How To Repair Georgetown side wall failure

[machunt]

can someone tell which years this was bad in? also if forest river has corrected this issue?

[kenandterry]

This isn in no way a guaranteed statement.....
However I believe (and in discussion with other owners and those that have done the tour at the assembly plant in Goshen) that models starting in 2015 may not have built with the sidewalls screwed sideways into the floor assembly. From around this time, Georgetown units seem to have been built by lifting the bulk of the motorhome onto the floor assembly, and securing it onto the flat floor surface as opposed to side screws into the floor unit.

Anyone know for sure?

[VinceU]

Doesn’t look like it when viewing 2018 photos. Looks like ‘12 I had. To form a “seam” between body and new skirt to compartments would be a larger multi section “joint”, there isn’t any. Same from 12 to 18, just thin strip covering the belt of bolts same as always.

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

This isn in no way a guaranteed statement.....
However I believe (and in discussion with other owners and those that have done the tour at the assembly plant in Goshen) that models starting in 2015 may not have built with the sidewalls screwed sideways into the floor assembly. From around this time, Georgetown units seem to have been built by lifting the bulk of the motorhome onto the floor assembly, and securing it onto the flat floor surface as opposed to side screws into the floor unit.

Anyone know for sure?

I believe you are correct with the exception that the walls are placed one at a time and after most of the interior plumbing/electrical has been either stubbed or installed.

[Dalin]

Well after reading these nightmare posts about the walls falling off, mine has done it too. I have a Georgetown 2018- 36B5, about 7500 miles on it. We drove 2 hours last night to Charlotte NC for our annual trek to the car show and flea market at the speedway. This morning my wife notice the space under the threshold plate at the door. Looks like the right side dropped about a half inch, looking at the right side inside the edge of the steps assembly, it looks like the wall there is about a quarter inch from the floor.
I called my dealer in Danville, Va., and the best they can do at this time is get me in to look at it about May 6th. My hope s that they have seen or heard of this from Forest River and they have a remedy. Everytime I have used my RV for a trip, something major has happened to it. Last year we went on a month long trip, lost a main bed slide motor, we went on a weekend trip and lost one on the other side of that same slide, we have had a time when our generator was faulting down and next day it mysteriously fixed itself. Last year one at a time all 3 roof vent lids cracked and fell out somewhere on the highway I suppose. I replaced them all myself because it had to be done to avoid rain damages. I'm seriously thinking I have a Friday built RV. I hope I can make it back home Saturday night. My next RV will be bought from a more reliable company. And maybe soon.

[RollinRemdes]

Originally Posted by Dalin

I called my dealer in Danville, Va., and the best they can do at this time is get me in to look at it about May 6th. My hope s that they have seen or heard of this from Forest River and they have a remedy. Everytime I have used my RV for a trip, something major has happened to it.

One piece of advice I can offer is to check around your area for RV repair facilities that AREN'T dealers. It seems that no matter what time of year it is, dealers have 30+ day wait times for any repair - and that's just to get you into the shop - heaven knows how long it will take beyond that. May non-dealer shops are able to do warranty work, if yours is still under warranty.

As for your opinion of FR quality - we felt the same way. We traded our GT for a used Entegra, and never looked back.

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by Dalin

Well after reading these nightmare posts about the walls falling off, mine has done it too. I have a Georgetown 2018- 36B5, about 7500 miles on it. We drove 2 hours last night to Charlotte NC for our annual trek to the car show and flea market at the speedway. This morning my wife notice the space under the threshold plate at the door. Looks like the right side dropped about a half inch, looking at the right side inside the edge of the steps assembly, it looks like the wall there is about a quarter inch from the floor.
I called my dealer in Danville, Va., and the best they can do at this time is get me in to look at it about May 6th. My hope s that they have seen or heard of this from Forest River and they have a remedy. Everytime I have used my RV for a trip, something major has happened to it. Last year we went on a month long trip, lost a main bed slide motor, we went on a weekend trip and lost one on the other side of that same slide, we have had a time when our generator was faulting down and next day it mysteriously fixed itself. Last year one at a time all 3 roof vent lids cracked and fell out somewhere on the highway I suppose. I replaced them all myself because it had to be done to avoid rain damages. I'm seriously thinking I have a Friday built RV. I hope I can make it back home Saturday night. My next RV will be bought from a more reliable company. And maybe soon.

