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Are Heartland RVs that bad? Many negative reviews on the net

Community Alumni
Not applicable
I'm trying to help a friend find a small toy hauler and came across a Heartland Pioneer model at an attractive price that seems suitable for my friend's needs.

Not being familiar with the Heartland brand, I looked for info on Heartland products on the net and was surprised to see an inordinate amount of negative reviews from Heartland RV owners. The negative reviews weren't confined to only entry level models. Poor reviews spanned from top of the line fifth wheels to entry level models.

What I found alarming in the reviews was the types of problems the owners encountered with their units. Most of them were serious problems and defects that leads me to believe Heartland produces shoddy trailers across its entire product line. To make matters worse for owners with the defective trailers, it seems the company isn't very responsive with warranty claims.

I have been an RV owner for many years and realize even the best RV makers aren't perfect and some issues are bound to surface after taking possession of a new RV. However, I haven't seen so many negative reviews about serious problems with an RV as I have with Heartland.

Should I tell my friend to spend more money and look elsewhere in order to save himself a lifetime of heartaches and headaches? If so, what brand would you recommend for hauling one SxS UTV? The trailer will be used by a couple only, so there is no need to have additional beds above the garage area.
19 REPLIES 19

Community Alumni
Not applicable
Thanks for everyone's comments. My friend is the process of buying a Forest River unit.

FlatBroke
Explorer
Explorer
Had an 06 and a 11. 06 had lots of problem. At dealer several times, never truly fixed anything. Fixed my self. 11 was better but brakes didnโ€™t work, was at dealer 3 weeks. Left with it and had no brake when I got to the first stop light. Just went home and paid a independent to fix them. Grease was all over the shoes. Dealer must of never taken a wheel off. Biggest problem was the dealer. Easier to fix it myself than mess with them.

Hitch Hiker
"08" 29.5 FKTG LS

FlatBroke
Explorer
Explorer
Had an 06 and a 11. 06 had lots of problem. At dealer several times, never truly fixed anything. Fixed my self. 11 was better but brakes didnโ€™t work, was at dealer 3 weeks. Left with it and had no brake when I got to the first stop light. Just went home and paid a independent to fix them. Grease was all over the shoes. Dealer must of never taken a wheel off. Biggest problem was the dealer. Easier to fix it myself than mess with them.

Hitch Hiker
"08" 29.5 FKTG LS

colliehauler
Explorer
Explorer
I looked at a Heartland Cyclone 5er toy hauler decided against it. The floor flex was considerable with just my weight let alone any motorcycle. The fit and finish was not any better/worse then others. Keep in mind there is not a brand made that someone didn't have a issue with, some less then others.

FunnyCamper
Explorer II
Explorer II
we owned 2 Heartlands.. loved them and no problems

donn0128
Explorer
Explorer
Mountain Mama wrote:


How does one find out what frames are used on a unit? Iโ€™m looking at a Forest River Cedar creek and am not finding any info about the frame.


As far as I know there is only, well two mfgs that use in house built frames. Northwood Mfg and OutdoorRV. Both out of Lagrande OR. Im sure there are others.
Lippert frame issues seem to have been fixed several years ago. At least no one has posted in quite some time complaining about issues.
Many of the issues were shared across some of the lower line fivers. Cardinal, Cedar Creek, Montana to name a few that did not seem to be involved in the frame issues. I have a Lippert frame under my 2005 Cedar Creek and have never had an issue, so I would not be afraid to buy what I like and go camping.

ctilsie242
Explorer
Explorer
The real blame ultimately is with the RV maker.

If a RV maker specs the right frame with some headroom for vibration, full load, and day to day real weather conditions, there would be fewer problems. Lippert specs exactly what the RV makers tell them to spec, no more, no less, and that is invariably a far scrawniner frame than what should be used.

Nobody is forcing a RV maker to use any frames that get shipped. It is an integral part of the RV maker's job to inspect an incoming frame, and if it is full of booger welds or not up to par, it needs to head back to Lippert as a defective product. Inspecting a frame isn't rocket science -- any welder can look at it and know if it is suitable for use or if it goes into the reject bin. Since RV makers are welding anyway, they should be able to add reinforcements if needed if a frame is marginal.

If Lippert is so bad, RV makers should be beating a path to Norco BAL... but they are not. Norco BAL doesn't use welds, but uses huck bolts (And Huck Bobtails allow for relatively easy disassembly of the frame with the same tool that was used to assemble it.)

I would focus the blame where it belongs, the RV maker. Not that I consider Lippert above reproach, but they just make what their customers (which isn't us) tell them to.

colliehauler
Explorer
Explorer
Very few trailers don't have Lippert frames and they are usually priced substantially higher. They all have about the same construction built in the same area by the same people. About the only difference is management between the company's.

