Is it just me?? 2 36CKTS design issues

ESVA Travelers · 09-01-2014, 12:35 PM

We picked up our 2015 36CKTS in July and are overall extremely happy with the quality and our dealer experience (Tom Johnson's, Concord NC) so far. Only two things really bugged us (me) - both were "built in" issues and I'm wandering if its just me or if other's experienced the same thing. The first is the stupidity of putting in a standard Fantastic Fan in the bathroom that requires anyone turning it on be at least 6' tall to reach the knob. We ended up replacing it with a remote controlled one before we left the dealer. The other option offered was a stick with a device on the end to grasp the knob. Really? $80,000 and you need a stick to turn on the vent fan?

My other issue is with the installation of the kitchen backsplash. The metallic "tile" installation stops about 3-4" short of reaching the top of the under cabinet area. Fine if you are standing up all the time, you don't see it. But anywhere I sit in the LR or dining area, that 6' long swath of bare wall is like a magnet for my eyes. I will be contacting FR to see if we can obtain a few sheets of matching matrial to finish the area properly. If not, we will get some coordinating Smart Tiles to do the job. Has anyone else noticed or been bothered by this? Again, they just took the cheap way out and saved a little labor and materials where it doesn't immediately show.
Overall, the rig is great and if those are the worse issues we have, we will be thrilled.

Jim in Halifax · 09-01-2014, 01:59 PM

We have a 2014 29RE "CC"......The two doors under the sink will not open 90* as they both jam up against the edges of the drawers on both sides...There is all kinds of room on the far side of both drawers that both rows of drawers could have been installed a min of 3/4"" to the left and to the right and doors would then open properly to 90* +++!!!!......I am thinking of removing all the drawer fronts and reinstalling them back on their "boxes" so this problem will be eliminated.........A lot of unnecessary work.....Surly they would have seen this long before now!!!! I know that the fronts are "stapled" to the plywood fronts.....just hope no glue was used!!!!!!

lpritchard · 09-01-2014, 02:12 PM

We noticed both issues and agree with you. I stand on my tip toes to operate the bath fan.

The backsplash should have been a no brainer for FR to have the tile go up a couple of inches to the bottom of cabinets. If FR did it to say a few bucks, they should have considered all of us who are now complaining about it.

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BigJohnD · 09-01-2014, 02:59 PM

On ours, you can find the matching tile at lowes. Although a different layout than yall's, we extended ours quite a bit beside the stove. Also added it in the bathroom as a backsplash. The tile is just peel and stick. I've seen several options at lowes, that I've seen in FR trailers.

BigJohnD · 09-01-2014, 03:04 PM

Here's what ours looks like, after we added the tiles. Some of that behind the stove was already there.

Ramblin Recks · 09-01-2014, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ESVA Travelers

We picked up our 2015 36CKTS in July and are overall extremely happy with the quality and our dealer experience (Tom Johnson's, Concord NC) so far. Only two things really bugged us (me) - both were "built in" issues and I'm wandering if its just me or if other's experienced the same thing. The first is the stupidity of putting in a standard Fantastic Fan in the bathroom that requires anyone turning it on be at least 6' tall to reach the knob. We ended up replacing it with a remote controlled one before we left the dealer. The other option offered was a stick with a device on the end to grasp the knob. Really? $80,000 and you need a stick to turn on the vent fan?

My other issue is with the installation of the kitchen backsplash. The metallic "tile" installation stops about 3-4" short of reaching the top of the under cabinet area. Fine if you are standing up all the time, you don't see it. But anywhere I sit in the LR or dining area, that 6' long swath of bare wall is like a magnet for my eyes. I will be contacting FR to see if we can obtain a few sheets of matching matrial to finish the area properly. If not, we will get some coordinating Smart Tiles to do the job. Has anyone else noticed or been bothered by this? Again, they just took the cheap way out and saved a little labor and materials where it doesn't immediately show.
Overall, the rig is great and if those are the worse issues we have, we will be thrilled.

