More water damage

maggiek · 09-17-2014, 09:34 PM

After fretting over what to do about the tow vehicle "squat" and finally settling on installing air bags we start to winterize the TT. It's a bit early, but other family commitments will keep us from our late Sept and early Oct outings. So the process of winterizing began. Everything out of the trailer, sorted, cleaned, trailer scrubbed inside and out and the non-perishables put back inside for the winter.
Now the surprise..... While crawling around under the trailer looking for critter holes and sealing around propane, water and wire portals I found it...... the soft, smelly bulge. All the way across the front of the trailer where the floor and the front wall meet. The "swelling" is from the floor/wall line back about 6 inches. Because the unit is heading to the dealer on Fri for service and winterizing I haven't peeled back the "protective" membrane on the bottom of the trailer to see the exact extent of damage. I'll let the service tech do that. Guess if one has to have this, it is best to find it before the snow flies. Anyway, I have to ask, "has anyone had this problem" and what did you do? I added a pic so's you can get an idea of what and where.

wake100 · 09-24-2014, 09:13 AM

any update?

maggiek · 09-24-2014, 03:22 PM

Okay. Here's where it stands as of yesterday. Negotiations are on going, meaning we are getting closer together as to who is going to pay for the repair. The damage is more wide spread than originally thought, not only the deterioration of the floor at the extreme front of the unit, but there is delamination of the fiberglass front cap at the top right and down about half way to the bottom, all along the forward edge of the door side wall ( top to bottom) and although the floor inside the unit seems solid there is the smell of the deteriorating wood.
Our dealer is recommending that Forest River come good for the fix if we take it to Millersburg. Have to wait until the analysis of the photos and dealer-to-company is complete before we decide the course of action we will take. I know there will be lots that will say, "the company will drag their feet on this until we give up" but that is not how our previous dealings have gone with Forest River. So, until the analysis of the problem is complete, there is little we can do but wait. Sure would like to get the work done before winter but I think it will be unlikely. We will post updates as they are appropriate and thanks to all who are supporting the us.

maggiek · 10-02-2014, 04:37 PM

We have the final answer to the "problem". On Nov 3rd we are heading down the road to Millersburg, Indiana to have all the delamination and rot repaired. The trailer goes into the repair facility on the 10th and the repairs will take about a week.
Other than having to make the trip in Nov we'll be happy to get this behind us. We have nothing but praise for the way Forest River handled our issue.
We'll let you all know how we make out and no snow is allowed til we're home.

vinmaker · 10-02-2014, 05:16 PM

Wow. That is awesome. What year is the trailer? I take it it is still under warranty and that is why FR is paying for the repair?

Vin.

maggiek · 10-02-2014, 06:31 PM

I guess I forgot to say the year of the trailer. It's a 2012 Rockwood MiniLite 2304. And no, the repair is not "under warranty". The unit has been routinely maintained by our local dealer, spring and fall servicing, inspections and installation of all after market items were done by them. The cause of the water damage is a mystery to all who have looked at or inspected the trailer. There is no obvious damage to seam seals, roof, window seals or around the door. There have been seven knowledgeable/trained folks who have taken a real good look at the trailer to no avail. There have been about a hundred photos taken of the damaged areas, roof, sides and front cap, all of which were forwarded to the factory for their analysis. The folks at Forest River have been involved with the investigation from the beginning and after all this the collective decision is to facilitate a total repair at Forest River's repair facility in Millersburg, In. This will involve a "detailed" disassembly to find the problem and the requisit repairs will be made.
Yes there is going to be a significant cost to having this repair done but it will be less than the cost of a new unit and we wouldn't be able to sell this one without full disclosure of the problem to any prospective buyer. We're kind of in an ethical jam if we want to sell it, other than "as is where is" and for that you basically get nothing. So, we're off to Millersburg on Nov 3rd for a Nov 10th appointment. The whole tear down and repair will take about a week.
All tbose we have dealt with in investigating this problem, whether they were the dealers staff or the folks at Forest River have been totally supportive, honest and professional. Can't ask for anything else.

