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Old 11-09-2017, 09:30 PM   #1
RDG
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195RB Opinions

Hi All,

New to the forum, Just signed a conditional offer for a 2016 195RB.
We have a fleetwood pop up we have had for a year and we have decided to move up to something that would be a little better for Fall camping in Ontario.

Any others out the own a 195RB and if so what is your experience with this trailer. Any watch outs or changes I need to be aware of? Also the dealer has a cover he is offering me a good deal on, is this something that is useful? I don’t recall seeing any travel trailers covered in our area.

We have a Toyota Tacoma rated for 6500# so hopefully we will be OK towing this unit. Any towing tips would be helpful also.

Thanks,
RDG
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Old 11-09-2017, 10:02 PM   #2
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We have a 17 195rb we purchased early last year. So far we have taken about 4 weeks in both the east and the west.

The table is uncomfortable to sit at and seat cushions are useless. But that is just me. Our grown son slept there and our grandson slept on the floor. Opinion, this is really a trailer for 2 with an occasional guest, preferably a short one.

The good parts, queen size bed and the storage under it. The window type AC is fine. Furnace is more than adequate for low temps. Shower is tiny but usable. You can cook on two burners, but we have a butane stove and like to cook outdoors where possible. Not a lot of storage or refrigerator space.

We went up to this from a popup and love it. We can stop at a rest area, get a snack or lunch, park at a casino or walmart for the night.

Pulls with no problems with our Jeep Grand Cherokee and a Andersen hitch with built in sway control.

Although there are small tanks we have gone for 4 days and not run out of water or gray and black storage. Nice if they were bigger.

Build quality is not great but ok for the money. We had a window leak and found several places we had to caulk to prevent mouse incursions. Mods include bed lifts, front stabilizer jacks, pump noise reduction, shower head with shutoff, furnace theremostat and storage racks in the closet. To do, Goodyear Endurance D rated tires.

Good luck and enjoy. If you have specific questions don't hesitate to ask. Meh on the cover, I use foil bubble wrap in the windows while in storage.
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Old 11-09-2017, 11:31 PM   #3
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Welcome to the forum and congrats on moving up to the bigger camper!

I would agree with most of what RogerR has stated. We've had our 195RB for 3 seasons now and are really enjoying it. Ours is the Baja model which comes with LT tires, flip axle, covered underbelly and larger fresh water tank. We average about 6K miles a season with a couple of 8-10 day, 2400 mile trips to the southwest each season. It tows nicely behind our RAM 1500 w/5.7L Hemi and we've averaged just over 12mpg. Like RogerR we are using an Andersen No-Sway hitch which I think is ideal for this size of trailer. We've had a few minor issues but nothing major so far. The front window did have a small leak this last spring but I was able to get that taken care of fairly quickly with some Dicor No-Sag sealant.

Lots of different opinions about covering - if you search the forum you'll likely find a number of threads on the subject. We do cover ours during the off-season mainly to prevent the build-up of leaves and pine needles from all the trees around our place. If you do decide to go the cover route make sure and blunt any sharp corners and the rain gutters to avoid poking holes in the cover and snug it up to minimize the movement when it's windy.

Good luck and happy camping!
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Old 11-10-2017, 11:48 AM   #4
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Forgot something very important on the 195rb choice. We had 4 popups over 40 years and three kids and a dog. During that time we needed the extra beds.
But now we have a bad knee situation that made getting into and out of the end bunks difficult. Someone (me) had to crawl over the other to get out.
The queen size bed was a seller for us! We will be replacing the mattress next spring as they are junk.
If you haven't closed on the deal yet take a look at new. This time a year if you can find a leftover 17 price should be in the 12K region, or maybe less if you push hard.

Inspect for mice incursion under the bed and in corners. Look for leak damage around doors and windows. INSIST on getting up on the roof and inspect it carefully.
One of the best mods I did was a roof vent fan in the bath and covers for both vents.
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Old 11-10-2017, 12:05 PM   #5
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Hey RogerR - I'm wondering about where mice were getting inside and how did you fix?
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Old 11-10-2017, 12:19 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredtech View Post
Hey RogerR - I'm wondering about where mice were getting inside and how did you fix?
None for this camper but othersI owned had them. When I got home from our combo pickup and first trip I got a large piece of cardboard, a very bright flashlight, aluminum screen wire cut into 1 inch wide strips, screwdriver and a can of pest proof foam sealant.

