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Old 10-17-2020, 12:56 PM   #5
R.S.O'Donnell
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Posts: 607
M.O.C. #25842
Quote:
Originally Posted by NixonFamilyRV View Post
Greetings RV Friends,

I’m hoping to connect with other MHC 376FL owners here. We ordered ours in March of 2020, and just took delivery the first week of September. Bought it sight-unseen, though we had been able to take a tour of one in February before we made the final decision.

I feel like I’m struggling with a lot of disappointments with the RV. This isn’t my first new RV purchase, nor my first sight-unseen purchase. I fully expected numerous little ‘ankle-biter’ issues, and for the most part I’ve deal with the most annoying issues. But, honestly, we feel like Keystone really missed the mark in the quality department on this unit. We expected more for a “luxury” class unit. I’m waiting for the dealer to assist with a warranty claim for the LED strip that’s supposed to be across the top of the front cap (the unit arrived with that strip having been torn off and only about 6” of it were left, and it was pointing UP toward the roof...). I’ve recently discovered my rear AC does not appear to produce cool air, just blows outdoor air into the coach. That was a very unfortunate discovery while on our first trip out with the unit in Kansas City, MO. Yuck. It was HOT, and we were pretty miserable. There are a LOT of other dumb little issues I’m working through, like they mounted the microwave really crooked, we have blinds that don’t stay down when you pull them, other blinds not mounted even close to center to the window, one screen is the completely wrong size for the window and it just falls out, etc...

Right now, my main problem is the low tail. The dropped frame on the back, plus the length from the rear axle to the tail, seems like a bad combination. Additionally, the fresh water drain is clear back there at the tail, and I’ve scraped the tail enough times that the drain pipe has started leaking. It’s presently being held together with a generous amount of electrical tape, and I’ll be looking at options for relocating that drain. Seems that even the slightest of dip, even just getting in and our of some gas stations, was all it took for me to scrape the tail on the pavement. I’ve read online other owners have had little wheels welded to the tail to help. Is that really a viable solution? Wouldn’t that just put strain on the frame every time I whack the tail on the ground?

Another part of my trouble could be that my truck holds the trailer a little nose-high. Full disclosure: this is my first fifth-wheel trailer, but I’ve had several travel trailers. When building the hitch rig for this trailer, I opted to go with Pull-Rite’s CBT (clean bed technology) industry standard rail system. This system uses rails that are a little taller than standard rails that are bolted to the floor of the bed. I’m also using Pull-Rite’s Super Glide auto-slider hitch, which doesn’t have any height adjustment to it. I have a little over 9” of clearance between the bed rails and the bottom of the trailer overhang, which seems like a bit much. If I could get it lowered a couple of inches, I think it would really help.

Now that I’ve rambled a bit, this brings me to my second question for the group here. Does the 2021 MHC 376FL with the Lippert Rotaflex pin box offer any height adjustment? I’ve looked it over, and visually it appears that I cannot raise the pin box to lower the trailer. The pin box is already pretty close to the fiberglass that’s right above it, and I don’t see any holes left that would raise the box. It appears to already be at its highest adjustment point. As I mentioned earlier, I have just over 9” of clearance at the bed rails; bed floor to the top of my fifth wheel plate is almost exactly 20”. Partly because the Pull-Rite CBT ISR system uses rails that are about 3.25” tall, instead of the standard bolt-down rails that are closer to 1” off the bed floor if I’m not mistaken.

If I can’t lower the trailer at the pin box, my other options will require a fairly major change to the rig. Different hitch, different rails, maybe installing a gooseneck ball on the truck and trying the Andersen Ultimate, or changing trucks altogether and buying something with a factory puck system so I can attach the hitch directly to the floor of the bed.

In closing, I really want to love this trailer, but I’m struggling a bit. There’s plenty I do like about it, but right now I’m apprehensive to take it anywhere until I get it to ride level on my tow vehicle. I’m very hopeful that if I can lower the nose a couple of inches, it may help alleviate the headache of the tail dragging everywhere. Advice and questions are very welcome.

Thanks for reading,
Russ
I can offer nothing to this other than the puck system can be added on some trucks. Ours didn't come with it, I negotiated with the Ford dealer to include the factory kit. Our son helped me (actually he did most of the work) install it in his driveway. Only had to raise the bed 4" and block it with 4x4's.
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