Dan.....being that you have a 2018 model, I urge you to contact Forest River while you’re under warranty..
We were way out of warranty when we had our sidewall separation addressed, but you may be in a much better position.

[NXR]

Originally Posted by Dalin

Well after reading these nightmare posts about the walls falling off, mine has done it too. I have a Georgetown 2018- 36B5, about 7500 miles on it. We drove 2 hours last night to Charlotte NC for our annual trek to the car show and flea market at the speedway. This morning my wife notice the space under the threshold plate at the door. Looks like the right side dropped about a half inch, looking at the right side inside the edge of the steps assembly, it looks like the wall there is about a quarter inch from the floor.

File an NHTSA complaint as others have done: https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/

[RELHUB]

I was concerned about this issue on our 2013 Georgetown.
I started to hear a rattle only on the driver side.
I reviewed many repair approaches and figured I would have to remove all trim and drill holes in the side of the MH like everyone else did.

Upon inspection all screws factory installed were now loose
HOWEVER on my MH they used self tap with threads on the screws. I measured the Thread Pitch @ 7.1 METRIC. I was able to go and purchase 7.1 metric nuts. I installed and was able to secure all vertical screws on the driver side and the walls are all tight. The coach rides so nice and quite now, like it did when it was new.

I am only posting to maybe help someone else before they cut up the sidewall. In order to see the screws you have to look under the front hood on the driver side you should see a long vertical square metal frame with many screw ends sticking out. I will take pictures and see if I can unload them on this post.

[Dalin]

I picked up my Georgetown today. It looks ok. They didn't leave a mess. So that said. Looking under it, I don't see nuts ,...so I figure they just used the same thing the factory did. They did clean up and around it and added some sealer on the edges and corners to make sure it was sealed against moisture and air etc. So, I probably got what I had. When it happens again, will do it myself. Not that I'm complaining, they made it like it was. It cost me $223.00....they said they charged me 2 hours labor. If it breaks again, maybe I won't own it any longer. My wife has shown interest in getting a diesel pusher, somehow she thinks the ride will be smoother and quieter. Probably so but I see where fuel and upkeep can be more expensive. I did email several times with a factory rep, also reported it to safety folks in case it gets to be something common and they make Georgetown do a recall. I don't know what else can be done at this point other than drive it until the next thing happens. Have a great day.!

[NXR]

Dalin, what precisely pulled away from what? When I was at the Georgetown factory on Tuesday looking at our GT5 34H5 I specifically looked at how the exterior wall is secured to the aluminum wall framing. The fiberglass wall was screwed to the wall aluminum tubular (actually rectangular) framing with what appeared to be self-tapping screws.

I cannot figure out what is dropping away from what. Is it the exterior fiberglass wall separating from the aluminum wall framing? Is it that the entire wall including the framing separated away from the floor framing? There didn't seem to be any way for the floor framing to separate from the F-53 chassis.

Thanks for any details you can provide.

Ray

[Swag]

07 George Town, passager side of coach, sits lower. Crawled under Coach,at wheel well the side wall as dropped 1”.
Thanks for the information Eric 52.

[Swag]

Side wall is falling down from floor framing.

