Georgetown Water Heater Support Mod

[cfsoistman]

This weekend I ended up having to fix the area of our water heater. The outside panel had shifted to the right and just about touched the propane door access. This panel has on 3 occasions lost screws, sheared a tek screw off and now I know why. The 10 gallon water heater when full is approximately 100 lbs. FR built a support to have the water heater lay on. Problem with this set-up is the support was way too small and it sat on the plastic bottom of the compartment. The compartment had no reinforcement with ribs as some of the others. So as we drove down the road the weight of the water heater moved freely up and down. It moved the panel as well as breaking the screws off. It's a bit disheartening to find this support was built from scrap wood and if built properly would have cost them less than $5 to do it right. Beside this poor excuse for a support I couldn't believe the lack of a screw or bracket to keep the panel from sliding.

The original set-up



Their support vs. mine



My installed platform, anchored from underneath as well.

[Herk7769]

Yikes

[cfsoistman]

I would caution any Georgetown 370 owners to check out your water heater and the compartment it's installed in. I'm glad it's fixed but disappointed that FR cut corners for something that involves Propane and expecting a 100 lb full water heater to be supported by less than an 1/8" of plastic. Anyone else have any similar surprises?

Water heater back in

Ready to finish up

Completed, proper gap is back and a bracket added to keep the panel from any shifting forward.

[Nutmeg]

cfsosistman, Thanks for the heads up. Question on how to remove the panel. Looks like you remove the flange for the door, then there are two "L" straps on the bottom of the panel that look to be fastened into the compartment frame. What is the next step? Thanks

[cfsoistman]

Originally Posted by Nutmeg

cfsoistman, Thanks for the heads up. Question on how to remove the panel. Looks like you remove the flange for the door, then there are two "L" straps on the bottom of the panel that look to be fastened into the compartment frame. What is the next step? Thanks

The four screws that hold the flange in are simple to remove. The toughest part was cutting through the caulk that's used across the bottom that seals the flange to the water heater base. I had to remove the burner assembly in order to get the razor knife in there. I took a chair out there and it took me 1 hour of just cutting back and forth to get it to free up. The 2 screws underneath are the ones that sheared off. Once the screws and flange are removed the panel hinges on the top and will slide across the track as long as the propane door is open. When I reinstalled the "L" brackets on the panel I used 3/16" pop-rivets (3/8" long) with stainless steel washers. The screws FR used had loosened before and it's really a tough deal to tighten them. I also had to fasten the spark ignitor to the straps around the water heater. The two sided tape FR used wasn't holding it in place. I used wire ties to keep it from moving around. If there's anything else I can help explain please let me know. I sent all of the photos and an email to John Armstrong of FR about my findings and received a reply that the information will be forwarded to the production supervisor.

[Nutmeg]

Thanks, The board mine sets on covers half the hand hold and the bottom of the compartment is bulging out so I think its worth a look.

[Iggy]

cfsoistman
Did you ever write down the actual measurements of your platform?
I may have to look at mine and do the same.

[copsuno]

This problem is not restricted to the 378... I just put mine in shop today for same damn thing, 2011 360. My panel was out 1/2 in on left side , crawled under and both screws of L bracket, that screw into the panel had pull completely out and the other L bracket had the same two screws 1/2 out. Just out of warranty, but so far my shop has been very good getting it taken care of under warranty.

[MIKE44460]

Wada want for $$,$$$.$$ ? You people complain about every little thing!

[rwells]

Thanks for all this info. I have a 2008 doing the same thing. Given the age, I am sure FR won't do anything though it is a factory install problem. I will work on mine this weekend!

[abjb]

I've been putting this off, not wanting to remove the heater.
I'm going to try GaeTim's method.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ort-43733.html

Tim did you take any pictures?

ab&jb

[GaeTim]

Sorry abjb but I did not take any pics however the job isn't complete yet so I'll take some this week and post them for you.

...so I guess this is pretty common with the Georgetown huh?

Tim

[F and E Damp]

I haven't had a chance to look at this on our '02 GT325. Daughter and room-mate are using it this week, but will be in one place (soccer tournament). If it's a gotcha on rigs that old, I'll have to take a closer look when we get it back.

[GaeTim]

Originally Posted by abjb

I've been putting this off, not wanting to remove the heater.
I'm going to try GaeTim's method.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ort-43733.html

Tim did you take any pictures?

ab&jb

I managed to take a few pics just before it down-pored today. You can see the green 2x4 on either side of the heater base extending from front to back and the cross wedges or spacers I used to distribute the weight. I did this while keeping the tank in place and the only thing that took a bit of time is to make the right size wedges/spacers to level the tank and to make it line up with the outer trim that it's screwed to.

I also made up some brackets to hold the door in place, the "L" brackets were pulled out from the holes where they were mounted and so I welded them to corner brackets I got at Lowes and will mount them using better and more self tapping screws...you can see beside the new bracket were the original brackets were.

Hope this helps, let us know how it went

Tim

[abjb]

THANK you for the picks!
They will really help.

We (DW, me and the 360) are in CO. for the summer. We're taking the car home for a week, I'll get my saw some wood and brackets then.

Doesn't look too bad.

Thanks again
ab&jb

[GaeTim]

No problem, I just noticed the pics are on their side, sorry about that...lol

If someone has a better idea on how to hold the door in place then please share cause even though I fixed up the brackets I'm still a bit Leary about them holding.

Anyway abjb, good luck, like I said the worst part is getting it level so it will align with the trim on the door.

Let us know how it went..

Tim

[370xl]

Charlie, Thanks I'm going to check mine right away. I can bet I have to do the same fix just like the headlamp ground.

[dwaynerz]

Wada want for $$,$$$.$$ ? You people complain about every little thing!

some assembly required? for $$,$$$.$$, I would be pi##ed.

[abjb]

dwaynerz

You missed a couple of $$ :-)

[dwaynerz]

sorry ... working my way up from a tt to 5th wheel. taking it 1 step at a time