Hybrid Bed Replacement

[Schaal]

Does anyone know if its possible to replace the bed on a Roo?

[Triguy]

Yes. Although I haven't done this, others have ordered new bunk doors from FR and installed.

You will find more information in our Roo subforum. I'll also move this thread there for better exposure.

Can you give us more information -year, model, etc?

Good luck.

[Schaal]

It is a 2008 232, the front bed looks and feels like it is starting to bubble out ( if that makes any sense), down the bottom above the hinge.

[bikendan]

i was confused, when you say "bed". usually that means the mattress, which many complain about.
it sound like you're talking about the bunk end door.

pics of the "bubbling" would be helpful.
if this is occurring at the hinge area, there should also be evidence of water intrusion on the sill, where the hinge is mounted.

[itat]

Yes. I have the same issue with my 2010 Roo 23SS. Its called delamination. I'm having both the front and rear bunk doors replaced.

On mine, the exterior white fiberglass skin is bubbled along both sides and the bottom of the front bed door. It kind of looks like the limit of the delam is along the sheppards pole as it lays on the inside. The rear door is also delaminating but not nearly as much.

Although I am the second owner and bought it privately, Greg Rollins at Forest River has very kindly agreed to replace the bed cores and the seals on both doors. I have to cover the labour. Considering they don't have a legal obligation to do anything for me, I'm pleased they are shipping the parts up here to a local dealer in Canada for free, however the fact that it happened in the first place is very dissappointing because otherwise the trailer has been fantastic.

A word of caution though. Try to figure out why its delaminating before you have the doors replaced otherwise you'll only be doing it again in 2-3 years.

[Schaal]

Thank u so much, if u don't mind me asking what did u pay for the replacement parts?

[itat]

Originally Posted by Schaal

Thank u so much, if u don't mind me asking what did u pay for the replacement parts?

Forest River is sending the parts at their cost. I have to pay for the installation.

I'm going to check to see if it would be better to pay a few extra bucks for complete doors rather than just the cores. That would save labour costs for moving the other parts to the new cores. The problems is I don't know exactly what parts they would have to transfer over. Likely the frame and hinges but maybe the locks, too? It might be worth a few extra dollars to get factory built complete new doors ready to install.

What year is your Roo? It seems like so many people are having problems with the bunk ends.

[Schaal]

It's a 2008

[hockeytownmom]

Originally Posted by Schaal

It is a 2008 232, the front bed looks and feels like it is starting to bubble out ( if that makes any sense), down the bottom above the hinge.

Mine just started to do that and it's a 2011. I will more than likely replace the bunk end.

[Schaal]

This is depressing!

[hockeytownmom]

Originally Posted by Schaal

This is depressing!

Yep.

Believe me it is frustrating and depressing. I spent $22,000 on a 2009 Roo had 2 bunks leak and a flood that turned all the wood wet and then rotten and I can't use it or sell it. Will never invest in another RV/trailer again. The bunk ends on these will leak and cause water damage or worse mold.

[itat]

Schaal and Hockeytownmom, do you know how the water or moisture is getting in there?

On mine, I believe there are a couple possibilities. The screws along the top of the frame around the bed door opening are not all flush. One in particular was put in on such an angle (maybe 70 degrees rather than 90 degrees) that it keeps the door edge seal from fully contacting the frame and provides a path for water to enter. After a hard rain I can see signs that the water is getting through at that one screw. I'll be resetting them all and putting some Proseal caulking in the holes and on the screw heads. IMO, it's a poor design to have the screws located under the edge seal and bad quality control at the factory that doesn't ensure the screws are set properly. The new bed end design doesn't have this problem but those owners are still reporting water problems.

The other possibility is that the bottom of the frame around the opening seems to be angled inward when the trailer is sitting level so water that makes it in there is trapped and can't completely drain. I may try putting a bead of Proseal there to keep it away from the bottom of the bed door.

Of course it's also possible the the vacuum bonding process at the factory is suspect and the doors are delaminating simply due to a deficiency in that manufacturing process.

Are there any owners with this problem that live in the south or in desert areas where you don't have humidity and freeze/thaw cycles like we do in the northern States and Canada?

I'd appreciate any other suggestions, but it seems to me that this problem has been around long enough and frequently enough that the manufacturers, not just Forest River because they all have this problem, should have figured it out by now. I have a step-sister who had this issue on their Laredo 5th wheel, too.

[hockeytownmom]

I'm not really sure how it's getting in. My delamination is only on the door and not on the wood that a portion of the bed lays on.

[Schaal]

The company should be @ fault no if our camper's are less then 5 years old! It is unacceptable we are paying top $$.

[Schaal]

So far mine is only on the outside, all along the bottom by the hinge, and only on the front of the camper.

[itat]

Originally Posted by Schaal

The company should be @ fault no if our camper's are less then 5 years old! It is unacceptable we are paying top $$.

I agree that the manufacturers have to make good on these delamination problems for more than the 1 or 2 yr factory warranty period. FR seems to be taking some responsibility for my problem.

If domestic car manufacturers have seen the light on quality control, why hasn't the lightweight RV industry? In the auto industry, it took asian manufactuers to enter the market to force them to improve. Let's hope that doesn't have to happen to the RV industry.

I have to disagree with your statement about "top dollar". Compared to the price of a new car these days, buying a 21-23ft hybrid for under $20,000 would be a bargain if the quality is comparable. For comparison purposes, have you seen the price of an Airstream lately? Much higher quality, but much heavier and no slide outs. And at least twice the price of an "ultralight" like a Roo.

[Schaal]

Of all the Hybrid Campers that I shopped for the Roo seems to be the most expensive

[itat]

If you are looking strictly at the "ultralights" with the laminated sidewalls and aluminum stud frames like those produced by Forest River, Keystone, Dutchmen, Heartland, etc., the Roo might be top dollar. When I was looking at the actual trailers in showrooms, the Roo seemed to be above average in build quality based on what was visible on the new units.

My "top dollar" comment is based on trailer size and features, and on that basis, the ultralights like the Roo can be considered good value so long as there aren't significant quality issues. Airstream doesn't make hybrids so perhaps that was a poor example on my part.