Community Forums

MnTom · 04-21-2018, 05:55 PM

I have a 2017 Hemisphere that has the floor sandwiched with styrofoam and two rather thin sheets of plywood. Where there are no cross braces the floor is getting to be more and more spongy feeling. I am thinking I am going to have to drop the cloroplast (or what ever is covering the underside) and put more cross members in about four places. Has anyone ever tried this? I have had this trailer for just under a year, so yes, it should be under warranty, but I am going to fix it my self this summer.
Tom

**Spdracr39** · 04-21-2018, 07:51 PM

I would not patch the obvious without first letting the dealer diagnose the underlying cause. If it is a warranty structural defect and you modify the structure you could void the warranty and not solve the real issue.

MnTom · 04-22-2018, 12:36 PM

The first part of this problem is I am almost 1400 miles away from the dealership I bought this trailer at, and second, with the way FR had handled any other warranty problems..... Let's just say I would not use the paper the "warranty" is written on in the bathroom. I had a difficult time getting the roof repaired in Texas and FR first expected me to go back to Minnesota to get it fixed under warranty and went so far as to 'suggest' that I should have stayed in Minnesota until the warranty was up. It even cost me $125 for warranty repair for the roof. Their "warranty" is absolute junk in my opinion plus by the time I get back to Minnesota there will be eight days left on the warranty. I had this trailer three DAYS and found numerous things on the roof that needed repair from loose calking to the skylight leaking, to even a small tear in the roof. I stopped at one of their branch dealerships and all that I got was a shrug of the shoulders and told I need to be diligent with checking the roof. I had better stop now or I will really get mad........

ValMelton · 04-23-2018, 04:32 PM

that is why we buy local so that we can get the dealer to fix things when needed. just saying. I've seen a lot of folks buy from out of state dealers that have no intention of using their service dept. with themo9ney we spent on buying our unit, we use the dealer to fix things under warranty. we researched our local dealers (we have 4-5 dealers that we could use) and chose the one with the best reputation for their service dept.

MnTom · 04-23-2018, 08:17 PM

I already said I was NOT going to a dealer with this issue. Why do you seem to think I should? I would much rather do the work myself and then I know what has been done, not just wondering IF anything was done. What part of me being 1400 miles from the selling dealer is so hard to understand? My wife and I are snowbirds. Simple as that and we will not be back in Minnesota until the end of next month. We already have plans for the summer with the trailer too. I certainly don't want this trailer tied up for months at time where I can't use it.

OKayyam · 04-30-2018, 04:48 PM

TNX for confirming my fear about Forest River's warranty. The fit & finish in our new Palomini is horrid; we are in queue for a local dealer (we bought the unit from out of state). Upon documenting the problem to F.R. I was directed to a local F.R. dealer for repairs. . .do press F.R. about this option.

Specific to your issue of delamination. IF F.R. used their typical Masonite or worse, 1/8 inch doorskin plywood, to sandwich the polystyrene foam, there is really not much one can do to re-glue. Polystyrene foam abrades quickly to small particles.

I would demand from F.R. the lamination schedule for the floor (thickness of the wooden outer skins and thickness of foam core. Also confirm the type of foam (polyurethane is more robust than polystyrene).

Because the unit is new, and from personal experience with the cheap construction of F.R. beyond the steel frames & aluminum studs, I would examine the underbody for cross members supporting the laminated floor. There should be front to back steel frames bridging the side to side frames. If there are none, maybe consider some on 18 - 24 inch centers (wood thickness and foam type are important).

This additional framing will add weight and also not affect the compression from the inside floor onto the foam core as you walk upon it. However, you will not go through the floor either.

MnTom · 04-30-2018, 06:57 PM

Yea, far as I am concerned, FR's warranty is not much good. Besides, for something like this I'm sure it would take way, way longer to repair than I would want or allow. When I do it myself then I know what it is like. I will see what it is really like when I get back to Minnesota (currently in Texas).
It does seem like the cross members are on 4' centers, so I should be able to add a few more......

MnTom · 05-26-2018, 11:31 AM

Well, due to a change in events, we are seeing if FR is going to fix the floor. Here is my new thread: http://www.irv2.com/forums/f254/roof...ne-393173.html

OKayyam · 05-27-2018, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MnTom

Well, due to a change in events, we are seeing if FR is going to fix the floor. Here is my new thread: http://www.irv2.com/forums/f254/roof...ne-393173.html

MnTom, however FR or the FR authorized dealer decides to repair the floor problem, I would ask FR for the lay-up construction protocol for the floor. If FR simply sandwiches rigid polystyrene foam between two 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick wooden (or similar) layers, without other framing to break the long panels into small sections (ex. 1 ft X 1 ft) you'll be back in the same problem.

Check into your State's laws regarding 'lemons' (Magnuson-Moss Warranty law, and federal laws of 'implied & expressed' warranty).

MnTom · 05-27-2018, 07:46 PM

As of now, we don't know what is going to happen. The dealership recommended that the trailer go back to the factory, but nothing yet from FR. Hopefully that will be Tuesday the 29th.

MnTom · 06-02-2018, 11:02 AM

Here it is a week later....... No communication from anyone. Friday the 1st I made three calls to get ahold of the warranty manager. Left messages and no return call. What a way to conduct business........

MnTom · 03-07-2019, 09:15 AM

Wow, I forgot about this thread.......Must be getting old.... Anyhow, the trailer went back to the factory and the roof was replaced and the floor was fixed. There was even some fit and finish repairs done along with new flooring and new carpet. So far so good!!