Holes in the floor of my 2019 Classic 33

[The Naker]

Originally Posted by JDG

I had a similar problem with my 33 Classic within the first month. Mice got in through the opening where the wiring bundle goes through the floor up near the spare tire mount. The area was not sealed. Luckily I caught the mice the very next day and sealed the wiring bundle area with silicone sealer and steel wool. Went underneath on the belly pan area and sealed several large gaps with a combination of aluminum HVAC duct tape, silicone, and foam gap spray. There where many gaps or poor fit areas where the cold or small animals could get in. I haven’t checked the area you mentioned but will soon. Good luck with the fix.

This is what I'm going to do. I'm now convinced the problem isn't the holes in the floor. I need to go over the entire underside of the trailer and seal up any openings.

Also I just wanted to say that I'm not complaining or upset with Airstream. I still really like my trailer and when I decided to buy it I knew that I'd have to deal with small issues like this. As long as I can fix them its all good. And this process along with other fixes I've done have helped me to learn the systems and location of various items in the trailer and be more comfortable with any repairs I may have to make when I'm on a trip.

[switz]

Brass wool does not rust.

[jeffmc306]

Originally Posted by turk123

This is by far the most shocking, appalling, horrific, horrifying, horrible, terrible, awful, dreadful, grievous, gross, ghastly, hideous, horrendous, frightful, atrocious, abominable, abhorrent, outrageous; monstrous, nightmarish, heinous, harrowing, dire, unspeakable, shameful; flagrant, glaring, blatant, scandalous, unforgivable, unpardonable, intolerable issue I have ever seen.

Hallelujah! Holy shxx! Where's the Tylenol?

OMG, Clark Griswold tell us how you really feel! Well played turk123

[gklott]

Originally Posted by turk123

That picture disturbs me a lot. How is anything like this permitted in a $150,000 trailer?

Our trailer's floor is full of unused holes, including one in the floor in front of the kitchen cabinets showing through the flooring. We requested a floor repair with new flooring during warranty, and Airstream's response was to send a wide piece of molding to replace the narrow piece.

Originally Posted by Zybane

Airstream has no quality control. As soon as you remove any cover or access panel, you find that out VERY quickly.

Agree!

Maybe you will also find the live but unused 12VDC wires stuffed into some your floor's holes. When asked, Airstream support could not explain them. Surprise!

73/gus

[Bill M.]

Is there a belly pan? Belly pan should seal mice and air currents from the outside. Are the holes to allow some heat to flow around the pipes? I think the PEX pipe will be fine however you do the holes. My trailers have several holes through the floor into the belly pan area. Has not been a problem so far.

[trikdacy]

I have a 2019 30' Classic, I have noticed the pipes, but now I am going to look closer at them the next time I am at my trailer.

[Zybane]

Originally Posted by rsementi

We were soooo close to taking the plunge to buy a new Airstream. And I even convinced two of my friends to buy theirs too. We wanted not only a great travel trailer, but a piece of American greatness. But after seeing this blatant disregard for the so called AS quality, we will not be buying a new Airstream. That’s a loss of three travel traveler sales. But I bet they don’t care. We’re not even a blip on their “record sales” reports. They’re just focussed on raking in the dough while the iron is hot.

So disappointed. And we thought that AS was the Last of the great American companies. I guess we will go with the Pleasureway brand. Better warranty too.

You should have seen the punch-list of items that were screwed up on my new 2016 Classic. Just appalling. The reason they can make such garbage is there is no competition.

[Pete B55]

Originally Posted by The Naker

This is what I'm going to do. I'm now convinced the problem isn't the holes in the floor. I need to go over the entire underside of the trailer and seal up any openings.



Also I just wanted to say that I'm not complaining or upset with Airstream. I still really like my trailer and when I decided to buy it I knew that I'd have to deal with small issues like this. As long as I can fix them its all good. And this process along with other fixes I've done have helped me to learn the systems and location of various items in the trailer and be more comfortable with any repairs I may have to make when I'm on a trip.

If you are worried about mice really scrutinize you wheel wells. They appear sealed but are not. Use lots of sikaflex.

[CatNJAMES]

Thor Industries know they don't have to try too hard to sell these. I was ready to pull the trigger on a 2017 International Serenity we saw at the Dallas RV Show. The wall to the bath in hallway was loose and door wouldn't close. he said it would be fixed by Vogt RV. We visited the dealer ready to buy a 80K trailer and it was still broken and loose. People in California have driven prices way up on cheaply remodeled units over 40k. It's just not worth that much money. You could buy a LUX fifth wheel what they want for a new Classic. Value is just not there anymore.

[RickyNelson]

Has Airstream ever done a "recall?" Based on the comments, probably not. I look forward to seeing the thread come through every day as I learn so much. Some of it important, others not so important.

The quality is excellent and I am proud to own an AS. I hope I can say the same after I crawl under...

Please keep us posted on what your dealer and headquarters say about this issue.

[turk123]

OK, let's not get crazy. Take a deep breath.

This issue is a huge problem I know. The higher-ups now know (little birdy). They are upset.

I would call customer support and explain the issue and ask them to push this up to upper management. There is no excuse for this in my opinion. This is a breach of the quality that Airstream lives by and promotes in their product. This has been heard and I am sure will be addressed. Call Airstream now.

I would ask for a complete resolution and possibly an apology for the blatant disregard for quality. My trailer is currently at JC. I will be calling tomorrow to ask that they go over the entire bottom of the trailer looking for these kinds of mistakes in proper sealing. There is no excuse for this.

I am sorry that you went through this as a new owner. This should never have happened. Airstream will make it right I am sure. You need to follow up with them immediately and stand up under your warranty. It is NOT right.

