Broken Roo.... Just want to cry

andreagwen · 07-02-2012, 12:06 PM

As anyone ever heard of this happening??? Our front queen tip out has broken off. I mean broken right off - we are driving home from camping with the front tip out panel inside the trailer and a great big gaping whole in the front of our trailer.
If anyone has any insights I would so appreciate it .... So sad right now, I just want to go fetal and cry!

**bikendan** · 07-02-2012, 05:44 PM

yes, i've heard of this happening on hybrids that have extensive water damage in the hinge/sill area of the bunk door.
sounds like your Roo has had bad water damage for this to happen.
i read a number of Aerolite/Kodiak hybrids with this happening lately.

who did you buy it from, private party or dealer?
does yours have cable or pole support.

andreagwen · 07-02-2012, 07:57 PM

Thanks for the reply Dan - we bought privately. Definitely looks like water damage along the hinge.
We took it to a shop - keeping our fingers crossed that we still have a trailer at the end of this!
Have you ever heard of how they repair it?

**bikendan** · 07-02-2012, 09:32 PM

usually, there's water intrusion into the bottom of the bunk door and the hinge/sill area. both have to be rebuilt. some order a new bunk door from the factory but some build their own door and rebuild the sill area themselves.
you have to have some carpentry skills though.

i know this is too late but did you look under the hinge area, into the storage area underneath?
also, for it to go that quickly, there had to be some bad wood, in the hinge area, when you bought it.
i'm sorry to ask this but i think prospective used hybrid buyers need to learn from your experience.
this is a big reason why we decided to buy new because good used hybrids have to have been maintained well and closely.

mousefn · 08-04-2012, 07:40 PM

Hi
We just picked up a 2002 Roo.....thought we got a good deal until we got it home and really loked closely. It appears that the 1st owner...we are the 3rd...diud a pretty bad joba t repairing the frnt bun end where water got into the bottom. So we have some soft areas.....and it looks as if the corner of the frame is coming apart. I researched repairs people have done...and finally contacted river forest. They actually sell the whole replacement door for around 300.00. so we have decided to do that in the spring so that we dont have any future issues.

**Herk7769** · 08-04-2012, 08:21 PM

I would not wait to aggressively stop water intrusion and make it worse.
Cover the entire camper with a tarp until you can get to it.
Water leaks just get worse and very quickly accelerate out of control.

Oakman · 08-04-2012, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herk7769

I would not wait to aggressively stop water intrusion and make it worse.
Cover the entire camper with a tarp until you can get to it.
Water leaks just get worse and very quickly accelerate out of control.

X2! Herk is dead on with his advice.

andreagwen · 08-05-2012, 08:41 AM

We ended up ordering the replacement door - sadly that was the first week of July and we STILL do not have it!! Ship date is set for Aug 16 - so by the time we get it back summer is pretty much done and the kids are back to school.
At least we will be set for next summer!!

mousefn · 08-05-2012, 10:30 AM

We will definately be doing the replacement door for the front also....after a heavy rain and wind storm yesterday with the bunks closed, we opened it up to check for water. The back seemed to be getting some at the top...I noticed some above the white bar on the inside...so we are thinking it is coming right betwenn the "u" channel (doint know if that is right) and the top of the door....so my husband is going to re-caulk that...other than that...no water back there. BUT...the front bunk........when we opened it up there was watter sitting on the gray rubber strip...puddled......and the canvas had water puddled in it. We think thast came from where the bottom of the door does not seem to close completely........we are going to try and close thatr up for now....then cover it with a tarp for the fall/winter and replace it. We also noticed that the front bunk DOES NOT have a smaller black weather stripping on it that when closed meets up with the larger one on the actuall camper.......anyone elase have this, or is this how it is supposed to be.
SORRY FOR THE LONG POST.....just trying to fix our lil roo

baldy · 08-05-2012, 12:02 PM

I hope no one was on it at the time! That was always our fear! Sorry to hear of your mishap. I was looking at the same issues. Just couldn't get the water to stay on the outside hence the new TT. Although with little rain this season....

Good luck on the repair!

**bikendan** · 08-05-2012, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mousefn

We also noticed that the front bunk DOES NOT have a smaller black weather stripping on it that when closed meets up with the larger one on the actuall camper.......anyone elase have this, or is this how it is supposed to be.

part of the problem with buying an older RV is you don't know if previous owners added or took out something.
as far as yours, you need to post what year it is, so those with the same year can check theirs.
model years often have changes made, like when the Roo went from screw clamps to cargo latches or from pole supports to cable supports.
same thing goes with the hinge/seal system on the bunk doors.

there can even be mid-year changes.

mousefn · 08-07-2012, 03:36 PM

Quote:

as far as yours, you need to post what year it is, so those with the same year can check theirs.
model years often have changes made, like when the Roo went from screw clamps to cargo latches or from pole supports to cable supports.
same thing goes with the hinge/seal system on the bunk doors.

We have a 2002 18ft Roo...Im not sure how to post a picture of the bunk with the area that I am wondering is missing weather stripping shows up

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