Yet Another Development

[rockwood06]

As I reported a while ago bubbles developed on the back wall of my camper (First Two Pic) then when we return from Myrtle Beach in July a new cluster of bubbles showed up over top of the slide out (The Second Two Pic) now as of yesterday I got up on the roof to wash the cutters out and found this (The Last Pic). It looks and feels like a screw has backed out of the roof on the edge under the roof material. I don't understand what's up with me and a Forest River Rock Wood? I guess the next thing is that the side of the camper is going to fall outward and I will have a bigger door to get in and out of the camper.
I guess I can go to the Hershey RV Show this week end and spend another $28 to $35,000 dollars and have similar problems after the warranty is up.
I just don't know what to do.

[BigRed]

I think your camper was made just before a holiday or just after. Time to send it to FR for a rebuild. (that stinks!)

[crocus]

That bubbling sure looks like moisture damage. Do you camp a lot in cooler weather? Do you notice a lot of moisture buildup on your windows? Do you use your shower without running the vent fans?
The thing with these campers is that the insulation is minimal, and keeping the moisture level down inside the camper is critical. We produce the same amount of moisture as we do at home, but in a much more confined space, which exaggerates the problem many times.

[rockwood06]

Originally Posted by BigRed

I think your camper was made just before a holiday or just after. Time to send it to FR for a rebuild. (that stinks!)

BigRed, my camper is a 2006 and I started having issues right after the warranty was up and it has been down hill ever since. I am not say that Forest River produces bad campers, it's just my luck that's bad.

[rockwood06]

Originally Posted by crocus

That bubbling sure looks like moisture damage. Do you camp a lot in cooler weather? Do you notice a lot of moisture buildup on your windows? Do you use your shower without running the vent fans?
The thing with these campers is that the insulation is minimal, and keeping the moisture level down inside the camper is critical. We produce the same amount of moisture as we do at home, but in a much more confined space, which exaggerates the problem many times.

crocus, what is cooler weather? once the temps reach 45 degrees at night, I am done, I put my camper away until Spring, as far as showers I like more room then what is provided in an RF shower stall so I use the bath house most of the time but when the shower is used the fan is on.
I agree moisture is critical but campers are not built to perfection it would cost more and we all would be paying a lot more for them. There is not a camper out there that does not leak air or generate heat from within (heat load) Take your sky lights as an example, on a sunny day place your hand under it, the amount of heat that penetrates it is unbelievable, that's just for starters. I have found that the best thing I can do in my camper is to leave the fan on the a/c unit on the "ON" position, this keeps the air moving and helps eliminate hot spots in my camper.The bubbles I believe have something to do with something on the out side coming in and like you say, a water leak some were, but the screw that is coming up out of the side wall from under the roof material has me confused (last pic).

[crocus]

It sounds like you are very careful with your unit, so the bubbles are a complete mystery. And I agree that what looks like a srew backing out is disconcerting, but it does happen. I wonder if it is a screw that is supposed to attach the roof to the walls, and they missed hitting anything solid?

[rockwood06]

Originally Posted by crocus

It sounds like you are very careful with your unit, so the bubbles are a complete mystery. And I agree that what looks like a srew backing out is disconcerting, but it does happen. I wonder if it is a screw that is supposed to attach the roof to the walls, and they missed hitting anything solid?

crocus, yes it does feel like a screw and if it is, I will have to cut the roof material and run the screw back down in to the wall then repair the roof,
but I will tell with all of these things going wrong I Iam about ready to take it to the nearest junk yard.

[grhodes50]

It's a shame what you are experiencing. Hopefully this will alert others.

Some of us have experienced these kind of problems with new tt's. I have read a couple of other posts like yours where tt's are 3 years old or more and just now starting to show signs of the same type of problems.

Everyone needs to keep a good eye on things and take care of issues as soon as possible. Unfortunately for some, like rockwood06, you just don't have enough fingers to plug up all the holes in the dike.

[rockwood06]

The problem with keeping an eye on things like the bubbles is that when they appear it's too late the damage is done, now I have to find a way to flaten them and then cover them with some kind of trim work or replace the wall, but the main thing is that I have to find the leak.
I think I have spent enough money on this camper not to have to rebuild it as a 4 year old camper, otherwise maybe Forest River will hire me.
I do have plans to try to get away from some of these nightmares which I may post soon. We love to camp and be apart of the great people that are out there in there rigs with there families, but I think we may have to change some things but yet still be part of the camping world.

[grhodes50]

Originally Posted by rockwood06

The problem with keeping an eye on things like the bubbles is that when they appear it's too late the damage is done.

You're right. That's the bad thing about water damage. By the time you see the evidence, it's too late.