2015 Rockwood 3029W Windjammer cracked exterior wall

[gashog]

I've had my Windjammer for about 6 week, took it on a 2,000 plus mile vacation. Last weekend decided to clean up the exterior. I noticed a crack above the bedroom slide. Will the factory stand behind this side wall failure? I've contact my dealership waiting to hear back.

[Dave_Monica]

Cracks above a slide has been reported previously on other Windjammer models...I recall that they were sent back to the factory for warranty repairs. If you type 'cracked sidewalls Windjammer', there's a few previous threads to follow.

Dave

[sheriff1]

Sorry to hear about the crack. My 2012 cracked at the rear door to the roof and the opening for the front slide to the roof as well. It also had a spungy floor in the bedroom,front jack failed at about the 15th use, tire sidewalls self distructed (rotted) at about 1 year old, water heater failed. The factory did replace both walls and fixed the floor, sent a small check for the tires. The factory was good to deal with but you would think by now they would have figured out why these are cracking like the do. I sold mine.

[Vern]

Any update on the cause of your damage or the pending repair of your Windjammer? I assume it will be headed back to the factory, as has been the case with all previous examples on here. I just saw this post and am sorry to see the newer model Windjammers may be vulnerable to the cracks which had once appeared to be most prevalent in pre-2014 models. We own one of the earlier 2013 units (manufactured in the spring of 2012), so I have read these threads with trepidation. Having not seen many recent reports of additional cracks, I was beginning to think the problem may have been solved by a fix of some sort. Obviously, that may not be the case. I love my Windjammer, but this is troubling. Hopefully Forest River gets you squared away soon.

[sheriff1]

It went back to the factory and had both sidewalks replaced, frame "re-enforced", floor in bedroom replaced, new carpet and flooring. They failed to reconnect the water lines At the pump, lost my license plate and a few other things. I couldn't walk by it without looking to see if it cracked again... I sold it and bought a little older Sunnybrook 30' with an 11" thick frame. It's sad because for the most part we did like the layout of the Windjammer, I just don't think they can produce a lightweight TT in that size that will hold up. I hope yours continues to be trouble free!


Happy owner of SOB!!!

[Vern]

Thanks, sheriff1. I remember reading in another thread where you'd sold yours and bought something else. Glad that is working out for you. I take it your Windjammer still intact when it was sold. I know another FRF member who had the same factory repair got very good service out of his for a year (including some long, hard trips), and just traded his in for a big Sabre 5'er. I'm curious to hear the outcome of the OP (gashog) in this regard.

[army_jedi]

I'm also curious as to the outcome, waiting delivery of the sister version of this trailer from Flagstaff. Keeping fingers crossed that we don't have the same issues but want to know what to do about it if we do.

[gashog]

I contacted my Dealership, he contacted the Factory. The Factory wants it back to fix, now it's up to me to remove all of our items and returned to dealership. I'm hoping to get that done very soon. I would feel a lot better about it if I was allowed to haul it back to Indiana myself (even though it's 900 miles), just having them pay for my gas, but doesn't look like the factory will let me according to my dealership?

[Vern]

Originally Posted by gashog

I contacted my Dealership, he contacted the Factory. The Factory wants it back to fix, now it's up to me to remove all of our items and returned to dealership. I'm hoping to get that done very soon. I would feel a lot better about it if I was allowed to haul it back to Indiana myself (even though it's 900 miles), just having them pay for my gas, but doesn't look like the factory will let me according to my dealership?

Sounds like you are on the right track. That's the process we've seen over and over on these. I have never heard exactly why the factory would insist on having a hired driver pick it up, although I suspect there are liability concerns which underly FR's position it cannot pay you (gas or otherwise) to deliver it. Also, my recollection is that others have been asked to remove all non-factory equipment (including their WDH) from their units before dropping them off. Asking you to remove the WDH and then letting you bring the TT to the factory is asking for it from a safety and liability standpoint. Finally, there may be some warranty workload management advantages for the factory, since by having you leave it at the dealership they can effectively expand FR's storage capacity and dictate the exact day it is picked up and arrives at the factory for service. Good luck with the repair. Those of us with Windjammers look forward to hearing the successful outcome of your story.

[D_B Travelers]

Oaky doky, I am a bit slow today...what is a WDH for us rookies?

