Ron Schoner
Tin Star
Rick I am also in the dark! How do you put in more water then the tank will hold????? I do a lot of dry camping during the Civil War events. If I can not fill the tank then what go is it?
I have had no problem with my tank so far, BUT I also have not opened the bottom covering to look!
I think Hartland needs to look into this problem and soon before a tank fallout and some one gets hurt.
Just my two cents//heartlandowners.org/images/icons/icon10.gif
Ron
I have had no problem with my tank so far, BUT I also have not opened the bottom covering to look!
I think Hartland needs to look into this problem and soon before a tank fallout and some one gets hurt.
Just my two cents//heartlandowners.org/images/icons/icon10.gif
Ron
OK, I'll do my best to address these new questions. And for the record, I never think of this forum as a "complaint forum", though some do treat it that way. The way I look at it is, we are here to help each other find answers. Some people are not looking for answers, just a place to get in their two cents. The way I see it, you don't need apologize for asking questions and I won't apologize for answering them. That's what this forum is for. Of course, some people will not accept my answers or do their best to cast them in a wrong light, but I will continue to search out answers for anything that I do not know off hand.
Let's start with this latest, "How do you put more water in the tank than the tank will hold?" It's really not that hard with abs tanks, like the entire RV industry uses. The fact is, they can stretch and contort and bulge out the bottom when overfilled.
Next: "Are the tanks not made to be filled to the top?" Yes, the are, the problem is that most people don't have the patience to stand there and check their monitor panels as it is filling up, so that they can shut off the water as soon as they get to the "top".
Next: "Are the tanks not to be traveled full?" The answer to this is two fold. 1) Yes, technically, the coach is built to handle the weight of a full tank during travel. 2) Not one RV expert or publication will recommend traveling with full tanks. Why? Because all of that extra weight will hurt your gas mileage; will have much more of a load bearing on your suspension system and tires; will cause the coach to be a bit more difficult to tow; a full RV water tank rarely stays that way when traveling - because these tanks have overflow vents by code, which when the water is sloshing from side to side, will begin to drain out and commonly will form a vacuum effect, which can drain a tank to below half full; etc.
For dry campers, the conventional wisdom has always been to fill your tank up at the last possible stop before your destination. That way you get the best towing results, and the least amount of water lost from the travel issue mentioned above.
Next: "How do you over fill a tank to the so full amount?" (see above)
Next: "How do you get more than 45 gals in a 45 gal Tank?" (see above)
These tanks get bigger and bigger every year - width wise - while still remaining the same approx. 6" to 8" tall. The tanks will bulge a little on bottom and that is expected. You just need to keep on it.
We actually started to add a third, removeable steel bar across the middle of the bottom of the tank for even more extra support. The problem is, if people aren't careful, they can blow the tank up through the floor and ruin cabinetry. This industry has seen this a number of times in motorhomes over the years where the tank had all kinds of steel below it - so it went up and caused thousands of dollars of damage to the interior of the coach. We have had a lot of support above the tanks from day one to prevent this. We figured that if someone were going to overfill their tank, it would be better to have it bulge out the bottom where it could be fairly easily repaired.
Hope this helps a little with your questions. In any case, we will be more than willing to work with you to find out exactly what is happening with your coach, and what we can do to alleviate any potential problems
ST
Let's start with this latest, "How do you put more water in the tank than the tank will hold?" It's really not that hard with abs tanks, like the entire RV industry uses. The fact is, they can stretch and contort and bulge out the bottom when overfilled.
Next: "Are the tanks not made to be filled to the top?" Yes, the are, the problem is that most people don't have the patience to stand there and check their monitor panels as it is filling up, so that they can shut off the water as soon as they get to the "top".
Next: "Are the tanks not to be traveled full?" The answer to this is two fold. 1) Yes, technically, the coach is built to handle the weight of a full tank during travel. 2) Not one RV expert or publication will recommend traveling with full tanks. Why? Because all of that extra weight will hurt your gas mileage; will have much more of a load bearing on your suspension system and tires; will cause the coach to be a bit more difficult to tow; a full RV water tank rarely stays that way when traveling - because these tanks have overflow vents by code, which when the water is sloshing from side to side, will begin to drain out and commonly will form a vacuum effect, which can drain a tank to below half full; etc.
For dry campers, the conventional wisdom has always been to fill your tank up at the last possible stop before your destination. That way you get the best towing results, and the least amount of water lost from the travel issue mentioned above.
