P Poor welding - Dutchmen Owners
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Old 09-13-2015, 11:26 PM   #1
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P Poor welding

I have a 2011 Denali 5th wheel 282REX we bought new that must have been a Friday night special. Aside from replacing a converter and two blowouts I'm now faced with removing the underbelly liner to re-weld the cross truss directly in front of the front axel. On our first long trip after reaching new England we experienced loud noises when stepping on the floor in front of the stove close to the dinette side of the unit. I cut an inspection hole in the belly liner in an attempt to determine how serious this was and if it was structural. I was able to grasp the truss and found it was moveable. Used my phone camera to take picture and observed a lousy job of welding that broke lose. Now have to either cut an access hole or remove the belly liner. Has anyone else experienced this and if so did the dealer or factory stand behind the work to be done?
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Old 09-17-2015, 08:29 PM   #2
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update, had local RV specialist check this out and confirmed that the truss was not welded properly, insurance adjuster rejected claim due to being factory defect. Called factory, they said an "authorized/certified and sanctified Dutchman dealer had to make the assessment. Called Camping world, where I bought the unit and was informed they would charge their $129 an hour shop rate to verify the defect. Am going back to RV specialist to get it welded for $50. Good by Thor/keystone/Dutchman and CW.
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Old 09-18-2015, 04:44 PM   #3
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update, had local RV specialist check this out and confirmed that the truss was not welded properly, insurance adjuster rejected claim due to being factory defect. Called factory, they said an "authorized/certified and sanctified Dutchman dealer had to make the assessment. Called Camping world, where I bought the unit and was informed they would charge their $129 an hour shop rate to verify the defect. Am going back to RV specialist to get it welded for $50. Good by Thor/keystone/Dutchman and CW.
If you have the same sort of mess of wiring and plumbing I found when I upgraded the brakes it's a good time to tie up the wiring and plumbing that's being chafed on the frame cross members.

I would like to know these guys can keep their CSA certification putting out the crap that they do.
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Old 09-18-2015, 08:55 PM   #4
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Dutchman Denali

Thanks, good suggestion, I enlarged the bottom inspection hole and the bottom welding was just a mess of splatters. That is what broke lose. I drilled through the frame and truss and set a 3/8" bolt, will also get it welded but before I do, I'll tie up the wiring as it is just draped over the truss. Makes me wonder what else is concealed above the belly liner.
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Old 09-18-2015, 11:41 PM   #5
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Thanks, good suggestion, I enlarged the bottom inspection hole and the bottom welding was just a mess of splatters. That is what broke lose. I drilled through the frame and truss and set a 3/8" bolt, will also get it welded but before I do, I'll tie up the wiring as it is just draped over the truss. Makes me wonder what else is concealed above the belly liner.
Crushed water lines and 120V wires between the floor and the tanks It's not just in the belly pan.

I installed a surge protector and solar panels, I put the surge monitor and charge controller above the thermostat. When I made the openings for the monitors I find a 120V wire lose inside the wall and it had been rubbing on the 1 1/2" screw that the rocket scientist used to fasten the T-stat base. There was bare copper showing!

The T-stat was close enough to a stud so I could put a cable clamp.

Imagine a qualified electrician wiring a house has to secure the wiring to the studs/joists without any slack or face the rath of the building inspector. But the RV industry can violate about every electrical code there is and let you run down the road rubbing the insulation off the wiring.
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Old 09-19-2015, 12:35 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by DavidPLarson View Post
update, had local RV specialist check this out and confirmed that the truss was not welded properly, insurance adjuster rejected claim due to being factory defect. Called factory, they said an "authorized/certified and sanctified Dutchman dealer had to make the assessment. Called Camping world, where I bought the unit and was informed they would charge their $129 an hour shop rate to verify the defect. Am going back to RV specialist to get it welded for $50. Good by Thor/keystone/Dutchman and CW.
Right there is why I do ALL of my repairs! Warranty or not. Not to mention the time wasted waiting on the dealer and factory to go back and forth for weeks on end.

Aaron
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Old 09-19-2015, 02:20 AM   #7
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Right there is why I do ALL of my repairs! Warranty or not. Not to mention the time wasted waiting on the dealer and factory to go back and forth for weeks on end.

Aaron
Agree with you Aaron, but don't make it right that the RV industry can produce a $&it!, and all too often unsafe.
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Old 09-19-2015, 11:13 AM   #8
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Agree with you Aaron, but don't make it right that the RV industry can produce a $&it!, and all too often unsafe.
I understand, and have no clue how to fix the problem, other than to do a thorough PDI and only spend you money on quality units. Unfortunately it seems the companies that took pride in a quality build seem to disappear, Teton is one that comes to mind. The early Heartland 5vers and the DRV Mobile Suites were very well built units, not so much since they got bought out by Thor. Another one was Sunline, now gone. I still see quite a few 15 and 20 year old Sunline trailers on the road. Those were your basic wood frame trailers, but they were built well and last. There are so many "brands" on the market now with most of them being owned by either Thor or Forest River it is hard to make any distinction, then you have companies like Dutchmen (owned by Thor) that apparently got so bad that their upper management was replaced by Keystone management teams. I hate to say it, but somehow RV's need to be better regulated in their quality and safety, the self regulation under the RVIA doesn't seem to work in many cases.

Aaron
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