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Old 04-20-2012, 12:43 PM   #1
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I'd be happy to answer any questions anybody has about it. I really struggled to get info on it prior to purchase, since it's a new line, so I'm happy to answer any questions about it to help you avoid the same hassle.

We bought it from Stan at Northview Campers in Sioux Falls, SD. It's our first RV. After a week living in it, we're quite happy so far. The build quality seems good, and the only problem we have is a floor squeak in the garage that I assume a single well-placed screw would fix. It's tall-person friendly. I'm 6'5", and can stand up in the upstairs bedroom and bathroom, although I've hit my head a few times on the sliding glass door header. We'll be installing some kind of bumper on either side of that to lessen the blow the next time it happens. We've stayed nice and toasty in it with the furnace only running occasionally on nights that went down to the 30's.
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Old 04-21-2012, 01:07 AM   #2
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Awesome post some pictures!
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Old 04-27-2012, 01:40 AM   #3
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Hello You seem to be the first I have ran across thats made a purchase and taken delivery, and since you offered What are you towing it with? Make, engine, gears,SWB, LWB, 1/2 or 3/4 ton, hitch type? Have you put it on a scale to see how close the "certified weight" is? I must admit, never even heard of Crossroads before and ran across a forum post on another site talking about these. The advertisement that its 1/2 ton towable is... a bit outlandish to me, although I recognize that certain light truck manufacturers are going crazy with GCWR. What is the overall width? Did you get the Happijack bed option? Is it 2 beds or just one?

We are looking to make the plunge into the TH market, we currently have a 26' 5th wheel, and I have an 03 Dodge 2500HD with the HO Cummins. We are looking at triple slides TH's and ones with a 12' garage, and everything we have found so faris northbound of 14k UVW with pin weights close to 3k and in all reality am a firm believer in manufacturers ratings... so I just don't feel real comfortable with numbers like that and my truck. The two closestdealers to me are Tampa and Atlanta and neither have the 3612 on a lot right now and both are 3 and 5 hrs respectively from me, so any info you could provide would be GREATLY appreciated!
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Old 04-27-2012, 02:42 AM   #4
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I'll try to post a picture or two, but there are so many pics you can find with a Google search for this model, there's not much I can add.
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Old 04-27-2012, 03:16 AM   #5
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We're towing it with a 2003 Dodge Ram 3500 DRW 4x4 Quad Cab Long Bed 5.9L Turbo Diesel (not HO) w/ the SLT 47RE transmission. It was tough getting an exact number for the tow rating, but all numbers fell between 11,500 and 13,000. We referencedhttp://www.trailerlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Trailer-Life-Towing-Guide-2003.pdf andhttp://dodgeram.info/2003/load-tow/2500.html. I just realized that you almost have the same truck, so those links should help you!

We weighed in with a modest amount of gear in the rig at about 20,500 pounds (includes myself, wife, 3 month old boy, and a 50 lb labrador). This puts us over both the 19,000 and 20,000 GCWR that the vehicle may actually have (couldn't figure that out definitively). I'll post the exact breakdown of that weight once I find the paper it's written on. From memory, we were around 8,000 for the truck (including us) and 12,500 for the trailer. I remember the pin weight calculated to right about 13% of GCWR (sweet spot is 10-15%), so that puts it at about 2665.

I'm using the B&W Patriot 16k hitch. It was a reasonable price and couples nicely. I didn't notice any slack on a 12 hour drive with many stops. If this were a newer truck, I would have bought the B&W Companion instead.

My understanding about our truck is that the weak link for towing is the transmission, so it's not necessarily a safety issue to be over the GCWR, but rather a longevity issue. It's at about 160k miles, and is on its second transmission already. We are going to install a temp gauge on the transmission and make some other mods to make it tow better. We plan to replace the transmission as needed, as it's much cheaper than a new vehicle. I also baby it quite a bit while towing.

It was pretty easy to tow, not having any prior experience towing anything even close to this length/height. Wind didn't bother us much, and that's even with driving across Southern Minnesota where all the wind farms are.

I think Crossroads means to say that the pending travel trailer models will be 1/2-ton towable. The fifth wheels definitely need a newer 3/4 ton. I think the limiting factor when towing a fifth wheel is the payload rating, and not the GCWR. Regardless of the advertising, I think these are way lighter than competitor models, which have unloaded weights that are higher than my loaded weight.

I don't know the width, but I think it's 96".