I got under there and checked every place they could get in. Wire and pipe holes, any crack or possible entry point. Stuffed it with aluminum screen wire and foamed it in place. Then I went inside and opened to hatch to the pump/water heater area and did the same there with wire and foam. I also crawled under the bed and and sealed around the water tank pipe.

For each storage, winter and summer I put out Fresh Cab packets and mouse glue traps by the door and the hatch up front. Never caught any but did get a bunch of those Chinese ladybugs.

Last, I purchased screen wire covers for the water heater, refrigerator and furnace vents. Yep, in one my older campers I covered they got in there and made a nest in the refrigerator insulation. Also have had wasp nests in there, two birds with one cover.

Here is a hint for using foam sealant. Get a foot or so of clear plastic pipe to extend the 6 inch piece provided. Cans will only foam upside down. This way you can use the whole can. Don't forget old cloths and rubber gloves.
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Old 11-10-2017, 01:13 PM   #7
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Sounds pretty much like my routine. Mice have all the time in the world to find an opening, which isn't too hard with all the oversized pipe and wire holes. Seems like these manufacturers could easily seal things back up in the factory. I'd be willing to pay a little extra, provided it was done right - haha.

We've paid a deposit to have a 195rb ordered next month with a delivery in March. We used to own a 185rb and loved it. It was the same layout, except the bed was sideways. Looking forward to this one with the bed placed longways.
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Old 11-10-2017, 07:00 PM   #8
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We have a 2106 195 RB and it really is a travel trailer
We upgraded the mattress added homemade front stabilizers Added piston arms to elevate the foot of the bed to allow basement access and modified the very iffy attachment of table to wall. The metal strip is on the trim which over time pulls off Hubby took off trim on the wall side and added a wood lath. Much more stable now
The dinette cushions are eh ok. The bathtub is useful to monitor the grey water tank. In addition to bathing. The monitor over the sink is useless Look at the bathroom drain if three days have gone by. Dishwashing seems to be the culprit
We can boondock three days without the battery going too low. We did buy a Honda 2000i genny but have used it once. A/c works well even though it's small. However as it blows on the dinette it's cold there!
Propane tank lasts for some 40 meals and six furnace days. So that is pretty efficient. The floor gets cold when it's near freezing
For a little unit there is way too much storage I forgot. It's a single axle unit so get the very best tires you can. A flat will render you immobile. It did us on a busy transcanada highway with no shoulders and two lanes of high speed traffic. Roadside assistance was two hours away. If there are Rainer tires on the unit get a replacement asap
If it's got the Sway Command be aware it is under recall.
We have it . For our tow vehicle it works well. I have NO idea if it plays well with your unit
Jayco never sent us a letter.
The bed is annoying to hubby as he is 6' and his toes hang over. It's a snug fit both sides but way better than body climbing at three am
Buy a can of compressed air. Grains of sand sometimes prevent lighting the water heater
Mice are not a problem for us. We live in the woods of Maine and rodents of all sizes abound. We have tried a lot of things but an ultrasonic mouse repeller really works if you can keep the unit on shore power.
It works in my house too. I used to have mice electrocutiing themselves in the clothes dryer
I wish the unit was a foot wider. The kitchen dance is awkward
We got ours in Feb 2016. We have 41,000 miles and 174 days camping in it
From Maine to Alaska. Yukon to Florida
Our last camping unit was a tent. This last summer we spent 72 days going cross country again to explore Alaska. We were fine on the many curvy dirt roads in Alaska and the Yukon that are not friendly for larger units. We loved Top of the Workd Highway and the Denali Highway (Alaska 8) not the paved highway from Anchorage to Fairbanks that tourists use
We don't have the Baja edition but haven't had a bottom clearance or break the unit issue. Even on the "road" to Chaco Canyon NM which is best for 4 wheel high clearance vehicles. We have a Honda Ridgeline rated for a puny 5000 lbs towing. On our first cross country trip we got 10.9 mpg overall (15000 miles) with a better tire this last trip we got over 12 mpg
We also took canoe and canoe camping gear in the basement and parked the trailer while we took off for 10 days in British Columbia
Sounds like it's a perfect fit for you
We've got snow now. We are not covering it aside from suspending a big tarp from a steel cable to keep Maines famous pine sap and needles from screwing up the antenna again. It's nice to access it periodically to be sure the mice are not in residence and the Hoont unit is doing its job
Even if snowshoes are involved
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Old 11-11-2017, 05:16 AM   #9
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I just remembered we had a wasp problem with the 185rb we used to have. It had the side wall a/c like the 195rb. Turns out it had a direct entry for wasps and other flying pests through its roof top vent. It looked to me like Jayco adapted a rooftop refrigerator vent for the sidewall a/c unit. I placed a finer screen inside the vent cover. Had to remove it and reseal it back on the roof but no more wasps.

