We wanted to update you on our experience at the Tiffin’s Service Center with our Vanleigh during the past two weeks. Bottom line is that they fixed all our concerns and most importantly, they fixed our sagging jacks. Bret suggested replacing the hydraulic manifold. After a big conference between all the experts (including Lippert rep), they cleaned out the solenoid that controls the passenger side rear jacks. - It worked !!! On another positive note, we were not treated as second class customers because we were fifth wheel owners. In fact the service center let us stay inside the “fence” at no cost. Treated as part of the Tiffin family. However, it was still first come-first-serve. So we waited and waited. Lots of hopeful anxiety with nothing to show for it until day five. By Friday morning they pulled our rig into a service bay. We went home not sure what to expect. Things moved fast after it was in the service bay. We picked up the Vilano after 4 business days ( closed Saturday and Sunday). Amazing work that would never have happened at an RV dealership. Fair price, expert work and good people. Employees at Tiffin seem a bit worried about the future, but they are still customer focused. I hope Tiffin makes it through these difficult times for the RV business. 🤞
Enough is enough - you've been more than patient, it's definitely time to take it back to the mother ship! I wish your army of supporters could show up with you! 💪 Take care!
I’m surprised you have been so patient. Now I can’t wait to see how the problem gets resolved. They should compensate you and give you a new rig for all your issues and anxiety. Loved the 61 years old comment and understand the feeling. Add 22 and I’m happy I do all I do. Keep on going is what I say! 😀👍
Thank you for all of your support Lynn! It's always nice to see you here and we hope you are out having some fun local adventures and snapping some awesome photos!
You have been more than patient. This is ridiculous and a huge safety hazard. I hope you film talking to them because we all want to feel like we're there with you rooting you on. Big hugs and prayers! ❤️
I keep seeing all the issues you guys are having and I wonder how my wife and I managed 5 years of full time RV living and almost 30,000 towing miles before we had a significant failure. Best of luck at Vanleigh.
Wow...I hope you can get it fixed! I have been RV'ing since I was a kid in the early 70's. My parents bought a brand new '72 24' Winnebago Indian Motor Home and I was hooked from that point forward. When I went out on my own I bought a used travel trailer and I have owned and RV all of my life since then. I do most of my own repair work and try to stay away from the dealership service centers because frankly they are understaffed and I just get aggravated...MY Patience ran out long ago, so cu-doze to you for hanging in as long as you have! I do not full time but I do take month long trips. For my style of camping I went for less is more when it comes to options. My last purchase was a 2019 that I bought new..it is a very nice rig, but I purposely stayed away from auto levelers and some of the other "top of the line options". In watching these different RV channels the common theme was failures in leveling jacks, instant hot water heaters and other upgrade items. I figured that after so many years without these, I could enjoy my trips without them now and I do. Knock on wood, I have had the unit since May of 2018 and the ONLY failure on the rig was the motor on the Dometic AC which went out of balance and Dometic sent me the replacement which I took care of it. The only other major purchase for it was a new set of tires (got rid of the China tires and got Endurance). Certainly everyone has their style but I have been lucky with the "less is more" mentality and I spend more time enjoying my rig than fixing it! When I get to old to pull out the Anderson leverers and the battery drill to crank down the stabilizers....I will hang up my hat and take the train :-) Good luck and I hope you will be able to give your patience a break!
Hello! Nice to connect! Sounds like a smart choice to me! I grew up camping and we’ve had all sorts of rigs and I think we had our most fun in our pop up pick up truck slide in camper with the “get the drill out” jacks Enjoy your adventures and thank you for watching and sharing your story!
Oh no! sorry to hear you are having issues too! It seems to be an unfortunate common theme these days?! be safe out there and we hope you get back to adventuring soon!
I am amazed at your patience all this time.. just enough already! Just purchased a new Solitude and hoping our road is smooth! So far so good! Hope to maybe see you on the road with all problems resolved!! 🤞🏻 safe travels!
