2007 Safari with water-damaged floor!

[TennisMan]

I've got an '07 Safari 25-footer FB SE; last time we were camping we noticed a soft spot under the dinette which turned out to be water-damaged rotten wood. Looks like water has been gathering under the linoleum for a long period of time and causing the problem including a crumbling section about eight inches in diameter.

The question of course, is where could the water be coming from? We keep the camper under covered storage so its probably not an external source (rain, etc.) coming thru a window.

Of course, warranty was out in May of 2009 but Airstream is working with us on it. The snag is we need to take it up to the Factory which is 600 miles one-way. Anyone recommend a good repair shop nearer to Atlanta Georgia?

Any ideas on where the leak may be coming from?



Lance

[Silverhobby]

Lance, So sorry to see this damage on a trailer that is so "near" new. Find someone that does the Seal Tech leak detection service and find those leaks before repairing the floor. Some RV dealers offer this service and I am sure there is someone in the ATL area.

[HiHoAgRV]

Sorry to see the mess. If your '07 is still made like the '91 that we have been doing a floor rebuild on, you should be aware that the leak could be "feet" away from the actual wet spot. There is a upward facing channel inside the wall that runs the all way around the trailer. At the start of each end-curve, they slot it and this is were any water in the channel will run out onto the floor. For instance, mine had a leak at the front window and the floor was affected under the curb side foward window.

[2dabeach]

TennisMan....I assume that your trailer has been outside in a rain storm at some time and the water may have come in from outside at that time. If the same guy built your Airstream that built my 2007 25' FB, he probably forgot to seal the joint at the junction of the top of the rear bumper storage bin/bottom of rear aluminum panel and plywood floor. We had similar damage to our trailer and had the leak repaired and the vinyl floor replaced. The only other source of water would be a leak in the presurized plastic piping by your water pump under the refrigerator or from your shower or you city water inlet fitting. The water could run down under the area that you have the seat cushions on the road side of your trailer and pool at the rear of your trailer. Wish you luck in getting your trailer repaired.

[Foiled Again]

Have the same model in a 2005. The rear window frame was the culprit in mine, fortunately the water hit my curtain and I spotted it earlier. SEAL, SEAL, SEAL! The window frame is badly designed, with four mitered corners. Only the sealant prevents leaks in the corners - It would have taken a lot more work, but the frame should have either had aluminum welds at the corners, or been machined to lap in the back and miter in the front. On mine it looked like the top and bottom pieces were cut about an eighth of an inch short. Quite a gap for vulkem. It's been a while since I inspected that.... better take another look. Thanks for reminding me.

You can also have poor seals around the outside trim where the floor joins the outside wall. I just finished resealing that all the way around.

I pressure tested mine myself (halfassed make-do job that involved a leaf blower and a dryer hose over the bathroom vent). Next time I'll pay someone with the right equipment who knows Airstreams to do it for me - I'm too old and don't need a coronary trying to climb up and down off the roof! I was so afraid of losing my balance and denting the end segments it wasn't funny.

Paula

[Wingeezer]

Sure doesn't speak well for QC@JC does it?!

I've checked my (used) '05 for caulking several times, after reading this, I'd better check again. I haven't found any floor problems yet though.

It does make me wonder once again, why don't AS use some floor material less subject to water damage in this day and age - especially for the price they charge.

It also makes me wonder, what happened to the response that we were supposed to get to questions from this forum by AS?

This is my first ever AS, and I thought that if my experience was good, I might buy a new one in a few years time, I like the PanAm that can carry a motorcycle, but even though I have so far had no serious problems to date, and we love our present AS, based on the bad news I have read on tis forum, I doubt now that I would ever buy a new one unless I get some serious reassurance as to quality.

Brian.

[Paul&Dee]

The Camping World RV dealer in Woodstock (at I575 and GA 92) is now an Airstream dealer. They replaced the electric tongue jack on our Airstream under warranty.

I can also recommend 3 Way Campers on US 41 in Kennesaw just south of Barrett Parkway. Airstream authorized them to do some warranty work for us before Camping World became a dealer. They have been in business for 42 years. They fixed a plumbing leak in our 2008 Safari 25 ft.

A city water connection to the toilet must have come loose on our way back to Atlanta from Tampa. I am sure that either Airstream or Bates RV would have noticed the water streaming across the floor when they hooked up the trailer to city water to check for leaks.

[TennisMan]

Had an RV service shop remove the rear trim at the bumper.

THERE WAS NO SEALANT.

It's evident where the water was getting under the rear wall and into the interior.

This is the second 2007 I know about that has had this issue; you may want to check yours!

Lance