2007 Cyclone 3795 to a 2011 Cyclone 3812

Well... after owning the 2007 Cyclone 3795 for only 4 months we ended up trading it in. In those 4 months the unit required axel alignment 4 times, and no we didn't go Baha-ing with it either! As a matter of fact we NEVER even loaded the ATV's in the unit ONLY PEDDLE BIKES! After taking the trailer to 3 different alignment shops and getting the same verdict that the axels were not strong enough [(3) 5200 and 15" tires] and they would require replacement, with three different bids that were extremely high (we are smack in the middle of the Bakken oil rush and everyone is cashing in) and realizing we would never get back the $$ invested on the new wheels, tires, axels, brakes and labor; we opted to do a trade. I really miss the '07 but like many features of the new 3812, though compared to the 3795 it is very lacking in storage but the living area is very nice to have. We do have a couple of issues though with the 3812.

First there seems to be an issue with the heater, but we are thinking it may be more of a thermostat issue rather than the heater. What we have experienced is that when set for heat it would kick in for a short time and only blow cold air. Then with much messing (about 30 minutes) we did get it to kick in and run to raise the heat to with in about 5 degrees of the setting before it shut down. However the darn thing would not kick back in when the temp dropped back down. thinking the thermostat is more likely the culprit as opposed to the heater, or wondering about the igniter? If we were to replace the thermostat do you think that would correct this problem?

The other concern is a bit bigger as it has to deal with the door ramp. I suspect we did not see this when we viewed the unit due to the lowering lighting conditions. (do to circumstances we had to move fast on the trade as there were 5 others looking at this unit and we were the second in line. If we did the trade (same dealer we got the 3795 from) we would only be out $400 in trade allowance - figured $100 a month was not bad!) But there is warping on the two halves of the ramp door (vertically) with the underlying two pieces of the plywood (or core?) warping in opposite directions and separating. I noticed this first when we took delivery and pulled the ramp door down where it was extremely viewable in the horizontal position. (The dealer has two locations and we bought it from location A and picked it up at location B - have a call in to A on the issue as B said that it was not a big deal) This defect is obvious not only on the inside of the ramp door but also on the fiberglass outer skin. This is definitely a structural defect that will deteriorate. As the unit is over 1 year old, Heartland will more than likely decline any warranty on the rig (as well as the fact they do not allow transfer of warranty to secondary owners), perhaps this is something though that Lippert will address? Would appreciate any thoughts on this issue.


Thanks!

Stacey

Hi Stacey,

You're right about warranties being for the original buyer. Have you asked the dealer to make any of this right?

Doubt it's the thermostat. Sounds more like poor propane flow or something restricting airflow.

On the ramp, I'm wondering if its due to warping from water damage.

In any case your dealer ought to be able to help.


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danemayer said:

Hi Stacey,

You're right about warranties being for the original buyer. Have you asked the dealer to make any of this right?

Doubt it's the thermostat. Sounds more like poor propane flow or something restricting airflow.

On the ramp, I'm wondering if its due to warping from water damage.

In any case your dealer ought to be able to help.


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Click to expand...

Well when I visited with the owner at location 'B' (who is the brother of the owner at location 'A') he said it is because the door is built with 2 4x8 sheets of plywood and that is why it is doing what it is doing. No words as to any warranty or anything... but I know I have a 30 day warranty from the dealer as this is what I had with the other unit. I am just thinking they know it is a big ticket item so will try to get out of it. I have to have my husband pull the camper forward so I can get some good angle shots on the door that will demonstrate what is going on. I will then send them pictures of it and see what they do. I am also considering contacting Lippert as well in hopes they may help out.

God you throw this kind of money out there and you get issues.

Stacey

I am wondering if they laminate the doors now with seams of the plywood running 90 degrees from layer to layer and doing a really good laminating process using both screws and glue in the process?

I finally got time to get pictures of the ramp door. Am going to send the pictures to the dealership and see if they will help on this.