We do have the Happijack bed option. It is one queen bed on top, and two couches below that fold down into another queen bed. We are very impressed with the quality of it; much more than I expected. It's going to be in the unit you buy unless you order one new. The only true "option" on the ones they just shipped out to dealers is going to be the 2nd A/C. Ours doesn't have it, and we didn't want to pay for it. We are up north, not in Atlanta. I think the ones going to Canada may add the dual pane windows. Otherwise, everybody seemed to order the same options.
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Old 04-27-2012, 03:18 AM   #6
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I almost forgot the manufacturer link for tow ratings. Even there we couldn't get an exact number. It's one of the two below. We have the 4.10 rear axle.

http://www.dodge.com/towing/D/vehicle_to_weight.jsp


<div style="color: rgb34, 34, 34; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; : rgba255, 255, 255, 0.917969; "><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" width="381" style="font-family: Verdana, san-serif; : rgb204, 204, 204; "><t><tr><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 7pt; "><b style="font-size: 8pt; ">With 4.10 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio[i]You Can Tow 11450 lbs[/b]</td></tr><tr><td ="#ffffff" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 7pt; ">Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)[i]=12000 lbs
Payload[i]=4600 lbs
Curb Weight[i]=7400 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear =4387 lbs/4387 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear[i]=5200 lbs/9350 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR)[i]=19000 lbs</td></tr></t></table>OR<div style="color: rgb34, 34, 34; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; : rgba255, 255, 255, 0.917969; "><table ="#cccccc" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="font-family: Verdana, san-serif; "><t><tr><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 7pt; "><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" width="381"><t><tr><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 7pt; "><b style="font-size: 8pt; ">With 4.10 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio[i]You Can Tow 12450 lbs[/b]</td></tr><tr><td ="#ffffff" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 7pt; ">Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)[i]=12000 lbs
Payload[i]=4600 lbs
Curb Weight[i]=7400 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear =4387 lbs/4387 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear[i]=5200 lbs/9350 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR)[i]=20000 lbs
</td></tr></t></table></td></tr></t></table><br ="Apple-interchange-newline">
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Old 04-27-2012, 03:25 AM   #7
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Is there a way to post pictures directly to the site? Or do I have to host them somewhere else and provide links?
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Old 05-01-2012, 01:06 PM   #8
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Host and provide links.
There is a how to on the site.
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Old 05-01-2012, 02:23 PM   #9
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Congrats on the new TH. As for pics you need to host and post. You can go to http://www.tinypic.comand upload your pic, under resize, click on message board/forum and then upload. After you type in the antispam and the codes load, just copy and paste the code given for message boards. It will print in the correct size.
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Old 05-02-2012, 05:06 AM   #10
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Old 05-02-2012, 02:12 PM   #11
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Sweet looking unit...welcome to the forum Enjoy your time in it and on this forum.

Jim
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Old 07-05-2012, 07:43 AM   #12
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Hello JPitt42,
DW &amp; I just purchased a 3612 , We are not sure what the "TF" stands for but I am pretty sure we have the same unit. Although we have paid for it, we have not picked it up yet due to a knee replacement being done on July 17.
We previously owned a mk-33 toy hauler that we liked pretty well, but we ( I ) noticed the new toy haulers on the forum website, and fell in love.
After two RV shows and several emails to Crossroads, two rigsfinally showed up on the dealers lot.
We looked at both the 3612 and the 3410, and decided on the 3612.
We signed the papers and now own it.
We would be very appreciative of any suggestions that you can give us about our new rig.
There are several items on our new TH that we have not seen before. And we would like to read about any experiences you have had that might help us out. Any other help you can give would help as well.
Thank You in advance for your help

Steve &amp; Darlene Rees


feel free to email
stevenrees1@yahoo.com
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Old 07-06-2012, 11:44 PM   #13
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they must be coming out with some lighter Evelations in the future
I see on their website they say 3/4 ton on the 3612, but with an empty hitch weight of 2400lbs that will push most new 3/4 tons over there rated payload numbers
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Old 08-15-2012, 04:25 AM   #14
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According to http://www.ford.com/trucks/superduty/specifications/payload/ a new Ford can handle 3000 and up, depending on the one you choose.





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Old 08-15-2012, 05:11 AM   #15
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I'm terribly sorry for taking so long to reply to you. We have been on the road and work has been crazy. I hope this is still helpful.

Now that I've gained some experience with this rig, I think my advice may be a bit more helpful. I'm a first-time RV'er in general, so some of this may be "duh" for those who have owned other things before.

