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HeadWest · 07-08-2013, 08:11 PM

When did Airstream stop water testing new units?

Last week, I noticed rust spots around the rivets on the inside door skin. With looking closer, I found that they were wet. On the outside I found that there is no sealant around the door handle on the front edge. I put some tape on it for a quick temp fix and headed out for a 6 day trip in beautiful northern Michigan.

Driving home today we ran into several sections of heavy rain and also had a lot of rain last night. When we arrive home late this afternoon I started unpacking the trailer and noticed the arm on the "L" lounge was wet. Above it are the battery disconnect switch, main cabin light switch and dimmer, along with a row of 4 other light switches. All 3 areas have water dripping out around the switches and the bottom of the switch plates or covers.

I don't get it. The trailer was built 2 months ago and has about 1700 miles on it of our use along with it's trip from Ohio to Michigan. If Airstream really uses the water test on all trailers, how could a major gap of no sealant such as one at our door handle not show up as a leak? Are they really water testing all units or is it only some units being done for people to see on the factory tours?

Sorry for the rant but frustrations are high at the moment. Thankfully I have a great dealer that I know will get things resolved but it still is the wasted time dealing with quality issues at Jackson Center.

cwf · 07-08-2013, 08:13 PM

Take to dealer now.

HeadWest · 07-08-2013, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwf

Take to dealer now.

Yup, it definitely will be going to them soon. They do have the pressure deal to check for leaks so hopefully we can find this new one and deal with it correctly.

cwf · 07-08-2013, 08:18 PM

Excellent! It is in ignoring or not noticing that little drips grow into adult problems.

PharmGeek · 07-08-2013, 08:34 PM

what is horrific and sad, are the folks that did not notice leaks until too late...including after warranty expires :O

But, I am not sure as to the root of your question..."how does this happen"....but I suspect it is simply human error in the factory...perhaps folks are being more pressured to get things done even faster from the top down? but in reading about leaks, this issue unfortunately is not new it would seem...there seem to be a number of events historically in which areas that may have needed sealed, were simply not sealed.

My new unit will be here in october...I am simply going under the assumption that there are screwed up spots and that I need to find them in the case they do exist...so testing for leaks, and being very diligent seems critical....and then when caught, fixed under warranty.

Perhaps they still do the leak tests...but like anything else, folks may in practice may screw it up?

cwf · 07-08-2013, 08:47 PM

I would insist the AS be resealed during 12 day checkup.

PharmGeek · 07-08-2013, 08:53 PM

what exactly is meant by "resealed"...?

Should I expect such a request add cost?

I need to dig back to a thread, but I do recall folks recommending "sealing" all seams with some product.

Aage · 07-08-2013, 08:56 PM

IMHO, "resealed" = "sealed again".

Part of AS life.

PharmGeek · 07-08-2013, 08:59 PM

no, what I mean is...what is the product and process involve with sealing again? Ill dig back to that thread and remind myself...I recall a number of things recommended including things to prevent/mitigate filiform corrosion....etc.

cwf · 07-08-2013, 08:59 PM

Acryl is the sealant for seams of alumin panels. SikaFlex on otter seams around windows doors, etc.

Others will have better advice, but I would ask as part of delivery that seals be verified... That's their job in mind. Also after TT built, there is some settling of components as they are transported. So it would be normal to resealed as necessary.

CanoeStream · 07-08-2013, 09:13 PM

Channing means Acryl-R -- available at the airstream store online and other places. PharmGeek, I don't think it is advisable to reseal all seams just for the sake of it. There remains a quandary and it is hard to feel 100% secure. The old "They all leak" adage holds true -- sadly, even on the day after you think you finally got it!

HeadWest, I believe the factory still puts the finished shells into a shower room for the purpose of testing. This is after insulation & inner skins are installed. I'm not convinced that this would allow best observation of leaks of the outer shell. You've got a long warranty period -- get it back to the dealer for leaks immediately. You'll still need to bounce a new Airstream down the road for a full season before you'll find everything. I wouldn't wait on getting leaks fixed. More than one warranty visit may be needed* and you'll be glad for the opportunity. It doesn't pay to buy multiple states away in my opinion.

I recently talked to a dealer about doing a Sealtech test as preventive maintenance. They talked to Jackson Center and the factory advised against doing that if there are no known leaks -- the pressurization might blow open marginal sealing or push out corrosion or dirt that is maintaining an effective seal.

...............................
* In my case: a bad light, a cabinet coming apart, a few stripped screw holes on drawer guides, over-torqued self tapping screws on BAL stabilizers. I was and still am happy after I got past their responsibility. On my own now I guess...

Nuvite-F · 07-08-2013, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CanoeStream

HeadWest, I believe the factory still puts the finished shells into a shower room for the purpose of testing. This is after insulation & inner skins are installed. I'm not convinced that this would allow best observation of leaks of the outer shell.

For what it's worth, I have done the factory tour three times, and each time I saw the spray chamber test it was done on trailers with the wiring roughed in, but no insulation or inner shell, so that leaks could be detected and recaulked if necessary from the inside.

I haven't done the factory tour in the last couple of years so I can't be sure that's still true, but it wouldn't make much sense to do the leak test at a point in the assembly process where it would be hard to detect or correct a leak.
.