If you search the forums for "ramp door" you will find several threads about issues with earlier doors. If you contact those who have had their problems resolved they may be able to give you tips on a course of action.
I believe the ramp is made by Lippert but Heartland may be willing to help with your situation too.

Sbuckman, contact Heartland yourself, directly. The dealer may just muddy the waters. Be nice... Heartland has helped lots of folks with issues.




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TravelTiger said:

Sbuckman, contact Heartland yourself, directly. The dealer may just muddy the waters. Be nice... Heartland has helped lots of folks with issues.




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Click to expand...

I really am doubtful that Heartland will do anything as it is out of warranty and I am a second owner.

Stacy,

I saw the pictures of the ramp you took and I will admit they look simular to our issue, but like I said before it was from loading the GoldWing Trike right up the middle of the ramp, and you could clearly see tire marks in the ramp as well. Our outside fiberglass doesn't look as bad because you can hardly see the line running vertical on the door, but none the less it is there. I hope you are able to get the door replaced from Lippert because there have been people with door issues and where Lippert supplied the door but the customer paid freight and labor to install the new ramp. The split in the seam on our door wasn't as high as the one you are dealing with either, meaning not as protruding on the outside of the door, but as soon as I drove the trike up the ramp and back down my DW pointed out the the problem and so I didn"t put the trike in the back untill I made the repairs. Once I installed the aluminum tread plate on the ramp door I could drive the trike up it and not have to worry about causing any more damage to the ramp, I hope. The door is heavier with the tread plate on but I hope this will fix the problem.

I would also make sure the ramp is sealed around all the hinges and door frame so no water gets into the door where it can rot out the bottom of the ramp like it has on some units. Some people have had an issue with that as well and you can search around in these forums to find where one guy had to cut open the bottom of the ramp, and remove the rotten wood. When he rebuilt the ramp he used only about 18" of tread plate instead of tread plating the entire ramp like what I did on ours.

As for the heater problem, will the burner stay lit? I have pulled the flame sensor out of the furnance on SOB and have used emery cloth or Scotch Brite pad to clean the sensor and once I did that it worked just fine. I have also taken the burner apart and found spider nests inside the burners or orfice, causing them not to burn properly. You might want the dealer to look at this problem because it might need more than just a good cleaning to correct it. Hopefully you can get both problems taken care of without too many headaches either.

PS. I went to your web site and you are a awesome photographer! You really enjoy your work and it shows!!!

Willy Fink

As Erika said, call Heartland customer service at 877-262-8032 you may be surprised. I saw a post earlier today where a customer had frame flex issues on a rig several years out of warranty and Heartland repaired it at no cost to the owner. It may or may not work out but the phone call is free. Have your VIN number handy

Hi Willy!

We got the heater to work. There was something in the gas line, my brother in law has a propane business and he came over and got it to work. Ugh I am just not looking forward to the probable issues that are going to come up on fixing this darn door. What is odd is since it has gotten cold up here the split has gotten worse. It used to be only about 1/4 of the way down the door, but now it runs top to bottom and we have NEVER used the door even to load or unload regular items, only used the walk door.

Will see where it goes I guess. Hey, thanks for the compliment on my photography and visiting my web site!

I will let you all know what happens with the darn door.

Stacey

Just a small update. I had sent an email to my dealer and they forwarded it on to Heartland. Today I followed up with a phone call to the dealer and I explained to him that when we first got the unit the split was only 18" to 24" down from the top of the door. Weldin Willy (THANK YOU SIR!) Emailed me his thoughts and gave a very plausible scenario for what we have experienced with the split worsening without use (which I also passed on to the dealer!) Willy suggested that water had gotten into the ramp door and as our temperatures have dropped here to well below freezing that the water expanded making the split increase. (I will admit, while I am a good photographer, I am extremely lacking in the physics arena and was not aware of the phenomenon that when water freezes it expands about 8% - Gotta LOVE GOOGLE!) The dealer was very open to listening, but said he couldn't really see from the pictures (are you guys able to see from the pics what is going on???) how bad the problem is. I told him that for the amount of money that we have spent on this unit and reminded him I pointed it out right away BEFORE we took possession AND made their representatives aware of the issue and we have never use the unit that we are not going to accept this not being fixed. I did talk to the previous owner and he said he never had any issues at all with the door, he said he wondered if the dealer didn't power wash the floor and ramp of the door getting water in there. Of course the dealer would NEVER admit to that now would they! The dealer did say we would wait to hear from Heartland and go from there. Maybe the dealer will be on the stick on this one though, as two of my brother in laws are currently looking into getting new units from them and if they don't work well with us they will not order through them.

