Thank you for your videos. I THOUGHT I wanted to upgrade from tent camping to an Rpod, but you've cured that desire and saved me a ton of headache and cash! I can't stand a manufacturer that doesn't stand behind their products!
Thanks John another potential trouble spot😢 I had water intrusion in the hook up light. Had to replace the switch, bad place for something that may face wind blown rain and is not weather proof. I put a trap doors under the bed to access the water heater pump area.
Michael, it's a great question without a great answer. I think the front corners of the R-Pods of this size and age are having some similar issues. It appears to be a combination of poor design and poor build quality.
My floor on my 177 2011 is very soft on the table area. Will tackle that problem this winter. Like you I notice it came from the joint in the front. Thanks for your video.
@JohnMarucci thank you for the Rpod series, very informative. I am currently doing maintenance on 2019 178 and also discovered broken seal on the front lower corner. Inspecting the cargo area, there are no visual indications of water damage (no floor ripples, soft spots, stains), everything is dry to the touch and smells fresh. However, moisture meter shows “wet” in the cargo door area (about 6” in and then bone dry again). Would you recommend cutting and lifting the floor to inspect or wait for visual clues? I understand moisture meters often give false positives (wires, metal etc). PS. The corner inside is dry as well
@@JohnMarucciThanks for the prompt reply John! I’ll reseal the trim rail and do a water test after, and go from there keeping an eye on any indication of moisture trapped in cargo door area
John, great video! We have a 2018.5 R-Pod 190, I noticed a small gap in the silicon right in the same corner, but on the opposite side, the side with the water heater. So I removed all the old silicone and redid it. Now I’m going to go over it with a fine tooth comb. We live in Walla Walla Washington and have really hot summers (especially this year, 100°+ for several weeks now with minimal breaks), I have a environmental monitoring thermostat/humidity in the R-Pod, the highest it’s gotten inside was 131°! The bottom center trim (8” wood) on the outside of the bathroom door fell off, found that it was double sticked on with tape 😳 fun times. Keep up the great work.
Joe, thanks for the comment. I am glad the video was helpful. Sounds the intense heat has caused some issues. I had something similar recently where my R-Pod's shower surround bowed out due to the heat. Seems like trim inside is a regular issue. All the best!
Excellent video & Excellent repair work! All that flooring material was doing was hiding the problem. I think 🤔 I would try to clean 🧼 sand and West System Epoxy fiberglass the entire floor area. I don’t know 🤷♂️ if I would replace the vinyl flooring with new or not! Not right away anyway!
Right, you certainly need to ensure things are fully dry and that the source of the leak is fixed before using vinyl sheet again. Thanks for the comment!
2018 180 here. Two leaks: 1) driver rear corner from me siliconing the trim cover and not allowing water behind the trim to drain properly and/or silicone seal failure in that area (just like yours). 2) gasket under slide had a fold and allowed water to run down and drip onto the floor. I’ve also had a shower leak (seal failure around drain) and the kitchen plumbing leak . I swapped the pluming with flexible tubing and haven’t had the problem.
My zinger 2006 20 ft camper trailer that I've been living in suddenly started leaking from the light fixture closest to the wall above my kitchen table and wall radio. It only leaked when it was downpouring rain it is at a steady rain right now but it is no longer leaking from the light fixture I already put a heavy layer of rubber roof coating within the last 6 months could it be the seams that would cause this because I did not cock the seams yet. They looked okay.
I have a 2016 and a half green r-pod 180 the labels and outside are beginning to fade any idea what I can do about that where I could get new labels or should I just take them off.
