Visit our Popular Forums

Bruce B · 01-09-2016, 06:18 PM

It is not the hourly rate... The $125 per hour is in line with many auto dealers rate. I believe that you get some efficiency when you use a shop that knows the product as well as Jackson Center obviously does. You can spend a lot more in total at a shop where the rate is $75 per hour if the technician is learning on the job.
When I question something I pay for, the camera is out and objections are noted! I will happily let someone with JC's reputation have the last word but my concerns get recorded and if there are issues....
As far as the window? That seems sloppy and again, a picture or video of the failure might help resolve the issue.
I have an extended warranty on my 2010 F-150 that I purchased from Ford. After a couple of "we can't duplicate the complaint" episodes I now capture a video or two of whatever is going on so that I no longer have a lazy technician booting me along...
The camera is a powerful tool!

blkmagikca · 01-10-2016, 08:20 AM

I have been servicing my AS at JC from the time I first bought it in October 2011. I regularly pass through JC spring and fall. Since mine is a 1987, there are often things that need replacing, as well as upgrades I decide upon. I found the service to be very competent and the charges reasonable.

My last visit to JC in November included rebuilding the Thetford waste valves, check the roof seams, check the brakes and adjust the propane pressure; I was in at 7:00am and back on the road heading to AZ by noon. The previous visit I had a Bogart Trimetric monitor installed, as well as stainless steel trays for the new size 4D AGM batteries. In the course of removing the old battery boxes, a new front panel (plate) was installed. The quality of the work exceeded my already high expectations.

About 5 years ago I had one issue with the service at JC which, on reflection, was likely not their fault. One of the circuit boards on the Trace inverter failed which I had attributed to some welding being done to the frame, JC got the unit to function again but it quit a month later. The Trace unit was old and most likely would have died naturally at that time - I replaced the Trace with a Xantrex FS3012 and it's working fine.

**wulfraat** · 01-10-2016, 08:33 AM

Just curious what people are paying / getting quoted for a full re-seal of roof elements? (remove old sealant, clean, place new sealant).

We have a 2008 25' with AC, skylight, 2 magic fans, fridge vent, bathroom vent, plumbing vent, TV antenna.

We have a great local independent Airstream shop with labor rates similar to Jackson Center. Seems to me the last time we had this done it was quite expensive.

Just curious what others are seeing.

switz · 01-10-2016, 08:53 AM

It would have been nice if the trailer wheel bearings were checked on the assembly line. Our 23D was trucked to Colonial from the factory. I drove it from there to CanAm in London, Ontario and then to Paradise, TX. The distance was about 2,000 miles.

I decided we should check wheel bearings. Three needed more grease but we're not damaged. The fourth bearing set was scored from too little grease and so it was replaced with Timken USA made bearings. I have three more Timken bearing sets for the other wheels in the future.

So have JC check the wheel bearings......

graysailor · 01-10-2016, 09:11 AM

I bought my trailer at bayareaairstream in CA. I have found there service department quite competent. In fact they have advised JC on better ways to maintain and take care of recurrent problems. They were the ones who designed and convinced Airstream to make deeper battery boxes. When in the San Francisco Bay Area and you need service I highly recommend their service department.

Buzzr · 01-10-2016, 09:35 AM

To be clear, I am not complaining about the hourly rate. I knew what it was when I commissioned the work. My issue is that for $125/hr I expect quality. I did not get quality work. I am very happy for those of you who had better results. I, however, will not use JC again for non warranty work.

To Bruce, I took pictures and sent them to JC. JC only disputed the window leaks. JC did not dispute my other problems. Airstream just decided not to stand behind their work.

Rich W · 01-10-2016, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

I am going to take my 2012 to JC in June to have the roof sealant stripped and resealed. Nothing is leaking but the sealant is cracking in places and I am loathe to spend a week on my roof trying to remove the old stuff. I am going to try to talk them into using something longer lasting than the OEM.
Many thanks,
Larry

Hi Larry, we had our 23' pressure tested and the rain test. We also had the roof seams cleaned and resealed. It took 8 hours for the reseal and the technician said it's best to have it done every 3-5 years. We keep ours in open storage and it wasn't leaking but I was worried it might. The pressure test found some small leaks and the tech sealed those too. So far it's fine, no leaks.

We had a bad spot in the floor, right in front of the L-Couch and he fixed that also, cleaned the mouse fur, flooring (it was stained) and the plywood as best as he could.

All tolled, it was 2 days and $2,000 for everything, except all the stuff we bought in the AS store.

