Poor construction... Has me a bit worried.

[Skaling]

So, 6 trips in with the new trailer and my back rest for my dinnet has pushed away from the rear of the bench. I can't believe that these were just stapled together. So, from the campsite, went to local Home Depot, $12 worth of brackets and screws and it's fixed. Seriously Jayco, $12 to make this seat bullet proof and you couldn't do it from the factory? I hope the rest of the trailer staples don't start popping out that easy.

[mcfarmall]

You just answered your own question. Jayco saved $12 on the amount they have to spend to build a trailer so why would they spend $12 when you would spend it for them? These things are not constructed by licensed builders. They are built by the kids who never took school seriously and the companies are run by the kids who DID take school seriously. It's the nature of the beast.

[33 RLDS]

What ?? Its not Amish Craftsman ? Hahahahaha

[ninjahbob]

Jayco's mission remains unchanged – to build exemplary RV's and provide customers with extraordinary service after the sale. It’s what separates us from other RV manufacturers. Really!!!
It’s pitiful and it has gotten worse in the past year. Quality has been thrown out the window at Jayco. Quality control starts at the top. They need to hold people accountable and responsible.

[cekkk]

" Quality control starts at the top. They need to hold people accountable and responsible."

I am amazed at how seldom adequate pay to warrant quality workmanship is mentioned when product quality is discussed. On the contrary, what we hear is American workers need to compete with child labor in India.

A very important link in the quality chain is the guy at the bottom of the food chain, the guy that does, or doesn't, drive those screws into that cabinet. If his compensation package would be difficult to match elsewhere, he's more likely to drive all the screws properly all the time. On the other hand, if he can walk across the road to McD's and get the same pay, he might be going to work every day with the Johnny Paycheck attitude - Take this Job and Shove It.

[thecampingcat]

I like to believe that our observations matter to those running the show if for no other reason than they are still independently owned and not Berkshire Hathaway that's loaded with middle management afraid to make decisions. So, let them know
This forum is powerful. We ARE Jayco as much or more so than they are.. btw you should expect more responses to this thread defending craftsmanship and rightly so by industry comparison

[tawoo]

I don't want to say "junk" but when mine did the same thing right after I bought it that word went through my mind. I have a thread titled " a little disappointed in Jayco". Most people agreed with my complaint and some didn't. Personally I agree with you. These TT are not hundred dollars items they are thousands of dollars purchases. There has to be something better to use then staples.

[clubhouse]

I had a similar thing happen on my 2012 26BH. The back didn't get as far as pulling staples from the bench, but what I did notice was the L bracket that attached the back to the wall had the screws strip out. I drilled out the stripped holes, plugged and glues it it with a wood dowel, then re-set the screws. Took 15 min, a couple hours including time for the glue to cure, but that back was solid up till the day I sold that TT.

In my case I attribute the issue simply to using pnematic screw drivers on particle board. The torc must have been a bit high for the wood and stripped it. Not sure that it would have been caught in the factory or by the dealer since it was pretty firm at first. However after a few trips the screws back out that the issue showed its self. Certainly could have made a warranty claim, but I didn't mind doing the repair myself.

[bigbird]

"Quality control begins at the top". You got that right and so often it is cheap engineering as much as it is poor workmanship. Take a look at those flimsy little staples and you'll see you can't always blame workmanship if they brake loose. Kind of reminds me of the late seventies when the big three were criticized for putting out junk and they were. My 79 Pontiac and could have been ford or chrysler was the worst car I ever had. Armrest pulled through the screws because of poor design and the black paint flaked of the window molding since it was just painted over chrome(no primer) if black was your option. My point is its not always workmanship but that doesn't matter these things shouldn't happed.

[mgoodwin]

Our brand new 2014 X17Z had one of the upper cabinet doors fall off on our first trip. The screws for the hinges were stripped in the fiberboard they use (not wood).
Luckily when it came off it twisted, got hung up and didn't fall to the floor, otherwise I would have been looking for a new door as well.
Not impressed.

[jsgrunst]

I've been reading quite a few recent posts about the (lack of) quality of new trailers. I own a 1986 Jayco Eagle 29' trailer that I bought from a salvage company because the bottom panels had been ripped off. The previous owner(s) obviously took great care of this little gem, but there is not a thing original to the trailer that has been a problem. I sometimes think of upgrading to a newer model, but I would hate to go backwards!