If you haven’t already seen this, I recently did a video on replacement of the vinyl decal on my R-Pod. You may still be able to order them directly from Forest River. If after watching the video you are interested, please let me know. Here is the link to the video: th-cam.com/video/NX6PuvjzIZI/w-d-xo.html
Hello! I've searched your videos and can't find an answer to my question, so I'm hoping you will see this and be able to help. We recently bought a 2017 Rpod 171. We are in Indiana and were afraid to attempt sealant work ourselves due to the weather, so we got it into an RV service center. Unfortunately, their work was sloppy at best and faulty at worst. Sealant gaps/voids along the top of the rear window, dirt, and debris underneath the new sealant where they failed to clean the area (some places they did this even though the current sealant was in good shape). We've patched voids, are using a cover since we have to store it outdoors at our home, and are hoping it gets through the winter. We plan on doing the work ourselves this spring. My question is what type of sealant do you use on top of lights, along edge trim? I noticed in this video that it looks like it has a bluish tint. The RV center used a clear sealant but we've found that makes it difficult to see when there's an issue. Any advice you could offer would be appreciated. Your videos have already helped us immensely with winterizing the unit and I'm sure will continue to do so in the future.
Sorry to hear about the poor quality work done to your RV. You mentioned that you plan to do the sealing this spring. If you need to pull the existing caulk, clean the area, and recaulk, it is a tough job. You may want to talk to a couple of mobile RV techs about doing the work yourself and see how they would tackle it before committing yourself. If you feel good about the mobile tech, you may want to consider using them. Otherwise, I have used Dicor to seal various areas on the roof and on flat surfaces. The Blue tinted caulk was from R-Pod that they gave me on a trip to the factory when my 2017 179 was year old. I am not sure they would still have the same colored caulk available, but you can try contacting them: (jweldy@forestriverinc.com).
@@JohnMarucci Thank you so much! We are reaching out to some other local shops. We are in northeast Indiana and haven't been able to find any mobile techs in our area. And after this bad experience, we are, of course, concerned about running into the same issue. We like to support smaller shops, but maybe we should go with a larger RV dealer. Again, thank you for the information!
We have a 2020 R-Pod 189. I have noticed that our rear cargo door leaks a small amount after a hard rain. Thank you for this video. I will add a seal like you did to prevent water damage. I always enjoy your videos.
Stacy, I am glad the video was helpful. Adding the window seal material to the cargo door was fairly straight forward. I hope it helps your cargo door seal better. Thanks for the comment!
John, sorry to hear that happened but glad you got it solved! I've had two water leak issues both in the same cargo hold area. One was the water tubing must have gotten a slight cut at the factory and burst after about 6 months using the trailer. Luckily I had some duct tape to temporarily fix it while I was camping until I could put in a new piece of tubing. The other time was a doozy as the dealer was diagnosing a problem with the furnace not working while still under warranty and removed it but found it worked fine on the bench so the tech put it back in but in a slightly offset position from the original position and a screw went through a water hose buried below the floor! The tech had to literally remove the bed structure, peel back the vinyl flooring , and cut a hole in the subfloor to repair it and then put it all back together again. It turns out the water heater didn't work because a poorly made electrical connection at the factory! Speaking of poor electrical connections I recently found a major ground connection was not properly made at the factory that was behind an access panel I had to remove to repair the shelf in the kitchen corner cabinet that collapsed because the cheap staples used to on the braces holding it up came undone and I replaced them with screws and added additional bracing. Luckily like you I am a pretty handy guy at doing repairs.
Mike, wow, what a wide ride. I am hoping that with these latest fixes, I'll be able to enjoy my Pod for a while. It does feel just a bit like having a 70's car that you fix up and get running, hoping something else won't go wrong for a while. All the best!
Awesome video, it's like you've been an RV repairman for 20 years. I am kinda surprised you didn't water test the whole front of the trailer though before you found the bad outer shell seals. But you did a great job just going through the whole problem in your video, will def help other campers out
Right, I should have done as you mentioned. It was very imperceptible crack in the caulk seal which a water test likely would have shown. Thanks for the comment!