Stacey

Sbuchman,
i had the same problem with my rear door on a 2011 road warrior 305rw. I had my repair shop contact dexter and they shipped a new door and paid for the whole door exchange. The new door was built better. No problems with it. Good luck.

Hi Chris,

I wasn't aware that Dexter made the doors as well. I only thought it was Lippert? Did you take any pictures of your damage if so I would love to see them.

Stacey

UPDATE: In my prior phone conversation with the dealer, I had told him that what we were experiencing was unfortunately not unique. I then took a t i n y bit of creative license and combined some of the stories I had read here and elsewhere on the internet and proposed a solution (and well... I may have indicated this was actually what happened for someone :angel: ) that the issue was taken directly to Lippert as it was out of warranty with Heartland, and Lippert replaced the door as a goodwill gesture as the warranty was expired; the door was then shipped via Heartland directly to the dealer in a coach with no shipping cost and the dealer installed it free of charge. This morning I received an email from my dealer and they asked me to take a picture of the door tag for reorder as Lippert was going to replace the door as a gesture of good will, with Heartland shipping it to them in a coach and they would install it free of charge! (now where the heck is that smiley for the HAPPY DANCE??? Hmmm this one will have to do !) And to think my brother actually told me I would not get anywhere with my attempts. Guess who won that bet!

Thanks to all of you for your help and advice on this! Here is another vote for Lippert and standing behind their products! (just hope they have learned to seal those entry points better... you can be assured I will be out there myself caulking gun in hand and sealing every possible place for water entry! Or maybe this would be a better supervisory position for me as I am not so good with that darn gun and get it all over myself!


Stacey

Glad things are working out on this. I'll have to check my door when I get off work and back to the Cyclone. I've used it a lot and never noticed anything like ou are experiencing. I was looking for your website address, wanting to see your photos!

htneighbors said:

Glad things are working out on this. I'll have to check my door when I get off work and back to the Cyclone. I've used it a lot and never noticed anything like ou are experiencing. I was looking for your website address, wanting to see your photos!

Click to expand...

Hi HT,

I am very relieved that things are working out with the door. I have been tied up in knots worried about having to pay for it out of pocket, so I guess this is my Christmas present! While I wasn't there, I am pretty sure the scenario of the dealer washing down the door is quite plausible, especially in light of the fact they have ordered the decals, new weather stripping and are doing the install at their expense. I could be way off but..... I do remember the first pictures they sent us of the cyclone and the door ramp was pretty dirty and when it was brought down it was spotless. Guess we will never know for 100% though.

Hey I checked out your website and you do some awesome work! Excellent images! Wish I had the freedom to still explore those type of avenues, but once your hobby becomes your lively hood... you no longer have time for the fun stuff! If you want to check out my work it is at www.westernimage.us

Stacey

Great photos! I never could get the knack for portraits. I'd rather shoot something that won't complain about their pose, hair, make-up, etc! I've always said that work gets in the way of things I'd rather be doing...I haven't added any photos to my collection in several years!

I checked my door and didn't notice any issues!

Willy, you said that you put two sheets of 1/8 in tread plate on your door. Can you send pictures of how it was installed and what you used to attach? I also have a Goldwing trike and have not tried to put it in yet because of these posts. Would rather do the fix first before cracking the door. Was camping out last weekend and a Forest River Vengence pulled in next to us with a HD trike when he backed his out it wasn't pretty as it hung up at the bottom and he had to drive the trailer forward to get the trike off the door his door also cracked except he said it was horizontal.