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Topic: Starcraft TT question
Posted By: Stclairm on 06/23/16 03:53pm

Hello, long time no post since we sold our TT about 3 years ago now. Wow do we miss it and we still go to all the local RV shows. We just found a new Starcraft Travel Star 274RKS. It looked and felt pretty good, I noticed Jayco was the door supplier and it has a 2 year warranty. It makes me wonder if it's actually made by Jayco. Any opinions on Starcraft? It has pretty much all the features I look for: plastic end cap, roof ladder, power tongue jack, etc. I just wish it wasn't white (shows all the stains). Thanks yall!

Posted By: jfkmk on 06/23/16 04:42pm

Starcraft is a subsidiary of Jayco. W have an entry level Starcraft (AR-One) and are quite pleased with it. No frills (which is what we wanted) and after 4+ years, no problems.

Posted By: dewey02 on 06/23/16 04:46pm

We have a 2011 Starcraft 235fb that was actually made on the Jayco assembly line. Starcraft shut down during the economic downturn and moved their production to the Jayco line. When the economy improved, they hired back the workers and started their own line back up again.

Good products and a lot of models are virtual twins of Jayco models.

Posted By: Stclairm on 06/23/16 05:29pm

Thanks! I wouldn't call this one no frills. It has a cool skylight in the kitchen area with neat LED lighting surrounding it too. Very large TV and a package that puts a tv in the bedroom. In our owning and shopping several TT's, there's only a handful I would consider lesser quality. Passport's being one of them.

Posted By: Stclairm on 06/23/16 05:32pm

Here's a link. A few other features are the larger refrigerator, residential style faucet, upgraded Denver mattress, "solid surface" counters. Starcraft 274RKS

Posted By: downtheroad on 06/23/16 06:19pm

One thing I like about it is that the bathroom vanity actually has some counter space....Ours doesn't and it would be nice to have.

"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane."

Arctic Fox 25Y
GMC Duramax
Blue Ox SwayPro


Posted By: Acdii on 06/23/16 06:26pm

That is pretty nice, though do you think they took enough pictures of the back of the trailer! LOL My only concern would be those cabinets on either side of the bed, looks like you could get caught in between them and the mattress if you somehow slide your arm out while sleeping, other than that, really nice looking interior.

Posted By: samhain7 on 06/23/16 08:19pm

Love our Starcraft. No major issues. But somestimes with ALL manufacturers, that is just luck.

Final notice from MasterCard. Good! I'm sick of hearing from them.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
2016 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins, E2 WD w/sway
2015 Starcraft Autumn Ridge 289BHS

Posted By: pawpaw47 on 06/24/16 06:27am

We've had our Starcraft for about 1 1/2 years now and have towed it over 9,000 miles. No major issues at all, in fact we really haven't had any issues with it. We're absolutely satisfied with our Autumn Ridge. My daughter & son in law just purchased an Autumn Ridge and have only been out in it twice, but so far so good. We can all give Starcraft a thumbs up.
Good luck with your decision.

2015 Starcraft Autumn Ridge 329BHU
2015 Starcraft AR-One 18QB
2014 GMC w/6.2L & max tow pkge.


Posted By: 93Cobra2771 on 06/24/16 07:07am

I know of two and both are outstanding units. And the two year warranty is an added bonus.

Richard White
2011 F150 Ecoboost SCREW 145" 4x4
Firestone Ride-Rite Air Springs/Air Lift Wireless Controller
2006 Sportsmen by KZ 2604P (30')
Hensley Arrow


Posted By: Stclairm on 06/24/16 08:39am

The other one we just so happened to like is the Jayco Jayfeather 23RLSW here's a link 23RLSW
But we like the Starcraft rear kitchen a few notches better. I really like the fiberglass or plastic end cap. Our other two TT's really took a beating on the front and just didn't look good.

Posted By: whjco on 06/24/16 08:52pm

We have a 2006 2500 RKS and love it. Getting ready to head out for a week with it this weekend.

Bill J., Lexington, KY

Bill J., Lexington, KY
2006 Starcraft 2500RKS 25' Travel Trailer
2015 Ram 2500 Big Horn 6.7 Cummins.

Posted By: rrev on 06/24/16 10:26pm

We're on our second Starcraft. First was a 2007, had no problem. Now we have a 2016. We love it!

2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD CCSB
2016 Starcraft Autumn Ridge 329BHU
2007 Starcraft Homestead 282DBS (Retired)

Posted By: bobndot on 06/25/16 04:55am

I would try to see how that front cap is installed on them.
According to the rv mechanics I spoke to before I bought , I have been told some mfg.'s have had issues with water getting behind those caps causing problems.
I don't remember which one's they were but it's just something you might want to look into.
I would also check on which slideout they use and see if there are any slide mechanism issues with the brand the Starcraft uses. Info is all out there if you search for it. You will have better luck using a web search bar .