The vent opening, at least on the 185rb, was a huge air loss, if trying to heat in cold weather. No flap seal or anything, just a big opening to the roof vent.
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Old 11-11-2017, 07:29 AM   #10
RDG
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Thanks for the response Roger. This is a great forum with lots of good information. We have until Tuesday to close the deal so your information is helpful. I actually did not inspect under the unit very well or check the roof so I will be making another visit to the dealer on Monday. We did check the price of new units also, they have a new 2017 on the lot but after they add freight and some other fees we were up to around $5000 difference in price and the 2016 looks to be in excellent conditions so I could not justify the extra cash for the new unit. Thanks again and I may be in touch with more questions.

RDG
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Old 11-11-2017, 07:46 AM   #11
RDG
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kim Gass View Post
We have a 2106 195 RB and it really is a travel trailer
We upgraded the mattress added homemade front stabilizers Added piston arms to elevate the foot of the bed to allow basement access and modified the very iffy attachment of table to wall. The metal strip is on the trim which over time pulls off Hubby took off trim on the wall side and added a wood lath. Much more stable now
The dinette cushions are eh ok. The bathtub is useful to monitor the grey water tank. In addition to bathing. The monitor over the sink is useless Look at the bathroom drain if three days have gone by. Dishwashing seems to be the culprit
We can boondock three days without the battery going too low. We did buy a Honda 2000i genny but have used it once. A/c works well even though it's small. However as it blows on the dinette it's cold there!
Propane tank lasts for some 40 meals and six furnace days. So that is pretty efficient. The floor gets cold when it's near freezing
For a little unit there is way too much storage I forgot. It's a single axle unit so get the very best tires you can. A flat will render you immobile. It did us on a busy transcanada highway with no shoulders and two lanes of high speed traffic. Roadside assistance was two hours away. If there are Rainer tires on the unit get a replacement asap
If it's got the Sway Command be aware it is under recall.
We have it . For our tow vehicle it works well. I have NO idea if it plays well with your unit
Jayco never sent us a letter.
The bed is annoying to hubby as he is 6' and his toes hang over. It's a snug fit both sides but way better than body climbing at three am
Buy a can of compressed air. Grains of sand sometimes prevent lighting the water heater
Mice are not a problem for us. We live in the woods of Maine and rodents of all sizes abound. We have tried a lot of things but an ultrasonic mouse repeller really works if you can keep the unit on shore power.
It works in my house too. I used to have mice electrocutiing themselves in the clothes dryer
I wish the unit was a foot wider. The kitchen dance is awkward
We got ours in Feb 2016. We have 41,000 miles and 174 days camping in it
From Maine to Alaska. Yukon to Florida
Our last camping unit was a tent. This last summer we spent 72 days going cross country again to explore Alaska. We were fine on the many curvy dirt roads in Alaska and the Yukon that are not friendly for larger units. We loved Top of the Workd Highway and the Denali Highway (Alaska 8) not the paved highway from Anchorage to Fairbanks that tourists use
We don't have the Baja edition but haven't had a bottom clearance or break the unit issue. Even on the "road" to Chaco Canyon NM which is best for 4 wheel high clearance vehicles. We have a Honda Ridgeline rated for a puny 5000 lbs towing. On our first cross country trip we got 10.9 mpg overall (15000 miles) with a better tire this last trip we got over 12 mpg
We also took canoe and canoe camping gear in the basement and parked the trailer while we took off for 10 days in British Columbia
Sounds like it's a perfect fit for you
We've got snow now. We are not covering it aside from suspending a big tarp from a steel cable to keep Maines famous pine sap and needles from screwing up the antenna again. It's nice to access it periodically to be sure the mice are not in residence and the Hoont unit is doing its job
Even if snowshoes are involved