Next: "How do you over fill a tank to the so full amount?" (see above)
Next: "How do you get more than 45 gals in a 45 gal Tank?" (see above)
These tanks get bigger and bigger every year - width wise - while still remaining the same approx. 6" to 8" tall. The tanks will bulge a little on bottom and that is expected. You just need to keep on it.
We actually started to add a third, removeable steel bar across the middle of the bottom of the tank for even more extra support. The problem is, if people aren't careful, they can blow the tank up through the floor and ruin cabinetry. This industry has seen this a number of times in motorhomes over the years where the tank had all kinds of steel below it - so it went up and caused thousands of dollars of damage to the interior of the coach. We have had a lot of support above the tanks from day one to prevent this. We figured that if someone were going to overfill their tank, it would be better to have it bulge out the bottom where it could be fairly easily repaired.
Hope this helps a little with your questions. In any case, we will be more than willing to work with you to find out exactly what is happening with your coach, and what we can do to alleviate any potential problems
ST
T
tomnpam
Guest
We're sorry!
Wow! I hope you folks don't hate us for starting this dialogue both here and at rv.net! We really and truly just wanted to have a peace about our decision and didn't want to stir up trouble. We've been very thankful for the input AND the response to our questions from Heartland. Jim suggested we call the factory and we are so glad we did. My husband was particularly impressed with the fact that a owner (Scott) would take the time to speak with us. That shows great customer support right there. We really want to purchase one but we're going to take a few days to let all the info sink in and then make our final decision. Thanks to all of you, you have given us more balance and we really appreciate that! Hope we will soon be part of the "family"! Pam
Wow! I hope you folks don't hate us for starting this dialogue both here and at rv.net! We really and truly just wanted to have a peace about our decision and didn't want to stir up trouble. We've been very thankful for the input AND the response to our questions from Heartland. Jim suggested we call the factory and we are so glad we did. My husband was particularly impressed with the fact that a owner (Scott) would take the time to speak with us. That shows great customer support right there. We really want to purchase one but we're going to take a few days to let all the info sink in and then make our final decision. Thanks to all of you, you have given us more balance and we really appreciate that! Hope we will soon be part of the "family"! Pam
tdharley
Well-known member
I too would buy a Heartland again in a minute. I think the value was there and did expect the minor problems.
I am not a big boondocker so the tank problem did not concern me but I did do a reinforce job anyway.
As for the tanks getting bigger and not supposed to be filled all the way, I dont know. I build new homes and when my homes get bigger and the floor spans get longer we increase the load bearing capacities and always figure for the worst case scenario. The tank supports could be engineered to hold all the weight. Probably not advisable for the other stated reasons,though.
I am not a big boondocker so the tank problem did not concern me but I did do a reinforce job anyway.
As for the tanks getting bigger and not supposed to be filled all the way, I dont know. I build new homes and when my homes get bigger and the floor spans get longer we increase the load bearing capacities and always figure for the worst case scenario. The tank supports could be engineered to hold all the weight. Probably not advisable for the other stated reasons,though.
Tom and Pam,
Don't worry about it at all. Your questions were from the heart. As were the replies you got from others - pro and con. We hope to have you as part of the family but we'll respect any decision you make as you must live with it, therefore you must be comfortable with it.
Jim
Don't worry about it at all. Your questions were from the heart. As were the replies you got from others - pro and con. We hope to have you as part of the family but we'll respect any decision you make as you must live with it, therefore you must be comfortable with it.
Jim
ChopperBill
Well-known member
Going to stick my big noise in again. 
Aren't we getting kind of off topic from Tom and Pam's question. Can we start up a water tank and stress crack Q and A discussion somewhere else? None (THEY are interesting topics)
Aren't we getting kind of off topic from Tom and Pam's question. Can we start up a water tank and stress crack Q and A discussion somewhere else? None (THEY are interesting topics)
ct0218
Well-known member
No, I don't feel it is off topic. If it is a true stress crack then it is a concern. If it is not a stress crack, then a negative report was delivered to potential buyers and shouldn't have been. There was not enough detail given, and a picture is worth a thousand words. I feel a complaint given with insufficient information is pretty much worthless until that information is produced. Tomnpam need accurate information to make a decision and a statement like that is somewhat out of character with the normal Heartland customer care.
