Delam

[ahartson]

My 2014 Shasta has delamination from internal filon failure. Shasta doesn't seem to care. Has anyone experienced this? Any advice?

[Bama Rambler]

If you search around the forum you'll find a lot of people who have had delamination problems. Most of the time it's caused by water intrusion from a leak somewhere. Roof seams, penetrations, and window penetrations are the common places for leaks to occur.

It's pretty rare for the filon to delaminate spontaneously.

Have you actually spoken to someone at the Shasta division, or just the dealer?

[ahartson]

I talked to the dealer, 2 levels of management at Shasta, and American Fabricated Products, who makes the wall panel. They all agreed it was water damage but ignored the statement from the camping world body tech who said it was internal filon failure not related to seals or any external factors. Very disappointed in the Shasta product and the company in general.

[Bama Rambler]

So the service tech stated that it absolutely wasn't caused by water intrusion?

I've never heard of one willing to go to that length.

[ahartson]

The delam was caused by water, but the exterior wall failure, causing the water penetration, was caused by interior structural failure filon failure not related to any external factors. We will see what the DOT finds in their investigation.....

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by ahartson

The delam was caused by water, but the exterior wall failure, causing the water penetration, was caused by interior structural failure filon failure not related to any external factors. We will see what the DOT finds in their investigation.....

Just a question, also sorry about your wall. But who is DOT. Also what was the interior structural failure that could cause water penetration? ...They have moisture meters that will read if the wall is wet. They use them in the Marine Ind. all the time for blisters...

[cphubert]

Sorry to hear of the delamination, we lived thru it on our last trailer a 40' 5er also a FR. If FR does not help you may want to trade it, fortunately ours was @ the 10 year mark. I had a repair service do some work and they bonded fiberglass panels over the repaired delam area, sealed windows, and epoxy repairs where possible. The bottom line was it is more work and money than the trailer was worth. It left a bad taste in my mouth and we went back to aluminum skin, we traveled a lot of miles and I suspect the road vibration, freezing temperatures, and moisture to include condensation from cold weather use was the main cause of our failure.

[ahartson]

the filon (strut) inside the wall failed. DOT is the dept of transportation.

[ahartson]

yeah once I get through this I am going back to alum also. there is something about vacuum lamination is better but don't know how you would find out whether or not a new camper is built this way. Surely the salesman won't lie huh??

[bob caldwell]

Most brochures I've seen brag about wall construction....which type

[cphubert]

My 5er that delaminated was vacuum bonded, the people that did my repairs said he had seen it in all makes usually from water intrusion at the roof, window seals or corner trim. More shops are developing epoxy repairs, the guy I used is retired and moved to NC.

[ahartson]

well I finally got Shasta to pay for my delam repair. it was not easy but I was rather determined. 2 different body shops stated it was a factory defect and the CEO of Shasta finally agreed to pay the repair.

[cphubert]

Great ! That has to be a good feeling after being kick in the stomach with delam. But I will not go back to fiberglass.