Safari 30 bunkhouse owners club!

[AZstreamin]

Originally Posted by rluhr

I mention this only because it's important to remember that we all bought these things to have fun, so don't let the potential for a pair of 1/2" cracks freak you out & keep you from enjoying your Bunkhouse!

Rich et al,

Checked out my AS in storage a couple of weeks ago.... guess what... got da*n crack also just on one side. I'd like to learn more about what exactly you did on the documentation piece. this is a bad trend... So I'm building a case file. In the mean time the TinCabn is going camping....

Rich if you and the family are hanging around the southwest for a little while….

We are hosting a rally in Tucson the end of the month and would welcome you and the family if you are in the area.

Check out the rally calendar...

Four Corners Camping unit April Fools rally.

safe travels,
Brent

[SafariSS]

I have never posted any pics here on the AS forums, but here is my pics of the repair of the spot in question.

Notice the Classic extruded trim added at the beltline, new front panel below front window minus the access door. My pics of the front end opened up were corruputed on the disk so I cannot get them to open.

I have added gas struts that allow the front bedrooms bed to lift up and access the now unaccessable from outside storage area. I got this idea from the 25 front bedroom design. I am going to install new glassmatt batteries under there, eliminate the current battery box, relocate the spare tire behind the propane bottles w/new holder and install a new Onan 3400 propane genset where the spare is currently. (It fits nice with less hangdown than the current spare.)

I will add pics as the mod is complete.

[Sandy Sanders]

I have a Safari LS 30' BH that was built 7/04, I purchased it new in 11/05 and it is titled as a 2005 model. It now has 7,479 miles and so far has had the usual warranty repairs totaling approximately $1,000. But now I notice that it has two stress cracks (one on each side of lower part of front compartment door similar to pics that have been previously posted). Now that SafariSS has completed his repairs I plan to start the process on mine. I will be presenting my case to Oasis RV here in Tucson,AZ soon. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions in that regard? Has anyone approached Airstream Corp. as to a cash settlement in lieu of repairs? Does that have merit? If so what would be a reasonable cash settlement.
SafariSS: Did you have to pay any out of pocket money in connection with your repair? What was the total warranty cost of the repair? I presume that you had to stand the cost of the gas struts for the bed?? If so, what was the cost and did the dealer install them??
Anyone: Have I overlooked anything?

[AZstreamin]

It looks great, however I don’t want to give up the external storage space..it serves as my tool shed.. hitch system, torque wrenches, drill, tool sets..all the man toys that are greasy go inside this compartment and in my opinion, if I must have it redesigned, we all should be compensated for the design flaw and the tremendous amount time energy and effort to correct the problem... I'm not a litigious person but this point is irritating and I would sincerely like others input on the matter.

[SafariSS]

Sandy, I am not sure how much just the sheetmetal work was, my total warranty work $$ value was just over 4k as I had other miscellaneous items done. I opted for the no door route because of my other plans, and just did not want the future worry of a leaky access door.

IMO, the square cornered door is part of the contributor to the problem here. After seeing the old piece of sheetmetal off of the trailer it had ripped exactly from the corners of the storage box down to the lower edge.
1. This shows there was alot of flex here.
2. The square corners distributed the flex across the width of the box where the corner concentrated the flex.
3. If you have a door reinstalled here it should be a rounded corner model like our rear doors and like the classics have on the front, they are the only other units that have had this type door, but it was only half as wide and had radiused corners.
I am pleased with the repair and AS was happy to make it all right. No complaints other than about 1k miles to dealership (2 round trips at 500 miles each).

My only out of pocket expenses were the gas struts, $44 bucks each. I installed them myself. I do not belive AS will give you a cash-out option. Lastly I suggested the rounded corner door, but they would only replace the original back in. I am not sure how much the rounded storage door would be.

[Minnie's Mate]

Like AZStreamin I keep my tools and hitch components in my front "trunk" and wouldn't want to give it up either. My guess on the refusal to switch the door to a rounded door could be because it could be construed as an admission to design error and further liability.

So far more than 5,000 miles and no cracks showing up and I have towed over some really rough stretches of Interstate that is in serious need of repairs and some that is in process of repairs in both South Georgia and the Cincinnati area. Just my luck, the cracks will show up after the 2 year warranty expires.

[rluhr]

I actually like the concept of eliminating the front storage door entirely. We only store little-used items in the front compartment because it is slightly difficult to get to with the hitch and propane tanks in the way.