[NHFire 152]

WDH is a weight distributing hitch


Frank
Whitesboro NY
2014 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab 1500 5.7L
2013 Rockwood Windjammer 3006WK

[D_B Travelers]

Originally Posted by gashog

I've had my Windjammer for about 6 week, took it on a 2,000 plus mile vacation. Last weekend decided to clean up the exterior. I noticed a crack above the bedroom slide. Will the factory stand behind this side wall failure? I've contact my dealership waiting to hear back.

Gashog, you got me to worrying about my 2014 3001w, so we went up to storage tonight and I looked above the slides and doors for cracks. I am good so far but will keep an eye on it now. Bummer gashog, having a issue like that after only 6 weeks, hopefully they will get it back on the road for you quickly. We picked ours up mid-April and have 8 trips on it so far and love it.

[Vern]

WDH is weight distributing hitch.
(edit...oops, Frank beat me to it)

[sheriff1]

I've been following a thread on the Airstream forum about how using to heavy WD bars will cause a rougher ride and over a period of time do considerable damage to a TT, the thought is the hitch mfgs make recommendations on tongue weight without regard to TV. The thought on the forum is a TT with 1000 tongue weight might need 1000 lb rated bars for a half ton truck but only need 600 lb bars on a 1 ton truck. I wondered if this May be a contributing factor in the windjammer wall failures. This is not to say there isn't a design problem with WJs to begin with, just kind of got me thinking about why some a seeing early failures when others don't seem to be.


2015 F350 4X4 Crew Cab Lariat
Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS

[Vern]

Originally Posted by sheriff1

I've been following a thread on the Airstream forum about how using to heavy WD bars will cause a rougher ride and over a period of time do considerable damage to a TT, the thought is the hitch mfgs make recommendations on tongue weight without regard to TV. The thought on the forum is a TT with 1000 tongue weight might need 1000 lb rated bars for a half ton truck but only need 600 lb bars on a 1 ton truck. I wondered if this May be a contributing factor in the windjammer wall failures. This is not to say there isn't a design problem with WJs to begin with, just kind of got me thinking about why some a seeing early failures when others don't seem to be.


2015 F350 4X4 Crew Cab Lariat
Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS

sheriff1 - This is interesting, but above my pay grade. I'll be interested in hearing what others here might think about that theory. It certainly seems anything that increases stress on the TT structure during transit would play into the equation. Still, I am not aware that people are using comparatively higher rated WDH bars for the Windjammers than for other models of TT.

But why are there sidewall cracks on the Windjammers, moreso than other models? When thinking about contributing factors, my "theory" of the Windjammers (totally unsupported by any research whatsoever at this point) is that the vertically "short" portion of the exterior wall panel above these doors and slides may be "shorter" than many other TT's which are not experiencing the failures, because the Windjammer walls are somewhat shorter overall (lower profile units?). If they are "shorter", then perhaps special support is needed on these units to guard against "normal" stresses which would not crack a "taller" wall panel. Again, I may be wrong about that, but that is where my head goes initially on the subject of causation.

[D_B Travelers]

Just tossing in my 2 cents and like others it is not based on any science only conjecture. The WJ series all seem to have very deep slides (mine is 39") which is why we like the interior space. They are almost twice the depth when compared to many other TT and 5ers which have around 2' slides. The support structure for this additional slide out depth has to be heavier and the frame would have to support it also. But when traveling on...less than smooth roads, this structure bouncing has to stress the entire TT body and the opening for the slide is most likely the weakest area. Also, I wonder if the slide out closed tightly for travel is pressing in too much on the top of the opening and causing cracks? Again, just my thoughts and my WJ seems to ride better on these roads with the torsion bar axles than the TV does anyway, so perhaps this is way off.

[gashog]

*** UPDATE ***
Just got my Windjammer back, Forest River replaced the complete driver side exterior wall. Did a beautiful job.
Now just waiting for Carolina Carports to install my 24' x 41' x 12' tall carport with enclosed sides.

[MKClark]

We have been looking at the 2609W. Has anyone seen cracking problems on them?

[youroo]

Originally Posted by gashog

*** UPDATE ***
Just got my Windjammer back, Forest River replaced the complete driver side exterior wall. Did a beautiful job.
Now just waiting for Carolina Carports to install my 24' x 41' x 12' tall carport with enclosed sides.

Good deal on the return! Now just Bump that 12' tall to 14' for your (Future Fiver)! Youroo!!