Roof defect on 2018 Bighorn Traveler 39FL

[LynchFam]

First, the current issue:
We have a 2018 Bighorn Traveler 39FL we took finance delivery on in Feb 2018. We were told Friday the entire roof needs to be replaced due to two failed trusses. (there are visible sags both inside and outside) This should be covered under manufacturer warranty, the service provider is still waiting for approval from Heartland to complete the replacement. Our questions are, 1) has anyone here had the same issue? 2) If so, how long did it take to complete?, 3) was the replacement covered under warranty? and, 4) Were there "trickle down" issues you had to contend with as a result? There are concerns that a repair that extensive could cause other issues.

Second, the vent:
We love this unit and, so far, we've had no issues with other warranty items being covered. However, this isn't the first non-cosmetic issue we've had with the unit and now question the structural integrity. We couldn't take delivery the day we signed the finance papers due to a faulty slide ram in the kitchen slide, on our first and subsequent trips the dining slide floor "popped" loudly when walking near/on the slide, and, on our second trip in the unit, the large, rear awning pulled away from the unit while riding down the road due to it not being properly secured.

We are frustrated because by the time we get our unit back, it will have spent a total of 4 months down for repairs since we purchased it. It is extremely disappointing as we've had to cancel trips because of repair issues and feel like we've not had an opportunity to enjoy the unit as much as we'd like nor, maximize our 1 year manufacturer bumper to bumper warranty.

 

[danemayer]

Hi LynchFam,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum.

Sorry to hear about your roof problem. "Failed trusses" and "visible sags" might be too subjective a description to get a meaningful response about others having the same problem. Pictures would help, if they show the problem. You may have to make a few more posts before the forum software will allow you to post pictures however. But if you post them to Google Drive or another free site, you can link to them until allowed to post directly.

The roof problems I've read about here are usually more about a seam in the wood lifting a bit, or a fastener working loose. I don't recall "Failed Trusses". But I'm sure if anyone on the forum has had a failed truss, they'll share their experience.

Roof replacement is very invasive because everything has to be removed from the roof, and then replaced. Quality of the repair work is paramount. In addition, in the manufacturing process, the Dicor rubber roof is typically draped over the front and rear before the caps are installed. When replaced in the field, the dealer will probably cut the material at the cap, creating a new seam that you'll have to carefully maintain. You might want to use Eternabond across those front and rear seams to prevent future problems.

You may want to call Heartland Customer Service yourself to ensure they have heard from the dealer and when and where things stand. Roof replacement is very expensive, so I'd expect Heartland would want clear evidence that a replacement is necessary. There's probably going to be some back and forth with pictures. But sometimes when the dealer says "waiting for approval", they haven't yet submitted the issue to Heartland, but don't want to admit that they're the ones running the clock. You can call Heartland Customer Service at 877-262-8032 / 574-262-8030. Have your VIN # ready.

 

[waterbob]

Roof Repair Questions on my Big Country 3155

So sorry to hear of your problems with the roof.

It is so important to be sure that the seal up top is maintained. With a unit just a year old I think we all wonder how Heartland will step up to make it right.

I have just Big Country 3155, When we picked it up from the dealer I noticed a dent in the roof area right on the seam trim . The roof cap was bulging out of the seam.

1. This has been repaired and it looks right , what type of problem could this create in the future?

2. Any thoughts out there?

Another thing we have just realized is that the silicone used to caulk our unit was not done with much care. Once the bead was run, the excess was wiped off and we have marks on the finish which leave a dull residue which needs to be removed. We are planning to take the RV back in April for some Warranty work.

3. What would be the best way to give the dealer a heads up on tackling this issue?

Water Bob

 

[LynchFam]

We placed a call in to Jake Fields at Heartland on Friday afternoon and are hoping to hear back from him today. There have been pictures sent to Heartland by the repair dealer and they are aware of the issues. They already approved 4 hours for the dealer to disassemble the ceiling panels to see if the repairs could be made from the interior. We are now waiting for Heartland to approve the 60 or so hours of labor/materials it requires to repair the roof. The dealer feels the trusses had either been installed improperly or were defective as they were "collapsed" causing a visible dip on the exterior and a visible sag on the interior over both the kitchen area and living area. (There was a 2 -3" gap where they laid the level across the roof in the pics sent to Heartland.) We don't have the pics but will see if they are willing to send.

