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Old 12-10-2015, 05:47 PM   #1
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2015 DX3 Falling Apart

Hello All,
First let me say that in general I am a big fan of the DX3 platform. After owning 2 Class As (one Diesel and one Gas), I jumped at the chance to move into something with a bit more utility in mind. I liked the towing capacity, the fact that it is built on a proven and popular truck chassis, Ive always had my eye on the big Super C's but they have never been an option financially.

So now I own a 2015 DX3 BH. The point of my post here is to hopefully get to the bottom of the issues detailed here.

After putting approximately 12,000 miles on my coach, I took it to the dealer I purchased it from with following issues:

1. The wall (containing the door) in the Bathroom has been coming apart for some time, the panels have separated from the frame and in interior one bowed substantially. This separated all of the trim pieces that came in contact with it. My dealer ordered and replaced the wall panel, installed new trim and when I picked the unit up, it looked as it did when I purchased it).

2. The entry door to the cabin is difficult to shut, requiring a pretty solid pull and often requires a shoulder to open. The door does not completely match the curvature of the coach and sometimes the electric locking mechanism does not work because of poor contact with the electrical contacts. My dealer replaced the screen door latch but I cannot say that this has rectified the problem.

3. The straps that hold the 2 pocket doors in the mid part of the coach allow them to wiggle during transit. This has worn the finish on these doors where they come into contact with the frames. My dealer adjusted the doors, but they still move about and now that the finish is worn, it is difficult to tell what progress was made with the repair.

4. The seal between the coach body and cab was separating. My dealer recaulked this. Doesnt look like factory work but its sealed for now.

5. The storage bays ingest dirt and water (in some). This means whatever is in there gets filthy. My dealer stated that they re caulked the bays", though I do not believe that was the answer.

My dealer performed 4 other Warranty items (misc leaks and such) which I dont find alarming for any coach.

I have just completed a trip to florida (approximately 1000 miles). This is the first I have had the coach out in a few months (it is garage stored at home and plugged in). Upon inspection after setting up camp, I have found the following:

1. The bathroom wall that was replaced is showing signs of coming apart again, multiple pieces of trim are separating. (Keep in mind that all this stuff is nailed together).

2. The cabin entry door behaves roughly the same as it had in my original concern.

3. The pocket door issue remains.

4. The storage bay issue remains. I believe that the use of a single center latch allows the doors to not close evenly on the seals. If you look down the profile of the coach, you can see how the doors all have their individual profile but none are sitting evenly. Interestingly, on Renegades new coach which appears to be built to go up against the DX3 price category uses a double latch (top and bottom) on their storage doors.

And NOW....... The rear interior wall of the coach (bedroom), is de-laminating. Gaps have appeared where the tape is used to cover the seams and the panels are bowing away from the insulation layer. There is also a light smell of mildew that I am working on tracing (related?).

So, I have a one year old coach that wasn't inexpensive and that appears to not like to be driven any where. My gut feeling is that the coach portion of this rig is not designed or constructed to be flexed and bounced as it is. Panels bowing and separating are possible signs of that. Additionally, the floor around the bed has begun to creek a little bit and also makes me think of the coaches overall cohesiveness.

There is a lot of coach behind the rear axle, is this lending to instability?

The 2016 DX3 has gone with a squared coach instead of the radius-ed. Any benefits to this regarding flexing?

Was mine built on a friday?

Is anyone else having issues like these?

Does anyone from FR want to jump in here?

I do not want to pursue all of these as "one off" repairs, warranty or not, because I believe there is something fundamental involved on this coach and I dont want to own a lemon.

Respectfully,

Chris Anderson

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Old 12-10-2015, 07:18 PM   #2
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I'm sorry for all your troubles, I don't have a DX but FR usually makes things right. Not sure if FR was in control of the DX for 2015???
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Old 12-10-2015, 07:33 PM   #3
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Thank you for your kind thoughts. I've seen some of the FR folks involved in these forums, hope to hear from them regarding a way forward.
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Old 12-11-2015, 01:17 PM   #4
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Pre-trip response
1. the bath wall thing sounds like moisture. I know my daughters never run the fan when in the shower and it becomes a sauna...causes nail pops warped wood. I'm not saying that is the case, but is the panel the bath side or the hall side? You can keep replacing, but unlike drywall, these are lauan panels. The moisture issue needs to be controlled.

2. Doors needs to be adjusted properly.

3. That is the unfortunate case for most sliding doors. Any strap used to hold them will rub the finished. Best base is to refinish the door and put something like diamond shield over that spot to protect the finish.

4. Would have to see where, but those parts are designed to flex a bit. They have foam internally and caulk externally.

5. Caulk could be one issue, if the boxes were not sealed properly or the seal was broken somehow. Although I would want to take a look at the door seals as well.

Post Trip
1. again, sounds like moisture. can you shoot some pictures?
2. see above
3. see above
4. Class A's use a single latch in most cases as well. I don't think the double latch is necessary. It might be the bulb seals that need replaced.

