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Old 04-08-2018, 11:47 PM   #1
Steveg
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Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Ashland
Posts: 18
Default New Amerilite 241RB Issues like tissues

I’ve owned 3 other RV’s but this is my first New travel trailer. My neighbor has a 21’ model similar to ours that we liked, and we got a good deal in December 2017, so we bought a new one for a bit less than we were planning to pay for a used one. Since it was bitter cold, I didn’t do a once over for quality control issues, which in retrospect was probably a mistake. The first problem I discovered was a leaking water heater. The hot and cold lines simply had never been tightened sufficiently, so instead of sleeping, I found myself taking a panel off, and tightening the fittings, getting all our towels soaked in the process.

We soon discovered a leak in the bathroom sink. Again the drain fittings were simply loose, and needed snugging up with my hands. Again, some more personal items soaked.

The shower also leaked like a sieve. Turns out the shower walls apparently are installed on the outside of the drain pan lip instead of the inside. So any water that splashes onto the three sides of the shower runs under the shower pan instead of into it, and down the drain. They put some plastic molding to cover the joints. Only one of 3 sides had any caulking, and it was poorly done and didn’t stop any water.

Structural leaks are the worst leaks you can have. We had rain water showing up on the cheap MDF board shelf over the bed. I traced it down to a poorly caulked right front marker light, which made its way through the light, and eventually dripped out of the paneling over the bed and down onto the floor.

When draining the water heater, I noticed the water was running under the caulking between the water heater unit and the exterior siding. Most all the caulking done on this unit was never feathered out or dressed up in any way. This is not just a cosmetic improvement, but it also creates a better mechanical bond by pressing out air and forcing caulk into the microscopic pores.

We also have problems with the media player. It changes input regularly on its own. We can’t listen to the radio for any length of time, it will try to read the disk holder, or change to Bluetooth. It randomly tries all its input sources.

The nail holes in the paneling are apparently filled with Sheetrock mud. There were white smears about 12” in diameter around every nail hole. We were able to wash these off with a damp rag. We asked the dealer to do it, but many reappeared after we got home.

The dealer told us that all lights were LED, but our outdoor light beside the door burned out within the first few hours of use, and it was an incandescent light. I had some 30 watt equivalent LED bulbs left over from a restoration I did on a 1977 Chevy truck, so I replaced that bulb.

Our third trip out we were 70 miles closer to the dealer in Columbus Georgia than the 100 mile trip from home, so we decided to call about taking it by for some warranty repair work. I actually bought the RV from Ashley Boat and RV in Opelika AL, but they are an extension of the Columbus GA store, and referred us to them for warranty work. In 4 hours of calling we couldn’t get anyone to the phone in the repair shop, and to this day they have not returned our calls as promised. The salesman, Shaun, encouraged me to take it to a dealer closer to home, assuring us that all Gulf Stream dealers would do the work. The closest dealer was in Temple GA, about 75 miles away. They said they were 165 days out on taking repair work. Wow, 5.5 months wait for a repair. They too tried to get us to go elsewhere for the work. We eventually called every dealer in Alabama and Georgia, a 4.5 hour ordeal, to discover that there was no way to get these things fixed in a timely manner. I knew there would be extensive damage to the frames, paneling, floor, and furniture by allowing it to leak that long and besides, we wanted to use it. So I ordered some appropriate caulking and did the work myself. I consider myself twice as skilled as anyone who worked on building this rig. My Dad taught me at a young age to repair HVAC (including Ammonia gas Refrigerators in RV’s), as well as the other skills such as wiring, plumbing, carpentry and welding. So if we go full-time, I’ll tske some tools and do a little on site repair for fellow campers.

If you aren’t a handyman, buying a new camper might not be a good idea. The cost to go back and forth to a dealer would get into the hundreds of dollars quickly. The low QC makes me want to start a company that makes RV’s with the same QC as cars and trucks. I know they have to use cheap, light materials to keep the cost and weight down, but there is no excuse for such poor, sloppy, and even dangerous workmanship. A few other issues I noticed were, when leveling the unit, I figured the best way to level was to use a 4’ level in the floor near the center of the camper. I did that and installed the leveling vials on the back and side exterior surfaces. The tongue of the trailer does not agree with the floor inside, nor the rear bumper. I noticed that the plywood flooring bends down about 3/16” in the last 10” before you get to the wall. I’m not sure how this happens or why, but it’s a bit unsettling to see, as if the walls are only supported by the plywood.

Also, my neighbor told me to go ahead and find my best deal on tires because these factory tires wear out very quickly. I noticed they are bias tires, not radials. And there is no spare.

I also noticed a huge air gap at the head of the bed about 2” wide, which allows cold air from the front storage compartment to come up and chill your head and neck. We had to go to Hobby Lobby and buy a piece of foam rubber and trim it to fit, which helps make the bed longer, and warmer.

I’m angry that I had to put in several hours of labor to finish building the camper. I’m also angry that despite buying a new rig, a great deal of the building materials have been soaked with water, including the paneling, the plywood in the walls and floors, the MDF laminated furniture/cabinets, and the insulation under the floor. The paneling and Furnature will eventually delaminate and show in years to come. I’ll send the manufacturer a bill for my work, but how much value is lost to depreciation from repeated soakings? Camping can be a lot of fun. As a child my family wore out two campers, then I had 3 different ones raising my kids. This rig was to be for my wife and I to relax and have fun. That has yet to happen.
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