Where did my AC unit go?

[Moodywelman]

I've been RVing over 50 years and have never heard of such a thing. shrouds, yes.

[Overstreet]

1. Cover the hole to prevent further damage to the unit. Prevent water intrusion into unit.

2. Call the dealer. Foley is a good call.

[Msherw]

Originally Posted by BryanB

You just can't make this kind of stuff up ...
We have a 2018 Basecamp. We've already put about 15k miles on it. But we were driving thru GA yesterday and were caught in a rainstorm with heavy winds. When we stopped for the night I noticed a lot of light coming thru the AC unit ... went outside to examine and ... well... its simply gone???
I genuinely have no idea exactly where and when but, I'd guess it's sitting on the side of the hwy somewhere. I just hope it didn't hit anyone when it flew off.
Anyway, any advice on what to do? I bought all the warranties and extra service packages so I know it's covered (or I hope it is ... ) but, I'm in Jackson Mississippi, headed to Shreeveport LA. Im assuming I need to find a registered Airstream service center ...
This is my first trailer and first significant problem.
Thanks for any advice !!

Please call the AS Mothership and let them know directly. Don’t expect a dealer to do this. The factory needs to hear from you directly. This is an obvious warranty issue but more so, it is the lack of good quality control. We pay too much for the AS name and mystique to have to live with sub-par assembly.

Good luck with the replacement.

[captainkirk]

Here's my $.02..... the attaching bolts are still in place, highly unlikely that it was theft as thieves don't go through the trouble and time it would take to screw them back in, and they likely would take the screws with them to use or sell with the unit.

Very little damage to the top of the unit so it didn't flop about before it ejected itself.

Very likely that the washers were omitted during the install and it just lifted off the top and scared the beejeebers out of whomever was following you.

Hope all turned out well...it sounds like AS is on it and a new AC should be at the dealer of your choice.

I'm sure that AS will have a talk with the offending installer and make it all good for you....this is why you buy an AS over some of the other brands.

[lexton2186]

This is not as uncommon as you think. We purchased a new Fleetwood Expedition in 2007. We put 8K miles on it, never in the rain. We hit a huge rainstorm and water started pouring in around the front a/c unit. When I could finally get it under cover I discovered there were the bolts holding it but no washers or nuts to be found. With the unlimited number of other issues that we had with this coach, I chalked it up to shoddy workmanship. About a year later I ran to a former Fleetwood field tech of 18+ years. He said he had seen some a/c units actually fly off the roof because someone had forgot to finish the bolts. It is my understanding that Thor now owns AS. I owned a Thor motor coach as well. It was worse than the Fleetwood. So bad in fact that when my warranty was up the factory told me never to call again. Hopefully, Thors' poor quality control hasn't seeped into the AS culture.

[Msmilo]

Originally Posted by BryanB

You just can't make this kind of stuff up ...
We have a 2018 Basecamp. We've already put about 15k miles on it. But we were driving thru GA yesterday and were caught in a rainstorm with heavy winds. When we stopped for the night I noticed a lot of light coming thru the AC unit ... went outside to examine and ... well... its simply gone???
I genuinely have no idea exactly where and when but, I'd guess it's sitting on the side of the hwy somewhere. I just hope it didn't hit anyone when it flew off.
Anyway, any advice on what to do? I bought all the warranties and extra service packages so I know it's covered (or I hope it is ... ) but, I'm in Jackson Mississippi, headed to Shreeveport LA. Im assuming I need to find a registered Airstream service center ...
This is my first trailer and first significant problem.
Thanks for any advice !!

The RV shop in Baton Rouge is an Airstream dealership.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by captainkirk

Very likely that the washers were omitted during the install .

Coleman air conditioners do not come with washers.

[Totlh]

Originally Posted by AlinCal

Well now that its gone...do you even want an AC in a Basecamp?

I’m thinking the answer is no.. obviously A/S has yet to master the nut and bolt. Go ahead and keep the money spent on the A/C unit . Who needs A/C.?

A/S should have Qc in place to catch these defecty.,

[AlinCal]

Originally Posted by Totlh

I’m thinking the answer is no.. obviously A/S has yet to master the nut and bolt. Go ahead and keep the money spent on the A/C unit . Who needs A/C.?

A/S should have Qc in place to catch these defecty.,

Couple things, Airstream does not build the ac unit and associated hardware.
the other is Basecamps arent meant for trailer parks. Getting into the backcountry is not about running an ac unit with a generator.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Coleman air conditioners do not come with washers.

