Introduction
We purchased our EPro 19FD in August of 2019. The unit is a 2020 model year. I should point out that we still love this trailer, as you could be forgiven for thinking this trailer has had its share of issues, which I would argue that it has. If you have never owned a trailer before, my intent is not to scare you off, but to reassure you that the issues are not show stoppers. The thing that I say alot is if you buy a RV trailer you should be handy, and if your not you should have a good friend that is. This has nothing to do with a specific brand but it accurate industry wide. To be clear if you are handy ,nearly all of the issues can be resolved yourself. There are great resources, forums and how to videos online that will get you started. If after reading or watching the videos online if you are not 100 percent confident get a friend to help you or take it to a professional.
What Lead Us to the EPro 19FD
We did a-lot of research before the purchase, almost two years. We wanted a larger unit, but did not want to buy a tow vehicle. Our vehicle at the time had a tow rating of 3500 lbs and a tongue capacity of 350 lbs. Technically we met that criterial, but we were pushing the envelope. We then bought a mid size pickup with a 7000 lb capacity and 700 lb tongue capacity. It definitely was better than the SUV, but we were already thinking of what would be next after this trailer, so we traded the mid size pickup and bought a 3/4 ton diesel pickup. We traded at the time when dealers were paying crazy money for used trucks, so it made sense for us.
We liked the Murphy bed / couch design, we also liked the look of the trailer, the options… specifically the solar package. While the solar was package was minimal but it would easily maintain the battery while in storage run a small coffee maker so we were good.
Problems We Experienced
- Leak in Bathroom Skylight
- Leak in the roof by the Wifi Ranger
- Slow Awning with high current draw, causing resettable fuse to trip
- Murphy bed locking system would get hung up when putting the bed down.
Upgrades We Completed
- EMS from Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C along with my LevelUp Levelling and EMS module
- Upgraded Battery – SBS-190F 190AH
- Added USB Ports to camp side of the bed
- Added Levelling and EMS Monitoring System
- 2 5/8 inch Trailer Lift Kit from Dexter
- Husky Weight Distribution Hitch
- Heavy Duty Tongue Lock – AMPLOCK BRP2516
- 2.5 inch Curt receiver with a drop 6 inch drop and a 2 inch rise
- Swapped out the stock tires for Good Year Endurance Trailer Tires
- Furrion Observation Camera – this could single handily save a marriage
- Added a locking latch to the cabinet under the settee to prevent it from opening while travelling
- Replaced locks on outdoor hatches
- Replaced thermostat for furnace with an electronic one. – not sure I would do that again.
- Added a 3 inch mattress topper from Amazon
Things We Like about the Trailer
- The trailer is compact enough that you can pretty much get it on anywhere.
- Weight / Easy to Tow
- No Slides
- Built in Solar Panel and Charge Controller
- Built in Inverter
- Movable ladder
- Layout given the size of trailer
- Max Air Fan and cover
- Murphy Bed
- Decent storage for a small trailer
- Struts for all cabinets doors above the kitchen
- Moreride Steps
- Keypad on the door
- Large dump gate on the fresh water tank
- Slinky Storage under trailer
- Tank Heaters – we like shoulder season and winter camping
Things I Dislike about the Trailer
- No Slides
- Too low to the ground (IMHO)
- No Pass-through Storage
- Awning
- Murphy Bed Locking System
- Settee Aluminum Frame Cracking
- Levelling Jacks Grounding Out – see our solution
- The Jack It Bike Rack – I loved this until I had to use it.
- Light Pollution from all the lighted switches
- Inverter too small to run a coffee maker
- Sink in Kitchen too small as is the tap set (this has been resolved in later models)
- No rear bumper or receiver bar on back of trailer for bike rack. (this has been changed on later models)
- The fridge does not always restart after the propane was switched over, or the power in the trailer cycled. I still don’t have a good handle on this so I manually check whenever I switched tanks or I know the power has been off.
- The air conditioner is way oversized for the size of the trailer. That unit can turn the trailer into a meat locker in no time flat even on the hottest days (OK… so they are Canadian summer days).
- Before we installed the lift kit it could be difficult to impossible to empty the black/gray tank into a tote.
Weirdest Problems We Experienced
- Low Battery condition causes TV volume to decrease to point where the TV is still on but you can’t hear it.
- No water to taps/toilet with full tank. Problem – Water mizer lever in bathroom was partially open allowing air into system causing pump to run but not build pressure.
- No DC power to the trailer unless plugged into truck or the AC Pedestal. The DC appliances would not run off the battery, however the battery would charge and the power jack worked.
Best Feature
- The Forest River branded spatula.
Useless Features
- WiFi Ranger
- TV and Stereo
- Water-miser in shower
- Outdoor hose down
- The stove that came with the trailer.
Would We Purchase Again
Yes we would. We’ve had a few issues with the trailer, but no show stoppers. We love the fact that the trailer is small enough and manoeuvrable enough to get on to almost any site. During the summer we don’t spend a lot of time inside the trailer, its not until we do shoulder season or winter camping that we can find the trailer a bit cramped. We eventually will upgrade to a larger trailer for retirement, but the 19FD fits the bill today.
That’s it for today. Cheers!