What caused front panel creases?

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by 66Overlander

We did drag a skid plate on that corner in 2016. Cracked corner on the compartment door occurred in 2021. The change to rounded corner doors is still an "obvious" improvement from an engineering standpoint. Square corners are stress risers.

No question, and easier to make I would think too. With proper automation???:

I have never fixed mine, as it really necessitates frame removal for welding. I believe a reweld on the trailer would damage the clearcoat near the corner, at a minimum. I am afraid that ,when removed, it would be difficult to have it re-welded to the same squareness as when removed, causing riveting issues.

I currently have a small piece of eternabond sealing that corner. Ugly, but effective.

[Life is a Highway]

Have your trailer repaired from the front in. We elected not to and they fixed it from the inside. I wanted to keep the original rivets. What we got was the dimples left and a front locker that looked worse.

This is not damage from skid plates as some are claiming it is frame and shell separation on the front.

We bought a 30 rear bedroom. No more ft lockers that when you think about it leave a weakened area. Anyone in the Florida Tampa area can view the Airsteam hanging shell from the showroom ceiling. It makes it very clear what happened.

Dragging a rear skid plate can cause flex but it is not the cause of the Shell pulling away from the floor. Let’s be glad the factory is covering it. Only to those that complain. No recall.

Originally Posted by rhensley

About 6 months after taking delivery of our new trailer, I noticed that the creases in ours were getting worse. We were at the dealership discussing this issue with a tech and sales person. Both professed a total lack of awareness as to the cause. We walked over and checked two other 27FBT’s (brand new just off the truck) and they both exhibited the start of this problem.

We’ve got our appointment with JC to get our’s fixed on 09/20. We’re going to clean out the front end and just leave it with them for hopefully a quicker turn on the repair.

Does the 30RBT have this issue since it doesn’t have the large front baggage door? Thinking of upgrading as we are now houseless but not homeless.

Regards,
Ron

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

No question, and easier to make I would think too. With proper automation???:



I have never fixed mine, as it really necessitates frame removal for welding. I believe a reweld on the trailer would damage the clearcoat near the corner, at a minimum. I am afraid that ,when removed, it would be difficult to have it re-welded to the same squareness as when removed, causing riveting issues.



I currently have a small piece of eternabond sealing that corner. Ugly, but effective.

The Factory Service Center in Jackson Center said there is no repairing the compartment door frame. They would replace with a new frame and make sure there is no rear separation occurring or reattach as necessary, all without "elephant ears".

For now the gap is filled with "big stretch" caulk to accommodate the continued movement on every bump we hit.

[rfequity1]

You know the more I read about this front end separation and the fact that AS knows it's an issue really ticks me off. I paid over $2k to have my 2013 repaired earlier this year. I wonder about a class action lawsuit around this issue. Maybe some of us could get some money back for repairing something AS knows is defective. It's one thing for things to break, it's another to know it and keep making it that way.

[Life is a Highway]

We feel lucky it was covered under warranty and blessed kind others tipped us off, however our trailer was violated on repair causing us to sell it. I did not trust the repair. I am trying to warn those who own to look before it’s to late and if buying because now ft twins are all the rage with a ft locker.
Most don’t take the warning.

Airsteam should have sent out a recall. And bought back trailers or given people credit on a new one. Then repaired trailers could be resold to employees or at a used fair price with disclaimer.

I’ve seen service and sales tell people oh it’s nothing never heard of this bla bla bla. Those shopping used better check if the factory has repaired the unit as then it’s warranty. Did Jackson charge you and repair it or was it just a skin cosmetic fix?

Originally Posted by rfequity1

You know the more I read about this front end separation and the fact that AS knows it's an issue really ticks me off. I paid over $2k to have my 2013 repaired earlier this year. I wonder about a class action lawsuit around this issue. Maybe some of us could get some money back for repairing something AS knows is defective. It's one thing for things to break, it's another to know it and keep making it that way.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by 66Overlander

The Factory Service Center in Jackson Center said there is no repairing the compartment door frame. They would replace with a new frame and make sure there is no rear separation occurring or reattach as necessary, all without "elephant ears".

For now the gap is filled with "big stretch" caulk to accommodate the continued movement on every bump we hit.

Yeah, I disagree with that. I am SURE I could remove and take to my local TIG welder here locally. JC probably doesn't do TIG in the service department.

[2008AS]

Originally Posted by rfequity1

You know the more I read about this front end separation and the fact that AS knows it's an issue really ticks me off. I paid over $2k to have my 2013 repaired earlier this year. I wonder about a class action lawsuit around this issue. Maybe some of us could get some money back for repairing something AS knows is defective. It's one thing for things to break, it's another to know it and keep making it that way.

Completely agree!

The interesting thing about many AS owners is they've been drinking the cool aide from the fountain far too long. They are a very loyal bunch and nearly worship the ground in Jackson where Airstreams are built.

So, trying to find a group who is willing to step up and go against the propaganda would be the most challenging part of the entire suit.

I think many of the streamers who return to the mother ship (re-education camp) are secretly getting their thoughts adjusted.

[rfequity1]

They say they fixed it and it will never happen again.

[syclone93]

I agree about drinking the Kool Aide , I don't say much as I don't want to have to defend my thinking to people that worship these trailers. But if these repairs are as common as they seem to be there absolutely will be some degree of diminished value when it comes time to sell. There are really smart people that post on this and other topics and I would love to hear from an engineering standpoint exactly what the issue is. My feeling is a pretty serious design flaw. A chassis under anything has some flex as it articulates through everyday use , driveways , bumps , dips etc. I don't see how you build a shell like this and attach it solidly to a flexible chassis and are surprised when there are kinks , buckles and bends. With this being such a common problem people shopping for used units will be aware of this and depending on who , how and where the repairs are done there very well could be a damage history assigned to these units. As insurers become aware of these defects it wouldn't surprise me if this sort of damage may be excluded from insurance repairs. If this was a car manufacturer I think there would be quite a bit more attention paid to the issue. The very best of luck to everyone with this issue..