OMG! really have no words. I think your doing the right thing taking it to the source. Hope they can solve it and all of that stuff is behind you, so you can continue with the fun stuff. Can't wait to here what Vanleigh has to say. Good luck and safe travels :)
Tammy and Scot I wish I could be there when you rock up ... I know I'm in the UK but my East London Anger would come flying out 🤣🤣🤣 and im a calm woman .. I am keeping everything crossed that they help and fix all of the problems ❤️❤️❤️
Go for it. By showing up and showing them your video clips of all your repairs, they can't say your over reacting. We saw their rigs a few years ago and were impressed. Not so sure after watching the problems with your electrical issues. The landing gear problems may be Lippert. Can you go to Lippert too? Good Luck.
Thank you for the support! Yes, most of our big problems have been Lippert parts, which are in many RV's . fortunately, Vanleigh has been great at sending parts and taking care of our service bills, which we;ve been told is unheard of these days, so we do feel that is the saving grace with this manufacturer. Appreciate you taking the time to comment!
I do pray you get the rig fixed. The anxiety of driving with always worrying is horrible. I started watching you because you had the Solitude and I was watching all the videos I could find on the Grand Design. I then got hooked on you guys and love seeing what you are up to, especially in Florida (my home), but you’ve been such good sports about all the issues. Good luck!!❤️🙏
Hi Michele!!! It's so nice to hear that you've been following along since our start! We loved our time in florida and cant wait to go back for more adventures! Keep in touch! Thank you!
You’ve admirably addressed your many coach related issues. Real role models in the RV community. Going back to the mother ship is a good solution. This latest issue, your stabilizers, appear to be something that the NTSB would be interested in reviewing. Not as a threat to Van Leigh, but more as a public safety issue to your fellow Van Leigh (and perhaps Lippert…I think that is who you said was the manufacture of the stabilizers) owners and all of us others on the road. Hopefully the mothership will address these in a professional and expedient way. Safe travels.
Thank you Gerald! That means a lot! Yes, these are lippert components and we wish they would take care of this, but fortunately Vanleigh has been the only ones to get us parts and do anything to help. These lippert parts are in so many RV's, so hoping others will have the awareness! Appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment your support!
Oh my, leveling jack issues again🙁. I hope that they got it sorted for you guys. Shelley and I are still waiting for our slide to get fixed and now our 12volt fridge isn't working. Thank you for sharing. Peace and Safe Travels -Craig & Shelley
Hi Craig and Shelley! Sorry to hear your new rig is still in the shop! Seems to be a common theme with a lot of these new builds. Hope you get it out and working soon so you can get another adventure in!
@@TilFurtherNotice luckily the service center doesn't want it taking up space while waiting for parts. In fact, they told us to keep using it to shake out any other issues. We have made four trips with the rig as a couple, three of which were without the slide functioning. For the last one, the fridge stopped working. I have made five trips. I had to stay in the rig after our second to run the heat and keep her from freezing up. It will get fixed in time. It's time to break camp and head for home. You and Scott stay safe.
@@CraigNiesenPhotography I think thats great to just get it out there and make a list of all the fixes and work those bugs out! Hugs to you both, be safe!
Sorry, I know this is late but you two are some of the most patient, kind, and understanding people I have ever had the pleasure to watch. That being said - my wife and I are about 5 years behind you in age and life experience. I would have EXPLODED IN RAGE along time ago. Part of life is learning from others mistakes, and I try to do that as best as I can. What enrages me about your situation is you guys (who are VERY similar to my wife and I) DID YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. APPROACHED THIS WITH INTELLIGENCE and in my opinion to the best of your abilities did the very best you could. So this being said, Ill be honest, I am ANGRY over what has happened to you, VERY ANGRY. This is just WRONG guys. If you lived near us we would probably be very good friends. Sadly from what I have seen over the past few years you are the norm not the exception 😐😐 It seems like RV manufacturers are not regulated or something and they can just produce JUNK and not be held accountable. What is going to happen is someone is going to be injured or even killed. This jack situation is insane and the build quality is ridiculous. My wife actually was concerned for you when the jack situation first presented itself and asked if I knew anything that could help. I did not :( All this to say - YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING AND HAVE DONE EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER to realize your dreams. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECTIFIED and NOT BY YOU!!!!!!!!! They need to get their sh|# together and fix the problems and get you the vehicle that you actually PAID FOR!!!!!!!! Anyways you guys are always in our prayers and we wish you all the best. ❤❤❤❤❤❤
HI John and "Wife" 😃 Wow! It's truly amazing when we hear from folks like you! it really makes this whole sharing on RU-vid thing worth it! thank you so much for your kind words and your support! Scott and I certainly don't want you two getting all worked up on our account, although I must admit it's nice to know we aren't alone or crazy...well we might be a little crazy 😉 Yes, we've heard from several other folks that they are experiencing the same quality and/or jack issues regardless of the manufacturer brand. Hoping Lippert get's their act together and figures these hydraulic systems out and puts some sort of safety component on there. Who knows, maybe these videos will help in some way! If you watch the next vlog after this, we did get to the manufacturer though and they were kind and helpful and so far ( I hate to even say it) the jacks are holding 🤞 We appreciate your comment and knowing you are out there cheering us on! Maybe one day we can meet! you two take good care and keep in touch!
