335SS Patriot

[fjo]

Considering purchasing a new 335SS patriot edition fifth wheel. Would be grateful for any opinons good or bad.

[Hunter11]

We looked at one last Saturday. We like the layout and the fact that the flat floor bedroom would allow us more storage space in the front and pass thru storage areas for longer trips once we retire. It also has a lot of storage space inside, both kitchen area and bedroom. We spent a good hour checking the unit out and taking pictures to compare it to the other units we are looking at. This is one unit that will be in our top three when the time comes.

[artgpo]

I would suggest you read through the posts on here concerning the quality and great customer support furnished by Crossroads. You are going to see many satisfied owners who like their Cruisers and enjoy the comforts they afford.

[fjo]

I have been researching for quite a while and the Cruiser product is definetley on the top of my list. The only thing I have found that have not been positive about the cruisers, have been the lippert axles. Does anyone know if Crossroads is still putting Libbert axles on they Crusier model or have they gone with another brand.

[fhenn]

They still use the Lippert Axles they do not seem to have the issues with them that other brands have had. If there has been an issue Crossroads has stepped up to the plate and handled it. My unit is now over three years old towed I guess around 20,000 to 30,000 miles with it have had no trouble, other than m. Rumor has it that the RV manufacture specs the components and Lippert builds it to those specs. May explaine why some manufactures have little trouble with the components and other have a lot of trouble
Edited by: fhenn

[mwebber78]

I had a double axle replacement on mine when it was months old. The axles were so bad you could SEE the wheel angled in/out from top to bottom. The second set were ok and were installed by my dealer.



I mentioned it to Crossroads Rep. at a show once and he claimed they never have problems with them. I'm not sure who he was trying to BS but I didn't buy it from my previous thread were others posted similar tire wear issues.



Despite all of this the axle change was jut a few hours and dealer didn't hold me up from camping or trip. Otherwise Crossroads has a great product and I wouldn't hesitate buying another.



If I were to buy another I would simply have the dealer put Dexter axles on as part of the deal (dealer had offered to do just that when they were bent!)

[artgpo]

I thought the frame was Lippert and the axles Dexter? The hubs are Dexter so would that mean the axles were Dexter as well?

[mwebber78]

My 2009 was all Lippert, from the frame to the axles to the Trail-air suspension and even the stair box welded to the frame. Perhaps they have changed.

[Tom Holsinger]

That's the one I will probably get, so I am very interested in this thread. I have some questions for those of you who have seen one:



Is the large television in the entertainment slide standard, or optional on a CF335SS? My wife and I would rather have a smaller television and a desk space for a laptop.A CF32CK Patriot at my local dealer's has the smaller televison and desk, while the Crossroads website and brochure both say a larger televison and electric fireplace are options for the CF32CK entertainment slide. I very much want the CF335SS to provide the same option.



How long is the CF335SS sofa? My wife and l both like to lie down on ours at home and read, snooze, watch television etc.



How wide is the wardrobe opposite the bathroom door? That strikes me as a great place to put a stackable washer/drier if we get a CF335SS for vacation use before we retire, as we would not have to trade it in upon retirement to get a bigger 5th wheel with a washer/drier for part-timing.

[Hunter11]

Tom,



"Is the large television in the entertainment slide standard, or optional on a CF335SS?"



The TV and fireplace arelisted as an options. The one we looked at had both and if we ordered one it would be with the fireplace but not the TV unless they change to a better brand like most other units now come with. I am not paying that much for a Haier brand TV

when I can get a good name brand unit for not much more and install it myself.



"How long is the CF335SS sofa?"



Maybe big enough for one to lay on but not two.



"How wide is the wardrobe opposite the bathroom door?"



You might could squeeze a combo unit in there but W/D connections are not an option. If they were it would probably sell us on the Cruiser.

[Tom Holsinger]

Thanks, Hunter. I was wondering how long the CF335SS sofa is. I love the sofabed offered on Keystone's Montana and Laredo lines, and threatened my wife that I'll buy one of those and stick it in our Cruiser if we get one.

[Hunter11]

To be honest the next unit we get no matter what brand it is we are looking at getting credit for the furniture and putting our own in.

[vickark]

We have been looking seriously at the 335SS. One new option that ihave concerns with is the outside speakers. This appears to be a future problem area for water issues. Not to mention a weak spot in the wall structure. I believe this comes in the patriot option pkg.

I wonder ifspeakers could be deleted if we ordered a unit.

Other than this , we loved the unit. For the size ,it was more towable (weight wise) and had a better "bang for the buck".

[artgpo]

I think almost every 5ver comes with outdoor speakers on the unit. What is your concern? There does not seem to be an issue with outdoor speakers that I have seen either here on on all the other boards I read. Edited by: artgpo

[Hunter11]

They are outdoor marine speakers which several of our boats have had over the years and they will stand up to the weather.As long as they have a good seal to the wall when they are installed I don't think there would be any problems.

[vickark]

Art, Like i mentioned in my previous post. The main concern is possible area for water to enter and wall structure.

The speaker grills will look good for a couple of years, but after a while the grills will turn "chalky".

I know they wouldinstall water resistant speakers. What is the life of these?

I think these were installed on the 2010 and2011 units, not a long time to see any effects.

These are just my concerns on the option.

[mwebber78]

They have been installed since early 2009 models built in 2008. I had mine from 2008-just recently and never had an issue. The grill was actually one of the few pieces of plastic that didn't yellow on my Cruiser. Everything else looked "manila" in color.

I never resealed them, they caulked around the full perimeter of the grill.

[Lloyd]

Originally Posted by vickark

Art, Like i mentioned in my previous post. The main concern is possible area for water to enter and wall structure.

The speaker grills will look good for a couple of years, but after a while the grills will turn "chalky".

I know they wouldinstall water resistant speakers. What is the life of these?

I think these were installed on the 2010 and2011 units, not a long time to see any effects.

These are just my concerns on the option.

I don't think you have to worry about wall structure. I think the integrity of the wall structure is such that the hole made for the speaker/speakers won't effect it. Keeping a good eye on the caulking around them should take care of any water worry. As far as the plastic cover getting "chalky" in a couple years, if that is a personal bother, then why not just figure to replace them? Can't be to expensive.
Also, if you don't want the outside speakers at all, contact CR, or the dealer, and ask them if this is something that can be eliminated. When I ordered our unit, I eliminated the outside shower.

[vickark]

Thanks for all the info on the speakers. I just didn't want something that would come back to "haunt" me years later. Happy camping

[salda01]

Just a thought on the yellow speaker cover do like some do with the white plastic door trim, just spay paint it bright white.