HI John, we chatted earlier on FB regarding the sagging side walls. I want you to know that earlier this summer, this particular video prompted me to inspect more closely the rusted staples in the cargo area of my 179. Even with allergies and a highly sensitive sense of smell, I never noticed a any musty odor. However, using your instructons, I cut the vinyl flooring out of the cargo area and discovered black decomposed luann boards. I peeled the rotten plywood off to bare the styrofoam layer and also exposed the beveled 2x4 that runs across the width of the camper in the front. I could not believe the level of decomposition in that board! Based on my experience with the sagging wall repair, I knew this was going to be an expensive repair. So I jumped in and was able to use a multi tool, hammer and chisel to remove that board. As I did this, I was able to isolate the source of the water as coming from the seal around the cargo door. Instead of a wood 2x4, I laminated 2 artificial wood deck board together and bevel cut it using the rotted board as a guide. There were so many little issues to be repaired during this process but my husband joined in and we are satisfied with our work. Instead of reinstalling vinyl, I opted to put in a piece of all weather carpet that will allow water to evaporate in the future. I also seized the opportunity to remove the queen mattress and put in 2 custom (by me) 69x27 memory foam mattresses so that I can more readily monitor the area from the inside. We are learning how to make adjustments to bed length every time we take the camper out. But we're happy so far. Thanks again for your videos!
Katherine, thanks for sharing your process on your fixes. Sounds like a lot of work but that you may be in a good place for a while. Thanks again for sharing!
Thanks for the video, I found a few drops of rain inside my storage area in my Rpod 192 near the door.I going to reseal my doors also.My RV is a 2020 model.
Thank you John. My 179 is currently in the shop having all seals from top to bottom replaced. Not an inexpensive job but we think well worth it. My next item will be to check the inside as you have shown. My husband and I are both seniors and could not have accomplished it on our own as you have. We have had to have our black tank support fixed twice. Both times on the way to Colorado. Thank goodness the tank was empty. Keep up these videos please. They are a big help.
Kathie, I am glad the videos have been helpful. One of the purposes of showing these is to help folks measure if they want to tackle things themselves or have someone help out. Glad to be of help. All the best!
Thanks… very well documented-nice work! I’m keeping a towel inside each of my cargo doors 🤞no leaks… your video helped to see how the R-Pod is constructed…Thanks Again for your insights.
Harley, I didn't want to leave the floor uncovered as the new vinyl does provide a bit of water and scuff protection to the wood subfloor. The old vinyl floor was pretty much unusable once I cut it out. Thanks for the comment!
We have a 2016 180. The floor in front of the bathroom door and kitchen is very soft. My husband looked everywhere he could. We found no leaks. We were told there's styrofoam under there?? We're wanting to sell our 180 to upgrade. But first we have to figure this problem. Any ideas?
Katie, the R-Pod floors are a Styrofoam sandwiched by thin Luan board. It is possible that the floor is just wearing in that area and that there is no leak. There is little support for the floor in certain areas. I'll put a link below to a soft floor issue I had with my R-Pod 179 and what had to be done. Here is the video link: th-cam.com/video/vGOfQqqu18o/w-d-xo.html
Problem was, I was pretty confident that it was the door, but had a nagging feeling about it. Had to make a decision to put the floor in not having further evidence of other area of leak. The outside caulk appeared fine until discovering very late. Thanks!
John , Nice observations and properly cured ! One thing I have researched and used is a product called M1 by Chemlink , well worth it for you to look into it .
The RPods are known for poor quality workmanship we had a 2019 190 that was a piece of junk the skylight leak and the weatherstripping around the slide out so many problems we sold ours sorry for what hadn’t to yours
No one would tolerate the amount of poor quality craftsmanship found on RV's if they were on a car of the same age (for example). I received a quote for a 2023 Rpod 180 and the SALE price was $43K CDN.
I suppose the question is, why do people continue to buy RVs given your points made? There is little incentive for manufacturers to improve quality as long as consumers continue to buy. Thanks for adding you purchase info. I personally would not buy a new R-Pod given the lack of composite sub flooring and the paltry 1-Year warranty. All the best!
