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Old 12-19-2018, 02:36 PM   #1
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Question Rear wall construction

I have a 2018 Salem Hemisphere 300BH...

I am wondering if someone could shed some light on the rear wall construction of these (and/or similarly constructed) units.

My trailer has developed what I can best describe as a "bubble" not like something small that you can pop, but its about a 3' x 3' section of the rear (to the right of the rear window right by the E in HemispherE) where you can visually see the wall panel extend out about 1/2-3/4" and you can press in the center of this spot to see that there is clearly an airgap causing the bubble as it goes in with pressure, and bulges back out when released.

I have been told by FR that these rear walls are "hung walls" and that this issue is NORMAL and designed to account for flex.

This is only the 2nd camper we have owned and I know for a fact that our 9 year old Jayco which also had a fiberglas/vacuum bonded exterior never had any issues with flex or bubbles like this develop. I also have a handful of friends with similar exterior finishing on their trailers and none of them have had any issues such as this.

Could someone please tell me how "normal" this is, or if I am being misled by FR in regards to what could be the signs of a larger / future issue?
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Old 12-19-2018, 03:18 PM   #2
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Old 12-19-2018, 03:37 PM   #3
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I would but it’s currently at the dealer about an hour from home so I can’t at the moment.
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Old 12-19-2018, 03:58 PM   #4
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unless you made a second post about the same thing, I read a post the other day about the exact same "Bubble" and that the owner was denied a warranty request saying that it was normal. Don't know about the normal part. If were on a side wall I would say bull and it is delamination for sure, maybe the back walls are like the nose cap and constructed differently?
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Old 12-19-2018, 04:17 PM   #5
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That owner is me...that thread was more about the warranty...in this case I’m specifically hoping someone has more knowledge about the actual construction and whether this is indeed “normal” or if I’m being misled
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Old 12-19-2018, 04:53 PM   #6
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I can tell you this. The side walls are most def laminated and there is no fixing or taking apart those without major work. When my new Hertiage Glenn was delivered the dealer caught some screw holes were the rear ladder was miss drilled/moved and the holes were caulked.


The dealer caught it upon delivery and a new back wall was sent and replaced at the dealership. I don't know about the bubble being "correct" but the story seems possible.
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Old 12-19-2018, 06:01 PM   #7
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If that’s true for mine, and the back wall could be repaired at the dealer I don’t understand why they would deny fixing it. Especially if they went all that way to fix a couple screw holes
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Old 12-19-2018, 06:21 PM   #8
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I almost said no because I figured the factory install was better then them pulling it apart but they insisted they could and it would be fine. I figured a couple caulked holes was no big deal but they did it. (prob cause they caught it at delivery and were getting paid by factory to do it vs the factory trying not to cover your situation saying a little bubble is no big deal)
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Old 12-19-2018, 06:48 PM   #9
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I just don’t know how big a deal it is. If it was normal I would have thought we’d have other people chiming in saying “yeah mine too...no big deal”
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