In the Market for a New TT

[HBarlow]

I clicked on and looked over the product link. I'm unimpressed. That company is a new one in the industry and it looks like a silly design to me. The friction contact points appear much too small to provide much sway damping.

A Reese dual cam hitch assembly is a far better design, one that has been in service for fifty years or more.

IMO that is a new product pushed by RV dealers that they buy cheap and sell at a price point near what a high quality Reese would sell for.

 

[LRutigliano]

I thought it was normal. I'll just have to keep the TT clean. Grizzly, you are the primary inspiration behind my decision to start looking at Arctic Fox. All my research confirmed what you were saying on this forum. So, thanks.



Cheers,



Gabe

Congrats on your new trailer. Arctic Fox is an excellent brand and they have many nice features and very good quality.



Remember to keep your RV tires at their maximum inflation. From the pics, those look like 225/75-15's, most likely "D". You can easily improve your safety factor by going to load range "E", but weigh your trailer axles to see where you are at... If you have the physical space and the budget, upgrading to 16" rims and Michelin XPS Ribs is the way to go, but you will be looking at $900-$950 in tires and $400-$450 in new rims. Upgrading to "E" rated 15" ST tires will run approx $450... and for your size trailer should be fine. (waiting for the tire police to start ranting... . ) :-laf



Regarding the soot on the bumper... my truck used to do this, but it was more blue-ish... anyway an easy way to solve this issue is to install a SS or chrome exhaust tip (5" dia x 6" long) and you can adjust how far out you want it to protrude and it will allow the smoke to not touch your truck.



Best regards,

Louis

 

[georgej]

Having used an Equalizer hitch for 5 trips across the US I think they are one of the best available. Simple, robust and they work. Just keep a couple of spare hitchpins around in case you lose one. .

 

[AABEN]

I have a set of Goodyear ST tires on our trailer. When I got to camp last Thursday, the rear passenger side was nearly flat. It only had 20PSI in it. Luckily a friend that camped with us had a portable compressor with him. I think if I had gone more than a few more miles, it would have gone completely flat and/or blown out.



As it is, they are weathered and cracked far worse than I thought they were. They are getting replaced as soon as I can find the money for them if I can find an LT tire in the size needed and proper capacity.

I had Good Years on my fifth Wheel and blew all of then out in 4. 000 miles. I went with LT Transforce HT by Firestone have 36. 000+ and they still look new they are E rated 80 pound of air around 120. 00 per tire ST tires are rated for 65 MPH if you run interstste roads you will over run there rate of 65 MPH==Good luck

 

[HBarlow]

Having used an Equalizer hitch for 5 trips across the US I think they are one of the best available. Simple, robust and they work. Just keep a couple of spare hitchpins around in case you lose one. .

Which other brands of hitch have you used for comparison?

 

[BrianJ]

Which other brands of hitch have you used for comparison?

I see where you are going with that question. Georgej hasn't posted yet to provide the answer to other hitched used, but before you are critical about the hitch in question (equalizer), and that perhaps george doesn't have a solid base to compare if he hasn't towed with "the best" (i. e. Reese, per your opinion), shouldn't you hold yourself to the same standard and not criticize the equalizer hitch unless you have personally towed with said hitch?

 

[Mark31]

I see where you are going with that question. Georgej hasn't posted yet to provide the answer to other hitched used, but before you are critical about the hitch in question (equalizer), and that perhaps george doesn't have a solid base to compare if he hasn't towed with "the best" (i. e. Reese, per your opinion), shouldn't you hold yourself to the same standard and not criticize the equalizer hitch unless you have personally towed with said hitch?

Touche', Mr Mouse!

