Spongy floor

[Lookng4us]

Hopping to find some help. I have a 2009 Rockwood Signeture 8314as with a spungy floor in two spots. One in bathroom and other in kitchen both heavily traveled. I have looked under trailer looking up I can see where floor is weak but there is no wood to nail any kind of beam.floor 1/8 plywood 3 inchs of Styrofoam and one more 1/8 plywood any kind of help please no water damage at all

[MacGumbo]

I have the same problem in one spot in the hallway underneath the vinyl. I am planning to inject high expansion foam into the spot and place heavy weight on it to keep it from bowing up. I hope it works.

[Lookng4us]

If it works please let me know. And how you did it
Thanks

[MacGumbo]

Will do.

[trudinator]

We're having the same issue in our 2012 Rockwood 8293RKSS

[DWRAT]

I had the same issue in my 5th wheel with the same type of floor.
You need to reinforce it from the bottom.
In my case, I had to remove the under skinning and then remove a holding tank.
At that point I had direct access under the soft area.
I then added metal from side I-beam to side I-beam and spaced it about 10" on center.
Like new again and very supported for future use.

It will only get worse if you don't support the floor from the bottom.

I also reinforced all other high traffic areas while I had it apart.

It's a very easy job but takes some time, about one day in my case.

[trudinator]

Don't be afraid to contact Forest River. Ours is 3 years out of warranty. It goes back to the factory next month for a brand new floor - no charge.

[trudinator]

Update: Ours goes in for a complete floor replacement the week of 8/29/16. They're also going to take care of a few other little nagging issues. And replace our awning which my DH dented when he met a tree he didn't like! (We have to pay for the new awning, which is dirt cheap compared to buying it retail; they'll install it for free.) I can't say enough about the great customer service I've received from Forest River. I knew we made the right decision 5 years ago to go with Rockwood!

[Lookng4us]

Hello Chuck,*

That would make sense but what about where there is no tank? *I personally got under our trailer and removed the floor shield from the underside and had my wife walk over it . My wife is not a heavy person at all. I could see it move down about a good two inches and I don't think thats right.*

Rich *

Sent from my iPad


On Aug 8, 2016, at 6:20 AM, Chuck Pederson <CPederson@forestriverinc.com> wrote:

<image001.gif>

Rich,

*

We have heard of instances where people have described a soft floor and what we have found is that it’s typically an area in the unit directly above the Holding Tanks. Those areas of the floor have fewer supporting cross-members so that tanks can be placed there. It is not a defect and since there has been no water, or structural damage the floor should be fine.

*

Regards,

*

Chuck Pederson

*



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[Lookng4us]

Hello Chuck,*

That would make sense but what about where there is no tank? *I personally got under our trailer and removed the floor shield from the underside and had my wife walk over it . My wife is not a heavy person at all. I could see it move down about a good two inches and I don't think thats right.*

Rich *

Sent from my iPad

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by Lookng4us

Hello Chuck,*

That would make sense but what about where there is no tank? *I personally got under our trailer and removed the floor shield from the underside and had my wife walk over it . My wife is not a heavy person at all. I could see it move down about a good two inches and I don't think thats right.*

Rich *

Sent from my iPad


On Aug 8, 2016, at 6:20 AM, Chuck Pederson <CPederson@forestriverinc.com> wrote:

<image001.gif>

Rich,

*

We have heard of instances where people have described a soft floor and what we have found is that it’s typically an area in the unit directly above the Holding Tanks. Those areas of the floor have fewer supporting cross-members so that tanks can be placed there. It is not a defect and since there has been no water, or structural damage the floor should be fine.

*

Regards,

*

Chuck Pederson

*



This email has been scanned for email related threats and delivered safely by Mimecast.
For more information please visithttp://www.mimecast.com

I have to call BS on that. The only reason crossmembers are there is to tie the frame rails together, they have little to do with a laminated floor assembly as far as support for downward deflection. Even where tanks are not installed those crossmembers will be at least 4' apart. They put the minimum number of crossmembers they can get by with. These are not stick and tin with bar joists and solid plywood floors. These have 3/16" plywood on top below the vinyl floor, beaded foam usually 1 1/2" thick in the middle, and 1/8" plywood on the bottom all glued together with aluminum tubes every so often. In some of the advertising they say the tubes are 16" on center but always use the disclaimer "select models". Typically they are spaced a lot further apart, like 2' or more