[Dalin]

The problem was that from the front passenger side where the start of the molding is where the screws are under it...the self tapping screws broke, all the way back to the steps, about 5 feet or so. They broke out of the rectangular tubing that runs down the length of the side. There was a space of 1/4 to 3/8 inch where you could see the ground from inside but the passenger seat looking down at where the floor meets the wall. I have taken pictures and emailed them to a Georgetown representative. It appeared to dropped about 1/2 inch. My thoughts are that it was from the hard shaking it does when I hit a few bumps traveling down I-65 last summer, also this spring driving from Danville, Va. to Charlotte NC along I-85. There is a few places where there is construction but the problem was where it needs construction, a few pretty good pot holes and cracks and uneven places, when that thing hits one of those I cringe because I figure a tire is sure to blow out or a rim is getting bent.
I don't think the self tapping screws is much of a way to attach the walls. I would have thought something more substantial would have been used. I think they used the same thing to repair it, as I can't see any locking nuts sticking out the back side of that frame tubing behind the wall. Easy to see that at the front wheel opening. They had the wheel opening flair off, also the molding from from to door opening and some of the front right corner which runs up and down. I will put a couple photos on here. I hope they explain it.

[NXR]

Thanks. In case it's relevant I was told at the factory that the FR3 and GT5 both have aluminum floor framing while the XL's have steel floor framing. All three have aluminum wall and roof framing. I doubt there is a significant dissimilar metal issue but maybe something with the screws. Doesn't explain Dalin's GT5 issue, though.

FYI, if you're bored you could start here: https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2018/F...VER/GEORGETOWN and just change the year in the URL to see other years.

2018 - Dalin's complaint for this issue
2013 - 2017 - none for this issue.
2012 - one for this issue filed in 2016
2010 - 2011 - none for this issue
2009 - one for this issue filed in 2014 (114,000 miles)
2008 - one for this issue filed in 2017, one filed in 2016, one filed in 2015 (occurred in 2013), one filed in 2014
2000 - 2007 - none for this issue

I would suspect that recalls are not going to occur for such a small number of formal complaints. If you've had this happen, please consider filing a complaint even belatedly.

There were several complaints for step and door problems, though. No year had more than nine complaints filed and most had four or less until I went back almost fifteen years. There were just a few complaints for the refrigerator fires as well, oddly.

Ray

[NXR]

Wow, nice pictures. Those explained a lot to me.

When I looked at mine, at least the ones through the fiberglass along the edge, the screws were about a foot apart. Were yours about the same distance?

Ray

[Dalin]

Ray, yes when the trim was off I could see the screw holes, they seemed to be a foot or maybe 10 inches, I didn't measure. But I agree that the problem had to be the screws used. There was no damage to the wall or frame that I could see. It would seem that with the hard licks these things take out on the highways and the known shake rattle and roll at times, they would spend a couple more bucks and buy a decent case of screws for this particular area. I wouldn't mind paying 500 dollars more just knowing that I was going to have a unit that will last at least 10 years trouble free. I can live with the loud gas engine and other things that a gas engine chassis has, as long as I knew I wasn't going to the shop everytime I got back from a trip. This is 100 grand of a hard earned savings that they get for these and you would think it would last at least as long a a 20 grand Hyundai car. Next time if I can, I will just go out and buy some grade 8 or similar screws and put them all the way through the frame as some have done before in this thread. My last class A was a 30foot, Pinnacle 2955. I bought new in 2001. No slides but was perfect for our travels, to Florida several times, to Charlotte several times, and Myrtle Beach, Carlisle ,Pa. anyway, it had 27k miles on it when I traded it for this new one and they only problems I ever had was to get the generator carb rebuilt a couple times. That's it. Other than the problems, we do enjoy going on the road and staying in the RV. We've had about 8 of them over the years, just never had many issues to speak of.
Thanks for your info Ray, I appreciate it and will look through some of those links you provided.

[NXR]

Thanks for taking the time to write that. It also was good to hear that this was really the only significant issue so far. I absolutely agree on what else you wrote. When I visited the production line it looked like there was ample time for at least a few nut-and-bolt fasteners to be added.

