Delaminaton under cap

wingfoot

Well-known member
I have posted a previous thread on "rippling" under my front cap...Just out of curiosity, I wonder if water can be intruding at the hitch pin while driving in rain? I've looked at mine and I could see that this would be a possibility. I have a Trail-Air hitch and I have seen covers on OP's and wonder if that is cosmetic or there for leaking reasons...Hmmmmm:eek:
 

SJH

Past Washington Chapter Leaders
Hello!

I went back and viewed your previous post with the pictures. Not sure if it could be entering around the hitch or not but water does funny things. I have similar ripples underneath the storage bay door. Discussions with Heartland leads to water intrusion most likely from the stoage bay door. This bay area is also not sealed from the outside...there are a couple of inches open where, when traveling. water enters the storage bay and soaks everything. Not the best of circumstances! You might do some careful experimenting with a garden hose! The hitch cover I believe is primarily cosmetic with some air-flow benefit I am told.

Best Wishes!
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
A little expanding foam sprayed around the perimeter of the front compartment should take care of any water intrusion while traveling. In regards to the cover, it's cosmetic. If you have a 5th Airborne pin, the OEM cover can be modified to work with it. I don't think it will work with the TrailAir pins, though.

If you get inside the front compartment and look up and forward, you can see under the skin to a point. If there's serious water intrusion from the cap, you may be able to see it. Also, try pressing the slight sag under the overhang and see if any water is sloshing around. Mine sags a bit on one side, but is dry.
 

Birchwood

Well-known member
Its only styrofoam,aluminum,marine plywood amd fiberglass.....thats at least what Heartland said
when water from our washer was running out near the hitch.There should not be that much spray
while travelling and if there is the opening may be large enough for drying.I have never worried about it until now.
 

wingfoot

Well-known member
Thanks guys, I'm going to do some more investigating..I'll let y'all know what I find out...

John, you think I'll find any "Chunky Monkey" evidence?:rolleyes:
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Thanks guys, I'm going to do some more investigating..I'll let y'all know what I find out...

John, you think I'll find any "Chunky Monkey" evidence?:rolleyes:

That's a good possibility if you've had any evidence of Mickey and his pals inside the compartments. If you find black rice in there, trust me, it ain't Uncle Ben's.
 

vangoes

Well-known member
Wingfoot,
If you have a manual awning check behind/below the forward leg mounting bracket. On my 07, the bracket must have been mounted before the caulking along the bottom edge so consequently there was no caulking along the bottom of the bracket. The bracket was acting like a gutter. Once caulked the water intrusion stopped; unfortunately the delamination damage was done.
 
I have a 2008 3500 RL, after the 26[SUP]th[/SUP] month of ownership it developed a front frame failure. I contacted Handland and was told my warrantee was out. After numerous emails and phone calls they agreed to make a repair. The front bulkhead that you all are speaking of has been a problem ever since I had the frame failure. At the time of the failure the bulkhead was sagging so bad that I had to install screws to hold it up from contacting my truck bed. I took my trailer to the Heartland factory for the repair. They replaced the complete bulkhead after the frame repair. When I picked it up the brake lights did not work and they didn’t have any technicians available to fix it so they sent me across town to a dealer they used to repair the lights. They had to remove the bulkhead to look for the wiring problem. When they removed the front half there was water in there and both the guys working on it said that the water shouldn’t be there. They looked all over the area and only found that bracket for the awning that it could have come from. I wanted to take it back to the factory but the guys said that Heartland would just tell them to deal with it. They dried it out as best they could and said that it would be ok. The temperature up there was in the teens, December. I took it home (Oklahoma) and left it on the storage lot until April and everything looked fine. Then in May we started that 105 degrees everyday thing. I think it was June when I brought it home to inspect the brakes and I found the whole left side of the bulkhead had delamination. This is my opinion; I think that how this panel is made is the problem here. I feel that when the fiber glass panel and the backing panel are glued together something isn’t right, bad glue, bad process, air pockets, workmanship. I am trying to find out who makes these panels, Heartland, or is it contracted out? This can be repaired but if you order another panel and it is defective we have wasted our money. Heartland needs to check it’s quality control on this panel and if it is found to be defective they should offer us a fix. I am willing to buy a good panel and replace it myself, maybe they could pay for the shipping, that would be fair I think. What say you guys?
 

wingfoot

Well-known member
Bruce, just for edification, I contacted Heartland Parts and the cost was about $250.00 plus $200.00 shipping (common carrier because of size). Now, it would be up to you to cut out/route out for openings. It comes in "sheet" form.. Sounds like something I'm not sure I want to tackle..
 
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I talked to heartland and they are discounting me a new bulkhead panel at $112.00 with $190.00 shipping = $302.00 to the house. I have all the tools; will just need an extra pair of hands. I plan to make some adjustments to make it more solid up top. I am an aircraft mechanic so I have some background on this kind of stuff. I can always find something on the thing to fix. Can't afford the fuel to go anywhere so I spend all my time doing maintenance on it. I will see how long this bulkhead lasts. This one only lasted 6 months. For anyone that has frame problems, warrantee or not heartland will work with you if you give them the chance. Meeting them halfway is better than nothing.
 

mikeandconnie

Well-known member
Yep Bruce, A RV is just like a Aircraft,, always somthing to repair, I know what you mean.. I'm a A&P also and wish I was closer I would love to help.
 
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