Interesting, our F.Fan is turned On/Off by wall switch in bathroom. If we want to change speeds or open vent, yes there is a stretch. But we keep that vent open year round for ventilation.
We had the "cheap" wall paper border for the back splash. We installed what we liked soon after we brought her home. And our goes all the way up to the bottom of the cabinet/microwave

ESVA Travelers · 09-02-2014, 07:02 AM

We checked 2 local Lowe's and a Home Depot, all had a few Smart Tile styles, but not the metallic squares (same as pictured in BigJohnD's pic's. I even checked the Smart Tile website and they aren't listed there either so I ordered a few samples to see how they would coordinate. We've thought about adding a backsplash in the bathroom too. John, how come you didn't extend the ones in the back up to the bottom of the microwave and adjacent cabinets?
We don't have a cover over our vent, so even though it turned on and off with the wall switch, it still had to be manually opened. At 5'4", it was more than a stretch for me!

RhoZeta · 09-02-2014, 08:53 AM

Our Home Depot has them, by the floor tile area for some strange reason, they are very nice and very expensive for what they are.

bt_1959 · 09-09-2014, 07:12 AM

The thing that bugs me is that there is no access panels to water lines and icemaker lines from the back.

Bill1006 · 09-14-2014, 08:40 AM

We ordered the tiles from our dealer I put them up last week makes a world of a difference!!!

ESVA Travelers · 09-14-2014, 04:04 PM

We finally ended up ordering 3 from Forest River so we'd know they matched. Unfortunately the package only contained one, despite 3 being listed on packing slip, so the saga continues.

**Terier** · 09-14-2014, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ESVA Travelers

We picked up our 2015 36CKTS in July and are overall extremely happy with the quality and our dealer experience (Tom Johnson's, Concord NC) so far. Only two things really bugged us (me) - both were "built in" issues and I'm wandering if its just me or if other's experienced the same thing. The first is the stupidity of putting in a standard Fantastic Fan in the bathroom that requires anyone turning it on be at least 6' tall to reach the knob. We ended up replacing it with a remote controlled one before we left the dealer. The other option offered was a stick with a device on the end to grasp the knob. Really? $80,000 and you need a stick to turn on the vent fan?

My other issue is with the installation of the kitchen backsplash. The metallic "tile" installation stops about 3-4" short of reaching the top of the under cabinet area. Fine if you are standing up all the time, you don't see it. But anywhere I sit in the LR or dining area, that 6' long swath of bare wall is like a magnet for my eyes. I will be contacting FR to see if we can obtain a few sheets of matching matrial to finish the area properly. If not, we will get some coordinating Smart Tiles to do the job. Has anyone else noticed or been bothered by this? Again, they just took the cheap way out and saved a little labor and materials where it doesn't immediately show.
Overall, the rig is great and if those are the worse issues we have, we will be thrilled.

Did you noticed those issues before your brought it or afterwards when you had spent more time in it? You made valid points and I can relate.

dkelly · 02-10-2015, 11:33 AM

We have a 2014 36ckts and had the same issue with the bathroom fan. I, being 6'5" don't have a real problem reaching the knob. My bride however, only 5' at best and on a good day, can't reach it. I agree that a remote switch should have been installed at the factory. We had issues with the cheap plastic guide for the barn type bathroom door pulling from the wall and allowing the door to swing away from the wall. I changed their design after asking the dealer to correct it. I used a small piece of wood and mounted the brace to the floor rather than the wall. As the old saying goes - it don't move now. Honestly, I haven't noticed the tiles in the kitchen back splash. We purchased large clear plastic cutting boards and mounted them on the walls around the stove to protect the walls from greasy residue. This works very well.

kinzoo · 02-10-2015, 12:29 PM

What about no outside vent for the microwave??????
Know what would possess them to leave that out???
Cost????
It would probably cost them $10..
I don't think people that design them are RV'ers.
They should have a group of "full timers" come in and review before they build them.
Imagine that!!!!

spock123 · 02-10-2015, 02:14 PM

On the 32RL C/C that I just brought it came with a microwave vent and guess what I can't get to open, yep the vent. I already have a few little things to take care of, just minor things. The deadbolt lock doesn't work, they did not leave out any room for the bolt. We have a good looking camper, I like a queen size bed, we have a king.

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