Holes in the floor of my 2019 Classic 33

[J. Morgan]

Originally Posted by Zybane

lol I was thinking the same thing. Having huge holes in your floor and belly pan is a feature!

When Airstream didn't screw my dinette bench to the floor, it was so that I can easily move it around. What a nice FEATURE!

When Airstream didn't connect two of my electrical outlets, it was a feature to make sure that I don't draw too much power!

LOL some posts on this forum are hilarious.

If I were you I'd get rid of it.

[jeffmc306]

Originally Posted by rsementi

Yes that’s all true. That’s why a drop out vent
was invented to go through the floor of the trailer to BOTH allow for any LPG leaks to escape since it is heavier than air, and to allow for fresh air to enter, leaving no room for rodents to enter.

rsementi, but wouldn’t that just move the propane gas to the sealed space below the floor? Or would you put another vent in the belly pan? That would allow heat to escape when near freezing and want the tanks to stay warm? I like the vent idea just trying to understand how best to implement it.

[Cobalt]

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.

I agree with you completely, EXCEPT.
I have had several simple issues come up by which I called AS JC. Very cooperative, we’ll get back to you. Nothing, no texts, emails, phone call, Nothing.
Based upon customer service alone, and I mean down to the AS dealers I’ve had, I would not buy another one. Strong statement. They left me with the feeling “This is an Airstream, how dare you question our XX years of building a great product.”

[Cobalt]

Originally Posted by Cobalt

I agree with you completely, EXCEPT.
I have had several simple issues come up by which I called AS JC. Very cooperative, we’ll get back to you. Nothing, no texts, emails, phone call, Nothing.
Based upon customer service alone, and I mean down to the AS dealers I’ve had, I would not buy another one. Strong statement. They left me with the feeling “This is an Airstream, how dare you question our XX years of building a great product.”

Now, I’ll add that dealer maintenance, warranty work, etc, has been outstanding. They are simply the best of anything I’ve ever dealt with. They literally stop work to help you, if a quick fix, they do it. That customer service cannot be matched, by any auto dealer or other store.

[SSquared]

Originally Posted by Cobalt

Now, I’ll add that dealer maintenance, warranty work, etc, has been outstanding. They are simply the best of anything I’ve ever dealt with. They literally stop work to help you, if a quick fix, they do it. That customer service cannot be matched, by any auto dealer or other store.

I'm glad you have a great dealer. Which dealer is it?

[Jaxon]

Originally Posted by The Naker

Understood. I had used some 3M auto insulation and capped with flexible vinyl cut to fit (and taped with aluminum tape). Maybe I'll remove the vinyl and figure out how to seal up the underside instead.

.
It might also be useful to line the aluminum with a grommet of some sort to help guard against pipe chaffing... Surprised Airstream didn't do that...

...Surprised this is even a problem you're having to deal with and not something caught during manufacture.
.
.

Naw... not surprised.
.

[turk123]

Originally Posted by Jaxon

.
It might also be useful to line the aluminum with a grommet of some sort to help guard against pipe chaffing... Surprised Airstream didn't do that...

.

It would be very easy to use some molded rubber or vinyl trim and glue around the edges of the holes that are cut. Of course, we would have to do this ourselves.

[RussRamz]

I own a 2018 Classic 33 FB. I spent some time during the last winter where it got down to +2 for some time. While the Alde running on propane kept things warm, I too pulled the kickplate after feeling a draft and noticed the same two holes in the floor. Looking down through the holes, I could see daylight where the box wrapped around the water service hookups. To kill the draft, I stuffed fiberglass insulation into the holes and sealed up the water service box with foam pipe wrap. The insulation fixed the draft and provided some additional insulation to the water service inlet (hopefully solving my frozen inlet even with a heated water hose).

I am disappointed with the quality of my build. I expected more from Airstream.

[superChop]

Sitting in my renovated 1964 Overlander at the International Rally In Doswell. A couple of days ago, COO Julian and Brian and Lenny and Technical Rep informed us that Quality problems are the reason they are now moving to a more thorough Final Inspection. They also informed us their staff reviews this forum and AS Addicts. They also listened to many AS owners share their Quality problems, such as: locked in their trailer, poor appliances, poor design, etc. They have weekly meetings with manufacturing staff to discuss problems found and resolution all the way up to Julian and CEO level. They have established a new position of VP of Supply Chain, which hopefully gets AS staff into Suppliers facilities to demand improvements in Quality? Can someone forward this thread to AS? Ideally AS staff would read this thread and respond to all of us! As an aside - this concerns tow vehicles these AS senior reps used to tow their AS trailers to the Rally? GM pickup and a Nissan Armada!!!

[az-streamer]

Originally Posted by superChop

Sitting in my renovated 1964 Overlander at the International Rally In Doswell. A couple of days ago, COO Julian and Brian and Lenny and Technical Rep informed us that Quality problems are the reason they are now moving to a more thorough Final Inspection......

One could propose that more diligent inspections at each intermediate stage of assembly would reduce the overall number of problems found during final inspection.

Also, using only a final inspection might not not catch problems covered up during later stages of assembly.

[superChop]

I attended a seminar led by Airstreams Technical Mgr, Rick. I showed him the thread and he said it hs been forwarded to their Engineering team by the third party hired to monitor social media. Hope to hear a response from Airstream soon.

[Silvertwinkie]

Originally Posted by az-streamer

Also, using only a final inspection might not not catch problems covered up during later stages of assembly.

I agree, if they are going to REALLY try to mitigate all the repetitive issues we've all been talking about for years, the only way I can see them solving this is to have people in-line looking at each stage of the build, with the authority to halt production on a particular unit or units until the work is done to the highest possible quality.


I've posted this before, but my umbilical connection in the front had a McDonald's wrapper stuffed into it. I noticed it when I installed a subwoofer when removing a box panel under the front couch. To me that spoke volumes as to the attitude on the production line. I had hoped it had gotten better since then, but here we are 16 years later and then there is this.


It's simply disgraceful to pay the prices they are commanding for these and have such shoddy work. I get that it's hand built, but even then, if you have the right processes in place, things like this would be the exception, not what appears to be the rule.


I've heard a LOT of lip service over my near 20 years of owning and being a part of the Airstream community. Sadly very little of that lip service has to date trickled down to better quality of the end product IMHO.

[Zybane]

Oh please they have been saying the same thing for years. "Final inspection" is a joke. When everything is already installed and sealed up, they just look at superficial things in "final inspections".

The only way they are going to get any traction with the obvious "I don't give a crap" Airstream factory worker is to do stage inspections by dedicated quality control officers. I won't be holding my breath.

Oh; also eliminate self-tapping screws and double stick tape. What lazy/garbage ways to secure something.

Every time someone asks me in a campground "how do you like your AS?" I say "overpriced for the quality". Usually they move on pretty quick.

[Rocinante]

I tell them to dream about a gently used unit that’s a year or two old, where someone else has already worked out the most egregious issues under warranty.
I remember a time when “built by hand” meant a product was built with special care, particularly high attention to detail, and excellent quality, instead of an excuse for building a product that’s slapped together and shoved out the door.

[MegaRhapsody]

Hello all-

Just received my new 2020 FC 26FB. I also observe incomplete floor in this model. Some holes are sealed others are incompletely sealed (see pic attached- form under the dinette seat) - looks like a black kind of tape...
Carpentry is in some parts (kitchen drawers, bathroom) not very well done - self-assembled IKEA furniture gives a better result

Let's see what my dealer can do to fix this...