Coleman Roof

[Springbok]

When the conversation gets round to pre 2003 PU's and the pros and cons of the main brands Coleman seems generally to get a pretty good rating.  I've also heard that Coleman is well known for roof problems; sagging in particular.  I'm interested to know more about this.  For example was this problem applicable to all Coleman models and for all years or only certain models of a specific vintage?  I would have thought that if the problem was as wide spread as some seem to suggest Coleman would have had to address it or face going out of business.  As this brand seems to have remained popular to the end it must surely have been addressed; if so how and when?

[TriadGuyGSO]

I have a 1999 Coleman Sea Pine with A/C....No Sag what-so-ever!

When the conversation gets round to pre 2003 PU's and the pros and cons of the main brands Coleman seems generally to get a pretty good rating.  I've also heard that Coleman is well known for roof problems; sagging in particular.  I'm interested to know more about this.  For example was this problem applicable to all Coleman models and for all years or only certain models of a specific vintage?  I would have thought that if the problem was as wide spread as some seem to suggest Coleman would have had to address it or face going out of business.  As this brand seems to have remained popular to the end it must surely have been addressed; if so how and when?

[AustinBoston]

I am the original owner of a 2000 Coleman Fleetwood Bayside that still has it's original roof.

Roof Sag first appeared in the 1996 model year Coleman/Fleetwood products.  To varying degrees, it affected either all models or all models except the little Taos.

The root cause was essentialy a delamination between the ABS shells (inner and outer) and the foam core between them.

Once delaminated, the roof could not support it's own weight and would sag in the middle.  If the sag was bad enough, the seals on the front and back would no longer contact the camper wall, and water could enter the camper.  Huge amounts of water would enter at the front bunk if the camper was towed in the rain.

Fleetwood's first attempt to fix the problem was to eliminate the two vendors that made the defective roofs.  But it was just a matter of time until it was clear that all three vendors had the problem.  This may have helped, but did not solve the problem.

The next fix came in the form of an internal, front-to-back stiffening brace.  Again, this helped, but did not solve the problem.  Some people have looked at a side-to-side square brace and thought that was the stiffener, but it isn't.  That brace is intended to carry the weight of an air conditioner, not to keep the roof from sagging.

The problem improved several times between 1996 and 2003, but there was never a "magic bullet" that cured it.

There have been claims of an internal Fleetwood memo that said the problem affected as many as 10% of roofs.  I have never seen it or heard from anyone claiming that they saw it themselves.

Observations that I have heard (but can not prove):
* 12 foot boxes are at greater risk thatn 10 foot boxes; 10 foot boxes are at greater risk than 8 foot boxes.  I have never heard of anyone having roof sag with an 8 foot box.
* Campers exposed to high heat, such as those stored outside in the southwest are at more risk.  But I have heard of campers that never left the north having sag, so this is not a guarantee.
* Campers with a/c, luggage racks, or bike racks are at greater risk.  I have never heard roof vents included in this list.
* If the roof is ever going to sag, it will do so in the first few years.  The problem with this is someone here with a 5 or 6 year old Coleman had the roof sag just last year.
* The 1996 year roofs were the worst.

There are still problems with the Fleetwood composite roof that has been used since mid-2003, and they have had to make adjustments to the design and manufacturing to make them more stable.

One family that either posted here or on alt.rv.pop-up-trailers went through THREE roofs before getting one that didn't sag.  Each time, the camper was at the dealers for weeks, and they had to go through some degree of pain.  IIRC, the final roof was a composite.

Personally, I would not buy a 1996 unless it had a replacement composite roof.  

Austin

[Springbok]

Austin
I appreciate your comprehensive and informative response.  Are there any makes out there that are known for problem free roofs?

[AustinBoston]

Austin
I appreciate your comprehensive and informative response.  Are there any makes out there that are known for problem free roofs?

Well, there are some older/cheaper/lighter designs that have canvas roofs...not that canvas never leaks...

The reality is that no matter what design, most of us never have a significant problems with the roof, or have no problems for many, many years.

Austin