maggiek · 11-11-2014, 08:03 PM

Another update for those following our epic journey to get the MiniLite repaired. Well we arrived in Millersburg, IN on Nov 8 and left the trailer in the Rockwood Repair Facility compound. The intent was for the trailer to be taken in and the repairs started Nov 10. Not to be as the trailer is still in yet another holding area. It has been looked at and a new floor and front cap have been ordered for the work to start when a space in the shop comes available. Seems there has been a communication glitch...... but to his credit, the repair supervisor is endeavoring to get the work done on time. As he told me this morning, it should be done assuming there are no unforeseen problems that could require additional structural components.
As an aside, we had a tour of the MiniLite assembly building. It was very interesting to watch the folks work, they just don't slow down while turning out a great product.
So, we have extended our hotel booking to cover the worst case scenario. Now the worry about the weather intensifies as we get deeper into late fall and the Canadian winter starts to get a tighter grip as we are now feeling now

the "Arctic Freeze" gripping most of the continent. With luck we will be on the road as planned but we won't know until the last minute. Such are best plans.......http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ies/crying.gif

maggiek · 11-13-2014, 08:12 PM

The last up-date to the saga. The MiniLite is fixed!!!!!! The final systems testing is to be done this afternoon and then it sits in the repair bay over night for the caulking to cure and we can hook-up tomorrow. Now the weather watching begins in earnest. We have been impressed with the work ethic of those who toil in the manufacture and repair of these units and once the schedule was put in order, the folks did an outstanding job getting the done within the original time frame.
The items that were replaced and/or checked: floor, front cap, an in depth pressure check to ensure there are no seam leaks and total recaulking. Also the techs pressurized the water system to 80 psi and pressurized the propane system to check for leaks and system component function. Then they re-winterized the unit. All done in 3 days. We will see in the spring how well it traveled through this harsh winter cold when we power it up for the new season. I expect all will be well.

Forbes · 11-13-2014, 08:41 PM

Not to be nosey but what was your cost? Did FR pick up some of it? They should have as it appears something that you or your dealer was able to see or avoid. Wondering minds wants to know>>

maggiek · 11-13-2014, 09:58 PM

As I believe I said earlier, the warranty on the unit has expired so the cost has been substantial. To their credit, Forest River has stood behind their product and repaired our MiniLite at no cost to us. What the cost to us was the travel cost to/from our home and the repair facility in Millersburg. The total cost is not in yet as we still have to get home...... kind of only at the halfway point. Regardless, the cost is really a lot less than replacing it. The budget for the whole thing to us is in the $4,000 area....... not cheap, but it is about 2500 miles return (in rotten weather) and about three weeks in hotels. So you do the math. Some think we are crazy and should have pushed to have Forest River come good for some or all our costs, but we don't see it that way. We made a purchase of a product, used it and discovered a problem when it was out of warranty. Through the support of an outstanding dealer and an understanding company (Forest River) a negotiated settlement was arrived at that satisfied all parties. We now have a trailer that is again safe to use and guess what...... we're happy.

Forbes · 11-14-2014, 08:58 AM

You sir are the costumer that business like to work with I am sure. FR has always treated us the same way, have never had a problem with anything I have called or contacted them about.

rlocicero · 11-14-2014, 09:15 AM

I will say it again. I am very impressed with FR.. They bend over backwards to keep customers happy. We were very happy with the service we received on our Flagstaff 829FKSS.

LandJ · 11-14-2014, 09:27 AM

Hooray for honorable people!

Your reasonable management of expectations, and acceptance of responsibility, is exemplary.

Congrats!

mTn_biKer65 · 11-14-2014, 10:41 AM

I'd do a walk-around when you make it home to see how the caulk held up to the long trip, specifically the wide seam at the front of roof if that was redone. Best to check it from the roof to ensure you don't miss anything.

