How safe is your Cedar Creek?

[Sterlingsilver]

After almost a year of ownership of my 38CK, I noticed my freshwater tank sensor has never worked. It always reads "empty". Obviously I don't dry camp or haul fresh water around very much. It took a couple of days to drop down all the bottom panels and fish around in the insulation and Tyvek to find a wire that must have been cut during manufacture.

What got my attention is that all the low voltage wires to the back of the trailer are just laying along the driver's side of the trailer frame. Looks like the factory couldn't be bothered with threading them through the wire-ways in the frame. This means that they are all laying on the moving arms of the slide-out. Eventually the insulation can be worn through. This include the wires to the electric brakes, tank heating pads and tank level sensors as well as the tail lights. I took the time to tie-wrap the wire bundles up to frame members and off the slide-out arms. Just saying.....

[Iwannacamp]

I have noticed many wires "laying" around under, around and in my trailer also. I need to buy assorted sizes of loom and get after it....also some wire clips that bolt in or slide on the frame rail to hold some before I have a melt down.

Something else to do...

[jevanb]

when I replaced the brake wiring on my 1 year old coach I replaced it from the pin box back to the magnets, as i was removing the old wiring it was just pulled and not secured anywhere under the bottom panel. IMO a really crappy install from the factory and the terminations were under crimped and loose, I replaced with MS wiring and soldered connections

[Duckogram]

You broached a very interesting subject to say the least.
The seal from RVIA.org that you will find plastered near your door, represents the RV industries effort to self certify. It is my opinion that there appears to be little evidence, industry wide, to support the effectiveness of this effort.
My most recent experience was with a 2014 Class A Coachmen where I found the main ground 120v disconnected from the ground bar in the distribution panel. The reason: Failure to strip the insulation back far enough to allow the conductor to seat under the set screw.
I'm not a big fan of regulatory agencies however, the business model that appears to be in use by the RV manufactures certainly appears to lean heavily on corporate profits and lightly on safety.
That begs the question; Safety at what cost?
Certainly safety at a reasonable cost should prevail in my book.
Only the bean counters know for sure.
Speaking of bean counters, I believe their analysis of QC yielded a -$ sum rendering QC as job none.
On a side note, a recent tour at a well known manufacturing plant in a Forest City, IA revealed that, in the case of electrical system quality, it can be done correctly and profitably.
RVIA heal thyself.

Image copied below from RVIA.org for reference only.

[BigJohnD]

One of the hot lugs on our Marinco power inlet was stripped and I barely tugged the wire out. Luckily, I found this while installing the EMS. Nothing like having a hot spot for a potential fire. I noticed the wires ran on the frame as well. Hadn't found an RV yet that would pass my inspection. Biggest reason we're in the "to be determined" stage as in the signature.

[asquared]

Well let's see..... There was a live wire under my bed not attached to anything. This was discovered when we dismantled the bed to bring the slide in manually. The slide actuator had sheared its bolts freeing the slide mechanism up to pinch off and disconnect the slide wiring. The kitchen slide was pinching the fridge propane hose off every time we closed it. This put a hole in the propane hose. How did we discover it? The fridge wasn't cooling properly, walk around revealed the fridge almost continually trying to fire near a leaking propane hose.. That is just some of my many problems but we are factory bound this month so hopefully all will be well when we get it back.

[Oaklevel]

Unfortunately that's the way nearly the entire RV industry puts them together.

[davel1971]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

Unfortunately that's the way nearly the entire RV industry puts them together.

so true. No difference in quality whether you spend $10k or $100k for a new one. All built just good enough to make it out the door. Your problem after that.

[RKR]

Originally Posted by davel1971

so true. No difference in quality whether you spend $10k or $100k for a new one. All built just good enough to make it out the door. Your problem after that.

We're looking at upgrading this off season. I explained to the DW that I didn't want another "disposable" camper so to speak. I want to do my mods and hang on to it for years. I don't mind turning s wrench here and there and I don't mind paying for quality.
It's seems like FR and the other manufacturers "upper tier" models are just dressed up a bit prettier leaving the structure and build quality the same as the lesser priced models.
We'll still look at CC and other FR products first because we have a great dealer close by. We will also be looking at lightly used DRV's.


Sent from my high tech gadget

[Islander]

Well, I am happy I am not alone in regarding how I see the RV manufacturers building standards.

We are the second owners of our Wildcat and happy that it was hardly used prior to our ownership.
During our cleanup from the previous owner we were continually surprised to find wood shavings in cabinets, furnace ducting and upper window ledges...all left from the factory.

Yesterday I decided to investigate why the black tank level gage wasn't working. I started by cutting an access flap in the belly skin to check the connections.
I was surprised when I found 3 wires from the black tank had been severed.
First thought was rodents....but it wasn't.... is was a clean cut and it was obvious it happened when the belly skin was being cut to fit around the black tank drain pipe.
This will be an easy fix...but we are continually amazed at the lack of quality control and very little 'job pride' that Forest River has.

We are reminded throughout our 5th wheel with the sloppy caulking and wood filler used (smudged) on nail holes.
With all the cosmetic inefficiencies it really worries me how far do I have to dig into this rig to make it safe and right.
I have already added several yards of wire loom to hydraulic lines and wires at chafe points.
I could keep adding to the list here but I think I've made my point.

My biggest problem is explaining to the DW that all this can be fixed and we got our 5th wheel at a very good price.

-Islander-

[goduc]

We own a SOB 5'er and are looking at Wildcats and Silvervbacks. Wife retieres in a few years and we want to hit the road for a couple 2-3 month trips a year as well as the normal camping we do. Our SOB is 2 years old and I've modded it and fixed the few issues it had when new. I sometimes feel like I will have to start all over again and while I've had pretty good luck with our last two trailers I know it's a gamble on getting another one. There's just enough stories out there about the guy getting the lemon that it makes me slightly nervous about getting another one. If it weren't for the fact that we want a larger 5'er to make traveling easier I wouldn't take the risk.

[Islander]

Don't get me wrong...
We love the 'finished look' of our Wildcat and it is Very comfortable.

IMHO.... I think you will find that pretty much "all" RV manufacturers are getting away with the same practice .

We as consumers are the only ones that can change this by being more demanding and critical in our assessment of Recreational Vehicles .

-Islander-

[Cajun Po-Boy]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

Unfortunately that's the way nearly the entire RV industry puts them together.

X2

[Harkerr]

Wiring practices leave a lot to be desired. Had to fix a number of wiring issues on my 36 RLTS. Good news is that I now know the electrical system.