Blasphemy!! Riverstone 5th Wheel vs Solitude

[Scott'n'Wendy]

When I had my Ram this is the one I was on the most. But its been awhile

https://www.cumminsforum.com/forums/

Me too. Still there. Don't engage a lot...but a lot of knowledgeable people there

 

[Wileykid]

When I had my RAM 3500, I put the Titan 48 gallon OEM replacement tank on it. It was great, picking the stations you want, and one of my routes, with that small tank and a headwind, it was not fun, coming in with less then a 1/4 tank due to the one station in between was not always open, and pulling into it was sketchy.

 

[Thorvald]

When I had my RAM 3500, I put the Titan 48 gallon OEM replacement tank on it. It was great, picking the stations you want, and one of my routes, with that small tank and a headwind, it was not fun, coming in with less then a 1/4 tank due to the one station in between was not always open, and pulling into it was sketchy.

Actually got some questions on that, The “Hanks” on YouTube recent put an S&B tank in their GMC Denali and are having all kinds of headaches with it. So I’m curious to hear what your experiences are with the Titan tank and the Ram.

They were not able to use high speed pumps at truckstops without it, premature stopping, or literally exploding back out the fill. When they checked with S&B they indicated that they don’t recommend using high speed pumps with their tanks. This is news to me. I swear I research these already and didn’t catch that issue but if it’s true, I won’t be grabbing one of their tanks. I want the option to use regular pumps or truckstops. Just curious how the Titan was?

They’re also still trying to solve issues where even a regular gas pump prematurely, shuts off, almost looks like their tank vent line is blocked or kinked. Have to wait for the next video to see what they found.

Of course, they didn’t use any diagnostic software to tell the truck that it had a larger tank so that’s likely some other problems. With the Ford you use forscan or Ram, alpha OBD.

 

[The Dill Pickle]

Doing a little due-diligence to see what’s out there other than a Solitude 388mbs, for office space and full time living.
Been looking at these for the last day on Youtube and doing some reading: 2025 RIVERSTONE 44DBL Floorplan - Forest River RV

Here’s the situation:
-House in contract and we need to vacate by July 30th.
-We can live in our 310Gk for a while, but want/need to upgrade.
-Our #1 option is the 388MBS Solitude, of course!
-However, we likely need to buy what’s on the lot, and I know off the bat I want/need the 8k axles and Disc breaks, would prefer dual pane windows and perhaps upgraded solar.
-The Rivertones are beasts and heavy, but with the triple-axle, a little better balanced.
-Riverstones also already come fully loaded - full body paint, beefier axles, disk breaks, dual-pane windows, washer/dryer included, dish washer, and second bathroom.
-The only issue, of course, is the horrible customer service & warranty reputation for Forest River. (I’m surprised they don’t have a dedicated support line for their premium rigs, but that’s Forrest River for you.) Otherwise, our unique situation would make this a no-brainer.
-Oh, and we’re going to need to take the loss and trade the 310 in, since we’ll likely be without sticks & bricks by the time we can close on a new rig.

Questions:
-What are anyone’s experience here with Forest River in general and the Riverstone models, specifically?
-What are the possibilities of actually finding a Solitude 388MBS already with the suspension/break upgrade and maybe even dual-pane windows?
-If we choose to live in the 310 for a few months, what’s the current lead time for a custom build from GD?

I know the brain trust here will have some great opinions and ideas!

-Colin & Tracy

I would look very carefully at the insulation ratings in the roof, floor, walls, and slide-out. Since you will in it during the winter months, inflatable skirting for the bottom of the rig is worthwhile too.

 

[Wileykid]

Actually got some questions on that, The “Hanks” on YouTube recent put an S&B tank in their GMC Denali and are having all kinds of headaches with it. So I’m curious to hear what your experiences are with the Titan tank and the Ram.

They were not able to use high speed pumps at truckstops without it, premature stopping, or literally exploding back out the fill. When they checked with S&B they indicated that they don’t recommend using high speed pumps with their tanks. This is news to me. I swear I research these already and didn’t catch that issue but if it’s true, I won’t be grabbing one of their tanks. I want the option to use regular pumps or truckstops. Just curious how the Titan was?