ChopperBill
Well-known member
This is what I take from the question. "WOULD YOU BUY FROM HEARTLAND AGAIN, I GUESS WOULD BE OUR ULTIMATE QUESTION?" Everyone has different problems on an individual basis and I think it should be directed to the forum topics. But then again I am not running the show, just observing the posts.
Tom and Pam,
We have had our '08 3055 for only a couple months andare extremely happy with it. We have traveled over 3000mi in the short time and have had no problems other than the fresh water tank.
The tank is not a problem unless we are boondocking so there is about 30gals we cannot use due to the sag. I have fixed the problem myself by putting suppport down the center of the tank. I did the work myself because I enjoy doing it.
I would definately buy another Heartland product. The overall quality of the unit is unmatched in the price class. The factory support and involvement is seldom found in other companies.......Good luck on your decision.
Scott,
I did not have a removeable support down the center that you mention. We do have three straps that support the OSB under the tank. I had significant sag and never put more than 50gals in the tank.
We have had our '08 3055 for only a couple months andare extremely happy with it. We have traveled over 3000mi in the short time and have had no problems other than the fresh water tank.
The tank is not a problem unless we are boondocking so there is about 30gals we cannot use due to the sag. I have fixed the problem myself by putting suppport down the center of the tank. I did the work myself because I enjoy doing it.
I would definately buy another Heartland product. The overall quality of the unit is unmatched in the price class. The factory support and involvement is seldom found in other companies.......Good luck on your decision.
Scott,
I did not have a removeable support down the center that you mention. We do have three straps that support the OSB under the tank. I had significant sag and never put more than 50gals in the tank.
I want to explain a couple of systems that are in place that make sure we are shipping quality product. These systems are necessary in this business becasue over the years, you will have dealers who call in and say that the front or rear fiberglass cap on a particular 5th wheel has a hole in it or a gouge out of the sidewall. They are upset and want to know how in the world we could have shipped a coach with such an obvious problem. Upon further investigation, it is discovered that some $8 an hour fork lift driver at the dealership backed it into something, or hit it against something, and it wasn't Heartland's issue at all. Becasue of instances like this, most RV Manufacturers, including Heartland, REQUIRE the dealers to go through our coaches with a fine tooth comb, and to sign off on an inspection sheet for that coach before the transport driver can leave their sales lot. This protects Heartland from future claims that have been caused by lot damage or at retail shows.
These units are inspected by the dealer when they are delivered and signed off on. It is from this - dealer inspection sheet - that all future warranty claims are based. So, when some exterior or interior damage all of a sudden shows up on a coach that wasn't there before, our first question to the dealer is where did it come from? Becasue it wasn't there when we delivered it - you signed off on stating as much.
Am I saying that the damage you show in your pictures is from the dealer? Not necessarily, I just know that not only was the unit delivered to the dealer and signed off as no exterior damage at all - but it was then also transported to your house, which may be hundreds, or even thousands of miles away from the dealer.
To immediately demand a new coach and condemn Heartland if they don't replace yours for such a defect is a bit extreme. This truly is a "spider-crack" and looks to possibly only be in the gel-coat. Gel-coat is a clear coating that goes over the fiberglass and is easily re-coated, buffed and made to look like new. It sounds like our guys were ready and willing to do that for you - but you demanded a new coach. That just isn't going to happen. Let us take care of that spot on the outside of your coach and let you get on enjoying the RV lifestyle that you chose the Cyclone for in the first place.
ST
These units are inspected by the dealer when they are delivered and signed off on. It is from this - dealer inspection sheet - that all future warranty claims are based. So, when some exterior or interior damage all of a sudden shows up on a coach that wasn't there before, our first question to the dealer is where did it come from? Becasue it wasn't there when we delivered it - you signed off on stating as much.
Am I saying that the damage you show in your pictures is from the dealer? Not necessarily, I just know that not only was the unit delivered to the dealer and signed off as no exterior damage at all - but it was then also transported to your house, which may be hundreds, or even thousands of miles away from the dealer.
To immediately demand a new coach and condemn Heartland if they don't replace yours for such a defect is a bit extreme. This truly is a "spider-crack" and looks to possibly only be in the gel-coat. Gel-coat is a clear coating that goes over the fiberglass and is easily re-coated, buffed and made to look like new. It sounds like our guys were ready and willing to do that for you - but you demanded a new coach. That just isn't going to happen. Let us take care of that spot on the outside of your coach and let you get on enjoying the RV lifestyle that you chose the Cyclone for in the first place.
