First Month With An ATC Toy Hauler | RV Life Realities 

So many RV manufacturers use those Lippert steps and some people love them. Many of us do not. We had something custom made to replace them that is a million times better (even a year and a half later) and doesn't rely on non-existent perfect flat ground to work. 🙃

Definitely!

Thank you so much for sharing this! It may be helpful to someone who might come across this thread. We did contact ATC about it when we first brought it home and that is what they suggested also. We dropped the stairs down as far as we could but that did not work for us unfortunately. I'm not sure why. We love our ATC too and can't wait to finally move in!

I agree with you 100%!!!

Thank you! It was so nice to discover things right away and get them fixed before hitting the road instead of later while we're out exploring.

Thanks for watching! I'm putting together an update this week and I hope it will put things into better context now that we have more information.

We have a 2021 Chevy 2500 Duramax.

I'm so sorry to hear you've gone through all this and I certainly hope it gets better for you. ATC has always been responsive to our issues so I'm surprised to hear what happened with your dealer, especially with the window. We've had to bypass our dealer a few times to get the ball rolling on things but it does suck to have to deal with the problems that seem to come with basically all new RV's in the industry. Now that we are traveling with our 2816, I do wish I had chosen your model. The 5th wheels didn't exist when we made up our minds about what we wanted and now that I see the layout of yours I feel like it would be more functional for our personal needs. And you are right, we certainly did buy in at the right time with regards to 💸💸💸.

Thank you, we do!!! We did try adjusting it to no avail. We did not try using blocks like you did but we called about it as soon as we replaced that bulging screw with a flatter one to match the rest of the screws on the door and they gave us suggestions. We are in the process of switching out our stairs.

ATC 2917 owner here. Had the same issue at first, if you remove the leg slides all the way it will solve the issue. It’s a pain that you have to remove them sometimes but it’s just part of adjusting your trailer to the terrain.

@@leeduis do you mean completely take off the leg extensions? We didn't realize it was an option! Does it allow the door to shut effortlessly? We actually don't have those steps anymore to test it out. They just replaced our 3 step with a two step and made an adjustment to our door when we brought it in for a window replacement. Unfortunately the two step also screws into the floor so we still have the interference under the door. The door just doesn't want to shut. We are worried that with continuous force of slamming the door that we are going to do more damage. I believe the 2 step is too short to remove the leg extensions but I will double check. Maybe someone else will stumble across your comment and find it helpful. Thank you so much for sharing your tip!

@@GeographicallyFree Yes, it really works! We found out about it when we took delivery from our dealer. When you take the leg extension off you can clear approx 3/4”, which is just enough for the door to close. We almost always have to take them off on hard flat surfaces (typically paved) like the parking spot at your storage space. Hopefully this helps someone out! They are amazing trailers, don’t be afraid to get out there and take it on your first journey. No better way to learn!

Thanks for stopping by. Peace and happiness to you! ☮️😊

Gregory, it actually ended up being a window leak, and the rain was dripping down into the vent. Turns out the window above the vent was defective and got replaced under warranty ASAP. The windows are actually not exclusive to ATC and the issue with these third party windows became an industry wide problem, as have many items in general made during the 2020-ish period. The good news is unlike many of the other RV's on the market, mold and rot has not been an issue for us, even a year and a half later. We ended up installing a custom pullout step that we bought from an aluminum fabricator in Alabama and it's been a dream!

@@GeographicallyFree Thank you for the reply. I like the Azdel material for its many benefits, and would ONLY get a toy hauler or camper with it

Oh how exciting! When is the due date for your ATC? We may have to meet up at some point.

@@GeographicallyFree Hopefully it'll be done the end of this month and we can pick it up in August.

The entire RV industry could stand to step it up a notch! But I think things in general have been even more intensified lately with labor and supply shortages. Thankfully ATC is wood free and we haven't had any other issues besides window leaks. They've been super responsive and helpful and we still have no regrets. 🤞🤞

That's a great question! I think my husband's former employer gifted it to him when they were clearing out some space. I'll check for a label next time I go into the garage and see if I can get more info for you.