@@JohnMarucci I also would not buy a Rpod for the reasons you listed in this video, as well as complaints from Facebook groups and other online forums. The gov't could change the definition of RV to demand the manufacturers produce better quality products. It has worked in the auto industry. And we love camping and being outdoors enough to put up with cheap RV's (I guess?). I'm still tenting but sleeping on a cold ground isn't as fun as it once was. :)
John, I love seeing your fixes. I have a 2017 rp179. Love the little guy and I put it through some long drags. I am currently in Alaska after driving for 11 days from Indiana. My newest, future repair will be to redo the bed support area. You can see my latest video, "Repairs in Anchorage" to see my problem. I recommend you add a brace under the bed.
Thank you for the video. Glad you found the leak early. I am looking to get a camper but have not place to keep it at the house. What do you look for when you are looking at camper storage places?
Thanks for the comment. As far as storage, I would look for fenced and gated with a pass code and paved (or graveled). It also needs to be actively managed, meaning there are cameras on the storage area and things aren't overgrown. I'd also avoid too small a place or somewhere where you would be the only RV. Hope this helps!
Thank you for your videos. I THOUGHT I wanted to upgrade from tent camping to an Rpod, but you've cured that desire and saved me a ton of headache and cash! I can't stand a manufacturer that doesn't stand behind their products!
Glad I could help!
Thanks John another potential trouble spot😢 I had water intrusion in the hook up light. Had to replace the switch, bad place for something that may face wind blown rain and is not weather proof.
I put a trap doors under the bed to access the water heater pump area.
Rob, the trap door is a great idea. It's a real hassle to remove the plywood. Thanks!
Why does the fiberglass flex at the corner? It should be fixed to the frame at that point.
Michael, it's a great question without a great answer. I think the front corners of the R-Pods of this size and age are having some similar issues. It appears to be a combination of poor design and poor build quality.
My floor on my 177 2011 is very soft on the table area. Will tackle that problem this winter. Like you I notice it came from the joint in the front. Thanks for your video.
Glad the video was helpful. All the best in your repairs!
@JohnMarucci thank you for the Rpod series, very informative. I am currently doing maintenance on 2019 178 and also discovered broken seal on the front lower corner. Inspecting the cargo area, there are no visual indications of water damage (no floor ripples, soft spots, stains), everything is dry to the touch and smells fresh. However, moisture meter shows “wet” in the cargo door area (about 6” in and then bone dry again). Would you recommend cutting and lifting the floor to inspect or wait for visual clues? I understand moisture meters often give false positives (wires, metal etc).
PS. The corner inside is dry as well
I’d probably avoid tearing up the floor given the info you presented.
@@JohnMarucciThanks for the prompt reply John! I’ll reseal the trim rail and do a water test after, and go from there keeping an eye on any indication of moisture trapped in cargo door area
John, great video! We have a 2018.5 R-Pod 190, I noticed a small gap in the silicon right in the same corner, but on the opposite side, the side with the water heater. So I removed all the old silicone and redid it. Now I’m going to go over it with a fine tooth comb. We live in Walla Walla Washington and have really hot summers (especially this year, 100°+ for several weeks now with minimal breaks), I have a environmental monitoring thermostat/humidity in the R-Pod, the highest it’s gotten inside was 131°! The bottom center trim (8” wood) on the outside of the bathroom door fell off, found that it was double sticked on with tape 😳 fun times. Keep up the great work.
Joe, thanks for the comment. I am glad the video was helpful. Sounds the intense heat has caused some issues. I had something similar recently where my R-Pod's shower surround bowed out due to the heat. Seems like trim inside is a regular issue. All the best!
Thank you, always helpful info!
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent video & Excellent repair work!
All that flooring material was doing was hiding the problem. I think 🤔 I would try to clean 🧼 sand and West System Epoxy fiberglass the entire floor area. I don’t know 🤷♂️ if I would replace the vinyl flooring with new or not! Not right away anyway!
Right, you certainly need to ensure things are fully dry and that the source of the leak is fixed before using vinyl sheet again. Thanks for the comment!
