29RLI Fifth Wheel Design or Manufacturing Flaw

[O2BNDKeys]

We have had our fifth wheel for several months (2023 29RLI) and are enjoying quite a lot of travel. We're puzzled as to whether not having access to the refrigerator when the slides are in is unique to our unit, or are others manufactured this way as well? The refrigerator door only lacks about an inch clearing the island, so we're curious as to whether this is a design flaw or a manufacturer flaw on our unit.

Just in case others are having the same issue we had with your inverter outlets not working when dry camping, our unit was not wired correctly so we had to get it re-wired.

Thanks for your responses.

[sourdough]

Many trailer models from different manufacturers have a fridge that won't open with the slides in. The island models present an issue.

Design flaw? Manufacturing flaw? I doubt it. I don't care if my fridge opens and have never opened one in transit in approx. 40 years. If I need something for the driving day it's in the truck or I buy it at a stop. Others do differently I know and if that was the case I would make it one of the items I checked on my pre purchase inspection.

[JRTJH]

Welcome to the forum. To sort of answer your question, there is a thread about that very issue with the 29RLI located here: https://www.keystoneforums.com/forum...ad.php?t=57085

You'll see that your trailer is not unique and that there are several other owners with a similar issue.

As for "other manufacturers and other floorplans that share the problem: I'd suspect that it's an issue with a number of floorplans from all manufacturers. For them, the design may boil down to having to choose the "lesser of two evils" that being the choice between omitting some feature or installing it with the knowledge that the addition may affect some other component, or in this situation, the ability to have the island at the expense of access when the slides are in trailer mode.

Some floorplans, not only is the refrigerator not accessible, but the bedroom and bathroom may be totally blocked from use until the slide is opened enough to gain access. With some types of slides, it is MANDATORY that the slide be fully open or fully closed, so there's no ability to "just open enough to get past it"... If you do that, you damage the slide mechanism or alter the alignment and the slide stops working....

Travel trailers are "filled with compromises" Some owners never realize until after they get the trailer home and some issues, none of us ever find a "reasonable reason why" ....

[vtxjim]

Grand design 295 half ton about same size and floorplan. The refrigerator can be opened with slides in and it does have island. It is almost same interior design check it out. I now do own a 2023 RLI cougar 5th wheel and was wondering the same thing about the cougar ??? I just open kitchen slide as much as I need to when I stop along the way to get into refrigerator.

[peanut]

Here's a whole thread about the same subject.
If it was me, I'd just move the island enough for the refer door to clear.
https://www.keystoneforums.com/forum...ad.php?t=57085