CanoeStream · 07-08-2013, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nuvite-F

I haven't done the factory tour in the last couple of years so I can't be sure that's still true, but it wouldn't make much sense to do the leak test at a point in the assembly process where it would be hard to detect or correct a leak.

True.

Now that I think about it, the leak test area is partway along the back wall. The area to the right of that is where they install the insulation & inner skins. Thanks for the clarification.

Ridgerunner3 · 07-09-2013, 04:23 AM

I observed water testing on the factory tour last August. No insulation or inner skin during water testing. The tech was using a caulking gun with a product I was unfamiliar with for repairing leaks. I wrote down the name of the caulk (don't know what I did with it). The repairs are done on the inside.

This does not prove that all trailers are water tested. I did not feel that the water test was the equivalent of pulling a trailer in a hard rain.

I use Parbond and Sikaflex for seam sealant.

blkmagikca · 07-09-2013, 11:47 AM

Headwest, you are approximately 200 miles away from Jackson Center. My suggestion, FWIW, would be to call them and set up an appointment. In some cases, the repair to a leaky seam is not just putting on some sealant - in my own case, they had to drill out and hand buck in new rivets. You want it done right, done under warranty and done expeditiously, so a phone call to Chris Burch at JC would be the way to go.

andreasduess · 07-09-2013, 12:28 PM

I've got moisture detectors ready for install, for just this eventuality.

Hopefully you'll get it all sorted out. Finding faults with a brand new anything is frustrating, especially with something as expensive as a new AS.

eheffa · 07-12-2013, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadWest

When did Airstream stop water testing new units?

Last week, I noticed rust spots around the rivets on the inside door skin. With looking closer......on the factory tours?

Sorry for the rant but frustrations are high at the moment. Thankfully I have a great dealer that I know will get things resolved but it still is the wasted time dealing with quality issues at Jackson Center.

Hi,

Welcome to the 'Disappointed Club'. Airstreams are great trailers in many ways. I love to use ours with its nice layout & great towing characteristics. I have no intention of getting rid of mine but certain aspects of the AS design & quality control is a joke.

I bought my 2008 Safari FB SE brand new. It demonstrated several leaks shortly after I got it. I was shocked to discover that these were due to unfinished caulk lines along the roof lines. I subsequently discovered leaking plumbing stacks, leaking window frames, leaks around the front & rear windows... then leaking belly band trim... leaking rear tail lights...leaking rear bumper line etc. I have just spent around 500 hours dismantling, fixing & re-sealing my unit (along with extensive modifications to the interior the interior while I was at it). After taking a good part of the unit apart to do this, I can say with some confidence that any pretense that Airstream has an effective water leak testing program is pure B$/hype & nothing more.

I hope that I have remedied the problems but I'm not holding my breath yet.

Airstream knows about these problems in design and QC but has clearly not addressed them in an upfront and effective manner. They usually blame the owner for not doing proper maintenance which presumably includes intermittent dis-assembly & caulking all the seams in the unit that they didn't caulk at the factory. (Most of these issues are fixable but I think they need a complete overhaul of their corporate philosophy to see this happen.)

At your stage of ownership, on warranty, I think you should take it back to the factory & insist that they not only fix the current leaks but do some version of pressure testing to find all the others lurking there waiting to show themselves. If there are dodgy weak seams, let the pressure testing stress them. Better to find them now than 5 years from now when your foot goes through a rotten section of flooring.

Automobiles don't leak like these units do, but the Auto manufacturers are subject to lemon laws & other rules that don't seem to apply to the RV industry.

Good luck with your fight. I love travelling & camping in our Airstream but I do wish Airstream had done their part of the job properly.

-evan

PharmGeek · 07-12-2013, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andreasduess

I've got moisture detectors ready for install, for just this eventuality.

Hopefully you'll get it all sorted out. Finding faults with a brand new anything is frustrating, especially with something as expensive as a new AS.

What are these detectors? These are not the ones you go around and check areas yourself? How do these work?

withidl · 07-12-2013, 11:11 AM

A year or so after purchase of my 2002 ASCL 31' I discovered that the front curved windows had LARGE sealant gaps all along their lower edges. These gaps simply could not have resulted from flexing due to road vibration; they had to have been due to lack of quality control during manufacture, and WOULD have evidenced if ANY leak test had been done; so I don't believe every unit is leak tested, or the person doing so simply has never had a glass of water.

I corrected the leaks using clear silicone rubber. I know, I know, this is supposedly verboten, but it has worked for me without any corrosive or other maladies, adheres absolutely to both metal and glass, remains flexible forever, and has lasted for ~10 years without failure.

BAB · 07-12-2013, 11:16 AM

...I was at Alumapalooza in May. Went through the factory tour for the 3d time, and "yes" they put each trailer through the water testing chamber. (And, as noted by another poster, the interior skins are NOT on yet....though it looked as if all "through the trailer" fixtures are in place.) There is someone inside the trailer as they pressure wash, and he/she has a black light to spot water intrusion and (of course) a caulk gun. Awful to hear about leaks from brand new trailers. Up until now, I haven't found any leaks in my '12, and I have done a couple of checks with my moisture tester under the dinette, by the door, and in the rear under my bed. So far, so good.