rear door on 3200BHS

jarebe

Member
I hope someone here can help me.
We took delivery in May on a 3200 BHS.There were alot of issues we had with it one of which was the outside access door by the rear fold up bunk had a narrower door frame than the camper walls which left the aluminum framing of the camper visible from in the camper.We had it to the dealer twice for other issues and each time they seemed to just overlook this one.
Then I tried calling the factory direct.After finally getting to talk to someone ,they needed me to e-mail them pictures ,so I did.Another couple weeks went by.Then he said he needed pictures of the outside of the door.So I sent them.Another couple weeks,and I didn't hear anything so I tried calling him.After getting voice mail everytime i tried and never getting a return call,I tried one more time.It turns out that guy is no longer with the company and whoever took his place is going to work on it.A couple days go by and I hear nothing ,I try to call him and get nothing but voice mail.
This is really becoming ridiculous.I've looked at other brands with this rear access door and the door frame is the same thickness as the camper walls.I believe they put the wrong door on this one.What do I have to do to get some satisfacion on this issue.Thank you.

Jerry
 

Scott

Well-known member
Jerry, I'm not sure who you were talking to here at the factory, but I will do my best to help you. I will say that all of our exterior cargo doors are not the same thickness as the 2" sidewall. That would make for one very heavy door. Now, the door framing may be wider, but the doors themselves are only about 1/2" to 3/4" thick.
Can you send me a PM and let me know who you were working with and I will see what I can find out for you.

ST
 

Scott

Well-known member
I've been told that we have a grey vinyl material that will cover the raw aluminum and gives the inside of the door a much nicer finish. You need to talk to your dealer about ordering some of that for your coach. If you need assistance, let me know. We use this material (as do other mfg.s) around the inside of the main cargo storage area on units where the inside of the opening is very visible.

ST
 

jarebe

Member
Are you serious?
We just spent $27000 on a camper which ,according to the website, is of such great quality,and now I'm supposed to cover up poor workmanship with a cheap piece of vynil trim.Even if it hides the bare aluminum,it won't close up the 1/2" gap between the door frame and the wall.
Someone else on this site replied back to me that their door frame comes flush with the inside walls(like your competitors do).If that is true then I believe somewhere along the line you had some wrong doors and frames that ended up on campers.Maybe they were some of the first ones built for 2007 with this door because the 2006 we saw at the show didn't have the door.
In answer to your first reply back to me,I realize the DOOR can't be 2" thick.If you read my post again you will see it is the door frame I am questioning.
I really hope you come up with a better solution than vynil trim to fix this problem.If you have the right door frames and door and don't want to pay the dealer to correct it,I will do it myself, if you can get the door and frame to me.I would hate to think that I made a big mistake by buying a Sundance.
Jerry
 

Scott

Well-known member
I would be that if you way a competitor with the cargo door frame that matched the opening, it was one of our competitors who use a one inch wall, which makes their cargo door in this area match up with the thickness of the wall. Heartland uses a two inch wall. I will check into any possiblity that we changed doors, but I really don't think we did.
I'll let you know.
ST
 

jarebe

Member
Scott,
I looked at several different brands of campers today, all of which had the rear cargo door like mine. They were Jayco,Starcraft,Prowler and Terry. Every one had 2” thick walls and every one of the door frames came flush with the inside wall and were finished off very nicely without having to use a piece of cheap vinyl trim to hide the wall framing. These doorframes were visibly wider than mine so I know someone out there makes them for this thickness of wall. If you can give me the name of a manufacturer that uses a door frame which is narrower than the walls and then hides the wall framing with vinyl trim, I would be willing to go look at it to see what it looks like. I don’t want this to turn into an ugly argument but I do hope Heartland comes to the understanding that there is something wrong in the way this unit was manufactured and steps up to do the right thing.
Let me know as soon as you have information on our situation.
Thanks.
Jerry
 

Scott

Well-known member
Doors

Jerry,
I'm sorry you feel that way about our coach, but the fact is, we do not have a cargo door for that rear wall model opening that you are talking about that has a flange made to cover every bit of that wall thickness. We use the same exterior cargo compartment door company as seven other 5th wheel manufactuerers and they do not make a flange that big. So we were left with a choice, we could install this large cargo door and have some of the opening framing showing, or we could leave that door off.
We have a number of people who have this floorplan who saw the coach up close and personal at the dealership, loved it, and purchased it.
As far as us "stepping up and doing the right thing.." I fear that I am not going to able to satisfy your complaint. But we just aren't going to be able to fabricate a new style of door flange for this one door application.
I'm sorry.
ST
 

jarebe

Member
Scott,
Thanks for getting back to me.
When we originally ordered this unit, we had seen an 2006 model which didn't have that door.after we ordered it we were told we would be getting the 07 model.If I had seen this "problem' originally I probably would have asked some questions.
What are some of the other manufacturers who use this narrow door frame for a wider wall thickness.I would be interested to see how they finish it off so i can tell if I will like that arrangement.
I wish Heartland would have done more research on cargo door manufacturers and found one that makes the wider door frame for this thickness of wall, like the models listed in my last post had.
Please get back to me with those other manufacturers so I can look at their units to see how to neaten this up.
Thanks.
Jerry
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Hi Jerry,

