RE: Coleman ABS front panel cracked

TomToCamp · Sep 28, 2003, 07:05 PM

[:@]Front ABS panel cranked from screw out to edge about three inches. Dealer said Fleetwood will send panel, I have to pay shipping and install. Out of warranty.
Fleetwood CS said plastic can crack from time to time.
I should accept that they will send free panel.
I replied that expansion/contraction is not new.

Beware the plastic may be impact resistant, just don t let the temperature change.
Tom

jdr · Mar 13, 2003, 01:40 PM

TomToCampActually,

I thought that the ABS stress cracks were a manufacturers defect. I also have one on the rear ABS panel.

I remember hearing about this problem a lot on the old board and I THOUGHT it was a warranty fix.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Thanks

mike4947 · Mar 13, 2003, 02:25 PM

TomToCampSeems as though it s a warranty fix, IF the trailer is still under warranty. Most of the " cracks around the screws" were either right from the dealer or shortly there after. Coleman blamed that rash of cracks on overtightening of the fasteners holding the front and rear ABS panels in place. They must be like vinyl siding you need to not tighten the screws down to allow for temperature expansion.

ABS the miracle material.[

]

Tim5055 · Mar 13, 2003, 04:15 PM

TomToCampOK, let me think back... It s hard right now due to all the French wine I have been destroying.....

IIRC, the rash of cracked ABS end caps was due to an incorrect drill bit (too small) being used to drill the screw holes. Apparently when the screw was driven into the " too small" hole it started a crack.

Some quotes from the old board:

QuoteQuestion
As I m closing the clamps, what do I see but 2 cracks in the ABS plastic front and back end!!! The cracks start under the roof gasket and radiate outward about 3 inches each.

Reply
Been there, done that. (with the cracks) Less than a week after we got our 02 Sante Fe home in April, I noticed similar cracks on our rear ABS panel. They had been repaired (?) with some white stuff that looked like Liquid Paper. Needless to say, I wasn t pleased. I called my dealer and as soon as I started to mention " cracks on the rear" , they asked if they were up on the top by the seal. That s exactly where they were. Seems there was some trouble at the factory with the pilot holes for the screws being too small so they had a bunch on troubles with cracks. My dealer said he d order me a new panel and install it the next time it brought the PU in for service, which he did.

QuoteQuestion
My brand new 2002 Mesa has two 2 inch crach coming out of the screws on each of the top corners. What can I put on these cracks to ensure that they don t expand or lengthen? I don t want to drag this thing into Coleman and leave it there just for this.

Reply
Hey Tom -

had the same thing on our 02 Bayside - dealer noted it upon delivery. They ordered a new panel, and replaced the cracked one. Said it is due to using the wrong size " pilot" hole when attaching the panel in the manufacturing process

So, I think the " ABS panel crack" problem was limited to a very small production run in the 2002 model year. As yours is a 2000 I doubt if it has the same widespread problem. I also doubt if " expansion/contraction" is the problem or it would probably be a more widespread problem.

As the ABS panels are part of the 1 year warranty I m glad they are offering a new panel, but I would still send Coleman an e-mail (or call customer service) and ask if this is all they are going to do for you. It can t hurt and it may get them to cover more of the repair.

Rlacava · Mar 13, 2003, 07:37 PM

TomToCampHello I m new here to the message board. We have a 2002 bayside and just this past week opened it up to get ready for some spring camping and noticed 2 cracks on the rear panel coming out from the corner screws and 1 on the front panel also coming out from a corner screw. My wife called and spoke with our salesman and he told her to lay some clear rtv over the crack. I think we ll make a trip to our dealer and have the panels ordered and replaced as it is still under warranty. Thanks

TomToCamp · Mar 13, 2003, 09:29 PM

TomToCampHI Tim
Let me start out by saying that your website has been wealth of information in the past year/s. Thanks

Last fall I noticed what I thought was a crack, after reading other reports of this.
After looking close. it looked like a scratch and not a crack. This winter it opened up. That is why I think that it is expasion contraction and hole becomes the weak point.
I would just patch it but see if new panel will last.
e-mail customer service
Said I should accept that they are sending new panel. Yes they don t have to.

I don t have to buy a Fleetwood product again either.

Tim
[

]Due to your project: detachable shore power, you cost me more money.
I have one ?. Does your locking ring have threads or two twist locks.
Mine is hard to get locked I never did get it. I m going to let it warm up before I put more force on it. I just installed.
Tom

Tim5055 · Mar 13, 2003, 09:44 PM

TomToCamp

QuoteORIGINAL: TomToCamp
Last fall I noticed what I thought was a crack, after reading other reports of this.
After looking close. it looked like a scratch and not a crack. This winter it opened up. That is why I think that it is expasion contraction and hole becomes the weak point.

