Years with wetbay and roof radius problems ?

[PanJH]

We are looking for a new to us ( used) MH. I have looked in to the reports of the wet bay floor problems and the roof radius cracking issues . I've yet to see what year the issues started and when ( if ever) they were corrected on the line. Can anyone provide this info... it would help in limiting whaat year ranges we looked at.
Thanks

[paz]

You don't say what model you're looking at, but I think the wet bay problem only involves diesel pushers. Don't know what years are involved. The repair involves removing the holding tanks, then replacing the old floor with one that has a plastic overlay to prevent spillage and condensation from getting to the wooden floor.

I think Tiffin started using 1-piece fiberglass roofs in 2007. This is when I think the cracks in the roof radius started. The most common way to repair the cracks is to cut off the radii and replace them with rolled aluminum radii similar to what was used before 2007. If you look at a Tiffin that has separate, aluminum roof radii, it is either pre-2007 or it has already been repaired. That being said, we have acquaintances who have an '05 Phaeton where the aluminum roof radii wrinkled and had to be replaced.

When the roof cracks started showing up, Tiffin went to thicker fiberglass roofs to eliminate the cracking, but I don't know what year that was. Unfortunately, there have been some reports of cracks being found in recent models (2009, 2010) that definitely have thicker roofs.

[paz]

I did a little digging and came up with additional information.

The design change to eliminate sagging wet bay floors was not implemented until the 2011 model year.

The thickness of the fiberglass roof was increased beginning in September 2009. Since that time, only a handful of coaches with the thicker roof (5 to be exact as of around April, 2011, which amounts to only about 1/10th of 1% of all Tiffin coaches built since September 2009) have had the cracking problem.

It should be noted that Tiffin will reportedly cover repair of these defects indefinitely, even if you are not the original owner of the motorhome.

[PanJH]

We were looking at Allegro Bus's in the 2007-2008 era. Sounds like those would be included in the ones in need of repair.
Thanks for the info

[Ron2]

We recently purchased a 2008 34TGA and would like to check the area of the roof radius problems. Can anyone post a picture of the problem area? I can't quite figure out the "radius" you are talking about.

Thanks,
Ron

[paz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron2 We recently purchased a 2008 34TGA and would like to check the area of the roof radius problems. Can anyone post a picture of the problem area? I can't quite figure out the "radius" you are talking about. Thanks, Ron

The photo below shows the roof radius of our '05 Allegro Bay. This is the old style when the flat part of the roof was fiberglass and the radius was a separate piece of rolled aluminum. Starting in 2007, Tiffin went to a one-piece fiberglass roof with the edge radii molded in. The new roofs will not have the seam that is visible running diagonally across the photo. This radius area is where the cracks are occurring in the one-piece roofs.

When cracks show up in the radii, the radii are cut off and replaced by rolled aluminum so your roof then looks the same as the old design with the extra seam along the top near the edge.



Below is another photo of an '09 Phaeton with radius cracks posted in another thread by iRV2 member BobGed, and HERE is a link to that other thread.

[Ron2]

Thanks Paz, that pretty much clears it up and gives me something to watch for. Looks like it would be a time consuming and expensive repair. We are the second owners and hopefully you are right about Tiffin covering the cost of the repair if the cracks should happen on our RV.
Thanks again for the quick response.
Ron

[Raca-roni]

I was in Red Bay in March. They were doing a roof radius repair in a day and then it goes to get painted. The wet bay floor replacement can be done in 2 1/2 hours and they have four service bays doing it. About 40 a week are done. The service center has approx. 50 service bays..........

[BobGed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paz Below is another photo of an '09 Phaeton with radius cracks posted in another thread by iRV2 member BobGed, and HERE is a link to that other thread.

Mine doesn't look like that any longer. They got the new aluminum radius rails installed, but have to wait until Monday for painting.

[bdaball]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paz You don't say what model you're looking at, but I think the wet bay problem only involves diesel pushers. Don't know what years are involved. The repair involves removing the holding tanks, then replacing the old floor with one that has a plastic overlay to prevent spillage and condensation from getting to the wooden floor. I think Tiffin started using 1-piece fiberglass roofs in 2007. This is when I think the cracks in the roof radius started. The most common way to repair the cracks is to cut off the radii and replace them with rolled aluminum radii similar to what was used before 2007. If you look at a Tiffin that has separate, aluminum roof radii, it is either pre-2007 or it has already been repaired. That being said, we have acquaintances who have an '05 Phaeton where the aluminum roof radii wrinkled and had to be replaced. When the roof cracks started showing up, Tiffin went to thicker fiberglass roofs to eliminate the cracking, but I don't know what year that was. Unfortunately, there have been some reports of cracks being found in recent models (2009, 2010) that definitely have thicker roofs.

Both jobs sounds overwelming but they are not and once completed looks professional and as if it originally came that way.

The tanks are NOT removed, only suspended temporarily while the defective floor below is removed. Additional bracing could added at this time.(not OEM or provided by Tiffin) Access is gained by the removal of the curb side panel. Once completed the side panel is reattached. The whole job is less than 1/2 day.
The roof rail cracks are primarily on black colored rails which is a major portion of sold inventory. Red Bay seems to have this whole process down quite well. The entire job is 1 1/2 day assuming the paint shop is available as soon as the job is done. An alternative color other than black is becoming the choice of many.

[paz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobGed Mine doesn't look like that any longer. They got the new aluminum radius rails installed, but have to wait until Monday for painting.

Great news your roof has been repaired - bad news you get to stay in Red Bay over the weekend.

PS: Hope you don't mind that I "borrowed" your photo. Is shows your former cracks very well.

[BobGed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paz Great news your roof has been repaired - bad news you get to stay in Red Bay over the weekend.

Actually the other good news is the work is being done in Mesa, AZ. It was done by the Tiffin west coast service rep training the techs at La Mesa RV.

Quote:

Originally Posted by paz PS: Hope you don't mind that I "borrowed" your photo. Is shows your former cracks very well.

No problem at all.