Crack in fiberglass wall
- Thread starter pokypa
- Start date
pokypa
Active Member
Crack in fiberglass wall again
Update on the first crack. McGeorge RV repaired the side wall. It look like new when I picked it up. Took our second trip since purchase. Just got back and side wall is cracking in same area. Don't know what action to take at this time, will call customer service tomorrow. Unless Hearthland makes this right ***********.
Update on the first crack. McGeorge RV repaired the side wall. It look like new when I picked it up. Took our second trip since purchase. Just got back and side wall is cracking in same area. Don't know what action to take at this time, will call customer service tomorrow. Unless Hearthland makes this right ***********.
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Pizzadigger
Active Member
Re: Crack in fiberglass wall again
Hopefully they can get it fixed or maybe better this time replaced. Good Luck.
Hopefully they can get it fixed or maybe better this time replaced. Good Luck.
pokypa
Active Member
I was told today by Heartland that in no uncertain terms that they would not replace or buy back the unit or help in any trade in with the dealer. I was told today to take it back to McGeorge and let them take another try in fixing it. I heard or felt no sense of my concerns on this unit in the future. I guess after the warranty and the crack comes back I'm on my own. This is my first Heartland and am really disappointed in the way this has been handled. I read on this forum how great Heartland has been, but I have not seen it, just very disappointed.
jmgratz
Original Owners Club Member
Not saying that it is or is not but sometimes sidewall cracks are due to 1. Frame flexing issues 2. The slideout closing to tightly (needs adjusting). The first if can be a major problem and the second not so bad. There are other issues that can cause sidewall cracks and keep in mind I am not expert or engineer so I am just expressing my opinion.
pokypa
Active Member
Well I guess this is good-bye. We have tried every way and Heartland offers no help in replacing our unit. I must say that I'm very disappointed in Heartland. I was told that they are the best, but found out that they are not. Anyway we just traded our bomb for SOB. The dealer said that it would crack again. I can't live with that, it take all the fun out of camping.
So to all the nice people thanks for all of your comments.
So to all the nice people thanks for all of your comments.
pokypa
Active Member
We still have the Big Horn. When we went to take delivery of the new MH we found the salesman and tech standing by the MH. To make a long story short, water was running out of the front of the motor and they couldn't tell me where it was coming from. We were trying to get out of one problem not to get in another. We canceled the deal and brought the Big Horn back home. Before we left the manager said he was going to bat for us with Heartland to trade us out of the unit into another Heartland. Heartland called me and once again offered no help in replacing or trading the unit. So here we are holding the bag with a unit that will crack again, so the tech say to me. I'm lost for words, don't know.
Sorry you have had these issues. We had a flexing issue in the front and HL ask the unit to come back to the factory and they did a super job fixing the issue, however we did take it back on our nickle, because we are full timers and preferred it that way.
jmgratz----you mentioned in your comments that the slides may be putting too much pressure on the frame----how would you determine this---asking because our refer slide at the top, always seems to have the seal rolled up under it and I have to get up and pull it out. I had put this is forum asking about adjusting and heard perhaps it is ok??---It just seems way too tight on the top---just wondering how you would determine if it is too tight---suggestions are appreciated.
al
currently in Albany, OR
al
jmgratz----you mentioned in your comments that the slides may be putting too much pressure on the frame----how would you determine this---asking because our refer slide at the top, always seems to have the seal rolled up under it and I have to get up and pull it out. I had put this is forum asking about adjusting and heard perhaps it is ok??---It just seems way too tight on the top---just wondering how you would determine if it is too tight---suggestions are appreciated.
al
currently in Albany, OR
al
pokypa
Active Member
Our's was checked when the first crack appeared. The dealer had some type of pressure device to determine if it had to much pressure on slide out. The problem with this unit is that the frame welds in the side wall are breaking, causing the side wall to crack. But as of now Heartland sees no reason to bring it back to the factory.
ParkIt
Well-known member
Dan, Just curious but wouldn't the factory warranty cover the frame issue?
I might be missing something since ours has a 7 year everything warranty though I did pay extra for it. Shopped around on that to make sure it would actually cover 'hidden' problems as well as frame, landing gear etc.
Is that the difference in this situation?
I might be missing something since ours has a 7 year everything warranty though I did pay extra for it. Shopped around on that to make sure it would actually cover 'hidden' problems as well as frame, landing gear etc.
Is that the difference in this situation?
pokypa
Active Member
Yes it was repaired after the second crack appeared. The issue is that the problem that caused the crack has not been repaired. The tech that repaired the unit said it will happen again. This is a season tech that all he does is frame and fiberglass work. The frame inside the walls is flexing and breaking welds pushing out on the fiberglass side. We bought this unit in Oct 2013 and have taken only two trips in it. The rest of the time it's been in the shop. Heartland for some reason will not take this unit back to the factory to find the cause and repair it.
jmgratz
Original Owners Club Member
If you look at the slide as it goes in and it causes the sidewall to flex causing a crack in the top corner of the sidewall then it is probably coming in too far. You can find instructions on the Lippert website on how to adjust your slide properly but if you are unsure have your dealer do it.
danemayer
Well-known member
Parkit,
I would expect Heartland would cover it under warranty. Not sure how many times they'll pay the dealer to fix it correctly though. It's strange that the tech gave it back with the crack patched, but admitted that the problem was not fixed. If the dealer got paid to fix the frame and sidewall correctly and didn't, I wouldn't be surprised if Heartland expects them to make it right.
As to the idea of returning it to the factory for repair, I know Heartland does that in some cases. The ones I've heard about have been pinbox frame reinforcement and the owner has to get it back to the factory.
pokypa, when you say Heartland won't repair it at the factory, did they explain why?
I would expect Heartland would cover it under warranty. Not sure how many times they'll pay the dealer to fix it correctly though. It's strange that the tech gave it back with the crack patched, but admitted that the problem was not fixed. If the dealer got paid to fix the frame and sidewall correctly and didn't, I wouldn't be surprised if Heartland expects them to make it right.
As to the idea of returning it to the factory for repair, I know Heartland does that in some cases. The ones I've heard about have been pinbox frame reinforcement and the owner has to get it back to the factory.
pokypa, when you say Heartland won't repair it at the factory, did they explain why?
pokypa
Active Member
Yes, just what you said. They paid the dealer once to repair it. The dealer ask Heartland to send a tech there the first time to look at the problem, and they said no the dealer fix it. They found the problem on the first crack, frame studs broke. Second crack was in the same place but only surface cracks. The reason the tech told me it will happen again is that he thinks it something other than what he found first. In other words they don't know. In the mean time Heartland's warranty is running out. The last email I received from Mike Rogers at Heartland said if it breaks again (WHILE UNDER WARRANTY)
they will bring it to the factory to see what is happening. Heartland could have fixed this at the factory the first time as requested by the dealer. I'm not a basher of Heartland, but how they handled this has been simply wrong. If it cracks again while under the one year warranty Heartland says they will bring it to the factory. If it breaks after the warranty period ends, I guess, who knows. You on the forum have been patience with me in this situation. Hope none of you are faced with this stress my wife and I have and are going through. We are suppose to be enjoying this Big Horn.
they will bring it to the factory to see what is happening. Heartland could have fixed this at the factory the first time as requested by the dealer. I'm not a basher of Heartland, but how they handled this has been simply wrong. If it cracks again while under the one year warranty Heartland says they will bring it to the factory. If it breaks after the warranty period ends, I guess, who knows. You on the forum have been patience with me in this situation. Hope none of you are faced with this stress my wife and I have and are going through. We are suppose to be enjoying this Big Horn.