@stazi richard I did a search online and this looks to be the one! If I were to use something like it long term, I'd probably prefer a 3 step for stability exiting the trailer. The second step is at about 17" and I'm 5'3" with an old foot/ankle injury. But it is nice and sturdy! www.homedepot.com/p/XTEND-CLIMB-2-Step-Aluminum-Step-Stool-with-375-lb-Load-Capacity-Type-IAA-Duty-Rating-WT2/203024252#overlay

Eeeeek! I'm sure you have some interesting stories. RV-ing is definitely an adventure. I have had friends tell me over the years that if I decide to do this to remember that I'm basically creating an earthquake every time I tow it. Your comment is a good reminder for me that my husband and I need to regularly check and adjust things between each trip and hope for the best! 🤣🤞🤞🙏

Yeah, we were lucky to grab one off the lot before the prices went up and we don't have sales tax where we're from. Prices of everything have skyrocketed since then but will hopefully level off soon. 🤞🤞 Even back when we started looking at ATC in 2018, we found them to be pricier than others. But after 3 years of shopping and research we realized it was the best decision for us. The off-gassing from formaldehyde, etc., in every RV we toured made me instantly ill. ATC has been the only one I can tolerate thanks to the absence of treated wood and other toxic materials. And since it's our home on wheels, it needs to have healthy air quality. It also tows like a dream. We've been just about all over the country with it, have done a ton of boondocking, and it's holding up well.

It's definitely frustrating! But there's no way I'd ever buy anything constructed with wood. That "would" be a complete nightmare. No pun intended. 😂 At least I still have my sense of humor intact. Thanks for watching, Michael.

Hi! Thanks for watching! Condensation is actually an issue in ANY RV, especially if you spend time in a colder environment, which I don't recommend but it can be unavoidable even in the desert. I know because I've read countless threads from RV owners who are dealing with it too, especially right now. In fact, I learned about condensation under the bed as a possibility long before we started this lifestyle. It's why slats are recommend as a bed platform in DIY van builds for breathability. In our case, having the Den-Dry barrier solved that issue. Our windows were not made by ATC. They are from a third party that supplies windows to many RV manufacturers. It just so happens there was a defect on a batch of windows that went out into the industry at the time and we got some and ATC happily replaced what needed replacement. Having an RV that is not made of wood is actually a better choice in these scenarios. And so is having a good warranty and response team, which we do. Is having issues that need to be repaired when you're out trying to live your best life a pain? Absolutely!!! We've been displaced while on the road and it made me realize how much I enjoy RV living over hotels. But before we even decided on an RV brand I was warned over and over not to buy any new RV because that's what you can generally expect (so I wasn't surprised). I speak of the RV industry in general. We did intend to buy a used ATC but there wasn't anything available locally to us at the time. So my 3 pieces of advice are: 1) Buy used if you can and feel comfortable doing so to avoid dealing with new RV maintenance 2.) Avoid wood 3) Go with a company that is going to take care of you when things go wrong, because things WILL go wrong. ATC was the only RV I toured that I didn't have an immune response to from off-gassing. So there wasn't another option for me. After being on the road for a year, I can say that many symptoms I had before hitting the road have gone away. The key for me and my health is being in the desert and avoiding immune triggers which is tough. I discovered some grocery stores with moldy HVAC systems during our travels that really set me back. I hope that helps. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

@@GeographicallyFree Thank you so much for the detailed response. It’s great to know that your health has improved since you’ve been living in your RV as that’s the ultimate test! I can tolerate chemicals better than some, but I seem to have zero tolerance for mold, which is why I’m looking at the ATC also. Your experience and Bryan’s experience are helping me figure all this out. I appreciate everything you share. I am in a cold climate of Arizona so temps are 10-20 at night during the winter so unfortunately the condensation would be a reality for me most likely. Last question for you - if you could do it all over again, would you choose an RV to live in to avoid mold? Was it the right move for you despite the usual RV challenges (condensation, maintenance, etc)? P.S. Did your clothes ever get wet from the condensation?

Right?! It's definitely been interesting so far! But I can't be surprised. It doesn't matter what brand of RV you purchase unfortunately. If you buy new, I was warned to expect problems. It's one reason why we chose an aluminum one free of wood. Plus we have the 5 year warranty. I'm glad to be getting this ironed out before we move in rather then dealing with it while we're living in it. 🤞🤞 One of the biggest pieces of advice I received over the years while we were looking was to "buy used" because whoever bought it new has likely dealt with the major issues. Inventory of wood free units in this neck of the woods (especially used) is pretty rare though. We looked for a loooooong time.

😂

Graphics do NOT cost extra with ATC. If we ordered a trailer without graphics (if that's still even an option), we would be waiting a long time for it to arrive with all the supply shortages and delays. There is a minimum 7 month turnaround time last I knew. Removing the graphics was not a big deal at all and we didn't mind doing it. We chose to purchase a unit already built so we could get it sooner. In fact it was showcased INSIDE the dealer building with the door already open and steps down for the display. We noticed the problem with the stairs on the way home from picking it up and that was the first time we had any reason to lower them and try to shut the door from the inside with them down. We know how to adjust the stairs and and we spoke to the manufacturer about it more than once. It's actually an issue other owners are having too and ATC is planning to make it right.