The strength in a laminated floor comes from the layers themselves and the aluminum tubes that are in the middle of the assembly all being glued together. When you walk on it the top layer is compressed and the lower layer go's into tension. They work against each other and thats the strength. When you get soft spots, which are typically in areas like directly in front of the sink, hallways, inside entey door, bathroom etc, they are from the floor assembly coming apart. When you subject it to enough traffic the foam and plywood come apart and starts the movement. It gets worse over time as the more it moves, the more it comes apart and the foam starts compressing. Once the glue bond comes apart completely on the top and bottom you get the amount of movement you noticed when you wife walked over it. She was walking on nothing more than 3/16" plywood at that point. The foam, any tube, and lower plywood are now just along for the ride and are not contributing anything to the strength of the assembly.

So when someone walks over a floor and it sags 2" as you witnessed, thats normal and not a defect? Funny how it probably did not have soft spots when new?

[trudinator]

Just toured the Rockwopd factory. This is a KNOWN issue. They're now using 5/8" plywood for floors. Unfortunately it can't be retrofitted to a unit with a luan/foram/luan floor.

[trudinator]

Picked up our camper this morning in Millersburg, Indiana So, so, SO impressed with Deb Rimsa and the warranty crew at Forest River. In addition to the floor replacement, they fixed the water heater so it now works on electric (yea!), put in a new water pump (didn't know there was a leak!), put new switches in for the power stabilizer jacks, replaced the floor of the slide, replaced a cracked fender, replaced the door on the outside kitchen due to a small delam area, did a pressure test and a leak test, checked the prppane lines, etc, hecked the air pressure in the tires and sent us on our way - all of this at no charge! We also had a new awning put on to replace damage, and a new microwave. We had to pay for both of these. We couldn't have asked for a more positive experience. Well, I guess if the floor wouldn't have failed to begin with, it waould have been more positive, but then we wouldn't have had the rest of this pesky stuff taken care of. The new outside kitchen door has slam latches. Now we MUST get these for our other hatch doors!! So happy today!!

[cruzr63]

Can you tell me who you contacted? Most of the forums are full of people who have had terrible responses from Forest River in fixing problems. We have a spongey floor in our two yr old trailer and don't know what caused it.

[trudinator]

Cruzr63, we have a Rockwood. Do you have a Rockwood also? I don't see your model listed in your signature. I can give you the contact info for the Rockwood warranty department.

[cruzr63]

Originally Posted by trudinator

Cruzr63, we have a Rockwood. Do you have a Rockwood also? I don't see your model listed in your signature. I can give you the contact info for the Rockwood warranty department.

I am new here and entered the information after I posted this. We have a Wildwood.

[trudinator]

Cruz63, start here. He can point you in the right direction. Thats what I did for Rockwood.

[cruzr63]

Originally Posted by trudinator

Cruz63, start here. He can point you in the right direction. Thats what I did for Rockwood.

As we are on the west coast I don't know if he could help us. My husband is going to contact the local FR rep and praying we get the same help you got. This has just made us sick to think of having to pay to have the floor fixed.

This is the second problem we have had with this unit. The day we drove it home, the front guard disintegrated into pieces on the highway. After a disturbing night, we took it back to the dealer who fixed it better than new but they tried contacting FR for compensation and got no response.

I am feeling uneasy about what will happen next!!

Thank you for giving us some hope and for answering my question.

[trudinator]

Originally Posted by cruzr63

As we are on the west coast I don't know if he could help us. My husband is going to contact the local FR rep and praying we get the same help you got. This has just made us sick to think of having to pay to have the floor fixed.

This is the second problem we have had with this unit. The day we drove it home, the front guard disintegrated into pieces on the highway. After a disturbing night, we took it back to the dealer who fixed it better than new but they tried contacting FR for compensation and got no response.

I am feeling uneasy about what will happen next!!

Thank you for giving us some hope and for answering my question.

There's no way Forest River warranty wouldn't have helped you for replacement of the front guard on a brand new unit. I would really question the integrity of your dealer.

[trudinator]

Don't go to a dealer with this problem! Contact Forest River in Indiana directly.