Leaving for Middlebury this Wednesday

Panhead · 09-22-2013, 05:53 PM

Well having made arrangements with Jayco about 3 months ago, I'm taking our trailer back to the plant to have the structural bracing installed and the sidewall crack repaired. I had arranged to do the trip ourselves for a couple of reasons, 1) I don't want some transport jockey pulling our trailer almost 5,000 miles round trip.. Sorry just don't trust them. 2) We thought we would make a trip out of it since Jayco is paying our fuel and expenses. I'm really saving them a few thousand dollars by doing this so when I asked about doing this they instantly gave me a yes.

After looking forward to this trip for some time, now the situation has changed and I'm making the trip without DW. We are in the process of buying a few acres with a new home on it and now have our house on the market. Additionally her 95 year old mother is in need of a bit of extra care at this time, so she is staying behind to take care of these things. What I was looking forward to for so long I am now looking it as a chore rather than an adventure.

One thing for sure, when I go it is going to be all out, stopping only for a few winks when needed then straight back as fast as I can.

The up side to all this is that when I get back we will have a solid chassis on our trailer and a new home foothills of the Sierra Mountains.

Steve

3330 · 09-22-2013, 07:27 PM

Well that's a shame that you have to make the trip solo. Please take care and stop enough to stay alert, and keep the shiny side up.

Happy Trails Steve

Jrmay25 · 09-22-2013, 08:01 PM

Safe travels Panhead.

hammer · 09-23-2013, 04:25 AM

My 5ver is there right now getting the same repair. They have had it for three weeks now and I haven't heard from them yet

Panhead · 09-23-2013, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hammer

My 5ver is there right now getting the same repair. They have had it for three weeks now and I haven't heard from them yet

This is another good reason to take it myself. I will be in a hotel on their dime which gives them an incentive to get it done. Did you drop it off your self or was it picked up at your dealer and hauled by a transport company?

As far as driving goes, that's no big deal since I drove for a living for 30 years or so. I'm just used to always having the DW with me in all our travels since retiring 4 years ago so it will be a bit lonely this time.

Steve

greenenvy1 · 09-23-2013, 08:05 AM

Drive safe, watch out for the lunatics out there. Last road trip I saw more than the usual amount it seemed. Take your time in Middlebury and take in some sights and maybe factory tours. If you head east on hwy 20 to Shipshewana you will see the 5 & 20 restaurant on your left. I've heard real good things about the food there but I've never stopped in myself. Not sure on fuel prices west of the Dakotas but diesel is always cheapest closets to Lake Station, In and into Middlebury. Not sure which Jayco factory you have to take your 5er to but the main one is on hwy 13 just south of hwy 20. BTW if you are not interested in taking the I80 into Middlebury PM me and I'll give you the better non toll road option.

troutslayer · 09-23-2013, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panhead

Well having made arrangements with Jayco about 3 months ago, I'm taking our trailer back to the plant to have the structural bracing installed and the sidewall crack repaired.

Steve

Say Steve, can you elaborate on the structural problem and cracked sidewall? Or, if you have a previous post about this problem, direct me there?
Thanks

Panhead · 09-23-2013, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hammer

My 5ver is there right now getting the same repair. They have had it for three weeks now and I haven't heard from them yet

Well I talked to Jayco today to confirm the dates. When the service advisor that is handling my repair called back and confirmed that we are in fact on target for the repair to begin Monday the 30th B-U-T they are not sure they can have it back to me by that Friday. The Fiberglass shop has been running a bit behind and I may have to stay over till the following Wednesday. Thats a total of 10 days sitting around Middlebury. Looks like I'm going to have plenty of time to see the sights, its just sad that I'll be doing it alone

Anybody got an extra ticket they want to sell for the Notre Dame that weekend?

Steve

Larry G. · 09-23-2013, 05:29 PM

Good trip East Steve...albeit solo.

At least you are taking it to the right place to get right.

**Crabman** · 09-23-2013, 05:54 PM

Best of luck with the trip and the repairs.....

Panhead · 09-23-2013, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutslayer

Say Steve, can you elaborate on the structural problem and cracked sidewall? Or, if you have a previous post about this problem, direct me there?
Thanks

Well Skip, I'm not alone with this issue but all the others I know of have a trailer based on the same chassis. The SuperLite 31.5RLTS and others in the 31.5 family of 5ers have experienced a small (in my case about 2.5" long) hairline crack from the forward bottom corner of the bedroom slide out opening extending toward the front of the trailer. The repair as I understand it takes off all the sheet metal skin under the overhang and they weld in some additional bracing. They remove the front cap and peel back the skin on the side and then replace and paint re apply what ever decals need replacing and that about does it.

