Cedar Creek Factory Tour

RickDeb · 02-14-2017, 02:45 PM

Just signed papers yesterday on 2017 C.C. Silverback 37RL added plus I had a factory tour with factory sales rep for Fun-N-Sun RV Nick S. this morning. WOW WOW WOW !!! I am 61 yrs young and have never had or seen a production line job before today. I could not do this. Just a word or 2 or maybe 3 about my morning.
We all as consumers complain about products we buy for one reason or another but today changed my mind. To start with a Cedar Creek 5 er has 36 different stations it stops at and only stops for 30-33 min per station so for inter walls it stops for 33 min to have floor built it stops for 33 min two guys installing pre assembled 8' panels 5 plus a shorter one for the roof and drilling all opening for all openings in ceiling they get 33 min.and install all the duct work for AC units. To the two guys pulling all the wiring in the roof assembly and down the side walls they also only get 33min. To the ladies that clean test and inspect the final unit they only get 33min. Plant was very clean and cared for. SO for now on when I find something that did not get tighten all the way or when I find a piece of insulation for a piece of wire in a cabinet or saw dust in a corner I will not complain. These guys and gals that BUILD this units are not robots they are human just like all of us so please keep this in mind before you wright a bad post about the manufacturer. Sorry I had to let everyone know my findings today and if you get the chance take a tour when production is going on it will open your eyes. Have a GREAT day

Thanks Nick for the GREAT tour

DaveandSue · 02-14-2017, 03:29 PM

Glad you enjoyed your tour. Think about this though. If they gave them 10 more minutes per station,could they tighten up everything and pick up that piece of wire and sweep up that saw dust? Seems to me the money they pay for what we buy,some times a little slower would be better for all involved.

I still like my 5er and hope you like yours too,but It amazes me that they get everything done as good as they do.

RubyDually · 02-14-2017, 03:30 PM

RV's built like its a fast food restaurant. Good or fast.... pick one.

RickDeb · 02-14-2017, 04:01 PM

Daveandsue Then we would not be happy if our unit took another week . You would be surprised the two guys that assemble roof sub structure do vac up sawdust where they drill 6" hole in ceiling. But little time spent doing that. Still very impressive work on a hole team.

RickDeb · 02-14-2017, 04:03 PM

RudyDually We all want both just like Wendy's have it your way

RubyDually · 02-14-2017, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickDeb

RudyDually We all want both just like Wendy's have it your way

Nothing wrong with that...

Glad you enjoyed the tour.

SidecarFlip · 02-14-2017, 05:29 PM

I'm sure the bean counters (plant comptroller) has the time at station versus profit and loss ratio figured out to a Tee. Delta T that is. He knows that he can only allot a certain time or his black line becomes red and it's all about solid black, not red. Every production line works the same, RV, auto, motorcycle, golf cart, anything mass produced. Why production plants constantly do time studies and efficiency management.

My gut feeling is the prime motivator behind most of the substandard workmanship is the skill levels of the workers and inadequate on the job training and advancement.

Been in a few FR assembly plants and watched and absorbed in the past. I live close enough to the RV capital of America to make it an afternoon drive and dinner trip.

Just my observations and opinion.

Mr Havercamp · 02-15-2017, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveandSue

Glad you enjoyed your tour. Think about this though. If they gave them 10 more minutes per station,could they tighten up everything and pick up that piece of wire and sweep up that saw dust? Seems to me the money they pay for what we buy,some times a little slower would be better for all involved.

I still like my 5er and hope you like yours too,but It amazes me that they get everything done as good as they do.

I agree, 10 minutes at each station would amount to about 6 hours additional per unit and might go a long way for better overall quality and QC. Hell even 5 more minutes per station would be better.

Since when a rig comes off station 36 another frame can roll into station 1, an additional 6 hours will not result in a delay of a week to build a specific unit once the process is rolling. It just takes the overall build time from 19.8 hours to 25.8, I am not going to run through all that math but I think it would result in something like 0.25 units less made per 40 hour week.

For the reasons Sidecar noted, don't expect it to happen any time soon.

Landis · 02-15-2017, 06:09 AM

I never saw a production line working either. We have a Flagstaff 27RWLS, and I would like to see that production line.

youroo · 02-15-2017, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Landis

I never saw a production line working either. We have a Flagstaff 27RWLS, and I would like to see that production line.

If you have ever seen a "Track Meet" you have witnessed a Forest River Production Line!

Youroo!!

mjones12 · 02-15-2017, 07:47 AM

Waiting another week would be preferable to having a rush job that requires taking a new unit back to the dealer to fix shoddy work...which probably would tie up the camper for two weeks if you're lucky.

aceinspp · 02-15-2017, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by youroo

If you have ever seen a "Track Meet" you have witnessed a Forest River Production Line!

Youroo!!

