Looking for owners opinions on their GD TT

[Bamaman]

I am doing my research for my first travel trailer. From what I read, two names stand out for quality and customer support; Grand Design and Winnebago. Give me your real world view of GD TT.

Something I read a lot about are TT that may be only a year or so old and the owner has replaced or changed so many things. Water heaters, AC units, furnaces, faucets,...... From what I am reading these posts are not unique.

Lastly, of the GD TT floor plans several of them have the frig in a slideout. I read in another forum that a frig in a slideout is not recommended. When I asked why it was explained like this, "Because propane needs airflow over the rear coils .. easier done with a lower side vent and a roof vent not two side vents." Can someone with a frig in a slideout tell me what they think?

Grand Design was and is a very young RV company. In their short 5 years, they have quickly become a huge force in the travel trailer and fifth wheel industry. Winnebego purchased GD since they were heavy on Class A's and Class C's, and they have a great reputation in the market. Grand Design's big plus from day one has been customer support. Hopefully under Winnebego ownership, the brand will have the financial resources to continue to higher levels.

It is very rare that major components have been replaced on a very new unit. Don't always believe what you hear. And if there is a failure, they're usually covered by warranty.

The sliders in modern RV's is where the room to move around comes from. Refrigerators in slides have been there for years and years. With fans blowing air out the top vent, refrigerators can work perfectly fine. I fabricated new baffles on the top of my refrigerator pushing hot air out the top vent, and I keep ice cream hard even in summer. I certainly wouldn't want a refrigerator sitting out in the middle of my kitchen or taking up my cabinetry. My fridge is 100 lbs.--not a big issue for a slide to handle.

[Beachnut]

I like to watch youtube reviews - and have found more than one that state "you should not use a Shwintek slide to move anything heavy". "Josh the RV Nerd" says that on his well done slide comparison video at 7:50 into it, his review on Shwintek slides begins at 7:00 min.:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEN5gYf4lQ8
On the Momentum 25G that I like, the Shwintek slide has the potentially fully stuffed with food & beer 8 cu ft. refer, the oven, stove, 4 full size large drawers, 1 large cabinet, a microwave, vent hood, Fosgate subwoofer and a window. (See slide photo with stuff opened up). Pack that cupboard full of food, pots n pans, drawers full of kitchen stuff etc. and I would think it would add up to quite a bit of weight on the slide mechanism. I am not sure how that weight would effect that slide - bouncing harshly around down a pot holed interstate, or a 4x4 dirt road... I am SURE it would probably last through the 1 year warranty period, but I am concerned about 5+ years out, with about 200+ days camped and 30+ trips clocked on the trailer - which is about 1/2 of what we have done on our current trailer in 9+ years.. Will it still be functional then?? Anyone have a trailer with a similar "kitchen" Shwintek slide - that is 5+ years old and well used? How is it holding up?

[SJMaye]

Can someone with a 2500RL tell if there is access to the bedroom with the slide closed?

[Skiddy]

Can someone with a 2500RL tell if there is access to the bedroom with the slide closed?

The 2500RL has two door, one into the bedroom, one into the living area. Check the floor plan pics. Also because the bathroom has access from the bedroom, you can get to both the bedroom and bathroom thru the ‘front” door with the slide in. You can get to the fridge and pantry thru the “rear door”.

Don’t have a 2500RL, but it was our second choice in the Imagine model line.

[SJMaye]

Don’t have a 2500RL, but it was our second choice in the Imagine model line.

What was your first choice?

[Brewhedd]

Previous Travel Trailer - 2015 Forest River Rockwood 2702 SS
Problems found after purchase: 1 Entry door needed adjustment. Kitchen sink caulking needed removal and replacement. Small area on edge of tub wall panel came loose. Missing screw on cabinet door hinge.

Overall review: Nice mid level unit, fit and finish good, decent quality materials. Material on dinette cushions could have been much better. Bunk mattresses were comfortable but if they had been used more they probably would have needed to be replaced.

New Travel Trailer - 2019 Reflection 312 BHTS
Problems found after purchase: Entry door needed adjustment. Bathroom sink had small dent. 3 braces for exterior bottom metal skirt were unattached with broken screws. Exterior kitchen door wouldn't lock and lock also contacted drawer front damaging it. Stove edges were above countertop towards front. Bunk room sliding door finger pull on living room side fell out. Latch on one side of drop down bunk needed repair. Sewer cap cracked and leaked. Water drain valve leaked. Hot water heater exterior door didn't close properly. Shower walls at bottom, middle not secured. Bedroom door not installed properly (side out of plumb), casing and jamb cracked.

Overall review: Nice upper end unit, fit and finish is above average except for bedroom door which should not have been shipped in that condition. While materials and equipment are above average, noticed that some are not. For example, the kitchen fan is an upgraded model with wall push buttons while the bathroom fan is a very cheap model. The solid surface countertops are nice but the separate end storage units and bathroom tops are not the same solid surface type. The bunk mattresses are hard and uncomfortable, bedroom mattress is good quality. All cabinetry and wood in bedroom is good quality, definitely an upgrade. Television was a joke, replaced with Samsung immediately. No storage doors under dinette seats, would have been nice. No surround sound, standard on Rockwood. The colorplast panels on my Rockwood were attached at closer intervals and did not have large sagging areas. Roof flexes quite a bit (more than the Rockwood) and gel coat is very thin.

[Skiddy]

First choice was the 2150RB. PNW is our home area and at nights the AC is not on, we like a cross breeze in the bedroom so two windows was a must have, leaving the bedroom exit door open with only the screen was not an option for my wife. Dinettes are not our favourite. We find the seats uncomfortable and the carpeted floor under the dinette as it is in the slide is hard to clean, or so she says. Weather permitting, cooking and eating is an outside event. The bath on the 2150RB or the 2600RB made the sale, the 2600RB did not fit our at home storage space, so the 2150 was the winner for us.

[SJMaye]

I have been looking at so many trailer brands I am now a little confused. One of the brands touted an EZ lube system for the axle bearings. Does the 2500RL have this? Is the lubing system any good or a gimmick?

[FT4NOW]

I have been looking at so many trailer brands I am now a little confused. One of the brands touted an EZ lube system for the axle bearings. Does the 2500RL have this? Is the lubing system any good or a gimmick?

You dont want to use that. You are better off hand packing bearings or you risk putting grease past the grease seals and contaminating your brakes.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Skiddy]

Forest River has some equipped with with EZ Lube. IMO, EZ Lube or the quite different Bearing Buddies are for trailers that do not have brakes. Buddies are great on a boat trailer, you can push the old grease and water out the back seal. You do not want to push or have grease leaking out of a wheel bearing that can contaminate a brake drum. Under normal use 10,000 miles/16,000 Km or at least every couple of years is the service interval I use for bearings. Good time to check the hubs, brakes and bearings. If you are uncomfortable with doing service yourself, just because you have an EZ Lube axle doesn’t mean the wheel can be left in place for years while you squirt grease into the “black hole” in the hub. The grease is going somewhere and every couple years you have to look at the bearings. What is the benefit? In other words either you are going to do the full service or you are going to pay someone.