Steve

troutslayer · 09-23-2013, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panhead

Well Skip, I'm not alone with this issue but all the others I know of have a trailer based on the same chassis. The SuperLite 31.5RLTS and others in the 31.5 family of 5ers have experienced a small (in my case about 2.5" long) hairline crack from the forward bottom corner of the bedroom slide out opening extending toward the front of the trailer. The repair as I understand it takes off all the sheet metal skin under the overhang and they weld in some additional bracing. They remove the front cap and peel back the skin on the side and then replace and paint re apply what ever decals need replacing and that about does it.

Steve

That kinda sucks! I asked the question because our previous 5er, which was 38' long, had a lot of frame flex when hooking and un-hooking from the TV. It made a lot of noise and was evident when looking at the closet framing at the inside bedroom area. Anyhow, It was a common problem with that manufacturer and was attributed to either insufficient sizing of the support beams AND/OR a weak connection between the upper and lower sections of the 5er. With all of that, we never saw a crack at any of the corners of bedroom the slide out so your issue must be something else. I feel bad that you have to live through this problem but at least by taking it back to the factory, they can see the underlying problem and hopefully remedy it on future products. Good luck!

Ela1948 · 09-25-2013, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panhead

Well Skip, I'm not alone with this issue but all the others I know of have a trailer based on the same chassis. The SuperLite 31.5RLTS and others in the 31.5 family of 5ers have experienced a small (in my case about 2.5" long) hairline crack from the forward bottom corner of the bedroom slide out opening extending toward the front of the trailer. The repair as I understand it takes off all the sheet metal skin under the overhang and they weld in some additional bracing. They remove the front cap and peel back the skin on the side and then replace and paint re apply what ever decals need replacing and that about does it.

Steve

Let us now how the repair goes, Steve. Ours is scheduled to go in next March for the same issue. Everyone that has responded about the repair, has been very happy with the results!! Our crack was about 4 in. In length. Best of luck!!!

Panhead · 10-03-2013, 06:10 PM

We'll this is my last night in Middlebury. Actually they put me up in Goshen about 12 miles away. Where the repair was surprised me. It wasn't the chassis that they braced, it was in the side wall. They added some framing in that area of the side wall. I will get a look at it tomorrow. They also took care of a couple of other items, one of which was to correct a lousy repair that my local stealer did on the wire harness at the pin box.

The people at the Jayco service center couldn't have been nicer. Special thanks to Ron Yutzy who was the service writer that handled coordinating all the different stages of the project. Re affirms my decision to purchase Jayco.

While there I was able to take both tours, one in the Eagle Premier and Pinnacle fivers and the other of the class C line. Also went to the RV Museum in Elkhart and ate at Essenhaus, what a meal. Saw some beautiful countryside and the farms are very impressive, especially the Amish farms.

That's it for now

Steve

Larry G. · 10-03-2013, 06:41 PM

Good to hear everything went well Steve.

Learn anything in the production tours?

Safe trip back home.

Grumpy · 10-03-2013, 07:37 PM

Glad you posted the results, That is the same type of experience we had at the service center and with Ron. That is normally what occurs 99% of the time

Ela1948 · 10-07-2013, 09:27 AM

Glad to hear that your service trip turned out to be so pleasant!! Did they request that you fully unload your rig?? Ours goes in March and that was the request that they made of us..

Panhead · 10-12-2013, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry G.

Good to hear everything went well Steve.

Learn anything in the production tours?

Safe trip back home.

Sure did, they use the same veneer wood to construct the cabinets in the high end units as they use in the lower end units like ours. That was disappointing. Also learned that I wish I had an extra couple hundred thousand laying around so I could buy one of those awesome Senecas they build. It was also interesting to learn that Jayco only builds sold units, nothing on spec and that ALL units are PAID FOR IN FULL before they are released to the transporter and leave the factory. Let me tell you, there are a LOT of units parked on their property waiting for delivery.

Steve

Larry G. · 10-12-2013, 09:01 AM

Thanks Steve and I assume you are back home.?.

Panhead · 10-12-2013, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ela1948

Glad to hear that your service trip turned out to be so pleasant!! Did they request that you fully unload your rig?? Ours goes in March and that was the request that they made of us..

Since I brought the trailer there myself they only asked that I have the bed stripped (they had to remove the bedroom slide) and have the left side of the basement storage cleared.

Steve

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