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Topic ClosedCheezy or Not Cheezy

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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Cheezy or Not Cheezy
    Posted: 14 Oct 2014 at 7:25am
By no means do I want to depict this post as FR bashing. Over the last two weeks I have crawled over every square inch of my 178 and generally I am very happy with the quality. But I did find one thing that kinda made me go, Hmmm. Am I splitting hairs here? I kinda thought the fit and finish of the A/C Shroud mashed up against the junction box plate was a little cheesy. It creates a gap. It just doesn't seem right or look good, I wouldn't have done it this way. I'm sure it won't affect the performance, however, FR still gets a fit and finish demarit in my book. What do you think? Splitting hairs here...get a life...etc..?


  
Cliff & Raelynn
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Oct 2014 at 9:04am
That looks like  lack of coordination or communication between design or engineering and the actual people that do installing. Sometimes things look good on paper or now days on screen.  But in the field it is different.  We don't have a visible A/C junction box in the ceiling on the 2015 r-171.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Oct 2014 at 9:05am
I'd say that you've found the same thing as the rest of us.  Overall, quality is pretty good, but there are a few oddities here and there.  I'd also say that this approach is similar across the industry for trailers in this price range.

For the most part, I think that the manufacturers' philosophy is to do a decent job and then leave any fit-n-finish issues for the dealerships to address through warranty.  And, with issues like the sloppy work you've pointed out, maybe 3 out of 10 people would find it and would expend the effort to get it fixed.  That's 7 out of 10 who wouldn't bother - and that's a good chunk of change left in Forest River's pocket.

But, that's just me being pragmatic.

If you do take it back to your dealer to be fixed, ask them how they'll do it first.  If its anything less than replacing that ceiling tile (or whatever its called) and relocating the box, I'd suggest pushing it all the way up to Forest River if necessary for an appropriate fix.
Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Oct 2014 at 9:15am
Originally posted by Blue's Pod

...We don't have a visible A/C junction box in the ceiling on the 2015 r-171.


I'm guessing it's under the shroud where it belongs. Smile
Cliff & Raelynn
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Oct 2014 at 9:28am
Originally posted by Outbound

 If you do take it back to your dealer to be fixed, ask them how they'll do it first.  If its anything less than replacing that ceiling tile (or whatever its called) and relocating the box, I'd suggest pushing it all the way up to Forest River if necessary for an appropriate fix.

The reality of what you are suggesting to have it fixed properly is helping me get over it, quickly. Smile


If it starts to gnaw at me I'll probably just trim the plate and protect whats exposed with something flat under the shroud in that one small corner. Thumbs Up 
Cliff & Raelynn
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Oct 2014 at 9:54am
Interesting- my 179 has no such junction box cover plate, all connections are under the A/C cover-
I've owned many campers and never have I seen such a situation-   connections have always been made under the A/C cover.

 I'm thinking someone at the factory screwed up and that is their "cover up".  

Be interesting to pull that plate off and see if there are even any connections in there.....
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Oct 2014 at 10:58am
That is the kind of thing that drives me crazy.  Could you imagine Honda doing that?  Would you accept it from Honda?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Oct 2014 at 11:44am
I'm with JStrube:  It's the kind of sloppiness that can drive most of us nuts!

You're probably now in a quandary:  Do you take the time, trouble & hassle to take it to an FR dealer?  Or do you trim the cover plate to get rid of the gap?  Neither is particularly satisfactory since it could/should have been right in the first place.

If it were me:  I'd take it to the dealer & get it done right.  After all, it's brand spanking new! If I were to trim the plate then, every time I looked up to change a vent, I'd get ticked off.  Then I'd have to go have a Jack Daniels to get calmed down.  Then I'd need an Alka Seltzer to get my stomach settled down.  And then ... 

But .. YMMV.  Good luck whichever way you go.  And "get a life"?  Hell no .. Like I said, the dang thing is brand new!  (See?  I'm getting worked up, and it's your trailer!  I think I need anger management counseling.)
John & Teri
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Oct 2014 at 2:12pm
Here is my pet peeve, and I have seen a lot worse in other pods.

If you want something done right, do it yourself.
2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Oct 2014 at 2:17pm
Now that's an interesting backband and jack-miter! Do your best and caulk the rest? Confused

fred
2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
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