We are hoping your RV gets fixed finally at the factory! Eager to find out! We hate that y'all had to keep going through problem after problem with your new RV! We think y'all have been more than patient too! ~ Shion and Matthew
I think this is a great idea. Show up on their corporate doorstep and ask them to fix it completely or take it back. Sounds like they have been pretty accommodating so far and this is their big chance to make things right. The problem with your bedroom slide was totally their fault. I look forward to seeing how they handle this and have great hope that they will treat you right!
Glad to see your very informed video . A lot of people these days are resorting to this style of living . Well, for myself I know what company to avoid . These are major scares !! You guys have a nice $$$$ setup . And y’all having too many issues ! Good luck
I don't blame y'all one bit. You hate to have to do things like this but it's a safety issue. What would happen if the jakes made the trailer flip or something and someone got badly hurt. Go get them girl. I'm behind y'all for doing the right thing here.
I would be Polite but very firm and see how they address the problem if they cooperate and agree to repair the problem no further action would be required.
My wife and I have been following ya’ll for a long time. You are two of the nicest most kind hearted people we have met. I think you are going way above and beyond at trying to get your trailer working. We were seriously considering our next RV to be a Vaneligh. No longer. The best of luck to you! Hope you get a new rig and lower your anxieties.
@@sljack1671 thank you for your kind comment! Much more to come in this saga 😬. Fortunately, I think we finally got it resolved after showing up at their factory! They do have good customer support at least! I’d just be sure to get a good inspection on what ever you decide, as I’ve heard multiple brands having bad problems. Maybe used is the way to go! Thank you so much for following along!!
Hello and we are happy to have you along for the journey! Yep, we reached our breaking point. But Vanleigh came through (video after this) so grateful for that. Appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment!
I was at Cross City RV Park last fall with a breakdown. Although, it was my truck and not the camper. Ended up parked there for a couple of weeks. Jim, who owns the park, is probably one of the nicest guys in the world. Stay away from the Ford dealership in Corinth though. They quoted me $30k for a new diesel engine and it ended up being a $300 injector....
Hi John! Jim was the best! He was so kind and accommodating in our time of need too! Appreciate you sharing your experience with your truck too! Yikes!
I don’t blame you for being frustrated, you should not be having this issue if they had fixed them before. Very stressful traveling not knowing if they will stay up. Hope they fix them. Keeping you in our prayers 🙏🏻 Safe travels
Hey guys we feel your pain and are in the midst of dealing with a factor/warranty issue as well?! Like you we try to be positive, work with people kindly but when it’s a safety issue and your home it is especially stressful. I swear my last letter to the warranty folks was almost word for word what you stated at the end of the video. Praying for you and hoping for a positive outcome ❤️ We will be watching!
Sorry you are going through the thick of it with your unit too! Sounds like we could start a support group! We will be sending all the good thoughts and prayers your way as well! Maybe we will see you out on the road! 🤞
I purchased a used fifth wheel and was told it had a remote. When I picked it up it was for the slides, awning and front landing gear. The places I’ve been I’m glad it doesn’t have the self leveling system, I probably would have torn it off by now.