2018 180 here. Two leaks: 1) driver rear corner from me siliconing the trim cover and not allowing water behind the trim to drain properly and/or silicone seal failure in that area (just like yours). 2) gasket under slide had a fold and allowed water to run down and drip onto the floor. I’ve also had a shower leak (seal failure around drain) and the kitchen plumbing leak . I swapped the pluming with flexible tubing and haven’t had the problem.
Thanks for the comment. Sharing your experience is appreciated!
Amazing detail. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful. All the best!
Good job thanks get tips.
Glad to help
Thanks mr marucci, perfect guide for our R-180. Thanks.
Thanks! Glad the video was helpful!
My zinger 2006 20 ft camper trailer that I've been living in suddenly started leaking from the light fixture closest to the wall above my kitchen table and wall radio. It only leaked when it was downpouring rain it is at a steady rain right now but it is no longer leaking from the light fixture I already put a heavy layer of rubber roof coating within the last 6 months could it be the seams that would cause this because I did not cock the seams yet. They looked okay.
Leaks are difficult to diagnose. I personally would check all seams on the roof given what you mentioned. Is there a slide anywhere nearby?
Excellent work as always.
Thanks for the comment!
I have a 2016 and a half green r-pod 180 the labels and outside are beginning to fade any idea what I can do about that where I could get new labels or should I just take them off.
If you haven’t already seen this, I recently did a video on replacement of the vinyl decal on my R-Pod. You may still be able to order them directly from Forest River. If after watching the video you are interested, please let me know. Here is the link to the video: th-cam.com/video/NX6PuvjzIZI/w-d-xo.html
Again, thank you John!
Hello! I've searched your videos and can't find an answer to my question, so I'm hoping you will see this and be able to help. We recently bought a 2017 Rpod 171. We are in Indiana and were afraid to attempt sealant work ourselves due to the weather, so we got it into an RV service center. Unfortunately, their work was sloppy at best and faulty at worst. Sealant gaps/voids along the top of the rear window, dirt, and debris underneath the new sealant where they failed to clean the area (some places they did this even though the current sealant was in good shape). We've patched voids, are using a cover since we have to store it outdoors at our home, and are hoping it gets through the winter. We plan on doing the work ourselves this spring. My question is what type of sealant do you use on top of lights, along edge trim? I noticed in this video that it looks like it has a bluish tint. The RV center used a clear sealant but we've found that makes it difficult to see when there's an issue. Any advice you could offer would be appreciated. Your videos have already helped us immensely with winterizing the unit and I'm sure will continue to do so in the future.
Sorry to hear about the poor quality work done to your RV. You mentioned that you plan to do the sealing this spring. If you need to pull the existing caulk, clean the area, and recaulk, it is a tough job. You may want to talk to a couple of mobile RV techs about doing the work yourself and see how they would tackle it before committing yourself. If you feel good about the mobile tech, you may want to consider using them. Otherwise, I have used Dicor to seal various areas on the roof and on flat surfaces. The Blue tinted caulk was from R-Pod that they gave me on a trip to the factory when my 2017 179 was year old. I am not sure they would still have the same colored caulk available, but you can try contacting them: (jweldy@forestriverinc.com).
@@JohnMarucci Thank you so much! We are reaching out to some other local shops. We are in northeast Indiana and haven't been able to find any mobile techs in our area. And after this bad experience, we are, of course, concerned about running into the same issue. We like to support smaller shops, but maybe we should go with a larger RV dealer. Again, thank you for the information!
We have a 2020 R-Pod 189. I have noticed that our rear cargo door leaks a small amount after a hard rain. Thank you for this video. I will add a seal like you did to prevent water damage. I always enjoy your videos.
Stacy, I am glad the video was helpful. Adding the window seal material to the cargo door was fairly straight forward. I hope it helps your cargo door seal better. Thanks for the comment!
Thank you. I will do an inspection on my Jayco Eagle in the next few days.
Glad the video was helpful!
