thomasinnv
Well-known member
i too have a small tear in the matress caused by the frame. never even got to use it. i had debated patching it or demanding a new one.
Sofa Bed - Tear in Mattress caused by rough metal frame
- Thread starter thomasinnv
- Start date
cjbearden
Visitor
Patch it, but also call HL to ask Flair for a replacement. Wrap all rough areas on the metal frame with something like a sheepskin seat belt wrap (Camping World) or heavily tape the area if it can't be filed down. That was our experience with both sofa air beds we had in BH 3400 and now Augusta. CJ
thomasinnv
Well-known member
i have contacted flair interiors. will keep posted as to what they decide to do. the dealer where i took the trailer to have some warranty work done would not even write up the mattress...he said they have such a hard time getting anything replaced by flair they won't even waste the time to write it up. they said to just patch it and live with it. i don't know if it can be patched, it is in the felt part of the mattress. i don't think a patch would properly adhere to it. hopefully flair will step up to the plate. we will see.
Flair_Interiors
Member
If you get me your address ans size of bladder I will put one in UPS. I can say with a great deal of confidence we spent a long time ( 1year) developing this sofa so it had no pinch points or exposed metal to rip or tear. I apologize also for missunderstanding about saying "I will meet you to give you the bladder", I thought you was coming to the Heartland- factory for repairs, I apologize. As far as the Warranty side, I hope you can understand that there are a handfull of People in this world who make us honest people pay for there mistakes and when we find people who lie (which we have) about there air bladder, chair no matter what, we have to go to extra steps to cover ourselves and the one thing we ask for on every warranty is pictures and Vin# etc... this way we can verify the damage a length of time. In your case I wold like to see the exact area of damage and a picture of the bladder and where you see it being pinched, but I will not demand it, it would just help. Our main goal daily is Servicing our Customer (Heartland) the best way we can so they can then Service you the retail, it is a win win for everyone. Please get me your address and the size of the bladder and we will go from there, have a great day and "happy camping".
thomasinnv
Well-known member
thanks for you quick response, i will email you off forum. I hope you don't think the previous post was to point a finger at you, i was more dissapointed at the dealers lack of interest in the matter. I understand what you are saying about people lying about "what happened" in order to get their own mistake fixed. I will send you a picture.
Am currently dealing with HL on a second air mattress myself. Didn't get to use either the first or second as when I opened the sofa to use it, they were both so full of holes, that I didn't have enough patches even after cutting them up to try and patch. Found a staple sticking out side of couch today when I was going over it with the dealer and there also has to be some rough spots on the frame as all the holes weren't on the side with the staple.
Hopefully HL will be as cooperative as they have been with me in the past. The dealer called them today when I was there as Flair wouldn't replace since it wasn't a manufacturing defect.
Hopefully HL will be as cooperative as they have been with me in the past. The dealer called them today when I was there as Flair wouldn't replace since it wasn't a manufacturing defect.
thomasinnv
Well-known member
i would think a staple sticking out of the side of the couch would be a manufacturing defect.
thomasinnv
Well-known member
i would prefer a real mattress over an air mattress any way, but that's what it came with.
brunsje
Member
We picked up our coach in April, when we used the air mattress on our first camping trip in May, it would not hold air! Inspecting the mattress we found three slits in the mattress, we tried to repair it but to no avail! I called Heartland and a couple of days later received a new mattress! We DO NOT fold the new mattress up in the couch I think Flair and Heartland need to investigate this problem further and make all owners aware of the potential problem with sharp edges which I feel was the cause of our mishap.
jmaguire
Well-known member
We also have a pinhole leak in ours. After reading this post this morning I e-mailed Flair. Within 2 hours I had an e-mail back and was told a patch kit was on the way. Tim Meade let us know to get in touch with him after the repair to make sure all was well. I am happy with the way Flair handled my problem.
thomasinnv
Well-known member
flair sent me a new air mattress...should be here in a few days. great way to treat your customers! thumbs up
brunsje
Member
First off I got an unexpected reply from Flair! What a class act!
Yesterday, I decided to try and repatch the holes in the mattress. I previously used the patch kit that came with the camper. It still had leaks coming from under the patches. So I tried something that I used on a rubber raft years ago. I used Oatey All-Purpose PVC cement. I coated over the top of the patches with this cement. I let it dry for about an hour and then inflated the mattress. The mattress stayed inflated all night! I now have a spare mattress for the grandkids!
Yesterday, I decided to try and repatch the holes in the mattress. I previously used the patch kit that came with the camper. It still had leaks coming from under the patches. So I tried something that I used on a rubber raft years ago. I used Oatey All-Purpose PVC cement. I coated over the top of the patches with this cement. I let it dry for about an hour and then inflated the mattress. The mattress stayed inflated all night! I now have a spare mattress for the grandkids!
itsbeertime
Well-known member
I too had holes in my air mattress straight from the factory, first time it was unfolded, caused by a sharp claw like hook at the hinge part of the frame. I turned it over to my dealer and they got nowhere with Flair warranty. I then called Flair myself and the warranty woman I spoke with was very unhelpful and had a kind of attitude I did not appreciate. So, this caused me to develop an attitude and I took it out on Flair here. Not long after I too received an email from Tim Meade who promised me he would do whatever it took to make things right. After the previous incidents I was skeptical at first but so far he has lived up to his word. He overnighted me a new mattress so we'd have it in time for an upcoming trip, and he promised they would address the frame also, which is the real issue. The air mattress is not faulty that I can see, the frame was. Today I just received an email from Tim that a new frame and back is on it's way to me. He told me it's a new and improved version and I'm the first in the world to have it. Lol, I really hope that's a good thing. 