Posted By: NCBounder on 07/18/16 09:14am

My BIL has a '14 Starcraft Launch 26BHS. Love the layout BUT, it has a severe leak between the diamond plate and the front cap. Water has completely rotted the entire front wall, foor, and damaged the furniture. Its still under the 2 year warranty period but he's caught in the crack between dealer and Starcraft. So its sitting on the dealer lot while he still makes the monthly payment to the finance company.

I understand they changed the way he front cap/diamond plate are joined on later models so be sure to check it.

Chuck & Pam
'16 Tiffin Allegro 32SA - Ford V10
'17 Nissan Frontier - Blue Ox & Brake Buddy
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NJ4B

Posted By: SoundGuy on 07/18/16 09:28am

NCBounder wrote:

My BIL has a '14 Starcraft Launch 26BHS. Love the layout BUT, it has a severe leak between the diamond plate and the front cap. Water has completely rotted the entire front wall, foor, and damaged the furniture. Its still under the 2 year warranty period but he's caught in the crack between dealer and Starcraft. So its sitting on the dealer lot while he still makes the monthly payment to the finance company.


That's curious. [emoticon] Friends of ours who were diehard popup campers liked our Coachmen Freedom Express 192RBS so much it was enough to convince them to finally move to The Darkside and purchased a 2015 Starcraft Launch 21FBS which has a virtually identical floor plan. By the end of the first season the front wall had leaked so badly the dealer replaced it entirely under warranty over the winter. Ours friends were told that Starcraft had had this issue with quite a few trailers over this same time period. If this '14 Starcraft is still within it's 2 yr warranty there shouldn't be any reason for Starcraft nor the dealer to step up to the plate and repair the damage.

Posted By: NCBounder on 07/18/16 09:50am

SoundGuy wrote:


Ours friends were told that Starcraft had had this issue with quite a few trailers over this same time period. If this '14 Starcraft is still within it's 2 yr warranty there shouldn't be any reason for Starcraft nor the dealer to step up to the plate and repair the damage.


Yep.. same issue. As mentioned they changed the design so that now there is an overlap of the cap onto the diamond plate.

Issue now is that the dealer has tried to repair and actually made it worse. A child could have done better at slopping sealant over the crack. Plus, it remained outside at the dealer during the resent heavy rains we've had in this area so that now the flooring, walls, internal stud grid, furniture.. all are rotting and molding so badly as to make the trailer unusable.

Posted By: Addy15 on 07/18/16 06:07pm

SoundGuy wrote:



That's curious. [emoticon] Friends of ours who were diehard popup campers liked our Coachmen Freedom Express 192RBS so much it was enough to convince them to finally move to The Darkside and purchased a 2015 Starcraft Launch 21FBS which has a virtually identical floor plan. By the end of the first season the front wall had leaked so badly the dealer replaced it entirely under warranty over the winter. Ours friends were told that Starcraft had had this issue with quite a few trailers over this same time period. If this '14 Starcraft is still within it's 2 yr warranty there shouldn't be any reason for Starcraft nor the dealer to step up to the plate and repair the damage.



We also have a 2015 Launch 21FBS and have had no such issue with ours. It could be that the issue mentioned here is not so much an issue with the joint between the front cap and the diamond plate and more an issue with the front window. There was a recall on some Starcraft trailers (including ours) where the glue that was used to install the window failed and allowed leakage into the trailer. Ours, thankfully, was found not to have that problem!

Posted By: NCBounder on 07/18/16 06:34pm

The problem is really the joint between the front cap and the diamond plate. They were simply butted together with some sealant, which pretty quickly came apart due to the rigors of the road. I looked at a newer model and the front cap overlays the diamond plate on the bottom with a seal between the two. His particular model has no front window.

Posted By: SoundGuy on 07/18/16 06:54pm

Addy15 wrote:

We also have a 2015 Launch 21FBS and have had no such issue with ours. It could be that the issue mentioned here is not so much an issue with the joint between the front cap and the diamond plate and more an issue with the front window.


Our friends' Starcraft 21FBS has no front window ... I'll have to ask him again but as I recall it had something to do with the front diamond plate.

Posted By: NCBounder on 07/20/16 11:18am

SoundGuy wrote:

Our friends' Starcraft 21FBS has no front window ... I'll have to ask him again but as I recall it had something to do with the front diamond plate.


Right, no window, simply a poor manufacturing application where there was no overlap in the cap/diamond plate joint.

However what has made things much worse is the dealer took off the plate and left the trailer to sit outside during the recent weeks of rain we have had each evenings. So now water has run through the entire trailer.

We tried to talk to someone at Starcraft but could not get past the call desk. Seems like a company with the reputation of Jayco would do better than leave someone paying for a product that has to go to the junkyard.

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