2015 Big Horn 3750FL

[Annissa]

I am a first time RV owner and a full timer, as this is my new permanent residence, cause my husband and I lost everything we owned (3BR 2BA House, Vehicles & Everything in our Home) in the March 31st tornados this year. We had major issues with our renters insurance company and didn’t get what was expected, so we knew we were not going to be able to replace everything we lost with what we got, so we decided on buying an RV since he is close to retiring and we would definitely want to travel. However, we are experiencing a couple things that we are totally lost on what to do or who we should call to fix the issues, or if there is even a way to repair without being out of pocket for a replacement. So, my question is…….is there anybody in this group from Tennessee, preferably around Jackson or Selmer who would know who to get in touch with over a rotten floor in a slide needing to be repaired & a bent rod in one of the Dometic rooftop air conditioners?

 

[david-steph2018]

I am a first time RV owner and a full timer, as this is my new permanent residence, cause my husband and I lost everything we owned (3BR 2BA House, Vehicles & Everything in our Home) in the March 31st tornados this year. We had major issues with our renters insurance company and didn’t get what was expected, so we knew we were not going to be able to replace everything we lost with what we got, so we decided on buying an RV since he is close to retiring and we would definitely want to travel. However, we are experiencing a couple things that we are totally lost on what to do or who we should call to fix the issues, or if there is even a way to repair without being out of pocket for a replacement. So, my question is…….is there anybody in this group from Tennessee, preferably around Jackson or Selmer who would know who to get in touch with over a rotten floor in a slide needing to be repaired & a bent rod in one of the Dometic rooftop air conditioners?

Please post some photos about the issues for better assistance.
If the bent rod is a mounting bolt, these can easily be replaced with new bolts.

 

[Bogie]

As David said, pictures would be a big help.

But since you just joined, you will have to make a few posts before you will be allowed to attach pictures. The number of posts that sticks in my mind is 3. But that may different now. If I'm wrong, one of the administrators may chime in.

 

[Annissa]

I will have Greg climb up and take pics of the inside of the air conditioner to show the bent rod. He says its the rod that comes out of the compressor to the fan blades.

 

[Annissa]

I will have Greg climb up and take pics of the inside of the air conditioner to show the bent rod. He says its the rod that comes out of the compressor to the fan blades.

We bought this RV and the lady sales representative said that the 2 people that were up on top of it, when we were ready to transport it home, we’re repairing the air conditioner and replacing the compressor and cover. As you can see, they put shoddy parts on it and transported it to our lot and dropped it and left. We also discovered that they traded out the living room furniture for older pieces and also changed out the ceiling fan and drop light over the kitchen table. We called and they swore up and down that this was the way it was when we looked at it. My husband signed a as is warranty paper, so we are stuck with having to repair these things the right way, since this is our permanent home. The slide that was left open for about 15 minutes in the rain and that there was no leaks (just the one bad spot from being wet) was also a lie, so We are dealing with a swellled up slide floor under our entertainment center in the bedroom. I could just cry, I don’t know what to do or where to even start so ANY advice you could give me would really be appreciated.

 

[Annissa]

As I was telling the other gentleman, we got taken really bad in the purchase of this RV. When we got to the place to have it transported to our hometown on our lot, there were 2 men on top of the RV and the sales lady said that they were fixing the cover and replacing a part before we got it. We didn’t think anything of it. They transported the RV about 3 hours of driving and just dropped it and left. We noticed that the whole RV on the bedroom end shakes really bad when the air conditioner is on so we climbed up to take a look and this is what we found, shoddy old rusty parts and the rod is bent. We also discovered that they traded out the living room furniture for old and also the ceiling fan and drop light over the kitchen table to less than desirable replacements. We called them to let them know that this was wrong and they insisted that it was just the way it was when we did a walk through, we can’t do anything about it because my husband signed an AS IS WARRANTY so we are stuck fixing these things the right way because this is our permanent home. Also, the slide that was left open for only about 15 minutes in the rain and that they caught it and closed it, so that’s why the carpet looked wet and greyish, because it got wet, but it didn’t leak, they just didn’t close it proper……we are dealing with a swelled up floor that is wet and crumbling out the sides on the outside of the RV (the entertainment center sits on the slide in our bedroom). We have taped it up to the best of our ability and are desperately trying to figure out who to call and how to fix this without it costing us a fortune. ANY ADVICE would be greatly appreciated. Thank you soooo much for taking the time to read this….

