Bathroom walls deforming
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Topic: Bathroom walls deforming
Posted By: Dirt Road Warrior
Subject: Bathroom walls deforming
Date Posted: 24 Jun 2017 at 7:45pm
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OK, it's insanely hot in Phoenix this week, we all know it. The bathroom walls in our new 179 are getting kind of wavy and deformed. Dealer says it's the heat and that's probably true. Has anyone else had this happen? When we bought it, there was one big bubble at the wall edge to the left of the door and the dealer fixed that very nicely. But now all the walls are not flat panels any longer. ------------- Dirt Road Warrior 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited or 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2017 Rpod 179 Hood River |
Replies:
Posted By: Kup-Pod
Date Posted: 09 Jul 2017 at 8:47pm
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I just had the same thing happen with my 2017 178, I think it has to do with the new style panels they are using for 2017. The three sided panel seems fine (although it is wavy, the seals remain intact) but the single panel beside the door looks like it has expanded in the heat causing it to become wavy and separating from the wall. I have to see how things go but will be calling the dealership as well. Does anyone else have this problem with the newer style and has anyone heard of any dialogue form Forest River on this? K&S ------------- 2017 RP-178 2021 F150 5.0l "Lead me on a level path" |
Posted By: Podizzi
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2017 at 7:20am
| Same here. Have had the 179 for only 2 months and walls are wavy and seem to be pulling away. Have not contacted dealer yet as I have a few other items that need correction. I attest to ungodly heat in Phoenix. |
Posted By: Dirt Road Warrior
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2017 at 4:59pm
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Good news. If you get away from the insane heat the waviness goes away. ------------- Dirt Road Warrior 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited or 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2017 Rpod 179 Hood River |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2017 at 8:33pm
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Come to northern Michigan to escape the heat. Our high was 68, but it was misty and cloudy all day long.
------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: Dirt Road Warrior
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 9:36am
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Sounds delightful. We'd probably need sweatshirts! ------------- Dirt Road Warrior 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited or 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2017 Rpod 179 Hood River |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 9:46am
------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: rawest50
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 9:54am
I have never visited Michigan. When is a great time of year to visit? ------------- 2017.5 RPod 179 2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler 2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab 2 Weiner dogs Great wife puts up with my BS ❤️ Thoroughbred Racing. 
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Posted By: Subzilla
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 10:37am
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Would like to know the answer to this, too! Have a 2017 179 but haven't notice panel deformation, yet. Been in the 90's for the last few weeks here and have not peeked in the trailer since before the heat. ------------- Mark Concord, NC 2017 RP 179 "Podzilla" 2011 Silverado 1500 4X4 |
Posted By: Kup-Pod
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 10:56am
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I think the issue is expansion with heat. The one piece, three sided panel that goes around from behind the toilet, along the outside wall and then wraps around to include the sink seems to hold it's shape ok, it just gets a bit warpy when the heat is high. The single panel beside the door (immediately to your left as you open the door) is the problem, it pulls away from the wall because it is fastened securely at the bottom and the top by the screws as well as the screws for the pocket-hanger that is attached. It looks like they changed materials but didn't take into account thermal expansion. K&S ------------- 2017 RP-178 2021 F150 5.0l "Lead me on a level path" |
Posted By: Dirt Road Warrior
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 8:43pm
------------- Dirt Road Warrior 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited or 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2017 Rpod 179 Hood River |
Posted By: Dirt Road Warrior
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 8:46pm
------------- Dirt Road Warrior 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited or 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2017 Rpod 179 Hood River |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 9:16pm
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originally posted by rawest50 I have never visited Michigan. When is a great time of year to visit? Just finished Cherry Festival week in Traverse City, ended with a finale of the Thunderbirds flying team. Summers are always a hit, lots of water and beaches. Where we reside (25 miles north of Traverse City) the very end of September thru mid October you find the forests ablaze with spectacular color. Reds, yellows, oranges, and violets will make your eyes dance with amazement. If you like picking sweet cherries there are many orchards you can go to and pick to your hearts, and appetites content right now! ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: PilotPodder
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2017 at 11:07am
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I posted elsewhere about this same issue. What are owners doing about it? Going back to the dealer, DIY fixes, contacting FR directly? ------------- Portage, MI — 2017 RPod 179 - sold / 2017 Toyota Tundra — https://johnmarucci.com/r-pod-video-list/ - My RPod YouTube Videos |
Posted By: Subzilla
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2017 at 7:22am