I wonder if the issue is caused by what you wrote, jarring of the frame due to bad roads and similar. If so, the springs could be bottoming out and putting far more stress on the entire structure. This might be another reason to add SumoSprings or similar.

If you did not add those pictures to your NHTSA complaint please modify it to at least put a note on it that you do have pictures and what was done to fix it.

Ray

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by NXR

Dalin, what precisely pulled away from what? When I was at the Georgetown factory on Tuesday looking at our GT5 34H5 I specifically looked at how the exterior wall is secured to the aluminum wall framing. The fiberglass wall was screwed to the wall aluminum tubular (actually rectangular) framing with what appeared to be self-tapping screws.

I cannot figure out what is dropping away from what. Is it the exterior fiberglass wall separating from the aluminum wall framing? Is it that the entire wall including the framing separated away from the floor framing? There didn't seem to be any way for the floor framing to separate from the F-53 chassis.

Thanks for any details you can provide.

Ray

If anyone else suffers the sidewall separation that we had.....IT WAS the self tapping screws SHEARING OFF and allowing the outer fibreglass wall to start sagging down (and each screw that sheared, sounded like a gunshot inside) the dashboard starts bouncing, daylight could be seen by the passenger when looking down beside their right foot and the interior sidewall. Next thing you notice....the gaps and alignment of the exterior cargo doors start being out of alignment, and the entrance door starts having trouble opening and closing within the door frame.

[Dalin]

Originally Posted by NXR

Thanks for taking the time to write that. It also was good to hear that this was really the only significant issue so far. I absolutely agree on what else you wrote. When I visited the production line it looked like there was ample time for at least a few nut-and-bolt fasteners to be added.

I wonder if the issue is caused by what you wrote, jarring of the frame due to bad roads and similar. If so, the springs could be bottoming out and putting far more stress on the entire structure. This might be another reason to add SumoSprings or similar.

If you did not add those pictures to your NHTSA complaint please modify it to at least put a note on it that you do have pictures and what was done to fix it.

Ray

I hope we have it fixed for awhile Ray. Yeah I think the bumps on the highways probably caused the jarring. And it was on interstate driving, surprise pot holes or a crack in the road, pavements or concrete, I have hit a few of them. I seldom do a lot of secondary road driving unless that's how I have to get to a campsite but, truth of it is, they have always seemed to be better roads and of course we drive slower on them.
I will send the NHTSA some updated photos, never thought of that, thanks for the tip. It could be the framing around the walls etc might be what kept it from dropping off worse than it did.
I was trying to remember if at any time on any of our trips we didn't have some sort of thing break. I think last fall we went to the Charlotte RaceTrack for the fall Auto Fair and we came back unscathed..LOL But we just had got it back from the dealers where they replaced a main bed slide motor... I've had both of those slide motors to fail, all 3 roof vents covers rotted away within a year , living room couch and dinette slide was dragging the floor as it moved, had them trim off moldings around the bottom, I think the floor might have raised, not sure, also the king bed was dragging a leg which eventually had to be trimmed a little shorter and re-installed so it wouldn't hang up again, besides that, behind that leg is a 120 outlet that was blocked with that leg, they moved it when they reinstalled it, we had to have the engine AC charged after the first trip, it apparently was overlooked at the factory, it was empty. I must say, I have never had an RV with that many problems and one I had 10 years another Class A, I had 17 years. We will take it a day at a time and hope for the best. Thanks for your input! I might add, one thing, as I was following my wife driving the RV home , I was behind, I noticed the passenger,(right) side of the RV appears to be about 1 or 2 inches lower than the left side, it was noticeable. I'm hoping that's been like that forever and not something new. We will see, I have almost all of my heavy tools and equipment on the drivers side so I don't know how that could be from weight...unless it's because the kitchen appliances are all on that side. I don't know. I suppose if it's bad, we will find out when we got up to Byron ,Illinois in July, or on the way back we plan on stopping at our old hometown of Newton Falls, Ohio. I hope we have good roads..