They’re also still trying to solve issues where even a regular gas pump prematurely, shuts off, almost looks like their tank vent line is blocked or kinked. Have to wait for the next video to see what they found.

Of course, they didn’t use any diagnostic software to tell the truck that it had a larger tank so that’s likely some other problems. With the Ford you use forscan or Ram, alpha OBD.

I did not have anymore problems with the Titan tank at truck stops that I didn't have with the OEM tank. I never go full blast with the nozzles in the truck lanes, usually ends up messy, three quarter pull is still faster than a regular nozzle, and regular nozzles were rarely an issue. Some of the problems people have, is they shove the pump nozzle in such a way that it blocks a large portion of the fill pipe, resulting in the displaced air not being able to escape as quick.

With the '19 RAM I had, you could not reprogram the fuel level, or the DTE, even though RAM had a 48 gallon OEM tank on the long bed (I had a short bed). That was a very minor issue, all I did was add 200 miles to what the original DTE had with a full tank, and when the needle started down after burning the tank down to the original 32 gallons, everything was correct.

 

[JM0397]

I finally got myself to a CAT scale the other day. I’m surprised how well balanced the Riverstone rig is - I expected maybe another 500-800 lbs on the pin. Man, my old truck would have been fine - could have saved me $16k! However, I still feel safer with the dually so I’m not going to sweat it.

Hitched up:
Steer axle: 5440 lbs
Drive axle: 7940 lbs
Trailert: 18920 lbs
Gross: 32200 lbs

TV Weight:
Steer axle: 5380 lbs
Drive axle: 4360 lbs

Totals:
Pin weight: 3,640 lbs
Gross Trailer weight: 22,560 lbs

TV is rated for 5,275 lbs capacity
Rig is rated for 23,940 lbs total capacity

So we're well within safety margins and can add some more items without worry (don’t really need anything else but maybe a generator and few more batteries some day if we want to do any dry camping).

 

[el Rojo]

How do you feel about the build quality excluding your AC issue?

 

[JM0397]

How do you feel about the build quality excluding your AC issue?

I’m very pleased - it is built like the proverbial brick-sh*&-house. Very solid, (for the size) quite easy to drive & maneuver. Love the dual pane windows & heavier insulation- it’s been great in the cold. Still an RV, still drafty and needed some towels stuffed in a few choice places, but we fared much better in the very cold a few weeks ago (16 degrees) and didn’t burn too much propane.
I did add an oil-filled electric radiator, so that plus the electric fireplace keeps us toasty w/o the furnace down into the mid-30s.
We’ve had a few minor issues, just like any RV, a bit of loose trim here and there, but, all in all, very solid build, IMO.

 

[el Rojo]

I’m very pleased - it is built like the proverbial brick-sh*&-house. Very solid, (for the size) quite easy to drive & maneuver. Love the dual pane windows & heavier insulation- it’s been great in the cold. Still an RV, still drafty and needed some towels stuffed in a few choice places, but we fared much better in the very cold a few weeks ago (16 degrees) and didn’t burn too much propane.
I did add an oil-filled electric radiator, so that plus the electric fireplace keeps us toasty w/o the furnace down into the mid-30s.
We’ve had a few minor issues, just like any RV, a bit of loose trim here and there, but, all in all, very solid build, IMO.

Glad it's working out for you.

 

[18CrewDually]

I’m very pleased - it is built like the proverbial brick-sh*&-house. Very solid, (for the size) quite easy to drive & maneuver. Love the dual pane windows & heavier insulation- it’s been great in the cold. Still an RV, still drafty and needed some towels stuffed in a few choice places, but we fared much better in the very cold a few weeks ago (16 degrees) and didn’t burn too much propane.
I did add an oil-filled electric radiator, so that plus the electric fireplace keeps us toasty w/o the furnace down into the mid-30s.
We’ve had a few minor issues, just like any RV, a bit of loose trim here and there, but, all in all, very solid build, IMO.

Any updates!? Hope all is well.