Omg 😲 You guys have had so many issues with this rig its unreal. I don't think we would have been us nice and patient as you guys have been you all are saints good luck.
From what I am learning all this is normal...? I just bought a brand new 2022 Keystone and the awning has fallen off and water is leaking in from the roof. The dealer made things worse and Keystone has DENIED our warranty claims. Seems like things "in general" cost more with less quality these days. Profit seems to be more important than providing a good product. I've heard many stories now of RV's that cost twice as much as mine just falling apart because of manufacturer defects and poor workmanship. Hope things get better for you guys. Thanks for sharing.
Unfortunately, we are hearing a lot of people having issues on these newer rigs. We’ve had many RVs over the years but never have had these amount of issues upfront. Hope you get all of yours remedied and we appreciate you reaching out and sharing your story!
Good for you!! 👏👏 I'd have melted down miles ago!! 🤬😭 Timing was everything on the location. 🌟 I'm so glad you were going in with a polite head of steam!! Bringing your own tornado!! 🌪🌪 They determine the EF level!! 👍 I can't wait to see the result!!🤗😍
Thank you Karen! These are definitely not my favorite videos to put together, but it's all part of the journey right?! Appreciate you so much and your comment made us both smile today!
So sorry to hear you 2 are still having all the problems with your rig. The money that you paid for the rig you would think it would be more road worthy. We wish you good luck at the dealership.
Hi Tom! This too shall pass..right?! Thanks for dropping us a comment of support and off to the factory we go ( not the dealership, they are worthless) take good care!
When a door opens that bennifets you and your safety it is a blessing.. To me you are doing exactly the right thing!! I would have chosen to go the opposite direction and get this new house fit to drive.. very disappointing to spend your hard earned retirement on a lemon 🍋 😕. I'll be prayin 🙏that it gets taken care of and you both can get your composures back🧘♂️🧘 whoosaww😇
Here in the UK our landing legs are still the old style turn with a handle and very basic , but that comes with peace of mind subject to a bolt breakage nothing can lower those legs , Modernisation has brought you auto legs but with the old adage the more complicated things are the more that can go wrong as it has with you two. Whatever happens at the factory for peace of mind in the future have you thought of a small very cheap modification x 6 legs = short chains attached to the chassis with a dog clip on the end plus a small hole drilled in the big foot pads. Whilst a little work involved the peace of mind saving as a one off job must be worth it long term. plus very little cost.
Hi Misha! You are correct. The more automated, the more can go awry. We’ve thought of your chain idea. It would have to be something strong enough to hold back thousands of pounds of pressure. We’ve also thought of a little safety alarm idea. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas!!
I’m new, just found you today and have watched a few…you guys are amazingly patient….I was so frustrated for you after the second video and the crazy crazy issues!! I can’t wait to see what happens in the following videos.
I think it's highly unlikely that all of hydraulic cylinders (Jack's) are having problems. Look at value body that controls fluid going to the Jack's. If it's bleeding off pressure the Jacks will not stay in place. Since there aren't any visible leaks fluid is flowing through hydraulic lines back to reservoir
If the jacks are good? The other problem might be a spool valve. The spool value extends and retracts the hydraulic cylinders, if the clearance is to much the fluid will bypass, allowing the jacks to seep down.
Hydraulics is pretty simple, Seals in the Actuators are bleeding fluid back to the reservoir or the check valves within the valve body that hold the pressure in the return side are bad, If they would only design the actuator with an internal spring that is always trying to pull the actuator up, we would have a lot less to worry about. you see some of the Big rigs with the external springs for this very purpose, those have no return lines, the valve simply open to allow the fluid pressure back to the reservoir and the springs do the work of returning the actuator to the up and stowed position..
Love the ART part of your RV life. Creating along your journey makes everything that much greater. Wil do the same, traveling part time with a Class C and darkroom trailer (making ambrotypes of Canada). Good luck with your travels and your art making!