 

[sengli]

Yikes, RVs are very much hands on for constant maintenance. The soft floor thing is a major undertaking, a lot of RV shops wont even do those types of repairs. First you really need to find where that leak is and stop it asap. Water kills RVs like crazy. There is a shop in the Goshen , indiana area called affinity, they work with heartland products and they absolutely can do anything, and do it right. RV air conditioners are honestly throw aways, and accordingly most people just replace the entire unit for any issues. Sorry for your troubles, but I never had to go back for major issues, But I tinker and repair my RV constantly.

 

[Bogie]

Depending on how bad the slide floor is rotted, you may be able to do some kind of repair. There have been posts on this forum covering that by using galvanized sheeting and affixing it to the bottom of the slide. Do a search for slide out floor repairs.

It's hard to tell from your picture, but it looks like a fan blade is missing from the AC fan. This would account for the vibration and probably a relatively cheap part. The shaft is pretty substntial, so pretty hard to bend. If the shaft is really bent, then I'm guessing it would be cheaper to replace the unit than fix it. But you would have to price it out to know for sure. Also would depend weather you are able to do it yourself or not.

 

[Annissa]

Yikes, RVs are very much hands on for constant maintenance. The soft floor thing is a major undertaking, a lot of RV shops wont even do those types of repairs. First you really need to find where that leak is and stop it asap. Water kills RVs like crazy. There is a shop in the Goshen , indiana area called affinity, they work with heartland products and they absolutely can do anything, and do it right. RV air conditioners are honestly throw aways, and accordingly most people just replace the entire unit for any issues. Sorry for your troubles, but I never had to go back for major issues, But I tinker and repair my RV constantly.

Thank you so much for the information you gave me. We went today to borrow 7 thousand for repairs and I was told that it wouldn’t be enough to repair the slide floor, the air conditioner and kitchen faucet. I don’t know much about RV repairs and maintenance, but I just don’t think that’s right. I mean, surely we can find someone to repair those three things for no more than 7 thousand, or at least I hope I am right. I am so worried about my slide and the further damage that can happen, just want to get it fixed right. So, I’m on a mission…….looking and calling all over the place to see what I can find out. Again, thank you for the info….I may just replace the air conditioner like you said, prolly be better than continuously doing repairs on it.

 

[Annissa]

Depending on how bad the slide floor is rotted, you may be able to do some kind of repair. There have been posts on this forum covering that by using galvanized sheeting and affixing it to the bottom of the slide. Do a search for slide out floor repairs.

It's hard to tell from your picture, but it looks like a fan blade is missing from the AC fan. This would account for the vibration and probably a relatively cheap part. The shaft is pretty substntial, so pretty hard to bend. If the shaft is really bent, then I'm guessing it would be cheaper to replace the unit than fix it. But you would have to price it out to know for sure. Also would depend weather you are able to do it yourself or not.

Thank you so much for the info. I will definitely look for floor repair videos or posts to see if we can do a repair or if it’s too far gone. I will definitely look again at the air unit and check the blades, that would be amazing if that’s all it is……we are going to try to do as much of the repairs as we can ourselves. Appreciate the suggestions, thanks.

 

[jmarnell]

Just FYI for cost comparison. We recently had one of our Dometic AC units replaced by a mobile RV service. Total of about $1500: $1250 for the new unit, and the remainder for labor for removing the old unit and installing the new one.

 

[Annissa]

Just FYI for cost comparison. We recently had one of our Dometic AC units replaced by a mobile RV service. Total of about $1500: $1250 for the new unit, and the remainder for labor for removing the old unit and installing the new one.

Thank you for that info. That gives me atleast a ballpark figure to work with. Appreciate it.

 

[rhodies1]

If I were you I would blast this dealer on Facebook or any other website . They hate negative reviews but I wouldnt give a S what they think. They sound like a really shoddy dealer and deserve a blast of negative feedback. This may help some other unsuspecting buyer be aware of their tatics . They sound like the s of the barrel .