It is designed and constructed to bounce and flex. Dynamax has been building Class C's for 17 years, from 24' to 42'. Bowing panels are normally moistures. The key is...from what?

The frame itself is heavy steel. The overhang should not be an issue as we build lots of these with no problems.

A for the curved versus square. It was really all based on interior space. The curved walls, look good from the outside, but they seem to reduce the head/should space on the inside. Many people felt they were losing space...more perception than reality, but there was some truth to the matter.

Shoot me your VIN, contact info and you dealer. I'll take a look on this end. Any pictures would be helpful, I'll also look at the repair notes. For instance...did the dealer replace the wall board or just add some fasteners to a bowed board?
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Old 12-11-2015, 01:27 PM   #5
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I was just reading though this post and had a thought on one of the issues. The door strap rubbing problem. Every RV I've had up until my XLR had the straps, snaps, and rubbed. My XLR has a different system that uses a magnet set into the door and a metal striker plate for it to grab when the door is closed. While this system also isn't perfect (it takes more force than I'd like to pull it free), it doesn't have any strap rubbing. Perhaps, if the rubbing/finish issue bothers you, you could retro in the magnetic system?

I found these on Amazon. I'm not sure they are the same brand that XLR uses so I can't vouch for the quality though.

http://www.amazon.com/Door-Catch-Mag...+rv+door+catch

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Old 12-11-2015, 02:25 PM   #6
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On our Force we had a similar issue with the door straps. I added spring loaded bolt latches to the floor. They don't move or rattle at all. They were pricey but fixed the problem and stopped rattling too.

Stainless Steel 304 Spring Loaded Barrel Bolt, Satin Finish, Non Locking, 2-23/64" Bolt Plate Length, 45/64" Throw Plate Length (Pack of 1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006IHWMLE..._AlYAwbKC3V2J6



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Old 12-11-2015, 04:13 PM   #7
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We've been talking about the straps for quite some time now. When I was at Sunseeker/Forester we had the same issue with the straps. Over there we went to a bungie cord style that was designed specifically for a sliding door...seemed to work.

Here we have brought in 3 or 4 different prototypes. Some are too bulky, some don't work in certain applications. I'll shoot that barrel latch over to engineering.
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Old 12-11-2015, 07:46 PM   #8
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It would seem the magnet that mine has is a much cleaner install no Brian? It certainly is strong enough to keep the door shut while in motion...
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Old 12-11-2015, 08:01 PM   #9
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The magnet is clean. We used that at Sunseeker/Forester as well on some doors.

The issue at Dynamax is that we use solid core doors on the DX3 and XL. We're going to test it, but the magnet may not hold. I'm thinking a magnet with a Southco cabinet latch might work in conjunction. One handles the vertical and the other the horizontal movement.
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Old 12-11-2015, 08:07 PM   #10
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Ah, so the weight of the door may be the issue. I wasn't considering that. The Southco latch is a subtle install as well.
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Old 12-14-2015, 09:31 PM   #11
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It truly amazes me as an engineer how poorly constructed these DYNAMAX RV Units are. Once you get past the wow factor and start diving into the actual operation and design of installed components it will leave you with a pit in your stomach. You then realize that you have purchased a very expensive unit that was put together by clueless designers and shortcuts that are installed to save a Buck. Yes on the outside and inside they look great but are poorly put together in a hurry.
I just purchased a Dynamax that is stunning to look at. Love the Diesel Power and the Suspension system. Big red flag someone used expanding foam to hold cables in place underneath and there are gaps in the insulation panels below. There are too many problems to list...
The Kitchen has very little countertop space and poor layout. The Cabinet Drawers do not have adequate space for servicing items below Cabinets. If you contact Dynamax looking for specific information and support Good Luck!! They do not really want to talk to consumers and you cannot even order parts direct.
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Old 12-15-2015, 10:21 AM   #12
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No offense to engineers, but as a former engineer (as if you ever leave it behind) it always amuses me to see statements prefaced with "as an engineer" as if astute observations are only taken seriously if you are in the proper field to make them. (and yes, I do understand the irony of that statement). Or if its like announcing "take my word for it, because I know". I've worked with some engineers that as general practice, overcomplicate everything instead of taking a simple is better approach. I see it in RV design as well....intricate designs that offer no functional purpose and overcomplicate the build process. So I'm still not always sure what that statement is supposed to infer, but it is rarely followed by compliments. Now that my personal opinion on the matter has been stated, let's move on to the meat of the issues.