ST
nhunter
Well-known member
If your fiberglass is fixed by a competent repair-person, you will not be able to see. Especially on a brand new trailer. They reason you see "yellowing" is usually because someone used a do-it-yourself kit or something with a silicone base. T & P we have a 2006 3600RL, love it, and would buy another in a heart beat. And Scott's involvement in the forum was a major factor.
T
tomnpam
Guest
We did it!
Thanks to everyone for all your help! We weighed our options, talked at length last night and decided to keep our order in. Bottom line for us was that, in spite of the potential problems we might face down the road with warranty issues, this is still the best unit to fit our needs that we've seen out there. The price was great, the amenities unrivaled and we made a phone call to our local Heartland dealer (we're ordering wholesale through rvpricebusters.com) to see if they would do our warranty work and they said yes, even though we didn't purchase the unit from them. Also, we now, thanks to all of you, have a list of items we will insist be looked at in detail during the dealer's PDI BEFORE we even pick up the unit. This was Scott's suggestion. He maintains that we need to make sure the unit is in tip top condition before we leave town. If that means we use it a few nights before we pull out of town, then so be it. We are going into it with our eyes open which wasn't the case 3 days ago. And, it speaks volumes that we still decided to go ahead with the transaction. Again, we appreciate all your comments. We took them to heart and feel much better informed. See you down the road and hopefully at a rally one day!
Thanks to everyone for all your help! We weighed our options, talked at length last night and decided to keep our order in. Bottom line for us was that, in spite of the potential problems we might face down the road with warranty issues, this is still the best unit to fit our needs that we've seen out there. The price was great, the amenities unrivaled and we made a phone call to our local Heartland dealer (we're ordering wholesale through rvpricebusters.com) to see if they would do our warranty work and they said yes, even though we didn't purchase the unit from them. Also, we now, thanks to all of you, have a list of items we will insist be looked at in detail during the dealer's PDI BEFORE we even pick up the unit. This was Scott's suggestion. He maintains that we need to make sure the unit is in tip top condition before we leave town. If that means we use it a few nights before we pull out of town, then so be it. We are going into it with our eyes open which wasn't the case 3 days ago. And, it speaks volumes that we still decided to go ahead with the transaction. Again, we appreciate all your comments. We took them to heart and feel much better informed. See you down the road and hopefully at a rally one day!
Wow! Congratulations Tom and Pam. Eyes Wide Open is a great way to describe where you are now at in this process.
I have not heard of your selling dealer. Looks like they are in Ohio. Hope they have a real service department. Many of these online wholesalers are really Internet sales operations for real brick and morter RV dealers. Hopefully that's the case with your dealer.
That is awesome that your local dealer is willing to service you. For pre-approved warranty repairs, they will be paid by Heartland just as any other Heartland dealer so from an economic perspective, it makes sense.
Where are you guys from? Are you sure you can't carve out the first weekend of June to join us in Goshen? We have 9 sites left!
Be well,
Jim
I have not heard of your selling dealer. Looks like they are in Ohio. Hope they have a real service department. Many of these online wholesalers are really Internet sales operations for real brick and morter RV dealers. Hopefully that's the case with your dealer.
That is awesome that your local dealer is willing to service you. For pre-approved warranty repairs, they will be paid by Heartland just as any other Heartland dealer so from an economic perspective, it makes sense.
Where are you guys from? Are you sure you can't carve out the first weekend of June to join us in Goshen? We have 9 sites left!
Be well,
Jim
mufflerman
Well-known member
Scott,
You can't expect the dealer to catch everything, example= cracked weld in framing around ramp door, very difficult to see but very important part of stucture.
Renshi,
If that is your biggest concern, have it smoothed out And enjoy, As I've said before there is no perfect rv out there made to date. I just was lucky enough to get a early one with HUGE problems And with all my complaining to get things right I get kicked to the curb.
You can't expect the dealer to catch everything, example= cracked weld in framing around ramp door, very difficult to see but very important part of stucture.
Renshi,
If that is your biggest concern, have it smoothed out And enjoy, As I've said before there is no perfect rv out there made to date. I just was lucky enough to get a early one with HUGE problems And with all my complaining to get things right I get kicked to the curb.
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