Broken Welds - 182g 2014 - Part 2.

No returned email or phone call from Forest River.  I will send another message and call again next week.  

The slide out position and angle has now changed - as it is now where it should have been.  The slide out really tipped on an angle as it was extended.  (much worse than before)  ... so I've taken out the flooring to access this area and found that the slide mechanism is attached to 1.5" wooden boards that do not appear to be attached to anything.  They appear to be sitting on the bottom layer of plywood lauan(sp),  and are not attached anywhere.  So as the slide extends this is lifting.  Once it is balanced and the slide is out all of the way - the wood returns to the floor level.  Hope the photos demonstrate this better than my words.  This lifting would not have been visible before I took up the flooring, as it would have been under the flooring and under the slide out.  

How do we stabilize these boards or stop them from rocking up and down, when the slide out is moved?  Any suggestions?  

The bolts that attach the mechanism seem to the floor(?) seem to have moved over time.  See last pic.  Is this normal?  is there a way to adjust and level the slide out?  

Looking forward to the next step.  We want to go camping!

Belinda

PM me if you so wish.

*1

Floor failure and frame failure are completely different. Manufacturer, fab techniques, materials, and causes of the two types of failure are all different. 

There is one thing in common though. Both are the end result of FR's quest to minimize cost and weight of their products. That is what they rightly believe their customers want from them. If you want a better built, heavier, more expensive trailer there are several excellent options out there. 

Actually second within a month dealing with floor welds and from this group. I belong to several other and the FR related weld issue is coming up frequently now (more than wished for). Close an eye to the signs if so inclined Stephen or take preventive action (again, if so inclined).

Safe Travels!

Okay, your sources of information have given you additional cases that I had not seen. I do keep an eye on my RPod as the last thing I want is for it to start falling apart on me. I have had some leak problems (check my mods and you will see. The water heater one was one that was challenging to find), but I think I have them all resolved now. I know the floor issue for a water damaged and sagging floor was broken welds. That same topic also mentioned the slide-out mechanism dropping also which make sense because that mechanism is in the floor, not in the walls like the Schwintek mechanism in the current RPods.  The other, IIRC, was a broken rear cross-member from putting too much weight on the rear receiver (bicycle rack).  These are the only topics with broken welds in the last 6 months.

I think adding at least a couple of supports would be a good idea so I will likely be trying to find a place that can do that. Meanwhile, I will be keeping an eye on things to make sure I don't see any signs that the floors might be sagging.

That doesn't sound good. Can't find that member name on this forum, was that here or somewhere else?

Yes, I saw that also and read that he added additional cross-members under the floor to strengthen it. His was a case of much use and the foam layer starting to break down. This was entirely unrelated to leaks though and was only in the high-traffic area. Nothing there indicated broken welds or sagging around the walls.

Edit: His name is John Marucci and he has a YouTube channel "On the Road." https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDHVRHLcWnqiy-QMWDBj1Ig/featured - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDHVRHLcWnqiy-QMWDBj1Ig/featured

1st warranty issue video, including floor problem:

https://youtu.be/6g4RJZdfy7c - https://youtu.be/6g4RJZdfy7c

2nd warranty issue video dealing with the floor primarily, including detail around the factory fix:

https://youtu.be/vGOfQqqu18o - https://youtu.be/vGOfQqqu18o

Wet floor causing a weld break... especially aluminum.. that in the lifespan of a good weld?? Ya, convince yourself it's fine... 

Guys, really, enough has been said about such. Pay attention if you wish to your rig to last! 

Did you watch the video? As StephenH and John Marucci have said, that was a sagging floor in the 179 kitchen area between the frame rails. What does that have to do with weld breaks at the walls?  Please explain.

As I said, the floor design is not robust, it is as light and low cost as FR could make it. Clearly, it is prone to water damage and to sagging from heavy use, at least in the 179 kitchen area and it sounds like in the 181 as well. Whether it is adequate for in individual owner or not depends on how much use the trailer gets, how heavy the folks using it are, and on keeping it dry. 

Here is an interesting post I found this on another Forest River forum -it may be useful as a method of reinforcing the floor in our 179's.  It is about reinforcing the water tanks, but the same concept could be used for floor reinforcement.

Vann

https://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/f217/has-your-fresh-water-tank-grown-a-belly-212330-2.html

sorry, the link above is for the last page of that post-here is the correct link for the entire post

https://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/f217/has-your-fresh-water-tank-grown-a-belly-212330.html

Vann