Correct.

Having recently installed a new Coleman Mach 8 Plus (which installed exactly like the 6 yr. old Coleman it replaced) the a/c is retained with 4 loooooong screws thru an inside flange and into the roof unit. The gasket must be compressed to approximately 1/2 its thickness in order to seal to the roof. That takes quite a bit of pressure and holds the unit to the roof quite securely if installed correctly.

I have no idea how the OP's basecamp unit came off, unless the threads stripped inside the roof unit. Perhaps over torqued at factory, but they would have had to strip multiple screws as only one might result in a roof leak, but still the unit should not lift off.
.

[AlinCal]

Originally Posted by rowiebowie

Correct.

Having recently installed a new Coleman Mach 8 Plus (which installed exactly like the 6 yr. old Coleman it replaced) the a/c is retained with 4 loooooong screws thru an inside flange and into the roof unit. The gasket must be compressed to approximately 1/2 its thickness in order to seal to the roof. That takes quite a bit of pressure and holds the unit to the roof quite securely if installed correctly.

I have no idea how the OP's basecamp unit came off, unless the threads stripped inside the roof unit. Perhaps over torqued at factory, but they would have had to strip multiple screws as only one might result in a roof leak, but still the unit should not lift off.
.

Exactly this

[Totlh]

Originally Posted by AlinCal

Couple things, Airstream does not build the ac unit and associated hardware.
the other is Basecamps arent meant for trailer parks. Getting into the backcountry is not about running an ac unit with a generator.

A/S may not make the A/C unit but they do install it.

[BryanB]

Do you think I have a case for getting AS to cover the insurance deductible? If it wasn't installed correctly it should be a warranty thing, not an insurance thing ... right??

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by BryanB

Do you think I have a case for getting AS to cover the insurance deductible? If it wasn't installed correctly it should be a warranty thing, not an insurance thing ... right??

Post #21 was Airstream asking you to contact them directly. Have you done this to see what they are willing to do?

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by lexton2186

. . .
Hopefully, Thors' poor quality control hasn't seeped into the AS culture.

"QC" search results here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=QC&s...=airforums.com

. . . beaucoup seepage . . .

[BnJ_AirTX]

Originally Posted by BryanB

You just can't make this kind of stuff up ...
We have a 2018 Basecamp. We've already put about 15k miles on it. But we were driving thru GA yesterday and were caught in a rainstorm with heavy winds. When we stopped for the night I noticed a lot of light coming thru the AC unit ... went outside to examine and ... well... its simply gone???
I genuinely have no idea exactly where and when but, I'd guess it's sitting on the side of the hwy somewhere. I just hope it didn't hit anyone when it flew off.
Anyway, any advice on what to do? I bought all the warranties and extra service packages so I know it's covered (or I hope it is ... ) but, I'm in Jackson Mississippi, headed to Shreeveport LA. Im assuming I need to find a registered Airstream service center ...
This is my first trailer and first significant problem.
Thanks for any advice !!

Again, so easy to believe it just blew off. I’ve owned a 2016, 2017 and last a 2018 Airstream. Nothing surprising to me after all the flaws in manufacturing I’ve dealt with. Thank goodness no one was injured or that you know of. Quality control out to lunch

[BnJ_AirTX]

Originally Posted by BryanB

Lol, nope. It's completely gone. There's a hole in the roof.

And it’s very easy to believe you on this one.
They rush everything for profit.
It’s sad to see a legend go out over greed!

[lexton2186]

Go over to irv2 website and look at the threads on the Thor basement issues. Unbelievable how bad the Thor quality is. We bought a new Thor Astoria diesel pusher in 2011. Every time I drove in the rain, everything in the basement would get soaking wet. You could crawl in the basement and see daylight everywhere. They make the worst RV's in the business. No quality control at all. Sorry to see that they purchased Airstream. It was only a matter of time before the quality went down to their level.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by lexton2186

Sorry to see that they purchased Airstream. It was only a matter of time before the quality went down to their level.

You need to do a little research before posting things like this.
Thor was created in 1981 specifically to purchase Airstream from Beatrice Foods at that time. All other purchases and acquisitions came later. If they hadn't purchased Airstream, there would be no Airstream.

[66Overlander]

Thor purchased Airstream on August 29, 1980.