Hi Gerry! Nice to have you along for the journey and wow!, that’s amazing the journey you have ahead of you! We’d love to see what you create! We need to share more of the art side of our life, but editing videos takes up a lot of that creative time. Scott and you could have some great chats about photography and dark rooms! Feel free to follow our blog to, that’s where he shares his writing and sometimes his photography (www.tilfurthernotice.com) and you can reach out via email to him as well. Have an amazing trip! We’d love to see your work!
Wouldn't that be something! Although, I'm not sure I'll ever buy a new RV again after this experience, don't want to start from scratch! but yes please on a fuel card 😉 Thank you for your support!
@@TilFurtherNotice I might agree on buying new, I think I hear & see more issues with new and especially during the Covid times. I purchased my solitude when it was almost 3 years old and I’ve had it now just a little over 3 years. We have towed it probably about 15,000-20,000 miles and not had a problem yet. I have done a lot of preventative maintenance but that’s all. I love watching you two and both rvs you have purchased should have treated you better. Hang in there.
@@nathanurick8320 that’s awesome Nathan! Loved our solitude as well. Happy to hear you’ve had great experiences! Buying used is the way to go! Appreciate your kind words!
Maybe see if Lippert will replace the jacks with electric stabilizing jacks. Have not heard of any issues with them and lots of issues with those hydraulic ones.
Good luck!! You might need it. My wife and I bought a new 2022 Thor Quantum WS31 on 1/08/22. When we picked it up it had problems, they kept it for 7 days fixed it, picked up unit and used for 3 1/2 weeks had to return for repairs and it has been in the shop for over 4 months and still not fixed. We had over 50 items for repairs. Still waiting patient.
Hi Raymond! We’ve heard a lot of similar stories! Fortunately Vanleigh has been good at sending us parts and if you see the episode after this helped us out! We hope you get your rv fixed soon so you can get out and adventure!!! We know how frustrating it can be. Thank you for sharing and watching!
It makes me upset to see all the issues your having with a new unit. If the dealer or builder of your Rig dosen't do the right thing then they should be exposed. Goodluck to the both of you & wishing for a better outcome. 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
Thank you for your support Don! I'm hoping this will all not be for nothing and some awareness and change could happen to at least others out there who might be having the same issues. Appreciate you!
That’s exactly what I’d be doing. Show up unannounced! I’m so sorry you continue to have problems. They really need to step up to the plate and do something.
We had a similar meltdown with our truck camper,tears anger,fed up. Sent an email to the ceo of the company listing all the things that broke or failed in the year we had owned it. He sent me a return email and asked if I would accept a replacement unit! Would I? 2 months later we drove to sugar creek Ohio and picked up our new cirrus truck camper! Now that is standing behind your product!
LOL i like that... tag along too, I had so many problems with my 2013 fleetwood bounder, i named it 13. i could list the problems with it brand new, the fuel pump went out on the generator, 2 weeks after delivery, staples in the carpet not tacked all the way down, it hurt to walk across the carpet barefoot, monitor on the console for the rear camera worked intermittently, nail in the tire on delivery, Electrical converter from generator to shore power defective, kitchen under sink, p trap just rattling around not clamped. fast forward to 2022, vacu flush toilet pump needs replaced, 400 dollar wind sensor blew because the awning motor is defective, motor for the weather pro is awning motor is900 dollars i think i'm going back to tent camping. much cheaper, not so much breakage.
Sorry to hear about your list of issues Stephen! Unfortunately, it seems like it’s not the exception these days! As RVers we expect maintenance and breakage but not the these lists of defects upon delivery.. yikes! Hope you are able to get back out there and explore, even if you tent it 😉💙
@@TilFurtherNotice thanks, im happy to report, that i'll be working on the toilet this weekend, the wife is is standing by with the garden hose to hose me down in case of a sewer mistake...lol😂😆
That's why I'm going witha medium class c with not slide . I'm not planning in live in my class c . Just want to go camping and I need a bed and protection from crazy weather and mosquitoes in Florida. Next year with God favor .