John, sorry to hear that happened but glad you got it solved! I've had two water leak issues both in the same cargo hold area. One was the water tubing must have gotten a slight cut at the factory and burst after about 6 months using the trailer. Luckily I had some duct tape to temporarily fix it while I was camping until I could put in a new piece of tubing. The other time was a doozy as the dealer was diagnosing a problem with the furnace not working while still under warranty and removed it but found it worked fine on the bench so the tech put it back in but in a slightly offset position from the original position and a screw went through a water hose buried below the floor! The tech had to literally remove the bed structure, peel back the vinyl flooring , and cut a hole in the subfloor to repair it and then put it all back together again. It turns out the water heater didn't work because a poorly made electrical connection at the factory! Speaking of poor electrical connections I recently found a major ground connection was not properly made at the factory that was behind an access panel I had to remove to repair the shelf in the kitchen corner cabinet that collapsed because the cheap staples used to on the braces holding it up came undone and I replaced them with screws and added additional bracing. Luckily like you I am a pretty handy guy at doing repairs.
Mike, wow, what a wide ride. I am hoping that with these latest fixes, I'll be able to enjoy my Pod for a while. It does feel just a bit like having a 70's car that you fix up and get running, hoping something else won't go wrong for a while. All the best!
Awesome video, it's like you've been an RV repairman for 20 years.
I am kinda surprised you didn't water test the whole front of the trailer though before you found the bad outer shell seals.
But you did a great job just going through the whole problem in your video, will def help other campers out
Right, I should have done as you mentioned. It was very imperceptible crack in the caulk seal which a water test likely would have shown. Thanks for the comment!
As always my friend amazing how too and great job!
Thanks Jason!
Where did you get the blue caulk?
We were able to get it from Forest River when having some service done early on at the factory.
HI John, we chatted earlier on FB regarding the sagging side walls. I want you to know that earlier this summer, this particular video prompted me to inspect more closely the rusted staples in the cargo area of my 179. Even with allergies and a highly sensitive sense of smell, I never noticed a any musty odor. However, using your instructons, I cut the vinyl flooring out of the cargo area and discovered black decomposed luann boards. I peeled the rotten plywood off to bare the styrofoam layer and also exposed the beveled 2x4 that runs across the width of the camper in the front. I could not believe the level of decomposition in that board! Based on my experience with the sagging wall repair, I knew this was going to be an expensive repair. So I jumped in and was able to use a multi tool, hammer and chisel to remove that board. As I did this, I was able to isolate the source of the water as coming from the seal around the cargo door. Instead of a wood 2x4, I laminated 2 artificial wood deck board together and bevel cut it using the rotted board as a guide. There were so many little issues to be repaired during this process but my husband joined in and we are satisfied with our work. Instead of reinstalling vinyl, I opted to put in a piece of all weather carpet that will allow water to evaporate in the future. I also seized the opportunity to remove the queen mattress and put in 2 custom (by me) 69x27 memory foam mattresses so that I can more readily monitor the area from the inside. We are learning how to make adjustments to bed length every time we take the camper out. But we're happy so far. Thanks again for your videos!
Katherine, thanks for sharing your process on your fixes. Sounds like a lot of work but that you may be in a good place for a while. Thanks again for sharing!
Thanks for the video, I found a few drops of rain inside my storage area in my Rpod 192 near the door.I going to reseal my doors also.My RV is a 2020 model.
Glad I could help!
Thank you John. My 179 is currently in the shop having all seals from top to bottom replaced. Not an inexpensive job but we think well worth it. My next item will be to check the inside as you have shown. My husband and I are both seniors and could not have accomplished it on our own as you have. We have had to have our black tank support fixed twice. Both times on the way to Colorado. Thank goodness the tank was empty. Keep up these videos please. They are a big help.
Kathie, I am glad the videos have been helpful. One of the purposes of showing these is to help folks measure if they want to tackle things themselves or have someone help out. Glad to be of help. All the best!
Link to all R-Pod videos: johnmarucci.com/r-pod-video-list/
Thanks… very well documented-nice work!
I’m keeping a towel inside each of my cargo doors 🤞no leaks… your video helped to see how the R-Pod is constructed…Thanks Again for your insights.