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I confirmed that I have the same issue. Checked the shower late afternoon yesterday with 95 degree heat. Wavy walls plus the piece directly to the left had an edge bowing out that I could see under. I checked it this morning with 70 degrees and the walls were almost flat again. I could still feel a little waviness. What concerns me is the long term impacts to where the one caulked corner is and to what is under the paneling attempting to hold it in place. Will the caulk separate/crack due to uneven expansion of the 2 panels? Will the adhesive give out under the panels? I don't guess anyone has contacted FR yet. Seems like the ultimate solution would be to replace the whole shower with something that doesn't expand. If you start "nailing" it down in the middle, something has to give and will move the expansion to another location. ------------- Mark Concord, NC 2017 RP 179 "Podzilla" 2011 Silverado 1500 4X4 |
Posted By: Subzilla
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2017 at 7:40am
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Just sent the FR RPOD service person an email about this. I will call them if I don't get a satisfactory response. ------------- Mark Concord, NC 2017 RP 179 "Podzilla" 2011 Silverado 1500 4X4 |
Posted By: Subzilla
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2017 at 7:41am
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Seems like this post ought to be moved the warranty section of the forum....., ------------- Mark Concord, NC 2017 RP 179 "Podzilla" 2011 Silverado 1500 4X4 |
Posted By: Dirt Road Warrior
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2017 at 9:08am
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My dealer (Tom's Camperland in Surprise AZ) fixed the single panel problem by adding a bit of trim on the edge nearest the door. That trim is stiff and screwed down and caulked. It's seemed to hold up so far this summer and the three sided panel goes flat when I take the camper up near Flagstaff and the weather is cooler. I agree the material is probably not the right stuff for anywhere where it gets hot, but I doubt Forest River will change it out. I just wish I could turn around in there while I shower without bumping into the sink, walls or opening the curtain. But that's my problem for being kind of wide and I could have bought the 180 for the bigger bathroom. But wifey wanted the big kitchen and she's little so the shower is fine for her. ------------- Dirt Road Warrior 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited or 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2017 Rpod 179 Hood River |
Posted By: Subzilla
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2017 at 9:12am
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Prior to FR changing to this new shower wall, they offered a sink delete kit which essentially patched the hole after you remove the sink. I called FR to ask for the kit and they said they didn't (couldn't?) offer a kit for the newer material. Others here have removed the sink and said it made a huge difference! ------------- Mark Concord, NC 2017 RP 179 "Podzilla" 2011 Silverado 1500 4X4 |
Posted By: Dirt Road Warrior
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2017 at 9:21am
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Thanks, I've read about removing the sink, but I'm not sure I'd want to risk messing up whatever is behind it. I've only used the shower twice because we've stayed at state parks or Forest Service campgrounds that have showers. I'll use them for now or shower outside if we ever go dispersed camping. ------------- Dirt Road Warrior 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited or 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2017 Rpod 179 Hood River |
Posted By: Subzilla
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2017 at 12:44pm
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My email request to FR: Purchased our 179
this past March and love it. I'm an RPOD-Owners Forum member and just started
seeing posts about shower wall deformation and responses that attribute it to
heat. Sure enough, I checked mine yesterday with 90 degrees here in Carolina
and saw very wavy shower walls and the edge of one buckling out enough I could
see under it. I checked this morning with 70 degrees and walls had gone back to
almost normal...still a little waviness. I have some concerns about the long
term impacts to the caulking between the 2 panels and uneven expansion. And to
the adhesive method under the panels. You will soon be getting more inquiries
about this since I understand the 179 (and other models?) are now using a new,
different shower material. Has there been any discussion/resolution about this? Their reply: Good Afternoon Mark, I do apologize that you are experiencing these issues, but we have not had complaints about this issue. I ran your vin number and it looks like this unit was manufactured in February of this year, we have not made any changes to the R-Pod shower surrounds since your unit was manufactured. Not much of an answer...my reply: Thanks for the response. I realize you haven’t made
changes since February but the shower surrounds are different from before
then. Any thoughts on the problem?  ------------- Mark Concord, NC 2017 RP 179 "Podzilla" 2011 Silverado 1500 4X4 |
Posted By: PilotPodder
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2017 at 1:02pm
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Maybe send them a link to the forum thread where a few of us mention this? ------------- Portage, MI — 2017 RPod 179 - sold / 2017 Toyota Tundra — https://johnmarucci.com/r-pod-video-list/ - My RPod YouTube Videos |
Posted By: Podizzi
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2017 at 12:43pm
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Took my pod to Tom’s Camperland in Mesa, AZ and they added a piece of trim also like Dirt Road Warrior. Seems to have fixed problem but we will see what 110 degree temps do to it next summer. ------------- Podizzi 2017 rpod 179 2016 Toyota Sequoia Phoenix, AZ |
Posted By: PodBarb
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2017 at 8:19pm
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New to this, but recall reading that the slight bulge at the bottom left at entry is normal to allow condensation to evaporate. It does seem that a continuing expansion suggest that may not have been true, although the surround is just attached at the punch-pin type things. Would love to hear of a fix if needed. Or maybe live with it or replace with something better.... ------------- 2017 RPod 171 2017 Kia Sorento SX |