Rear slide falling out

[Mathguy]

I bought a one year old 2009 Shamrock Flagstaff 23RS in 2010. The fibreglass exterior wall developed cracks at all four corners in the next two years. This summer the rear slide began to sag and started tearing out the top corners on the outside wall and tearing the inner wall at the corners as it pivoted at the slide rails. I contacted Forest River and was told they "might" be able to help me with the repairs - that involves removing the slide and completely replacing the slide frame and the rear fibreglass wall. For the last two weeks I have been unsuccessful in speaking with the person who originally called me. I have left several messages with e-mail and phone numbers. I am now very frustrated at their poor customer service. A slide-out should never totally fall out of an RV. Any suggestions?

[mojoracing]

I would call every number I could find and let everyone you spoke with know about your problem. If that person can't help take it up the ladder until you get someone to say yes. You need to be the squeaky wheel. The cracks should not have happened. That sounds like there was not enough bracing in the wall.

[SKP Kirk]

I agree that it should not happen, but doubt that there is much that you can do beyond asking for their help. With the RV now 5+ years old it would be difficult to support any legal obligation on the part of the manufacturer. I'm not sure that there is much that you can do as repair costs could easily exceed the market value of the RV. Not happy news, but I'd be as patient as possible with Forest River as they are probably your only hope.

[Mr_D]

The person at Forest River you talked to my be doing shows or on vacation, but still, someone should have been assigned to keep up with the incoming phone calls

[Mich F]

Originally Posted by SKP Kirk

I agree that it should not happen, but doubt that there is much that you can do beyond asking for their help. With the RV now 5+ years old it would be difficult to support any legal obligation on the part of the manufacturer. I'm not sure that there is much that you can do as repair costs could easily exceed the market value of the RV. Not happy news, but I'd be as patient as possible with Forest River as they are probably your only hope.

x2
Perhaps I'm misreading your post but it looks like the slide problem has been getting progressively worse for years, yet it sounds like you only recently started looking to have it repaired ? It's really not fair to accuse them of poor customer service in your case. Best of luck, hope they help you out somehow.

[Ray,IN]

Your description sounds like the slide mechanism was improperly adjusted and putting pressure on the exterior wall in excess of mfgrs. specs. Our last 5er began doing the same thing. We took it to the mfgrs. plant and they repaired the damage (our expense), replaced a bent part(root cause), readjusted the mechanism. It was fine after that.
FWIW, very few dealer RV technicians know how to properly adjust a slide mechanism, this from the service manager at the Dutchmen factory.

[Mathguy]

Thanks for the advice. I was prepared to live with the cracks in the fibreglass exterior so I didn't contact FR until it became obvious the slide would eventually fall right out. With some research I have found the e-mail address of the person I had spoken with in the warranty department. I also found the e-mail of the warranty manager. I e-mailed the original person And CC'd the manager with an explanation and photos. Hopefully this will light a fire under the B--- of the person who told me they would deal with the problem. Here's hoping!

[SKP Kirk]

Let us know what the result is.

[Mathguy]

I finally have my rear slide problem resolved. I e-mailed and called the service guy at Rockwood Flagstaff several times but got no Reply from him or from the service manager. Phone calls continued to go to voice mail and calls were never returned. When I finally suggested that I would try contacting Warren Buffet (whose holding company owns Forest River), I received a phone call the next morning from the service guy I had been dealing with. He told me they would repair the trailer if I paid them $1000 American (I am Canadian). This would mean they would cover all additional costs, parts and labour, to do the repair. So they completely replaced the rear wall with new fibreglass and new lights and mouldings everywhere. As a "courtesy", they also replaced the entire front wall which had some bubbling where water had leaked past one of the upper front lights. So for the $1000 plus another $1700 in travel expenses (2 return trips from Winnipeg, Canada to Millersburg, IN - they needed 10 days to do the repair), my trailer looks like new front and rear. Alls well that ends well!
Mathguy

[mchero]

Nice to see a happy ending! Thanks for the post!

[Ray,IN]

Thanks for giving us a update. It's good to know the outcome of a problem.

[Medico]

Great job. It's too bad it took a threat to contact the top person to get some activity. It does sound like you made out well.