I may not hae been totally clear in my post. I was trying to point out that the " rash" of cracked front/rear panels last year had a specific cause other than expansion/contraction. This was not meant to make it appear that I did not believe your specific problem or it s cause.

QuoteI would just patch it but see if new panel will last.
e-mail customer service
Said I should accept that they are sending new panel. Yes they don t have to.

I don t have to buy a Fleetwood product again either.

I totaly agree with this statement. The service after a sale is what brings repeat customers back. See the Viking forum for an example of after sales support!

QuoteDue to your project: detachable shore power, you cost me more money.
I have one ?. Does your locking ring have threads or two twist locks.
Mine is hard to get locked I never did get it. I m going to let it warm up before I put more force on it. I just installed.

Sorry I cost you money, but I gave you back storage space in return[

]

Mine has what appears to be threads, but upon closer inspetion it is actually designed to use the two twist locks. Once in a blue moon I can get both to engage, but usually not without forcing. I have never had a problem with just inserting the connector and getting one of the two twist lock tabs to catch and hold it in place. When I have set up in a hurry I have just pushed it in and forgoten to try to lock it and also had no problems with power. This is one of those things I have on my list to look at when I get a minute, but there are fewer and fewer minutes available lately.

TomToCamp · Mar 13, 2003, 09:56 PM

TomToCampThat was a fast reply Tim thanks.
I wouldn t worry but have 2.5 yr old son who likes to turn things.
What I may do is maybe shave a angle on the tabs to get them to start.
[

]You left out the fact that I don t have to leave the seat to be the last thing put away, because I always have power cord stacked with stuff.
Tom

Tim5055 · Mar 13, 2003, 10:02 PM

TomToCamp

QuoteORIGINAL: TomToCamp

That was a fast reply Tim thanks.
I wouldn t worry but have 2.5 yr old son who likes to turn things.
What I may do is maybe shave a angle on the tabs to get them to start.
[]You left out the fact that I don t have to leave the seat to be the last thing put away, because I always have power cord stacked with stuff.
Tom

If you find the solution, let me know, it s one item I can cross off an ever growing list.

YellowXterra · Mar 14, 2003, 07:02 AM

TomToCampI have a 2002 Chyenne and my front and rear end caps cracked in the first 6 months of ownership. It was fixed under warranty but what a PITA!

whitestar505 · Mar 14, 2003, 07:22 AM

TomToCampI wonder sometime if it would be better just to fill the crack in with good old fiblerglass mix, like in the old car days.[&:]

mike4947 · Mar 14, 2003, 01:26 PM

TomToCampIf the stuff would stick to ABS that would be a solution. We did take and grind up a piece of old panel and mix it with ABS solvent glue. Worked pretty good as it actually welded the crack back together. It held up on a canoe so it should work on a PU panel that doesn t see the stress.

TomToCamp · Mar 14, 2003, 02:10 PM

TomToCampThere is a post on the old forums with that type of fix. There is also some good pictures off the removal of a rear panel and fix.
They used MEK (I have this, I use it to refresh wood filler.)
Mixed it with ABS shavings.
http://www.popuptimes.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19401
I saved this topic I will probaly need it in the future!
I still don t know if I m going to let dealer replace panel or I will.

Fleetwood Customer Service seems to happy that it is past warranty.
I will be happy to shop for a company on my next purchase.
Tom

DKing · Mar 14, 2003, 02:26 PM

TomToCampI think the ABS cracking problem is much more than a limited production error. Our 2002 Santa Fe had a large crack in the front panel when we picked it up new about a year ago. I had the dealer replace it before taking delivery.

About a month ago I noticed that both the front and back panels were cracked. Dealer replaced them again under warranty.

Now my concern is that the original one year warrenty has just expired, and the recent repair is only warrented for 90 day. I m afraid the panels will crack again next winter; but the repair will be on my dime. If so, Coleman will certainly hear about it loud and clear!

I d encourage anyone with cracking end panels to raise #)*$ with Coleman. It s clearly a manufacturing defect, not a limited production problem.

Dan

wynot · Mar 14, 2003, 02:54 PM

TomToCampThe cracking is a known issue. Haven t seen a repeat this year, yet, after the 3 cracks last year.

Our dealer is a piece of work though. When I called to complain about the cracks last year, he told me that they would go ahead and order the panels. Checked on it, and showed that they were in stock. Then when he found out it was still under warranty, he insisted they needed to see it first, before ordering them.

Then they didn t get around to ordering them for a week or so until they already were backordered. Our first trip of last year was with duct tape on the camper, even though they had one panel come in, they didn t want to do the work until they got both. Of course, they kept the camper the whole time, we had to pick it up and drop it back off with them. Even though we had warned them we had already had reservations for camping.

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