 

[sengli]

I agree with blasting that dealer, not letting you know what you were getting into is terrible. Also pretty much all RVs are built with the same components, so where you go even if they arent a heartland dealer isnt a big deal. There are some Utube videos on people replacing slide floors, but again I think of myself as somewhat handy, and I wouldnt attempt that without some pro help.

 

[Chippendale]

Back in 2013 or 14 I took my 5th wheel to a consignment shop to be sold and they discovered there was a soft place in the rear end of the living room slide floor and quoted me several thousand $'s to fix it. I went and picked the trailer up and had my mobile repair guy repair it. He didn't replace the entire slide floor, he cut out the rotted wood and replaced it with a small piece of quality matching plywood. This area was under the sofa, so there was very little walking or movement above it. He also replaced a slide seal and did some roof patching and some other small repairs. It seems like his entire price was about $700 which saved me several thousand dollars. I have the feeling that you have purchased this trailer to live in and not to tow around the country. A good mobile repair guy can be your best friend, and a whole lot cheaper than an RV dealer. Just be sure that whoever you choose is equipped to do what you need. If this trailer is set up permanently, it might be a good idea to get it completely level and put some braces/supports under the slides and maybe get the tires off the ground. My suggestion is to research mobile repair people and don't be a stranger to this forum. Good Luck

 

[Annissa]

Back in 2013 or 14 I took my 5th wheel to a consignment shop to be sold and they discovered there was a soft place in the rear end of the living room slide floor and quoted me several thousand $'s to fix it. I went and picked the trailer up and had my mobile repair guy repair it. He didn't replace the entire slide floor, he cut out the rotted wood and replaced it with a small piece of quality matching plywood. This area was under the sofa, so there was very little walking or movement above it. He also replaced a slide seal and did some roof patching and some other small repairs. It seems like his entire price was about $700 which saved me several thousand dollars. I have the feeling that you have purchased this trailer to live in and not to tow around the country. A good mobile repair guy can be your best friend, and a whole lot cheaper than an RV dealer. Just be sure that whoever you choose is equipped to do what you need. If this trailer is set up permanently, it might be a good idea to get it completely level and put some braces/supports under the slides and maybe get the tires off the ground. My suggestion is to research mobile repair people and don't be a stranger to this forum. Good Luck

Thank you for the suggestions and ideas, special thanks for taking the time to respond back to me, it is greatly appreciated. I think I have secured a guy to fix the slide that has replaced a couple in his own, so they tell me that he knows what he is doing, so wish us luck.

 

[rhodies1]

Give us an update on how things are progressing. Hope all is going in the right direction for you.

 

[Annissa]

Okay y’all, so I got lucky and found a guy who is going to repair the slide floor in our upstairs bedroom by taking the whole entertainment center out and going in to do it the right way……we are buying the osb board and water-proof wrap to go around it and he will replace it for 250.00. I can’t believe we got so lucky and I am ecstatic….we went ahead and bought 4 tubes of the flexible caulking, roof sealing tape, flashing tape, etc…..we are going to go around the whole thing and tear out old caulking and replace with new, he showed us where there are several screws backed out and not tight around 4 of the 5 slides, so we are going to hit every screw with caulking and screw them in tight, we have two cracks on the roof at the end that was allowing water to get into the slide, so we are resealing the roof AND we DO NOT have to replace the Dometic Air Unit (only replace the fan motor)it has a bent rod, so he said he would replace it too, but I can’t find a Dometic 3312046.000 1/5HP anywhere and I am in the process of trying to find out what would be the equivalent or replacement we would have to use in its place and where to look. Does anybody happen to know of a place where I can order a replacement fan motor online to be shipped to me that would work in place of the model we have? Thank you to all of you who answered my questions and gave us suggestions to get us going on the right path….Y’all ROCK! We are definitely finding out how much upkeep these RV’s need, but I think we are learning a lot that we need to know and it will all be worth it when we get it back in good shape and are able to maintain a good checklist to keep it in good condition. Thanks y’all. I am still willing to take any and all advice and suggestions for things y’all think we might need to know…..this is all still brand new to us.

 

[rhodies1]

Glad to hear things seem to be going in the right direction. Have you tried Amazon for the air conditioner motor and try Walmart . Com . Yes Walmart . com … they sell a lot of RV parts

 

[wdk450]

Will this work for the fan motor? Read the details and maybe contact the seller to be sure.

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