Originally Posted by 2008AS

Completely agree!

The interesting thing about many AS owners is they've been drinking the cool aide from the fountain far too long. They are a very loyal bunch and nearly worship the ground in Jackson where Airstreams are built.

So, trying to find a group who is willing to step up and go against the propaganda would be the most challenging part of the entire suit.

I think many of the streamers who return to the mother ship (re-education camp) are secretly getting their thoughts adjusted.

[smithcreek]

Originally Posted by 2008AS

Completely agree!



The interesting thing about many AS owners is they've been drinking the cool aide from the fountain far too long. They are a very loyal bunch and nearly worship the ground in Jackson where Airstreams are built.



So, trying to find a group who is willing to step up and go against the propaganda would be the most challenging part of the entire suit.



I think many of the streamers who return to the mother ship (re-education camp) are secretly getting their thoughts adjusted.

Actually the most challenging part of the suit would be to find the one person willing to take on the responsibility to make it happen (especially when there seems to be ample evidence that Airstream is taking care of it when it is brought to their attention in a reasonable length of time) when it’s so much easier to complain on an internet forum and act like you are being persecuted by the brainwashed cult members of “Big Trailer”. [emoji16] Which by the way I don’t see too many of around here. Are you talking about somewhere else?

[nitzo]

Originally Posted by 2008AS

Completely agree!

The interesting thing about many AS owners is they've been drinking the cool aide from the fountain far too long. They are a very loyal bunch and nearly worship the ground in Jackson where Airstreams are built.

So, trying to find a group who is willing to step up and go against the propaganda would be the most challenging part of the entire suit.

I think many of the streamers who return to the mother ship (re-education camp) are secretly getting their thoughts adjusted.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by 2008AS

Completely agree!

The interesting thing about many AS owners is they've been drinking the cool aide from the fountain far too long. They are a very loyal bunch and nearly worship the ground in Jackson where Airstreams are built.

So, trying to find a group who is willing to step up and go against the propaganda would be the most challenging part of the entire suit.

I think many of the streamers who return to the mother ship (re-education camp) are secretly getting their thoughts adjusted.

><>?<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><>< ><><><><>

How many time have you been to JC ?

I would guess that 90% of the Forum references to JC refer to the build side fixing their flubs.

You don't buy there so what would draw back for more 'kool-aid'?

If you need a scape goat Blame Thor and the add-men for pushing the dream and not paying attention to the Legacy

No (re-education camp) NEEDED

When you pontificate please be more accurate with your Arrow.

Bob
🇺🇸

[nitzo]

Originally Posted by Life is a Highway

It’s not from a transport.

You are saying for sure that this "denting" is not from transport?

[ts8501]

Originally Posted by nitzo

You are saying for sure that this "denting" is not from transport?

There are pictures on these very forums of brand new Airstream’s being picked up at the dealer showing the indents already in place. Not all trailer transports are carried on flat beds. Some trailers are driven individually by truck to the dealer. So I would advise all owners to check carefully when they pick up their brand new trailer. I plan to, and will call out anything I see at that time, in addition to watching diligently over time.

[nitzo]

Originally Posted by ts8501

There are pictures on these very forums of brand new Airstream’s being picked up at the dealer showing the indents already in place.

Yes, you are correct.

This is ours two weeks before we took delivery, still at the dealership. There is a similar dent on the other side.

[Ray Eklund]

Learned a lot from this discussion. I will refer those with my issues to follow nitzo's and Jaybauman's. Did not even know this was being discussed. Great discussion.

[Ray Eklund]

When following the Separation threads and posts... Please wear a face mask. I do not want to be recognized for falling into this problem and was totally ignorant of this being chronic with the model I purchased, faithfully in 2019.

Yes... call me Stupid. Screw me once... there will not be a Second time.

[ROBERT CROSS]

OK here goes again, another one of my dumb questions.

Why all the interpretive interactions, questions and suppositions?

It happens, and shouldn't and needs to be rectified.!!!! Do that.

Bob
🇺🇸

[2008AS]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

When following the Separation threads and posts... Please wear a face mask. I do not want to be recognized for falling into this problem and was totally ignorant of this being chronic with the model I purchased, faithfully in 2019.

Yes... call me Stupid. Screw me once... there will not be a Second time.

Agree completely. Shouldn’t need to fix a frame defect two years into ownership. Airstream knows it’s a problem yet they continue to sell this product with the defect. Shame on airstream.

[TexasVine]

UPDATE from OP:

My International is at the dealer. I took it upon myself to get the factory involved with the dealer. My last conversation with the factory was they were asking the dealer to peel away the aluminum and send pictures to he factory. They assured me that there is a fix and the dealer would be able to address the issue. I'll be checking in with the dealer in a couple of days to get a status update.

I'm not totally confident in the dealer (Holiday World, Katy, TX), mostly because they assigned my trailer to a new service rep who didn't report this issue in he original warranty request because they didn't know how to log it in. After several strong conversations with he dealer GM and Service Manager, I am hopeful that the repairs will take place sooner than later. Fortunately my wife had taken pictures of the trailer at purchase. Although it slipped by the dealer and us, at the time, we were able to produce the the original point of purchase pictures to the factory.