Lippert frame rust concern purchased new 2022 travel trailer

[VC 23RSS]

Watch the wire wheels.  They tend to burnish the base metal with dirt and other nasties.   I get as much rust of as I can by scraping or grinding then coat it with a rust converter.  Once dried, hit it with the grinder again.  Clean with mineral spirts and dry.  My all time favorite primer is NAPA Martin Senour self etching primer.  Couple of coats of primer then once good and dry a light scuff with 320 paper.  Another damp rag with mineral spirits and Rustoleum gloss when the mineral spirits have gassed off.  Three coats should be enough. 

 

For small, tight areas such as inside corners use a dremel to remove as much rust as you can.

[sandsys]

9 hours ago, jenandjon said:

Hit it with a wire wheel and rattle can it. 

That made me laugh out loud. Rattle can it. What a wonderfully description phrase!

Linda

[TXiceman]

18 hours ago, sandsys said:

That made me laugh out loud. Rattle can it. What a wonderfully description phrase!

Linda

That is about the equivalent to the paint put on by Lippert.

Ken

[franco-bolli]

Try not to fall into "buyers remorse". You've done the research and chosen the best rig for your use.   Forrest River, while not perfect, is a pretty good brand compare to some of the other tin cans sold as RV's.  From the sound of it, the usefullness of this trailer may not be as important as the kids leave the nest or become less interested, especially if you camp where there is no wifi🙃.. When that day comes, you can move this trailer and it's idiosyncrasies down the line to another RV'er.

In any case, your first trip will create memories that will shared by the family for years afterwards. Some good, hopefully none too bad, but all part of your life story as a family.

I have this on the back of my trailer:
"going where everyone has gone before" Stole and modified gratuitously from Star Trek.

Safe journeys.

[podwerkz]

On 8/1/2022 at 2:25 PM, franco-bolli said:

 

I have this on the back of my trailer:
"going where everyone has gone before" Stole and modified gratuitously from Star Trek.
 

So you dated the same girls I dated?

😆

[franco-bolli]

 

On 8/13/2022 at 8:32 AM, podwerkz said:

So you dated the same girls I dated?

😆

It seemed like the girls in my hometown were like parking spots..

All the good ones were taken.

🙊

[Beginner Trailer Family MA]

On 8/1/2022 at 3:25 PM, franco-bolli said:

Try not to fall into "buyers remorse". You've done the research and chosen the best rig for your use.   Forrest River, while not perfect, is a pretty good brand compare to some of the other tin cans sold as RV's.  From the sound of it, the usefullness of this trailer may not be as important as the kids leave the nest or become less interested, especially if you camp where there is no wifi🙃.. When that day comes, you can move this trailer and it's idiosyncrasies down the line to another RV'er.

In any case, your first trip will create memories that will shared by the family for years afterwards. Some good, hopefully none too bad, but all part of your life story as a family.

I have this on the back of my trailer:
"going where everyone has gone before" Stole and modified gratuitously from Star Trek.

Safe journeys.

Thanks to each individual that took the time to write a post.  We appreciated reading each person's perspective.  Kirk W. as well as Franco Bolli thank you for the additional comments!

I've been meaning to provide an update and its taken four months now to make it.

We picked up the brand new 2022 Forest River Avenger 30 foot travel trailer on Friday, Aug 5 at the dealership on I-87 north of Saratoga, NY.

The dealer, Alpin Haus switched the Avenger Oct 2021 built date trailer (rust on frame) to the identical Avenger Dec 2021 built date for no additional cost.

We pulled the brand new Avenger trailer west along I-90 and late at night stopped at a rest area south of Buffalo, NY near the PA state border.  Slept in the trailer overnight at the NY rest area on a hot, humid, & very muggy night with no AC,.but it all worked out.

We arrived at Kelly's Island (Lake Erie) Ohio on Sun, Aug 7 and stayed thru Tues, Aug 16.  The toughest part was backing the trailer in the campsite.  We departed Kelly's Island State Park after 9 nights and pulled it across the agricultural heartland of Ohio from Kelley's Island towards the I-75 corridor to get to Ohio's Grand Lake Saint Marys State Park.

We then departed Grand Lake St Marys State Park on Aug 19 and drove back to Massachusetts, once again staying overnight on the interstate western PA.

Bottomline, we made great memories with the family!  Catherine age 12 & John age 10 and we had a blast with the new trailer.  I can't imagine tent camping again!

We ended up not using the trailer again in Sept & Oct and winterized it on the first Saturday in November.

Thanks again for the guidance.  We are now ready to pull it to our next destination in April 2023 during the kid's spring school break week.  Williamsburg, VA has been tossed around as a possible location.

Here's to RVing and making more positive memories using the 2022 Forest River Avenger trailer!

[Kirk W]

5 hours ago, Beginner Trailer Family MA said:

  I can't imagine tent camping again!

Thanks for returning to share the results of your efforts! And it seems that you now also have begun to have the kinds of experiences that have made all of us such believers in the RV lifestyle!

[sandsys]

Excellent update!, thank you. I was ten when my parents first took me camping in a trailer so I suspect your kids will now be hooked for life as well.

Linda Sand