Grand Design Influence 2903RL; and Grand Design steps up

Today’s RV review is of the 2024 Grand Design Influence 2903RL fifth wheel. Before we even look at this RV in general, there are a few things we have to unpack here. But also know that this is the fifth wheel floor plan I suggest any shopper start with only because everybody and their brother make this floor plan. So it gives you the opportunity to see how each company handles their own unique take on things. 

But what is the Influence, first of all? This is a newer line of fifth wheels for Grand Design that slots between the Reflection and the Solitude. Further know that the Reflection has three sub-sets itself, so you have lots of choices. And a great way to get confused. 

Think of McDonald’s versus In & Out Burger. McDonald’s sells everything under the sun nowadays; In & Out sells hamburgers. Guess where people are waiting in line for a burger and where they’re not? Mo’ simpler is mo’ better, to me. 

But, aside from that, let’s address the elephant in the room, as well. Frame flex. 

Grand Design and frame flex

Whether it’s a real issue or not, Grand Design seems to have found itself in the crosshairs of an issue that has been dubbed “frame flex.” I think this has really come to the forefront because a number of YouTube creators have become quite vocal about their Grand Design fifth wheels having frame issues from minor to significant. 

Once a few owners have created content about this it seemed to open the flood gates and now it’s a “thing.” There are quite a few videos on YouTube about owners complaining about frame failures, particularly in Grand Design rigs. Now, this could be because Grand Design sells a lot of fifth wheels, or it could be that Grand Design may appeal to content creators. It could be any number of things. 

But Grand Design is very likely feeling the heat. 

To their credit, Grand Design has created a five-year frame warranty that covers new units but also covers existing owners. They stepped up-front-and-center on their website with this. I think this is the way to handle this kind of thing, and I have to give Grand Design a lot of kudos on taking this step. 

So, is it a real issue? And how are frames built? I actually got to visit a Lippert chassis factory recently and created this video. 

How are RV frames designed?

The way most towable RV chassis are developed starts at the RV manufacturer, which gives the chassis builder a set of plans and specifications. From there the chassis manufacturer further evaluates what is needed and creates a plan to build the chassis. 

If the chassis builder sees a discrepancy or feels that the design is inadequate, they work with the RV manufacturer to make sure things are proper. 

Can mistakes be made? Sure. Can some RV builders spec a chassis that is barely adequate? Sure. 

But, by the same token, can owners overload a trailer? Absolutely. Can people go places or do things that the RV maker couldn’t imagine? You betcha. 

From my firsthand experience, I don’t think there’s a problem at the chassis manufacturer as I believe they’re generally doing a good job. I know that things can go very wrong at any stage of a manufacturing and build process, of course. 

But I also believe that everybody, and I mean everybody, should scale their RVs. I did this (here are my results – I was shocked!). In fact, this was enough for me to buy a larger truck even with a 24’ travel trailer. 

More chassis things

Another thing I want to give Grand Design a lot of credit for is stepping up to a Dexter Tow Assist system on these fifth wheels. This is a set of electronics that provides anti-lock braking and sway control on the fifth wheel. 

You almost can’t buy a vehicle nowadays that doesn’t have anti-lock braking. For decades it has become the standard for vehicles and really helps maintain control, especially in challenging braking circumstances. 

Now both Dexter and Lippert have stepped up with their own anti-lock braking systems. 

This Dexter system helps you maintain control by providing anti-lock braking, but also uses the wheel sensors to help modulate the brakes to assist in sway control. I would imagine that you would elevate the fifth wheel towing experience significantly with this combination of features. 

Further, the Dexter system allows you to track the mileage you’ve traveled so you can stay on top of things like wheel bearing maintenance and tire life. 

But I also like that Grand Design chose to employ the MORryde CRE3000 suspension system in this line. Further, they’re using a heavy-duty H-rated Cooper tire, and a tire pressure monitoring system is standard equipment. 

As I always write, shop your RV from the bottom up first. In this case, you’d get two thumbs up. So let’s go inside now. 

Grand Design Influence 2903 - 2024

1 of 10

What’s inside the Grand Design Influence 

This is sort of the standard floor plan for fifth wheels, so you can really see things that the company did to differentiate themselves here. 