Larry-D
Explorer
Explorer
2015 Heartland Pioneer. Bad controller board on the water heater just after purchase. No big deal Amazon had it and I replaced it, easier and more cost effective than dealing with the dealer. That has been the only problem.

Atlee
Explorer
Explorer
Still mostly the manufacturers fault. Even if Lippert is supplying the trailer frames.

Lippert makes some frames to a manufacturers specs. If Lippert is doing this, and the frames are not strong enough, then that's not Lippert's fault, especially if Lippert believes the frame is not strong enough.

If a manufacturer is buying Lippert frames off the shelf, the manufacturer needs to make sure that frame is strong enough for the trailer they plan to build. And if a particular frame is giving problems, then that is on the manufacturer if the continue to use that frame. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Ralph Cramden wrote:
Heartland-Smeartland lol. The facts are that 90% of what's out there is going to be on a frame made by Lippert and that's where the problems originate. Thin steel, fugly welds, questionable engineering. Sure the RV manufacturers use them, and spec them, and continue to use them, despite known issues going back years, that seem to ebb and flow like the tide. It's all about bottom line. When your foundation is junk from the get go, good luck. Nothing is changing anytime soon, hardly none are immune, so roll the dice.
Erroll, Mary
2021 Coachmen Freedom Express 20SE
2014 F150 Supercab 4x4 w/ 8' box, Ecoboost & HD Pkg
Equal-i-zer Hitch

Mountain_Mama
Explorer
Explorer
myredracer wrote:
Ralph Cramden wrote:
The facts are that 90% of what's out there is going to be on a frame made by Lippert and that's where the problems originate. Thin steel, fugly welds, questionable engineering.


That can't be emphasized enough. I've read of numerous FWs with broke pin box welds and it's not limited to Heartland.

Just know that according to Lippert, it's always the owner's fault for overloading and/or driving on bad roads... There will be owners with the same frame that have never had a problem and claim there's nothing wrong with the frames and will defend them to the ends of the earth. Major problem IMO is that there are no regulations of any kind on trailer frames so Lippert can build them however they want, and they do. Don't fall for their claims of quality control either because that is next to meaningless.

We discovered a major problem with the Lippert frame on a previous TT one day after we owned it. Initially Lippert declared it was "within spec" (yeah, whatever). Took it to a gov't certified inspection facility who said it was absolutely the worst frame they'd ever seen. A detailed report + photos from them ended up with the TT being replaced under warranty with one with a very heavy duty frame. That RV manufacturer continues to churn out the same line of TTs with the same crappy frame...

If we were ever to get a new TT, I'd go out of my way to get one with a non-Lippert frame. Small consolation tho. because there can be plenty of other LCI cr*p in a TT or FW like sofa, doors, "stabilizer" (haha) jacks, and much more, pffft.


How does one find out what frames are used on a unit? Iโ€™m looking at a Forest River Cedar creek and am not finding any info about the frame.
2003 Holiday Rambler Alumascape 34RLT

myredracer
Explorer II
Explorer II
Ralph Cramden wrote:
The facts are that 90% of what's out there is going to be on a frame made by Lippert and that's where the problems originate. Thin steel, fugly welds, questionable engineering.


That can't be emphasized enough. I've read of numerous FWs with broke pin box welds and it's not limited to Heartland.

Just know that according to Lippert, it's always the owner's fault for overloading and/or driving on bad roads... There will be owners with the same frame that have never had a problem and claim there's nothing wrong with the frames and will defend them to the ends of the earth. Major problem IMO is that there are no regulations of any kind on trailer frames so Lippert can build them however they want, and they do. Don't fall for their claims of quality control either because that is next to meaningless.

We discovered a major problem with the Lippert frame on a previous TT one day after we owned it. Initially Lippert declared it was "within spec" (yeah, whatever). Took it to a gov't certified inspection facility who said it was absolutely the worst frame they'd ever seen. A detailed report + photos from them ended up with the TT being replaced under warranty with one with a very heavy duty frame. That RV manufacturer continues to churn out the same line of TTs with the same crappy frame...

If we were ever to get a new TT, I'd go out of my way to get one with a non-Lippert frame. Small consolation tho. because there can be plenty of other LCI cr*p in a TT or FW like sofa, doors, "stabilizer" (haha) jacks, and much more, pffft.

mowingman
Explorer
Explorer
Exactly correct. And then, you had better have a very good dealer who will take care of all the issues for you.


azdryheat wrote:
My opinion is that most all trailers are poorly built, not just Heartland. You will not find a person on the assembly line looking for quality control issues. It's up to the new owner to find the flaws.

azdryheat
Explorer
Explorer
My opinion is that most all trailers are poorly built, not just Heartland. You will not find a person on the assembly line looking for quality control issues. It's up to the new owner to find the flaws.
2013 Chevy 3500HD CC dually
2014 Voltage 3600 toy hauler
2019 RZR 1000XP TRE