[eldermike]

Our kids grew up in travel trailers and I can't tell you the number of things I fixed on 3 different trailers while they were growing up. At one point I sort of felt like they could tear up an anvil using nothing more than a corncob. But they grew up fine and I fixed all the things they broke. I would hear doors slam and things pulled to limits, broke up fights at night over sleeping assignments. Always had something to put back together.

They grew up and moved away, not far but away.

My wife and I never break things and with the last two trailers we've had zero issues on either one.

I love to see all the kids at campground and it reminds me of all the bicycle fixing I used to do. Handle bars crooked broke spokes, you name it I fixed it. So today my wife and I ride about 100 miles a week on bicycles and I never fix them, we just ride them and clean the chains, stuff like that.

I am sure I thought camper trailers were junk at one point in time but that's all gone now. After 35 years of buying them I can say they were not built better in the good old days.

[SecretCoveDave]

Thanks for the perspective.

[Grumpy]

For those of you who are really disappointed in the quality of your unit:

Derald Bontrager
President and CEO JAYCO Inc.
903 S. Main St.
Middlebury, IN 46540

Matt Thompson, President
JAYCO Towable Division
903 S. Main St.
Middlebury, IN 46540

Besure to include the Model and Vin#

[Allen B]

I bought a new White Hawk which was delivered this February. I had multiple issues with non working appliances, doors coming off and fit and finish. Even with all the frustration, we do very much like the camper. I had an opportunity to tour the factory in May. I saw young workers working extremely fast with power tools, used at all angles. I was told by the tour guide that when line section employees meet the days' quota, they can leave. They push each other and I think this is where the quality problems occur. Have a financial bonus for quality and I think this would serve Jayco better. I know the repair of misassembled and damaged brakes on my unit cost them over $900.00 under warranty because I had it done on the road.

[bigbird]

Funny how with all the recalls we've had in the automotive industry lately it seems that there more design related than poor workmanship usually trying to save a few cents. Maybe that's not the case though with the RV industry.

[BNear]

Originally Posted by ninjahbob

Jayco's mission remains unchanged – to build exemplary RV's and provide customers with extraordinary service after the sale. It’s what separates us from other RV manufacturers. Really!!!
It’s pitiful and it has gotten worse in the past year. Quality has been thrown out the window at Jayco. Quality control starts at the top. They need to hold people accountable and responsible.

Like any company, Jayco makes things that will have trouble. I think it's kind of unfair to suggest that they somehow don't stand behind their mission statement. The OP didn't say whether or not the trailer was taken in for service because of this particular problem so we can't say that Jayco didn't provide "extraordinary service of the sale" if they weren't given the chance to do so. I work for a company that manufactures 80% of the clamps that are used in every vehicle manufactured world wide. The company is still small enough to be privately held but large enough to be in every market throughout the world. We often run into situations where our customers are not happy with something, the issue isn't necessarily whether or not your product is perfect 100% of the time, it's how you deal with the problems when they do arise. Jayco looked after me the few times I had an issue, even out of warranty so I have to say I've never had a problem with how they resolved the problems.

[ninjahbob]

I am with you Allen B. Pay an incentive to motivate people not to make the expensive mistakes.

[cekkk]

Originally Posted by bigbird

Funny how with all the recalls we've had in the automotive industry lately it seems that there more design related than poor workmanship usually trying to save a few cents. Maybe that's not the case though with the RV industry.

Correct. There is far more automation in that industry, and you won't see people running around like gerbils from car to car.

And saving a few cents, I believe, had a lot to do with the success of imports now decades ago. It seemed to me that the suits would knowingly cheapen a part for a few cents/vehicle without regard to the end user, us. I've owned four Expeditions and can point to any number of interior parts that have been cheapened or eliminated. Lord knows what's happened underneath, although I have to say each has performed better than the previous one. I'd be happy to pay another $50 to get back some of the features in our '97 into DW's '13. And I doubt if they cut over ten or $20 costs by screwing around with what worked.

[spoon059]

Originally Posted by cekkk

And I doubt if they cut over ten or $20 costs by screwing around with what worked.

How many Expy's does Ford sell a year? $20 per car, estimate 100,000 Expeditions is TWO MILLION DOLLARS...

Easy to understand why they cut corners...