1) Don't release the trailer from the hitch unless the wheels are chocked tightly, even on flat ground. We lost a landing gear leg on ours a few days ago as a result of this, and we were lucky to get it hooked back up to the truck without any further damage or injury. I personally think the landing gear that Crossroads has chosen on this unit is unsafe as-is. With the generator in front, and this being a toy hauler (wheels further back), the unit is very pin-heavy. The landing gear that is put on these looks to be no different than what is put on their lighter Cruisers. Our unit lurched backwards about a foot or two and the leg buckled. It was parked on loose gravel. I'm researching aftermarket solutions to make this more safe. This setup is not forgiving at all. This was also the first time we tried dropping the landing gear directly onto the ground, instead of onto railroad ties that we carry around with us. I suggest dragging around the railroad ties to reduce the distance you must extend them. I had them fully extended when the leg buckled, which means there was maximum leverage on the point that buckled (the top). Also, the landing gear pads will slip a little on the wood (hopefully not too far) and resettle when the trailer shifts, so will be less likely to catch on something and put sideways pressure on the landing gear.

2) Be sure to follow the maintenance schedule for the generator. It's almost impossible to remove the oil filter by hand or with a strap wrench. I had to buy a special socket attachment to get it off.

3) Load weight for travel into the garage as much as possible. As stated before, the generator and wheel placement result in a lot of pin weight, so it helps to counterbalance it. We don't have toys, so we have to put other things in there.

4) The A/C ductwork is nearly useless. There is very little air blowing out of it when the fan is on high. As a result, the garage is at least 10 degrees warmer than the main cabin, even with the slider open. The hot air gets trapped in there and doesn't want to come out. We solved this by buying a Lasko air mover from Costco for about $65. It was worth every penny, as it keeps the temps the same throughout the cabin. We just dump the A/C into the main cabin and let the air mover sit underneath it and distribute. The bedroom seems to stay pretty cool using the ductwork, although it's actually the bathroom that gets the most cool air, which is somewhat pointless. If I were to buy a 2nd A/C unit, I would install it in the garage and not the bedroom.

5) I left the bedroom vent open during travel and it broke. So, I installed MaxxAir vent covers over all of the vents. I just bought the white ones from Camping World, because they were way cheaper than the colored ones, and they look fine. I had to get a special FanMate cover for the MaxxFan in the garage.

6) The fridge doesn't run on 12V, contrary to my prior assumption. I was always confused when the gas light was flashing when we were running on 12V. I read the manual and it seems that I need to "start" the fridge when running it on gas. It will try for up to 30 seconds to start, but after that it quits and the light flashes. It can take from 3-6 tries before the air bleeds out of the lines and it will actually start. You can hear the starter clicking, and you can hear when it lights if it's otherwise quiet in the trailer.

7) Inspect your unit near the slides for cracks in the fiberglass. We have one near the bedroom slide, and I'm waiting to hear back from the dealer about what they're going to do about it. This one has me worried that there's a general structural problem.

8) Pay attention to 3 dimensions when towing this thing. The underside of the trailer near the hitch was damaged when driving over a steep decline at a campground. The truck bed came upwards and briefly struck the underside of the trailer and put a small dent into the trailer. It's very minor, but could have been worse if I hadn't stopped in time and backed up.

9) The opposing/facing slides used to collide with the floor of the couch slide near the sliding glass door, causing damage to the cabinet of the kitchen slide. They took a notch out of the plywood in the living room slide to resolve this.

10) Our garage floor used to squeak really badly near the sliding glass door. They put in some shims under the floor to resolve this.

11) Mice are able to get into the underside of our kitchen cabinet. We found our paper towels all shredded in there prior to our current trip. I suggest doing something in there for rodent control.

12) We ordered the http://www.speedheat.us/sales/rugbuddy/rugbuddy.html model 470 for when it gets colder outside. The garage floor has no insulation underneath it, so we don't expect the forced-air heat to help much. My wife got some kind of coupon for it off of Facebook. If you're interested, I can find out the details. We got the 8x5.5 one for $129.

We've had several other minor problems, but our dealer (Stan's Northview Campers in Sioux Falls) has been able to resolve all issues same-day so far, and all have been covered by Crossroads.

Our unit is currently in the shop for the landing gear repair, and because our black water valve doesn't close (yuck). I wish Crossroads would do something about the landing gear, but I'm not holding my breath.






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Old 08-15-2012, 06:09 AM   #16
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jpitt42,
I checked Costco and can't find any Lasko's there. Can you tell me what model Lasko it is and I'll look elsewhere.

thanks,
Jim
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Old 08-15-2012, 06:21 AM   #17
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I'm sorry, I meant Sam's Club. It's the Lasko U15700. See http://www.samsclub.com/sams/lasko-max-performance-pivoting-utility-fan/prod5610436.ip.



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Old 11-12-2012, 02:19 AM   #18
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Amazon.com has a lot of the models...at better prices.
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