And they do have a quota to me every day. As I was told when touring if it takes 8hrs ok go home if it takes 10hrs you do it. If you do in 7 you go home. So it's a race every day. Later RJD

Otegoans · 02-15-2017, 09:02 AM

We have owned our CC silverback for about a year now and had it out on several trips last year. I believe the dealer is just as important when it comes to your satisfaction with your coach. His prep work should find all the loose or missing fasteners, the saw dust piles, etc. We bought ours from PKB sales in Mineral Wells, West Virginia. Tom and his crew did a beautiful job with the prep work, we camped with it on the way home and everything worked as it should. As far as I'm concerned Cedar Creek is a fine product, we're very happy with ours. Good luck with your new coach, and I hope your dealer does as good a job as ours. See you on the road and God Bless!

RickDeb · 02-15-2017, 09:13 AM

We all have are own opinions of how they should change to our ways but we don't work or own them so we are glad to have what we get and at a pace of 10 to 13 units a day for one shift out the door ready for pick up gets my vote.

Have a great day

MOODMAN · 02-15-2017, 02:30 PM

I HAVE worked on production lines before, on good ones and bad ones. I have also worked on the 'other side of the wall", meaning where the suits and ties work.

There are production ingineers who figure out all the time study stuff, but yes, they are constantly fiddling with the formula for the most bang for the buck.

But what really drives it all is sales. If units aren't selling, the brass asks why. If the answer is that potential customers think the quality sucks, then the quality control people get their rears in gear and start doing something about it, or else the company goes bankrupt because people no longer buy their units. They won't let that happen, so the net effect is that quality either goes up or the company goes down! The other thing looked at is how many warranty items have to be addressed. If that number is too high, the QC has to do a better job also.

So, what does this mean for us RV'ers? It means that as long as we are buying, they will continue to think all is well in paradise. Supply and demand drives it all. Right now, the demand is so high that manufacturers can get away with shoddy QC.

But the reason that cars can be made with the high quality we see now is because there are plenty of people who won't buy cars that are not up to snuff. That's why the auto manufacturers make such good products!

Only if the RV industry begins to apply the same QC metrics to their industry that world class manufacturers do will we begin to see better quality. We will also see more innovation, because what drives that is competition. If the quality is roughly equal across the RV industry, then in order for manufacturers to differentiate their own product and sell more would be to innovate. Those who do that will win, those who don't, won't!

Mr Havercamp · 02-15-2017, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Landis

I never saw a production line working either. We have a Flagstaff 27RWLS, and I would like to see that production line.

Then again maybe you don't want to see it, because you might not want the trailer any longer.

Landis · 02-15-2017, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

Then again maybe you don't want to see it, because you might not want the trailer any longer.

That's probably true, lol.

jdp105 · 02-15-2017, 06:33 PM

Have been reading the threads on this issue and after having worked in a Dealership doing PDIs have seen interesting things. I can not speak to how all dealers do things, but where I was we were encouraged to do a careful PDI to find all factory defects or quality issues as the dealer was paid by the factory to do any repairs or refinish issues. The units do travel quickly down the lines at the factory and that is how things are done there. The next most important part of the process is how the dealer does the PDI when it comes on the lot, and the quicker the better as I have found many roof and weather sealing issues such as holes cut out for vent caps, and no cap or sealant applied so water ran in freely. We did a lot input PDI, and another when the unit was sold as well as a 2 to 3 hour customer orientation. Any defects became a warranty claim to the factory. There are some companies that are very difficult to get paid for warranty, and the dealership no longer carries that line. Forest River has been very reasonable as far as warrant claims as long as good pictures, videos, and information has been sent in to them promptly. In a perfect world a perfect product from a factory would be nice thing to be able to count on, but thing do slip through, so your dealer becomes the next step in quality control as well as a really knowledgeable person doing your walk through. Do not be afraid to take someone with you that has RV experience when you start the final steps before signing on the dotted line as once you move from the sales departments that promise you the world, you may find the tone changes. I am lucky as I can fix my own rig so I feel the pain of those of you that are having difficulties and problems.

Kimber45 · 02-19-2017, 09:52 PM

Im excited. I'm driving the hour and 15 min to Goshen tomorrow to the Willdwood Heritage Glen Plant. My new 372RD on order is supposed to be rolling of the line during my tour. (sure is prob not my exact camper but same floor plan/model.

SidecarFlip · 02-19-2017, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kimber45

Im excited. I'm driving the hour and 15 min to Goshen tomorrow to the Willdwood Heritage Glen Plant. My new 372RD on order is supposed to be rolling of the line during my tour. (sure is prob not my exact camper but same floor plan/model.

Straight down 66... You are closer than I am. 1.5 hours for me. Stop an Essen Haus and fill your tummy.

be apprised, it's not like an auto plant assembly line, far from it.

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