1. "Clueless designers and shortcuts" I'm not sure how to respond to this other than to respond to the supporting facts and/or pictures.
2. "Expanding foam to hold cables" Knowing the construction process, I can say that the "under carriage" foam process is at the end of the line. All electrical is already completed at that point and supported. So no one would use foam to support cables, as they are simply foaming the openings in the floor. While it may look that way, I don't see how this is likely, but I'll never say never.
3. "gaps in insulation" I'd have to see pictures of this. The floor itself is fully insulated and this sits on top of the frame. The undercarriage is just foamed as needed for openings or through penetrations, it is not really insulation all our "insulation panels" are within the vacuum bonded floor framing itself, not visible. So again, I'd have to see a picture to respond appropriately.
4. "too many problems to list". You can shoot me a private message, or let me know what dealer you would like to take it to and I will personally make sure all items get resolved.
5. "Kitchen has very little countertop space and poor layout". Some of that is floor plan design not really an engineering flaw. I'm not sure which unit you purchased, but some floor plans have more counter space than others. I agree, none of them ever have enough counter space and I have challenged my engineers/designers to be more creative in kitchen design. However, this is always a trade off. Every foot of kitchen added, takes away from something else and we try to offer several floor plans that cater to each preference (more living space, more kitchen space, etc).
6. Cabinet drawers. I agree....in an RV we have to cram all of the utilities in tiny areas since we don't have a basement. It does make it tough for servicing, but with 13 years in the RV industry I rarely see units with lots of space to work. If there is a specific area in question we'd be happy to take a look at it.
7. I am actually WITH Dynamax and I am happy to help you with specific information and support. If you read the entire thread you will see that I was doing exactly that with the original poster. I will agree that our phone system could be better...some of it is just getting the right person on the phone. I would like to know what number you called, who you talked to and what information you were specifically looking for and I will make sure they do better in the future.
8. I talk to consumers on a daily basis within this forum. So I'm not sure what gives you the impression that we don't want to talk to consumers and the fact that I am here sort of dispels that notion.
9. You are correct. I made the decision to stop direct parts sales, as there were too many issues. We are an OEM, as such we do not charge sales tax. By selling parts directly we have to collect, manage and pay sales tax for all states. We had issues with residential addresses changing, people trying to send parts to PO boxes, freighted items and no fork lift available. The list goes on. Corporate policy was to sell parts through our dealer body that was equipped to handle all of these logistics. If there was a specific part you were looking for I'd be happy to see what I can do as an exception.

Please don't take any of this as defensive, but with no supporting data the claims are just that, claims. So I don't know what is an actual flaw and what is personal preference and I can't really help without specifics. BUT, we are here and we DO want to help. I take every complaint as a learning opportunity for us to get better.

So I do apologize that your first experience was not a positive one....but by all means let me see what we can do to correct that.
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Old 12-15-2015, 12:14 PM   #13
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Chris Anderson, I had warranty pull your file using your name and we see no warranty claims submitted by the dealer. So I can't pull pictures of any of the repairs, nor can I look at notes to see what/how they repaired it.
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Old 12-15-2015, 12:29 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by bclemens View Post
Chris Anderson, I had warranty pull your file using your name and we see no warranty claims submitted by the dealer. So I can't pull pictures of any of the repairs, nor can I look at notes to see what/how they repaired it.

I find this to be such a common case across all FR lines. A bad/less than honest dealer putting the blame back on the manufacturer causing a caustic first post in one of forums here.
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Old 12-15-2015, 02:54 PM   #15
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bclemens, Thanks for working ahead and pulling my "file". I have the information you requested as well as pictures of the current/recurring issues. I assume you dont want all of that posted here. Let me know how you would like me to respond.
I am guessing that the paperwork has not been sent up to you guys yet. My unit number is 1470. I have the work order right here on my desk with all items marked "warranty". I have not circled back with the dealer yet for 2 reasons, #1 they are 3 hours away (my nearest Dynamax resource), so any trip out there is a real chore and if I have to leave the coach, logistics are a real problem. #2 I wanted to get some input from the factory and not be dealing with these issues as "one offs".
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Old 12-15-2015, 03:10 PM   #16
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Responded to your PM. We can follow up directly from here on out.
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Old 12-21-2015, 06:28 AM   #17
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I think it's great that someone from the factory is responding to the forums. We are considering a Force for our next unit and seeing bclemens on here shows they care and is a selling point for me. Now if I can get someone from the Sierra side on that'd be something too.

Great job bclemens.

Merry Christmas
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Old 12-21-2015, 07:42 AM   #18
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I think it's great to someone from the factory responding to the forums. We are considering a Force for our next unit and seeing bclemens on here shows they care and is a selling point for me. Now if I can get someone from the Sierra side on that'd be something too.

Great job bclemens.

Merry Christmas
I agree completely. We are in the same boat with thinking a Force is in our future and I was pleasantly surprised to find Brian voluntarily posting here helping folks out and answering questions. Our current rig is an XLR and their plant manager, Bob Elson, also drops by the forums from time to time. I'm sure they both know it but it bears repeating that this is a huge selling point to many buyers. (As you pointed out!)
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Old 12-21-2015, 05:34 PM   #19
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Love our Force and also appreciate Brian's input and quick response on the forum.


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Old 12-21-2015, 06:42 PM   #20
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Brian, here's something you don't hear often.....2010 Rockwood 8280 Ultra-light 5er, with a Consertone Z-700......Works perfect!! always has....
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