Since this is a 101”-wide body design, you get the benefit of the additional width that plays out just in how this RV feels. That means a wide rear couch and just a more open feeling to the rig. 

In the kitchen, Grand Design uses a 16-cubic-foot side-by-side 12-volt refrigerator—which I like. The day the last residential refrigerator is installed in an RV will be a happy day in my world. That’s especially true now that these larger 12-volt fridges are available and designed for the realities of a mobile environment. The rest of the kitchen features good pieces and a reasonable amount of cabinet and counter space. 

I like the sink Grand Design has chosen for this, which features multiple inserts to accommodate a variety of uses – draining, food prep, etc. There’s also a glass cleaner where you push the glass down on it and it squirts up water. The brewery I used to go to (before I moved) had one of these that they used as a glass chiller. 

Interestingly, the bulkhead of this space has a larger pantry and a rather deep counter top. Under the counter are, of course, cabinets, but what you’ll find in here are hookups for a washer-dryer combination. Typically, you’ll find the washer-dryer on the upper deck in the bedroom in a fifth wheel; but, to me, this makes sense being here. 

Now, whichever member of the family is in charge of the laundry will be down in the main living area and could, potentially, elicit the help of the others here to fold the laundry. Or at least offer critiques of the stains that you can’t get out of the shirts. 

Was that the barbecue place? Was that soup? Is this shirt destined to become a shop rag? Now you might have a full audience to help with those decisions. 

Upstairs in the Grand Design Influence 2903RL

Grand Design designed this with a larger slide room upstairs that incorporates a wardrobe in the bedroom and the sink and some cabinets in the bathroom. This is a taller slide, for being upstairs, so they’ve really taken advantage of this with lots of drawers and hanging storage in the upstairs wardrobe. 

There are still hanging closets on either side of the bed, and I like that Grand Design has a touch-operated light beneath these on both sides of the bed. Of course, there are household and USB power outlets there, as well. 

On the subject of the bed, it’s a true queen model, but a larger king-sized bed is an option. 

Boondocking and travel access

While many fifth wheels with opposing slides are almost unusable with the slide rooms in, this one isn’t as much so. You can actually open the refrigerator with the downstairs slides in. Since the bed upstairs is not in a slide, that means you can use the bed with the wardrobe slide in as well. So this would work for a quick overnight stop.

I also like the standard large solar panel in there, which produces 330 watts of solar. You can opt-in a second panel, as well, and that package comes with a 2,000-watt inverter. Larger panels mean fewer anchor points, which means fewer holes in the roof. Every little bit helps.

I don’t know how many people would boondock in a fifth wheel like this but, if you wanted to, you could. There’s also a generator option, so you could do quite well with this.

My thoughts

With the number of content creators zeroing in on Grand Design fifth wheels for having issues with their frame and the company coming back with a five-year frame warranty, now might be a good time to consider this brand more than before. 

You might find that deals are a bit more easy to come by if you use the negotiating tactic well. 

I also really like a lot of the chassis features on this rig. I think these will make a significant difference over time and are safety features that are absolutely worthwhile and, at this point, still uncommon. 

The one thing I’d change here is the cheap vent fan in the upstairs bathroom. I mean, come on. It’s almost a hundred grand for this and there’s a dollar store vent fan? But if that’s my biggest complaint about this rig, I think they’re doing well. 

So what’s your take? Have you seen the complaints of some content creators? Does it even matter in your perception? What do you think of this rig. Is your trust in Grand Design the same, restored or you’re still wary of getting one? 

Your comments below are always welcome and encouraged. 

My thanks to Josh from Bish’s RV for the photos in this article.

RELATED:

• Important follow-up to Grand Design quality and frame flex issues story (by Dave Solberg)

More about these RV reviews

These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. They are based on information from a single unit and may not reflect your actual experience. Shop your RV and dealership carefully before making a buying decision. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.

Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a life long RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. He also works closely with a number of RV manufacturers to get an inside look at how things are done and is a brand ambassador for Rockwood Mini Lite with his wife, Peggy.

You can also check out his RV podcast with his wife, Peggy. 

##RVDT2385