 

[NStates]

My wife and I travel and do volunteer work all over USA. We have made short trips and extended trips of 8 months. I have owned three fifth wheels. A Carriage prior to being sold out, a Teton and now a Mobile Suite. I find the Mobile Suite to be top of the line. When it comes to cold weather it is the best insulated and meets all the cold weather requirements. It is by far the best when towing. The air ride and hydraulic disc brakes makes it handle very well. I prefer the 32 ft model and find it very roomy with the three large slide outs. We have been traveling for 11 years and enjoy it very much. Have made two trips to Alaska as well as allover USA & Canada. I find you get what you pay for an the features of a high end unit makes life enjoyable.



Norm

 

[HBarlow]

I see where you are going with that question. Georgej hasn't posted yet to provide the answer to other hitched used, but before you are critical about the hitch in question (equalizer), and that perhaps george doesn't have a solid base to compare if he hasn't towed with "the best" (i. e. Reese, per your opinion), shouldn't you hold yourself to the same standard and not criticize the equalizer hitch unless you have personally towed with said hitch?

This was my comment:

I clearly stated the reasons for my opinion that the Reese is a better albeit perhaps more expensive choice.

"I clicked on and looked over the product link. I'm unimpressed. That company is a new one in the industry and it looks like a silly design to me. The friction contact points appear much too small to provide much sway damping.

A Reese dual cam hitch assembly is a far better design, one that has been in service for fifty years or more.

IMO that is a new product pushed by RV dealers that they buy cheap and sell at a price point near what a high quality Reese would sell for. "

I suggested that the Reese is a better hitch because it is made by the largest and oldest company in the industry and the hitch itself is a proven 50 or more year old design.

The poster who like the other hitch stated no reason for his claim that his choice is "one of the best available. "

My post was supported by evidence. His was not.

The difference should be fairly clear to most people.

 

[mgoncalves]

Any of you Arctic Fox guys have problems with the cabinets? I have an 07 22H and the doors keep falling off one by one, I replace the hinge screws with machine screws with washers on the back side of the cabinet when they fall off. I am admittedly very hard on the camper which is why I chose the Arctic Fox in the first place but just curious if anyone else has this problem.



By the way, ordered mine through that dealer right by the factory and did the tour of the factory in LaGrande, very impressed after seeing what the competition offers for small TT's. That was a fun trip, one of the last I had with my ex wife. We camped out through Idaho in a couple remote places we found on the way back, good memories.

 

[J D Moore]

No trouble with ours. Have towed 42K miles since purchase. Very pleased with the unit.
Jim and Kaye

 

[mgoncalves]

Oh I love mine, don't get me wrong. I just see the screws as an oversight on their part for the campers that get the snot beaten out of them (heavy oak doors screwed into particle board frames), they are supposedly the best for off road right? Like I said, I am very hard on the thing so I know there's going to be issues. I take my camper where a lot of guys won't take a new pickup :-laf

 

[Grizzly]

Any of you Arctic Fox guys have problems with the cabinets? I have an 07 22H and the doors keep falling off one by one, I replace the hinge screws with machine screws with washers on the back side of the cabinet when they fall off. I am admittedly very hard on the camper which is why I chose the Arctic Fox in the first place but just curious if anyone else has this problem.



By the way, ordered mine through that dealer right by the factory and did the tour of the factory in LaGrande, very impressed after seeing what the competition offers for small TT's. That was a fun trip, one of the last I had with my ex wife. We camped out through Idaho in a couple remote places we found on the way back, good memories.

No problems with ours and it's been through some rough secondary roads in Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. We bought Arctic Fox for that very reason, It rough and it's tough and it won't take s--- off of anyone.

 

[RVTRKN]

Any of you Arctic Fox guys have problems with the cabinets? I have an 07 22H and the doors keep falling off one by one, I replace the hinge screws with machine screws with washers on the back side of the cabinet when they fall off. I am admittedly very hard on the camper which is why I chose the Arctic Fox in the first place but just curious if anyone else has this problem.



By the way, ordered mine through that dealer right by the factory and did the tour of the factory in LaGrande, very impressed after seeing what the competition offers for small TT's. That was a fun trip, one of the last I had with my ex wife. We camped out through Idaho in a couple remote places we found on the way back, good memories.