We picked up a new TT and noticed when we got home that the thick seam of caulk had been pushed back by the wind so it clearly wasn't cured in the time allotted. Easily fixed with some Dicor Self-Leveling Lap Sealant when we got home but glad I checked and caught it.

maggiek · 11-23-2014, 08:27 AM

HOME!!!!! For those who made our journey with us through our postings in this forum, we made it home, in one piece, no mishaps. Other than the weather, which in Nov can be a challenge at the best of times, there were no problems, even the "China Tires" performed well. The outbound leg was uneventful except for the weather. Lots of wind and rain, but no incidents. The trip home was more of a challenge. First, picking the best route. Should we take the "northern" route or the more scenic "southern" one. Again weather made the decission. Our southern route would have taken us along US 80/90 by Cleveland and Buffalo. Sure glad we retraced our original path.
What was the cause of the damage and what was repaired/replaced. The leak turned out to be a seal that was not completely sealed. The location was where the door side wall and front cap met right at the round over at the roof, front cap and door side wall. The front cap was delaminated all across the bottom and most of the left side (when facing the unit). As a result the floor was rotted because of water ingress through the damaged seal. The folks at the Millersburg Repair Facility replaced the floor and front cap, resealed all the seams, holes, pass throughs and any where water could get in. The unit was pressure tested via low pressure air to ensure there were no leaks. All the unit systems were checked for proper operation at the same time. I was surprised when the water system was completely filled and presurized to 80psi before the whole unit was winterized. All the work took two days after the work got started and we were on our way home on schedule.
To their credit, Forest River stood behind their product and the treatment we got at the plant was excellent. Very knowledgeable, professional and freindly folks who made a stressful situation as pleasant as could be.
As for us, we're glad to be home before the real winter starts and thanks to those Forum members who supported us in our journey.

DDC · 11-23-2014, 09:52 AM

Great to hear positive experiences happen, we always get to hear of the negative side so following you through this shows that there is happy endings thanks for sharing.

rabraz · 12-16-2014, 08:21 PM

After almost two years of really satisfied camping in our Puma THSS351, I noticed what appeared to be water infiltration under the entrance side window in the garage. Upon inspection I discovered the factory never sealed the top of the window. Imagine my surprise. I really thought I had inspected our unit top to bottom on more than one occasion and never noticed the caulking had not been installed? It is weird because they sealed the sides and the bottom of the window but not the top? No way!
Now what? I did purchase the 2nd year warranty through Forest River. I will have to check that warranty but the thought of having to strip and replace the paper off that wall does not sit well. Not to mention the as necessary replacement of any wall board.
Anyway, inspect your units again because I still cannot believe I missed that and it took water damage to find it. Easy to spot too once I looked.
My problem is nothing compared to the OP's problem but I thought I would log my tale of woe. I hope I have as good of experience with warranty service with my problem.
Happy Holidays to All!

maggiek · 12-16-2014, 10:45 PM

rabraz
like you our leak was obvious, once it was pointed out. Although our unit has been out of warranty for some time, Forest River stepped up and covered the repair. We, how ever, had to get the unit to/from Millersberg on our dime. But it was worth it. We now have a unit that is safe to use, again. As rabaz mentioned, pay particular attention to ALL the seals, caulking etc. A little extra time is well worth it.
Merry Christmas to all.

rabraz · 12-18-2014, 09:27 PM

I am very pleased with the response from Forest River Warranty Dept.
Sent an email to them explaining these problems I discovered and within two hours I had a response from the warranty mgr stating at my convenience to take my trailer to the nearest dealer service dept for repair. They would most certainly stand behind their product.
Can't say enough good things about Forest River.
HO HO HO... Merry Christmas!!

rabraz · 01-08-2015, 02:03 PM

Well... Imagine my surprise by being told "Your claim has been denied". After all my gushing praise of Forest River and their warranty process.
Further explanation was, "You have owned the trailer for almost two years and seal maintenance is the responsibility of the owner".
My response has thus far been:
1. I purchased the 2nd year warranty through Forest River and that waranty is still in effect. I have all documents to prove this case.
2. Owners cannot maintain what does not exist. The factory failed to install the seal so I content it is the fault of the factory, not the original owner (me).
I have requested a reconsideration of their decision and a immediate response to my request. I suppose I will have to wait for a decision.
In the meantime I will be drafting a letter to Trailer Mag and will forward my complaint to their staff for publishing in a upcoming issue.
Happy Trails to all this camping season!

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