We worry about leaks, etc. from the replacement and if there could be other, structural issues with the unit. The craftsmanship quality of the roof is extremely concerning. I'm not sure what will make us feel better about this whole thing but hoping Heartland will say and do the right things to help ease our worries.

Hi LynchFam,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum.

Sorry to hear about your roof problem. "Failed trusses" and "visible sags" might be too subjective a description to get a meaningful response about others having the same problem. Pictures would help, if they show the problem. You may have to make a few more posts before the forum software will allow you to post pictures however. But if you post them to Google Drive or another free site, you can link to them until allowed to post directly.

The roof problems I've read about here are usually more about a seam in the wood lifting a bit, or a fastener working loose. I don't recall "Failed Trusses". But I'm sure if anyone on the forum has had a failed truss, they'll share their experience.

Roof replacement is very invasive because everything has to be removed from the roof, and then replaced. Quality of the repair work is paramount. In addition, in the manufacturing process, the Dicor rubber roof is typically draped over the front and rear before the caps are installed. When replaced in the field, the dealer will probably cut the material at the cap, creating a new seam that you'll have to carefully maintain. You might want to use Eternabond across those front and rear seams to prevent future problems.

You may want to call Heartland Customer Service yourself to ensure they have heard from the dealer and when and where things stand. Roof replacement is very expensive, so I'd expect Heartland would want clear evidence that a replacement is necessary. There's probably going to be some back and forth with pictures. But sometimes when the dealer says "waiting for approval", they haven't yet submitted the issue to Heartland, but don't want to admit that they're the ones running the clock. You can call Heartland Customer Service at 877-262-8032 / 574-262-8030. Have your VIN # ready.

 

[danemayer]

If you're concerned over the dealer's ability to do a quality job, you might ask Heartland to fix the problem at the factory service center in Elkhart, IN. While it would be inconvenient to take the trailer there, doing so might be the way to give you peace of mind.

 

[rhodies1]

As Dan mentioned,I would ask Heartland to schedule the unit at their shop in Indiana. They have the know how and enough man power to fix your unit correctly.

 

[LynchFam]

We have confidence in the repair dealer and they actually come highly recommended by Heartland. Our major concerns are the unknown "trickle down" effects of a repair that extensive (regardless of who performs the job) and, if the roof has craftsmanship issues from the manufacturer, what other structural issues exist? We are trying to find out if there is there anyone here who has had the same/similar issue and what was the outcome?

From my original post... Our questions are, 1) has anyone here had the same issue? 2) If so, how long did it take to complete?, 3) was the replacement covered under warranty? and, 4) Were there "trickle down" issues you had to contend with as a result? There are concerns that a repair that extensive could cause other issues.

I just left another message for the Heartland warranty rep.

 

[wdk450]

Anyone seriously concerned about water leaks from the RV roofing system in the wetter parts of the U.S. ought to go ahead and go over all of the roof calking joints with Eternabond or Dicor thick flexible roofing tape. You can buy 4" widths in 10 foot rolls for the end cap joints, and 2" 50 foot rolls for the rain gutter joints.

The tape has like a 15 year warranty, where the RV manufacturers want you to check the caulked joints every 90 days or they will void your warranty. The tape can also be removed with an industrial heat gun.

 

[LynchFam]

In follow up - Heartland asked for more pictures from the repair dealer and decided the sags in the roof were due to improperly installed trusses and that the issue could be fixed from the inside. The factory told them to drop the ceiling panels and install a new truss on either side of the failed trusses. Hopefully this fixes the problem and hopefully we'll get our unit back sooner rather than later. It has been sitting for 6 weeks this go'round.

Despite calling and leaving 3 messages for Jake Fields at Heartland to discuss our concerns, we have not received a call back. A little disappointing.