Hi Kim,
Thanks for the response and all the great information. I am impressed with the travels and camping you guys are doing. We are looking at about a 300 mile radius maximum for camping so if the 195RB can handle your travels it should be a piece of cake for us. So all of these trips you made you towed with the Honda Ridgeline? If so are you pretty comfortable towing with the Honda or is it a struggle. We have a Toyota Tacoma rated at 6500Lbs so I am hoping we are OK towing this unit.
Can you tell me more about the sway command. Is that an option on the trailer of is that something you added later ?
It sounds like a mattress upgrade and the pistons for the bed floor are pretty common. I did not notice the table wall support so I will have to look at that.
Great information about the cover also, It never occurred to me about accessing the trailer in the winter months to inspect for mice or other issues so that was very helpful.
Thanks again!
Ron
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Old 11-11-2017, 09:07 AM   #12
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Jayco 195 RB

Hello, 195ers,
Surprizing how similar our experiences are, our previous camper was a popup as well. This year we had 38 days on the road with the camper. Not sure of the mileage but has to be 6,000 plus. Our experience is eerily close to Roger and Kim, they have provided excellent information. We had a couple of mfg. problems early on. a water leak, and wheel bearing assembly problem from the factory. I took care of the problems myself, we've been good since. I should also add that our unit came with Ranier tires. I watch them like a hawk but have been trouble free. I always carry 5 lbs over max recommended inflation and don't load too heavy. I originally towed with a Ford Excape rated for 3500 lbs. The Escape worked, but had it's issues. Now have a 2017 Pathfinder rated for 6,000, it works great. We have a Equalizer WDH. This is a rock solid set up, Just be sure the hitch is set up properly. Read the manual, verify dealers set up. Longer wheelbase TV's are more challenging to set up right. The extra effort is worth it. The 195 has good brakes in my experience. I had to shut her down hard once and I was pleasantly surprised. Also, very good on long 8% downgrades. Not too good on upgrades. Tailwinds are appreciated. Happy Trails...
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Old 11-11-2017, 07:38 PM   #13
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Now that we have had no cover for one winter.. we are kind of tired of the crappy sappy stuff on the roof. The tarp idea wont work as it has to be guyed out and the guylines would impede snowplowing the driveway
Is there a cover that would work? I havent found one for a seven foot wide trailer. 102 inches seems very sloppy.

Sway Command was touted by Jayco two years ago. Electronic brake control.. Unhappily the unit was supposed to be recalled as there were instances of disastrous results on some tow vehicles that had their own brake controllers. Anyway thats what I understood..
You are better off insisting on a sway bar. Sway command vehicles I believe are not supposed to be on dealers lots. If you are on the Great Plains some sort of control is mandatory and anytime you are up in mountain passes for example.. Or even on a bridge. Dont skimp on this one.
Sway Command works on the Ridgeline as it has no brake conrtol of its own built in.. We also have an aftermarket controller. At any rate you have to look at mechanical sway control means.

The Honda isnt geared quite right for uphill so on twelve percent grades you feel it. Not an issue with the usual six percent grades. We got 10.9 mpg on one cross country trip and return and 12.1 mpg with better tires on the second trip.. Just be sure that Rainers are not what comes with your TT>

Were still mouseless.. Wonderful.. They love to be warm during cold Maine winters. Wasps are dead now so that is a non issue.. As a matter of fact we now can get the paper wasps nests off the house...
Your particular varmint problem would depend on where you live.
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