Quote:
Originally Posted by clovermanjeeps@att.net
The spouse and I bought a slightly used (8500 miles) Thor FE22 in late 2019 and have enjoyed it on short trips and 3 weeks on the Gulf coast in March. While there, a neighbor who had a similar newer RV advised to check for rusted out screws which hold the bottom metal trim strip to the slide out face. Sure enough, the spouse used her fingernail to dislodge the screw tops of five of six screws that had rusted from the inside out. Took so little pressure that it didn't even chip her nail polish! This is on a one year old RV. While we like the RV and it pulls our Jeep nicely, I agree with many that the fit and finish (particularly inside) is cheap, flimsy, and third rate. Yep, we know. We get what we pay for...but....the Ford chassis and powertrain seem good.
Question. I dropped RV off today to have it checked. The tech was "dumbfounded". I'll go no further on that one. Can anybody advise me on what to expect? I'm thinking water instrusion that has impacted slide out floor.
Thanks and look forward to any ideas.
Thanks
Carl and Kim
Knoxville, TN
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It’s a pretty basic coach but if you pay close attention to maintaining it - especially sealing against water leaks - it will give you many years of good service. I recommend you do a full exam 3 or 4 times a year. It usually takes me about an hour and a half and I nearly always find something that needs to be addressed. I go over the entire roof on my hands and knees looking for cracks or separation in the sealant. Check EVERY penetration in the roof and the sidewalls. Especially where the front and rear caps attach to the body and underneath the cab overhang. Use a ladder and check around each window, fixture and attachment. Check the taillights. And in between inspections pay attention to your senses. If you see water someplace it’s not supposed to be figure it out and put a stop to it. Look for bubbling in the wall covering (like hard pimples) especially below the windows. On a class C like yours check the fiberglass body immediately behind the cab (where it’s at a right angle to the side of the vehicle) near the bottom. Look for swelling or separation of the wood behind the fiberglass. Then use the correct RV specific product to repair issues. Self leveling lap sealant on the roof and polyurethane caulk on the sides. If you do find a sidewall separation it’s probably better to have a professional repair it but don’t put it off. It helps to be “handy”. If you’re not, still do the inspections so you can make sure your repair service does good work. If they don’t it’s usually not too hard to find another shop. I like independent shops that don’t sell RVs because their future depends on doing good, timely repairs. These things are pretty maintenance intensive because they’re built light and lead a hard life. But they’re also pretty simple. Good luck! Don’t forget to have fun!!
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