IMHO, all 6 stabilizers should have been replaced when you had problems with 3 of 6. Replacement of only 3 was a shortcut decision by the manufacturer(s) and it may have jeopardized your safety. It would be a good assumption that all 6 were from a similar batch or product run and a 50% failure rate of original / OEM parts is unacceptable. Since we have not seen the next video, we do not know what was done or if the problem continues. It is possible that the real problem is elsewhere, but I think you had the hydraulic system (not just the stabilizers) tested. Had all 6 been replaced last year and if the problem persisted, then that would have helped with troubleshooting now. Several comments asked about why and how, etc. Hydraulic systems can be very complicated. Some examples of hydraulic system problems are external leaks where fluid escapes the closed system, internal leaks where fluid bypasses pistons or o-rings, internal debris that clogs small passages. The source of the problem can be hard to pinpoint because a failure at one component can show up at another component. It may not be easy, but the shortcut decision last year to replace only 3 stabilizers may have done nothing more than prolong the troubleshooting process.
Hi Dave! Yes, you were right last year! I sure hope we have the issue solved?! You are very knowledgeable about these hydraulics and we certainly mentioned all of these comments to Lippert too! Appreciate you guys for your input that I'm sure will help others too! Safe travels!
@@TilFurtherNotice THX for the kind words. We are wannabes that really enjoy watching you and several other RV RU-vidrs. Maybe someday we will graduate to newbies! Safe Travels to you too!
Hi guys! Great video. You do seem to be working a lot on your rv. You will have to let us know what they do to repair the issue with the jacks lowering. I had the same thing happen with the middle driver side jack late last fall. I watched your video on how you tested them and then passed that on to my dealer. They said they did the test and replaced the jack. I have only towed it for an hour to our seasonal lot and it didn’t lower. I’m not sure now after seeing you having the same problem again if mine is fixed now. I am also having an issue with the front landing gear lowering while in our seasonal spot and the 5th wheel becomes unlevel. My dealer is going to replace the main control circuit board to see if that resolves the lg problems.
Hello! Thank you for stopping by and sharing your experience! I sure hope we both come out with the problem resolved! I'm so sorry you too are having these issues, maybe if enough of us share our concerns and issues something will be done?! Sending all the good thoughts for a safe and fun travel season!
i am having the same problem with mine in the front. they will come down when hooked up to the truck and the front will retract when the weight of the camper is on them. cant wait to find out what they say cause i have no idea.
Hi Ross! When this initially started happening they had us run a bypass test and said we had bad jacks. That there was a bad lot of them out there?! But we’ve never had them retract in their own. That is bizarre! Have you spoken with a tech? I’m not sure anyone will ever explain these issues to us?! Appreciate you watching! Stay safe out there
This is not a Vanleigh issue, we told you month ago it’s a Lippard issue, other Rv er’s have the same issue, only way to resolve it is to replace the entire system
Hello! yes, we are well aware that these are Lippert components and wish they were better at taking care of these issues. Fortunately, Vanleigh has been the only ones that take care of you when these things happen, not Lippert.
@@TilFurtherNotice we are not fans of vanleigh vilano either, as we had nothing but trouble with the one we had. We ended up getting rid of ours because every slide leaked and we had black mold growing inside and I have asthma and was getting sick. So I would take it back to the factory too. Good luck and hope you get the issues resolved! As for lippert this surprises me that they won’t make it right ! we’ve always been treated more then fair by them.
Need to have them all replaced and a complete flush of the system. Something broke and there is sediment somewhere. Everything on the system needs replaced. Hope that happens.
Hope they’ll help you out?!?! They owe you big time! Nice is one thing, but enough is enough! You can be “nice” and still get your point across. You can be Christian and get you point across they aren’t going to mess with you, just make it right, plus …..yes, plus! Gosh, Tam, I’m mad too!
Few things are "fail proof", however "fail safe" most likely is possible, but also comes at a higher cost. Maybe they could design a mechanism with a pin to lock the movable part in the full up position.
they absolutely need some sort of safety mechanism or at the very least an alarm like on a drivable Dave. Who knows, maybe some goos will come from this and Lippert will change these
@@buddyguess2308 In my previous job I worked with and repaired hydraulic torque wrenches that have cylinders and pistons that are similar in size to what I have seen on RVs. I have seen very strange things with those tools.