Glad the video was helpful!
Thanks for the great video. I feel your pain where a simple project becomes a total pain.
Yep, been there more than a few times. It is tough to manage expectation, especially when you just want to get the trailer out!
John, wondering why new flooring was necessary. The floor is in an area that nobody sees.
Harley, I didn't want to leave the floor uncovered as the new vinyl does provide a bit of water and scuff protection to the wood subfloor. The old vinyl floor was pretty much unusable once I cut it out. Thanks for the comment!
We have a 2016 180. The floor in front of the bathroom door and kitchen is very soft. My husband looked everywhere he could. We found no leaks. We were told there's styrofoam under there?? We're wanting to sell our 180 to upgrade. But first we have to figure this problem. Any ideas?
Katie, the R-Pod floors are a Styrofoam sandwiched by thin Luan board. It is possible that the floor is just wearing in that area and that there is no leak. There is little support for the floor in certain areas. I'll put a link below to a soft floor issue I had with my R-Pod 179 and what had to be done. Here is the video link: th-cam.com/video/vGOfQqqu18o/w-d-xo.html
@@JohnMarucci thank you
Another good video, thank you. Question why would you go ahead are install a new floor without confidently finding the origin of the leak first?
Problem was, I was pretty confident that it was the door, but had a nagging feeling about it. Had to make a decision to put the floor in not having further evidence of other area of leak. The outside caulk appeared fine until discovering very late. Thanks!
John , Nice observations and properly cured ! One thing I have researched and used is a product called M1 by Chemlink , well worth it for you to look into it .
Ken, thanks for the product tip!
The RPods are known for poor quality workmanship we had a 2019 190 that was a piece of junk the skylight leak and the weatherstripping around the slide out so many problems we sold ours sorry for what hadn’t to yours
David, I also have had my struggles with mine. Sorry to hear about your issues. Hopefully you got something that is now working for you. All the best!
Water has to be the worst enemy to any RV!
Tim, My opinion as well. It would be nice to not have any more water issues!
No one would tolerate the amount of poor quality craftsmanship found on RV's if they were on a car of the same age (for example). I received a quote for a 2023 Rpod 180 and the SALE price was $43K CDN.
I suppose the question is, why do people continue to buy RVs given your points made? There is little incentive for manufacturers to improve quality as long as consumers continue to buy. Thanks for adding you purchase info. I personally would not buy a new R-Pod given the lack of composite sub flooring and the paltry 1-Year warranty. All the best!
@@JohnMarucci I also would not buy a Rpod for the reasons you listed in this video, as well as complaints from Facebook groups and other online forums.
The gov't could change the definition of RV to demand the manufacturers produce better quality products. It has worked in the auto industry.
And we love camping and being outdoors enough to put up with cheap RV's (I guess?). I'm still tenting but sleeping on a cold ground isn't as fun as it once was. :)
I may put out a video shortly on my take why things are so bad. There are several reasons and incentives for manufacturers to do what they do.
John, I love seeing your fixes. I have a 2017 rp179. Love the little guy and I put it through some long drags. I am currently in Alaska after driving for 11 days from Indiana. My newest, future repair will be to redo the bed support area. You can see my latest video, "Repairs in Anchorage" to see my problem. I recommend you add a brace under the bed.
Thanks for sharing the tip! Have a great trip!
Thank you for the video. Glad you found the leak early. I am looking to get a camper but have not place to keep it at the house. What do you look for when you are looking at camper storage places?
Thanks for the comment. As far as storage, I would look for fenced and gated with a pass code and paved (or graveled). It also needs to be actively managed, meaning there are cameras on the storage area and things aren't overgrown. I'd also avoid too small a place or somewhere where you would be the only RV. Hope this helps!
I am very lucky to be able to store my 2017 R-Pod Model 179 indoors. A defunct lumber mill nearby has been converted into indoor RV storage.
Surprising how sparsely framed that bed is.
It sure is. The rest of the framing is similarly scant. However, it works and they were trying to keep weight down.