Brand new, with uneven floor and "oil canning"

[lbdesign]

I'm writing from my new 2015 30' International. I picked it up from the dealer 6 days ago, camped in it for 2 nights next to the dealer, then took it 350 miles away and have had it parked for 4 nights in a nice spot where I hope to stay for the fall. Never noticed any frame issues until now.
Just tonight -- and only tonight -- I started to hear the sound of flexing sheet metal when I walk anywhere in the front half. I searched on this forum and found the term is "oil canning". Then while cleaning the floor tonight, I felt unevenness. I took a carpenter's level and ran it down the length of the trailer along the floor. There are 3 spots where the carpenter's level encounters a raised spot and can rock back and forth like a see-saw. Each of the 3 raised spots runs perfectly across the body like it's 3 rods under the floor causing 3 deformations straight across the width of the body.
1) dead center on the front door
2) dead center on the refrigerator
3) almost dead center on the bathroom door.

Is there something terribly wrong with the frame or the floor?

Another odd piece of possible evidence: We leveled the AS twice: once upon arrival 4 nights ago, and again to fine-tune it the next morning. The door always shut perfectly, but yesterday, while exiting the AS to dump the tanks, I found the front door would not shut -- it would not seat itself into the door frame. After I emptied the tanks, the door would shut again. But to be safe, I raised all the stabilizers, checked the front-to-back level with empty tanks, and set the stabilizers down again. And I use them as "stabilizers", not as "jacks", so they should not be torquing the frame.

I'm a little worried. What do you think is going on?
thank you in advance.
--Lee

[lbdesign]

Here is a diagram of the spots.

[dkottum]

The raised sections are the seams of the subfloor plywood panels where they meet under the thin vinyl finish floor. The oil canning or thunder sound is the metal underbody panels flexing as you walk through the trailer. The door frame can twist when the frame is sitting unevenly supported by the axles and be hard to close.

These are mostly a function of frame flex and possibly uneven ground under the axles. The oil canning can vary with temperature changes, and will also be seen on the exterior shell panels sitting in the sun as they expand.

You might try to level the trailer again with pads under the wheels. The stabilizers should only be snug to help control frame flex but not enough to lift any part of the trailer. The underbody panel thunder may come and go, with leveling and temperature variations. Some people have creased the underbody panels with a window screen bead roller to tighten them, as it's usually inconsistent I don't worry about it.

I suppose if Airstream used a heavier, more rigid frame and thicker finish floor material such as tiles or wood these would not be an issue, but there would be weight penalties and we actually would need diesel trucks to pull them.

[lbdesign]

Thanks Doug! Yes, I only use the stabilizers as stabilizers.
Interestingly, the oil canning stopped as the day got warmer, and started again at night, so it looks to be temperature-related, rather than related to the changing weight from the holding tanks, etc.
I'll wait for the weather to turn a bit, then try re-leveling the Airstream. But I'll never get it perfect side-to-side. I can only get within about 1/3 inch of perfection on the wheel-block height.

[paiceman]

The oil canning is the fresh water tank and as you said it goes away with temperature. We've had it in two 30' FC, including this 30' we have now. The humps are as Doug said, seems and tend to be over the two axles. We pulled ours about 10,000 miles this past summer and there was no appreciable change in either the tank flex noise or the "humps", so I just accept them as AS, which is not like me at least in my work life.

I don't think from your description there is anything to be concerned about but if you are I would have it looked at by a dealer while still in warranty.

Enjoy

Bud

[m.hony]

Both problems are normal for an Airstream.
The nature of the beast-

[ShinyPete]

Same for us as M. Hony said - nature of the coach. Our 2014 27fb does it on occasion, could be level, could be temperature, could be tank levels............ Never have worried about it much after first 2 trips or so and have easily 80+ nights aboard since.

[A W Warn]

Each trailer has it's own characteristics.
My 25' humps a little bit over the axles, though it is barely noticeable. The 25' is noisier when I'm inside moving around than my 34'. In a 1999 30' that I had earlier there was hardly any hump and it was very quiet. The 34' has a hump over the axle that is a crown, as much as 1" across the total length front to back, when loaded. The 34' has one panel that goes "bong" on a cold morning as the day warms. I've notice a sheared rivet head on that panel recently.

[guskmg]

It is the nature of the beast as previously mentioned. If the frame flexes the floor has to give then the belly pan also has to give. Airstream use to not fix that under warranty. But, I had Airstream Service install laminate flooring and that stopped the movement in my 34' Classic SOD. So I think the thin sub floor was the main problem. Feels as solid as concrete when you walk on it now.
guskmg

[B00merang]

Just arrived in Florida and am reading today's forum. I' surprised at the oil can issue responses....all basically saying "live with it ...it's the nature of the beast".
If I had spent that kind of money.... .and picked an AS for the very reason of getting top quality and no headaches with a brand new AS....I would be very po'd. The fine folks are a mere 350 miles from the dealer... I sure would head back after calling and meet them Monday morning saying "fix it!!!" jon

[dkottum]

jon, I wouldn't suggest demanding a dealer fix something that is a result of the nature of the design and a response to temperature fluctuations because their effort may produce some very bad results.

Can-Am Airstream has mentioned putting a crease in the underbody panels to take up the slack, maybe this works but some better know what they're doing so the panels don't get so tight the shear the rivets from traveling road flex. And adding wood floors to tighten things up somehow can add weight and reduce load carrying capacity. Who knows what any given dealership may try.

[m.hony]

There is really nothing than can (or should) be done.
The only way around it is a total re-design with heavier frame rails and thicker floors.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[B00merang]

Ok....I'll demure....Mr. Kottum probably knows a lot more than I about this. I was surprised about their oil can issue since it was apparently a brand new AS....and seeing how I just drove from AK to FL, it would have been worth the measly 350 miles to get this checked since it obviously concerned them. Ok...on to bigger and better things. jon

[dkottum]

jon, just curious, does you FC 20 make this noise when walking around inside? I can't remember now if our 2007 Safari SE 20 did or not, but I think it did. Wondering if this shows up in the shorter Airstreams which may have less frame flex.

[lbdesign]

My 22' never did this, so I'd never heard about it before. This is why I was concerned and asked the helpful community here.
I agree it sounds bad after paying so much. But I'm relieved to know it's not a sign this brand-new unit is falling apart.

I can also see the pink insulation poking out around all my upper windows, and other tell-tale signs that manufacturing cuts corners. Again, not producing a great feeling in this new owner, but at least it's not letting the rain in...

[B00merang]

No Sir, it does not. It's that tightness that is one of the things I enjoy about my little gem. And that is what went into my original response. But I bet you're right. My 20ft FC has the strong frame and wouldn't have the flex a 30-footer might....jon