Oh, I also got the new and improved bladder, too. It has its own carry bag that you can fold it up in either inside the couch or out. Plus an extra DC inflator if you want to take it to the beach or something. After the initail unpleasant dealings with Flair warranty people I have been very pleased with Tim Meade's approach and attitude and helpfullness. I understand they can not replace everyones mattress that the dog chews a hole in, but in cases like this where it comes direct from Heartland like this there needs to be a little more give I would think. Plus my dealer should have caught it and didn't. So it was on me. Anyway, both Heartland and Flair are aware of the situation and both have many pictures of the problem. It looks like they have addressed it now also. They do listen. I thank them for that and in the end I am happy with the outcome. Hopefully the new bladder/frame combination they have come up with will solve future problems. My daughter used the new bladder over a 5 day trip this past weekend (with a heavy towel over the problem area of the frame) with no issues whatsoever. I'll repost again after I receive the new frame. My thanks go out to Tim Meade at Flair for all his help. He was very pleasant to deal with through it all. Also to Bryan Walczak for his interest in the situation and requesting pictures. After all is said and done I'm pleased with the outcome.
Oh, I also got the new and improved bladder, too. It has its own carry bag that you can fold it up in either inside the couch or out. Plus an extra DC inflator if you want to take it to the beach or something. After the initail unpleasant dealings with Flair warranty people I have been very pleased with Tim Meade's approach and attitude and helpfullness. I understand they can not replace everyones mattress that the dog chews a hole in, but in cases like this where it comes direct from Heartland like this there needs to be a little more give I would think. Plus my dealer should have caught it and didn't. So it was on me. Anyway, both Heartland and Flair are aware of the situation and both have many pictures of the problem. It looks like they have addressed it now also. They do listen. I thank them for that and in the end I am happy with the outcome. Hopefully the new bladder/frame combination they have come up with will solve future problems. My daughter used the new bladder over a 5 day trip this past weekend (with a heavy towel over the problem area of the frame) with no issues whatsoever. I'll repost again after I receive the new frame. My thanks go out to Tim Meade at Flair for all his help. He was very pleasant to deal with through it all. Also to Bryan Walczak for his interest in the situation and requesting pictures. After all is said and done I'm pleased with the outcome.Well, Tim Meade from Flair came through. I received the new air mattress, new repair kit, etc. The thing that impressed me was both how well Tim did and the replacement has a storage bag that hangs on the back of the sofa and keeps the mattress inside of it and protected from the metal frame, etc. Much better than just stuffing it behind the couch.
thomasinnv
Well-known member
i got a new mattress as well. i won't be back over to where the mattress was shipped for a couple weeks though.
rick_debbie_gallant
Well-known member
I have already taped over all sharp edges with duck tape. I may just take the mattress off the sofa until I am ready to use it again. It would be great if Flair (are you reading and getting this Tim) would do a sort of retrofit to 2010 and possibly 2009 customers and send them a storage bag and perhaps a good repair kit. This would show that Flair is pro-active and solve the problem before it becomes a problem.
Remember, you can build 100,000 units perfect. All it takes is one or two bad ones (units) and an unhappy camper to ruin your rep.
Remember, you can build 100,000 units perfect
. All it takes is one or two bad ones (units) and an unhappy camper to ruin your rep.Same issues here...
I have a 2010 3300RLB. Our first tear/leak started after the PDI at the dealer. Went on our first trip and opened up the sofa for the first time and there was a decent size cut from the hinge on the left size. Patched it up and decided we would be extra cautious when putting away.
Next time we pulled out the rear couch and went to inflate we found two evenly spaced cuts on the top part of the air mattress. Appears to be getting cut from the back now. Patched that and again and moved on.
Last weekend we pulled out the rear again and this time one of the areas where they have put the extra vinyl/pvc material to protect the hinges had two evenly spaced cuts in it. The piece meant to protect it obviously didn't.
We have not had a single trip yet that didn't result in a tear in the inflatable mattress. I don't know what this "storage bag" option is that everyone is talking about but ours didn't come with one.
I'm all for the option of taking it out and only using it when we have someone sleeping in those sofa beds, but as it stands now I have two leaky mattresses that look like a patchwork of vinyl/pvc and repair glue. I didn't want to be a complainer but I think I have to join the group of the unsatisfied customers now. I'll send Tim an email and see what can be done. I'm even willing to send back these two so they can see where the cuts are happening but somehow I think they have plenty of field data to know what the issue is.
On a good note it sounds like Tim is very helpful with issues.
I have a 2010 3300RLB. Our first tear/leak started after the PDI at the dealer. Went on our first trip and opened up the sofa for the first time and there was a decent size cut from the hinge on the left size. Patched it up and decided we would be extra cautious when putting away.
Next time we pulled out the rear couch and went to inflate we found two evenly spaced cuts on the top part of the air mattress. Appears to be getting cut from the back now. Patched that and again and moved on.
Last weekend we pulled out the rear again and this time one of the areas where they have put the extra vinyl/pvc material to protect the hinges had two evenly spaced cuts in it. The piece meant to protect it obviously didn't.
We have not had a single trip yet that didn't result in a tear in the inflatable mattress. I don't know what this "storage bag" option is that everyone is talking about but ours didn't come with one.
I'm all for the option of taking it out and only using it when we have someone sleeping in those sofa beds, but as it stands now I have two leaky mattresses that look like a patchwork of vinyl/pvc and repair glue. I didn't want to be a complainer but I think I have to join the group of the unsatisfied customers now. I'll send Tim an email and see what can be done. I'm even willing to send back these two so they can see where the cuts are happening but somehow I think they have plenty of field data to know what the issue is.
On a good note it sounds like Tim is very helpful with issues.