We did the gas-strut-under-the-bed concept and found it makes the storage under the bed much more accessible, too.

Brent, we will drop in this weekend for the rally but probably not with the Safari 30. Someone else asked me about that via email this week but I wasn't able to reply because his email address bounced.

My sense on the front compartment cracking issue is that Airstream provides everyone a 2-year warranty specifically so problems like this can be corrected. So if you have the cracks, there's no reason they can't be fixed. Warranties always specifically exclude "incidental" costs such as travel. Out of warranty issues will probably be handled on a case-by-case basis. I don't speak for Airstream; this is just my take.

We'll be heading back to Mexico again later this Spring or late Fall with the Bunkhouse. It's a neat place and we want to see more.

[AZstreamin]

Originally Posted by rluhr

Brent, we will drop in this weekend for the rally but probably not with the Safari 30. Someone else asked me about that via email this week but I wasn't able to reply because his email address bounced.

Sounds good Rich click on the link below for the thread on the rally for a map and directions or send me a PM and I'll give you my mobile. I think the map is on page 7 or 8.

[Sandy Sanders]

My unit is going in for repair next week at Oasis RV in Tucson. Now I have to decide on whether or not to replace the square cornered door or go with no door and try to utilize the storage space by accessing it from the inside. I looked at some Classics which had "lift-up beds" with gas struts. I was disappointed tho since they allowed good access to only about 60% of the total storage space and to reach the other 40% you would have to crawl into the 60% area (after you unloaded it) and reach back into the 40% area. This appears to be unwieldy for the way I would like to utilize this space.
Safari SS: Since you did your own strut installation were you able to gain more easy access than the factory designs by placing the hinges on the platform farther toward the front? What would be the limit as to how far forward you could go with the pivot point and still have the gas struts function properly? This may not have been a problem for you since I think you planned to use the 40% area for glass mat batteries which would seldom need to be accessed. In any event I would like to hear from you as to how your situation is working out for you and any suggestions you may have as to my quandary.

[AZstreamin]

Originally Posted by Sandy Sanders

My unit is going in for repair next week at Oasis RV in Tucson.

Hi Sandy welcome to the forums... wish I would have known you were in Tucson.. we hosted a Four Corners Unit rally two weeks ago at Gilbert Ray in Tucson Regional Park.... check us out Four Corners Airstream Camping Unitwe can use another 30BH in the group.

I would greatly appreciate a full report from your repair experience at Oasis on this front door item. I need to get a write up on mine for warranty and don't really want Dillon to do the job.

Thank you for your input,
Brent

[SafariSS]

Sandy,
I installed the gas struts as far back as possible, and mine go up higher than the stock Airstreams as they are longer. As far as access to under the bed, most of what you will want to get to is the front 70% (that is, ease to get to). I could get to the very front if I chose to, as you had mentioned I am installing the glass mat batteries up there so the last 16" across the front I dont nessessarily need to access. I think even if I was not installing batteries that with the ample space in the back storage doors that I could utilize this as my "dirty" or hitch storage as well. Its just the access to anything long or large was just awkward anyway behind the propane bottles and combined that with the worry of leakage, future structural flex it just made sence to smooth it out. No regrets here.

If I was set on installing an access door, I would prefer a rounded corner door like the rears only wider. This would be stronger and less likely to crack the corners, however that door would be on your nickle as AS will not pay for that.

Let us know how your repair comes out, and maybe post some pics!!

[pintoman]

Airstream has approved a repair that will replace my original door with one that is 49 inches wide and will stretch from the riveted seam on each side of the front lower panel. This size door was available on several other models at both the front and rear. Although the door is square cornered I hope that the fact it will be riveted at the front braces will take care of the cracking. I'll try to post the results.

[SafariSS]

Was yours cracked on both sides? or just one? How many towing miles??

Just kurious!!

[AZstreamin]

Actually no...not two I have three cracks....around the frame...two on one side one on the other... maybe it's time for a trip to Mexico.. 400 miles of wash board should set her straight.....or maybe turn three into five..


Sandy Sanders....what did you decide on the front door appreciate an update..

pintoman....new door 49 inches..What are the measurements of the original door? (She’s in storage I see her next weekend)

There appears to be different opinions on how to repair this prob.
what does Jackson engineering say?

If they repair the door and replace it with a new door what is the new warranty on the said repair?

I love the idea of the bed struts..

Right now I barely use the storage under the bed….but for extended living there is a lot of space under the bed…..