A tech is assigned to you at the start and you can discuss what sealant you want to use. Ours was very knowledgeable about the different types and we just followed his suggestions. Everyone was very nice and they did an inspection of everything and discussed options for repairs before they started.

I had removed everything from the front part of the trailer and rolled back the tile, that saved us some money. We thought we had to have the entire section repaired but after he discussed with another tech they said it wouldn't be necessary. They cut the bad section out, replaced with like materials from the assembly line and sealed that.

The moldy smell is gone and we're happy with the service. I feel better about taking it to JC than anyone local. There's no particular reason for that, just my own preference.

Buzzr · 01-10-2016, 09:43 AM

One final point. JC used silicone to reseal the trailer. Many posters on this forum say that is bad idea. I guess I will find out somewhere down the road whether the reseal holds up.

xrvr · 01-10-2016, 09:48 AM

Isn't checking the roof each year part of normal maintenance? Something I am lax on doing.

Rich W · 01-10-2016, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzzr

It looks like I am going to have to do some reading to learn how to post pictures.

There are 2 buttons / options available to you in the reply; attachments (paper clip) and insert image (yellow with mountains). Attachments are from your hard drive, browse for them, then upload. They count towards your forum upload limit.

Insert Image is for linking to images elsewhere on the Internet. I have a free account on www.flickr.com/. Posting from there is more complex so if you're not web savvy you might want to find another site. Anyway, you just need to insert the link to the image in your reply and it doesn't count as part of your forum upload limit.

Buzzr · 01-10-2016, 09:56 AM

Thanks Rich. I see that now. I was using quick reply.

lsbrodsky · 01-10-2016, 10:05 AM

I was told by JC to expect a full day or a little more for the roof job, at $1000 per day. My expectations are 2 days for what I want so I am already prepared to pay that much.
Larry

Siegmann · 01-10-2016, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richw46

Hi Larry, we had our 23' pressure tested and the rain test. We also had the roof seams cleaned and resealed. It took 8 hours for the reseal and the technician said it's best to have it done every 3-5 years. .

I'm still surprised at this issue related to roof seams. Roof penetrations, yes, but seams? As I understand it, most of the sealant is between the overlapping aluminum sheets under the rivet line and not exposed to weathering. My '98 has never leaked at a roof seam, and I annually inspect them testing to see if they will wick water.

Has anyone had pressure testing done that revealed a leaking roof seam?

**wulfraat** · 01-10-2016, 12:41 PM

I don't believe that the factory seams of the aluminum sheets themselves are ever addressed - they are sealed for life. (Unless you need to replace a panel due to hail damage or what have you)

It's all the other caulking around external components / where the roof has been cut in order to accommodate the air conditioner, Sky light, etc... That caulk breaks down due to exposure to the elements over time and has to be removed and re-sealed to avoid water penetration.

I think I paid somewhere between $1k and $2k last time I had this done at timeless travel trailers here in Denver. Preventative maintenance. My trailer is 8 years old now so I think time for a second go around.....

lsbrodsky · 01-10-2016, 01:35 PM

The lengthwise seams are not on rivet lines and the sealant bead is much bigger. Those are the seams that are beginning to crack. The vent sealant has already required touchup.
Larry

Siegmann · 01-10-2016, 03:13 PM

They must have changed the way they construct the roof. My lengthwise seam on the roof has rivets about every inch.

And I'm still curious if this recommendation for caulking of roof penetrations every 3-4 years is a function of the new caulk they are using. As I've mentioned before, my original factory caulk job looked good for up to 10-15 years (depending upon the component).

Siegmann · 01-11-2016, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

The lengthwise seams are not on rivet lines and the sealant bead is much bigger. Those are the seams that are beginning to crack.
Larry

The more I think about this the more it puzzles me. This comment came from a member who owns a 2012 25' FB International and was talking about the roof seams. Are they really building them with a seam between two aluminum sheets that are only held together with adhesive/caulk?

SeaLevel · 01-12-2016, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Siegmann

The more I think about this the more it puzzles me. This comment came from a member who owns a 2012 25' FB International and was talking about the roof seams. Are they really building them with a seam between two aluminum sheets that are only held together with adhesive/caulk?

Or was he describing the sealant where the awnings are mounted?

lsbrodsky · 01-12-2016, 04:31 AM

I am sure I am wrong about the rivets, it is too cold to take a ladder out there now. But I do know that the lengthwise beads of caulk on the top of the roof are wider and bigger than the crosswise beads.
Larry

switz · 01-13-2016, 01:39 AM

Airstream adds an eight or ten inch wide panel to the roof sheet metal as they are unwilling to order sheets the proper width for the trailers. So that seam is the full length of the white roof.