Thats where I bought my 05 A/F in 09, they are very honest and family owned. Thunder RV is the name, he held my A/F, 33v for 48hrs without any deposits, until I could get there from SoCal. , Thats what I call customer friendly. My cabinet doors are just fine, but it only sees paved roads.

 

[mgoncalves]

Yep, Thunder RV. Very nice people indeed, they went above and beyond to see that we could do the tour of the factory and helped us out finding a great place to eat in town. You would think they would rush you through since all I had to do was hand them a check and hook up to the thing, but they really went the extra mile to make sure we enjoyed the whole experience. I know where I'm going to buy my 5th wheel when I'm ready.

 

[Grizzly]

Thunder RV was very snobbish with me when I called to get a quote on a new Arctic Fox 5er. They also gave me a high price. It wasn't just the salesman because I spoke to two different people. I was not at all impressed and I will never do business with them.



They have the attitude that because they are the closest dealer to the factory, they can do and say what they want.

 

[RVTRKN]

Thunder RV was very snobbish with me when I called to get a quote on a new Arctic Fox 5er. They also gave me a high price. It wasn't just the salesman because I spoke to two different people. I was not at all impressed and I will never do business with them.



They have the attitude that because they are the closest dealer to the factory, they can do and say what they want.

:--), I don't know who you talked too, but I did my business with the owner and his wife as well as the owners son-in-law. They may have hired new people since they had too downsize for the market in late 08, early 09. I would contact their web site and respond in the feedback section, maybe you will get a response, with an apology, well maybe something for that behavior!



Did you ask for the owner when you got that response? I don't blame you for thinking that, because that would be my response as well, but maybe inquire about the situation, so they can correct the employees behavior.

 

[sleddog]

have a keystone couger srx320 2008 ill sell ya. 5th wheel,35',side loader

 

[Grizzly]

:--), I don't know who you talked too, but I did my business with the owner and his wife as well as the owners son-in-law. They may have hired new people since they had too downsize for the market in late 08, early 09. I would contact their web site and respond in the feedback section, maybe you will get a response, with an apology, well maybe something for that behavior! Did you ask for the owner when you got that response? I don't blame you for thinking that, because that would be my response as well, but maybe inquire about the situation, so they can correct the employees behavior.

Steve, it's water under the bridge now. Actually I spoke to two very difficult RV Dealers in our pursuit to order a new Arctic Fox 5er. One was Thunder in La Grande, OR and the other one was in Seattle. I did not speak to the owners of either one because the sales people wouldn't allow me. Big mistake on their part!



I called almost every dealer in the Western half of the country and I got by far the best price and service from Pinehurst RV in Pinehurst, Idaho, which is between Kellogg and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. They were the friendliest and most helpful people, from the owners to all their staff. I negotiated the deal with one of the owners, and I did get a great deal.

Unfortunately the economic downturn got them. Pinehurst RV went out of business about 6 months after we purchased our 5er.



Aloha RV, here in Albuquerque, was also difficult to deal with and as a result are no longer Northwood Mfg Dealers.

 

[RVTRKN]

Its sad to hear about a good business go under, and that has repeated itself across the country. It has effected me as well, in 07, I set up my new 3500 C&C to tow RV's in the winter when my HVAC business would be slow under the best of times. As the winter ended in 08 and I finally had my commercial lic. , I managed to get one pull to Salt Lake, Utah and the Transport Co. wanted me to deadhead back the same distance to pull another, which I refused. It turns out that Weekend Warrior was trying to get as many units as they could to the dealers before they closed their doors, and history tells the rest.



My HVAC business is still intact, but I had to take a job too supplement my income. I am still better off than most, during these troubling times but I have a truck now that I have to pay registration and insurance with little profit, if any, to keep it on the road. It now sits in front of my house most of the time. I try too run it every now and again but too have to pay commercial rates, (Tags, 26K registration and commercial ins. ) it is expensive. I hope things will turn around, so I can drive it in the capacity that I hoped for when I purchased it.