[trailerKat]

Originally Posted by rsementi

We were soooo close to taking the plunge to buy a new Airstream. And I even convinced two of my friends to buy theirs too. We wanted not only a great travel trailer, but a piece of American greatness. But after seeing this blatant disregard for the so called AS quality, we will not be buying a new Airstream. That’s a loss of three travel traveler sales. But I bet they don’t care. We’re not even a blip on their “record sales” reports. They’re just focussed on raking in the dough while the iron is hot.

So disappointed. And we thought that AS was the Last of the great American companies. I guess we will go with the Pleasureway brand. Better warranty too.

Lots of other trailer manufacturers have issues. My sister and her husband bought a new SOB 40ft 5th wheel from a Camping World dealership in the Houston area last year. [Still under warranty.] He lives in the unit and gets moved to various job sites in the US. He has been working on a project in Houston, TX for a year [humidity anyone?]. In January, every single cupboard door in the kitchen started to warp and are now curled so badly the doors don't close or LATCH. One of the trailers 3 AC units also does not work and the 2 working AC units struggle to keep the trailer cool. They have been trying since February to get the dealership to even acknowledge that replacements are on order, are in route, and that they will be scheduled soon for repairs. Their previous 2 SOB RV's also had issues. Despite their faults, I still believe Airstreams are the best. Good luck with your Pleasureway.
Kat

[justplayingt]

Agree, Alde system leaked glycol into floor (2018 Classic 33) will take weeks to fix. They have to gut the interior including the floor. Very disappointed in Airstream quality.
We are full timers and will have to stay in a hotel . I’m sure AS will not reimburse us.

[kendrick.l.j]

Guys this isn’t new. My 2017 Classic had at least 6 holes in the floor that were big enough to see light coming through. 2 were in the rear outside storage compartment that went up into the bedside table in the twin version. 2 were under the dinette bench were the Alde is But not the drain line for the tank but closer to the road side. It’s for the Alde Check Valve drain. Don’t ask why I know that the Alde has its own check valve. I’ve forgotten where the other two were but I won’t be surprised to find more if I move the bumpers for the beds or looked closely under the cabinet in the bathroom, or under the kitchen sink.

[Zybane]

Originally Posted by justplayingt

Agree, Alde system leaked glycol into floor (2018 Classic 33) will take weeks to fix. They have to gut the interior including the floor. Very disappointed in Airstream quality.
We are full timers and will have to stay in a hotel . I’m sure AS will not reimburse us.

One of the reasons I shy'd away from the Alde. Hell, they can't even get the regular water lines crimped correctly (leaking), how are they going to do it correctly on all of those Alde fluid lines?

Originally Posted by kendrick.l.j

Guys this isn’t new. My 2017 Classic had at least 6 holes in the floor that were big enough to see light coming through. 2 were in the rear outside storage compartment that went up into the bedside table in the twin version. 2 were under the dinette bench were the Alde is But not the drain line for the tank but closer to the road side. It’s for the Alde Check Valve drain. Don’t ask why I know that the Alde has its own check valve. I’ve forgotten where the other two were but I won’t be surprised to find more if I move the bumpers for the beds or looked closely under the cabinet in the bathroom, or under the kitchen sink.

Even if it's an Airstream "3 season trailer", you should NEVER be able to see from inside the living space from the floor to the ground outside.

[Kentbrookin]

As I expected the Airstream protection Society is slowly emerging on this thread. Bad mouthing the SOB's and trying to protect Airstream. But the one thing they always seem to forget is that Thor Industries owns most of the SOB's. Same Big Brother In The Sky telling all the little companies that they own what to do and that includes Airstream.

[Rocinante]

Seal that up from the outside, as you don’t want guests inside your belly pan if you can avoid it. Check with your dealer first, as that opening seems excessive. If you have to DIY because AS declines to address it, try Pest Block foam and / or copper wool.
BTW, you’ll want to do a thorough inspection under your trailer and do the same to any other openings you find. If you look, you will definitely find others. I found plenty of small potential entry points when I did the same. As you may know, mice can enter holes as small as a dime.

[CWSWine]

You mention "Pest Block Foam" is this what you were talking about?
https://www.amazon.com/Spray-Foam-Se...gateway&sr=8-5

Originally Posted by Rocinante

Seal that up from the outside, as you don’t want guests inside your belly pan if you can avoid it. Check with your dealer first, as that opening seems excessive. If you have to DIY because AS declines to address it, try Pest Block foam and / or copper wool.
BTW, you’ll want to do a thorough inspection under your trailer and do the same to any other openings you find. If you look, you will definitely find others. I found plenty of small potential entry points when I did the same. As you may know, mice can enter holes as small as a dime.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Not at all sure how the Alde got into this, but we have never / ever seen a glycol leak from the system.

Bob

[MAJORJDB]

We feel very bad for folks that have such issues with their new units. While we look every year at the new models, can't justify the price and apparently the disappointment some of their owners have with QC. At the rallies we go to, everyone seems to have a "story" about something wrong with their unit. Colin Hyde, an AS restorer in upstate New York said that mice can get in through the open frame channels, wheel wells, etc. It's not a matter of if, it's when. We bought our 1989 31' Excella for $13.5k and while we have put $12k +/- into restoring/upgrades, we have learned to live with extra "guests". As Colin also said, short of disassembling the entire trailer, once mice move in, they tend to be very hard to get rid of (won't mention snakes). So we plug what holes we see, set traps and utilize peppermint mouse repellent packets (found in ag supply stores). AS appears no different than other manufacturers in the market, a buyer has to do their research and accept what is now the standard and be willing to pay what their willing to pay for it... Good luck and safe travels...
Jim and Gretchen