However, there have been a few reports of issues that ultimately arise from the brand.
One of their biggest issues is inadequate sealing for the holding tanks. Many customers often have to seal the tanks once they buy the Keystone campers. Nothing can be more frustrating than having to deal with water leaking, especially when you need to have water for your camping trip and don’t have an additional source.
Aside from this, the trailers do their job, but if you encounter an issue like a leaking water tank, it can be hard to have it fixed. The underwhelming customer support is one thing that often drives people away from considering the brand a true option. The staff might be educated and trained, but they are often hard to get to help you.
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Coachmen:
If people don’t choose Keystone, Coachmen is often another brand that makes it onto their list. Coachmen are one of the all-time favorites and they are known for having exceptional attention to detail with their products. While they have some issues, these are often minor but could be very frustrating to deal with.
The biggest complaint often happens when it starts raining. While most people will rush to close the windows, it might be futile with a Coachmen trailer. They have a reputation for windows leaking and creating issues with water. These could be frustrating to deal with when you are out camping.
Even though the interior is always decorated to near perfection, they often use subpar materials to upholster the furniture. One of the common complaints is dealing with furniture upholstery. The upholstery can often peel off the base furniture and this might be frustrating to fix.
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Jayco:
If you are into RVs and you spend a lot of time researching these vehicles, you must have heard of Jayco. They are the biggest manufacturer in terms of volume in the United States. There are numerous different models and no matter what your budget is, you should be able to quickly find a Jayco trailer for your needs.
The most concerning issue with Jayco is the leaking roofs. Granted, this is not present in all their models, it is something that can happen out of the blue. Once the water gets inside, you might also have an issue with drainage. It is not always easy to have effective drainage with these models and applying your own sealant is a great option.
With the water leaking into the trailer, you might also notice some bubbling of the fiberglass on the outside. Having to deal with bubbling fiberglass can be frustrating and the paint can occasionally peel off. You might be spending a lot of money maintaining the 5th wheel.
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Gulfstream:
Gulfstream is a great brand and you can never go wrong when you choose them. However, they often slip up when it comes to some minor details. While you need not avoid them completely, it is important to do diligent research and find some of the flaws. They are known for creating great trailers at affordable prices.
The bad end-cap issue is not something everyone has to deal with. However, manufacturing flaws often cause some issues, and the bad issue with end caps left thousands of trailers with poorly fitted end caps. While it can easily be rectified, getting it done can cost a lot of time and frustration.
Another major issue is the suspension and the frame. After spending numerous hours in mud or wet conditions, you will need to clean and spray your suspension and frames. Many of the models don’t have any rust-proof protection and this means that dealing with rust can often be frustrating. It is not as common as some other issues, but certainly, something to note.
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Forest River:
If you want a creative travel trailer that will certainly turn some heads, Forest River might be one of the brands you need to consider. The brand is known for being one of the most creative brands and they often have unique floor plans. The downside is that many of these creative innovations often come at the cost of quality:
They might offer you some of the most modern appliances, but they often have a reputation for failing. Once these appliances fail, it can be hard to replace them. You should set aside a few extra bucks to potentially fix some of the appliances that fail upon your trip return.
The more concerning issue is an array of leaks that could come from anywhere. You should add some additional sealant to the vehicle on your own time to ensure leaking does not strike you when camping. With poor drainage on the inside, it can be daunting to get rid of a water floor.
What Makes A 5th Wheel Brand Avoidable?
With the top 5 brands mentioned, you might be wondering which features we prioritised to create the list. If you also want to see if other fifth wheel brands you like have issues, you should consider looking at the features that make them avoidable. Here are some of the most common features that could make your fifth wheel brand avoidable:
- Electrical Issues:
One of the biggest issues you don’t want to deal with is electrical issues. Having to fix electrical problems can be daunting and often lead to massive failures. Fixing electrical issues on the fly is not always possible. If you find reviews or feedback on potential electrical issues with an RV, it is best to avoid the model or brand.
- Leaks:
There are a variety of different leaks that you should be looking out for. Not only do leaks make your trip unpleasant, but they could have adverse effects on your other components. Pairing this with electrical issues could lead to fire starting, but no one wants to swim inside their RV when they are outside camping in the cold.
Leaks can come in the form of traditional window and roof leaks that allow water to penetrate your vehicle and cause some issues. However, the most common leaks that often arise are in your water tanks. If you don’t have any other sources of water, it could be life-threatening to run out of water due to leaks on trips.
- Rusty Components:
While rusty components might not be a big issue when you have not started your trip, they could weaken the structure of your trailer and this will have adverse effects when traveling. While many manufacturers will have some form of rustproof coating, this is not true for every brand you can buy.
Dealing with rusty components can be a real hassle and when you have your RV, you might need to do some inspection yourself. You should consider looking at some of the components and finding out where you could add some rustproof spray to ensure it does not affect you.
- Plumbing Issues:
We all know how frustrating plumbing issues can be at home. While you might have everything to make a different plan at home, you might not have when your RV is moving. You don’t want significant plumbing issues and finding out if a brand has common plumbing issues will be important.
Frequently Asked Questions:
By now, you should have a decent idea of any issues that could arise in your RV. However, it might not be easy for everyone to know what to do. We have found some common questions that people often ask when buying an RV. Here are some of the questions that you might also have:
- Which Brand Does Not Have Any Issues?
It is hard to determine which brand does not have any issues. If you put some effort into your research, you should find that almost every brand has some form of an issue when it comes to its setup. You will need to find the brands with the least issues that you can live with.
- Does The Warranty Cover 5th Wheel Issues?
Many potential issues not caused by you should be covered in the warranty. However, buying a used 5th wheel might not have you covered. It is best to be diligent and ensure that you understand what the warranty covers. You should also be sure about your responsibilities and which issues the warranty does not cover.
Wrap-Up:
Dissecting some of the 5th wheel brands to avoid is not something that anyone enjoys. However, you need to be aware of potential issues that could cause you additional monetary issues. These are some of the worst 5th wheel brands to avoid. However, we would love to read some of your comments on brands and issues we might have missed.
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