For the benefit of others on the forum, please post pictures of what you are describing. Also take one stepped back a bit so we can better understand which door this is. Use macro mode on your camera for the very close-up shots if you have the option.

We (forum users and Heartland product owners) may also have some ideas for you. I was at the Sundance factory this week and while on the line, I tried to look at what your issue was. Turns out, in my mind, I was thinking main entrance door. As I looked at the wall profile before the door and frame were installed, then a coach after the install, it looked great to me. Now that I have re-read this thread, sounds like I should have been near the rear of the unit looking at a cargo door. Sorry.

Please enlighten us with some images. Thank you,

Jim
 

jarebe

Member
Jim,
Thank you for trying to understand my concern and please realize, I am not trying to get “ugly” about it, just trying to solve what I feel is a problem.
I do have digital images of the doorframe, which I have sent to the factory customer service. I will do my best to post them here, however I may need to ask for help on how to post a picture.
I agree the main entrance door looks great; the doorframe is as wide as the wall. I hope you will be able to see in the photos that the cargo doorframe does not have the same appeal.
 

jarebe

Member
the first picture is of the rear cargo door,the second picture is the hinge side of the door.Notice to the left of the hinge you can see the aluminum framing of the wall.The third picture is the latch side,again you can see the aluminum framing .Look down by the floor you can see the end of the box tubing of the lower part of the wall.If you can't tell what I am talking about by these photos let me know and I will try to repost better ones.
Thanks.
Jerry
 

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Tom of Ypsi

Well-known member
While not being an expert on bunkhouse models, no young kids no grandkids, this definitely looks unfinished. I too would be a little upset but with the track record that Heartland has I am sure they will make it right.
 

Scott

Well-known member
We'll Do Something

Jerry,
Thanks for the photos. Now I can see exactly what you are describing.
I am going to tell you that this door frame area needs "finished off". We can do that by adding the light grey vinyl trim to finish this edge off. And before you start thinking this is some "cheap" cover-up, understand this same trim is used to finish off areas of exterior cargo door frames on the Landmark and Bighorn. It just makes the area look a lot cleaner than seeing the edge of the panels and aluminum. I am printing off your pictures and will get them to the production line to make sure they are using the trim on all coaches.
ST
 

jarebe

Member
Scott
So where do I go from here?I haven't heard anything with what is going on to remedy this situation.Please get back to me when you can.Thanks.
Jerry
 

mrcomer

Past Ohio Chapter Leaders (Founding)
Hi Jarebe,
I agree with you on that this door need to be finished all the way around. I suspect that Heartland will make this right for you. They are very open to helping their customers in the field when an issue like this comes up. It also helps them see what is "not" happening in the factory so they can rectify it.

Anyway, I am a bit envious about that side door. Our last fifth wheel was a bunkhouse by a big name manufacturer and it too had that side door and lower bunk that hinged up to create a very large storage area. I really miss all that extra storage. Even so we still love our Bighorn.

Good luck and hope to see you at the Rally next year.
 

Scott

Well-known member
Sorry, I thought you'd be getting with your dealer to have him order the materials I described above and have it installed around your door. That is the next step.

ST
 

trdeal

Past North Carolina Chapter Leader
jarebe, I too believe that Heartland will take care of you. We own a 2005 Mt. Rushmore. After reading about the fresh water tank problem on this site, I spoke to our dealer about a fix. He spoke with Heartland and they agreed to repair the problem, free of charge. Now I agree, they should have paid for the repair, because it was a factory defect,but I also know that because my warranty is long gone,they could have refused. I understand that the cost of repair is about $1,000. , so I say thank-you Heartland.:D
 

jarebe

Member
Scott,

If I talk to my dealer and have him contact the factory, would the factory be able to drop ship this trim to my house for me to install?
My dealer is 1 and 1/2 hours away and I've already towed it back there three times for other repairs.
I would really rather not have to tow it back there again for this trim.
See what you can do and get back to me.Thanks.
Jerry
 

Scott

Well-known member
I would say that shouldn't be a problem. Talk to your dealer about putting your address on the parts order.
ST
 
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