Freedom Express Roof Issue

[Rick in Ohio]

First season using new camper, cleaning roof noticed a 'bubble' by skylight.
Forest River says it's 'normal' and not warrantable, but if I want it repaired they would cover 2.5 hours of the work.
Obvious question: is it normal or in need of repair? I would like to have it repaired but don't want to cover majority of work.
Has anyone had this issue with a new camper? What are my options?

 

[calvin99]

Do you know if that problem is new or was there before? From the picture, it could just be a wrinkle, possibly nothing to worry about. Considering they’re willing to cover 2.5 hours, it’s certainly worth taking them up on the offer.

do you know if that’s a new problem or perhaps it’s always been there. You just reminded me, I should probably look at mine. It’s a good idea to check the roof a few times per year because leaks can cause serious damage if not fixed quickly

 

[Rick in Ohio]

New. I covered the camper last winter and it was not present then, or in April when removing cover. After repair I would still be in the hole for over $600 and who's to say repairing this may or may not cause further / additional issues.
I would definitely check / clean your roof and seal the vents and other openings periodically. I know it's a pain but this is my third camper and the first 2 had roof / water issues. On another thread someone stated that it 'looks like a poor tuck job when installing skylight'. This makes sense to me but the manu will not acknowledge any quality issues and the dealer will only do what the manu tells them. Thank you for your response.

 

[calvin99]

If there’s a leak, you’ll want to know sooner rather than later. From the picture, it doesn’t look like there’s any further damage, but there’s really no way to know without a physical inspection. Let them do it. I’m guessing it’s plywood underneath, and you might be able to feel if it has gotten soft underneath. They would probably remove a small section (or lift it up) and then patch it if necessary. I had a used class B that had hidden rust (metal roof) and it cost me $16k and 3 months of time to get replaced. This kind of roof is simpler but requires more maintenance. My point is it’s not going to get better by ignoring it and it’s likely not a problem if you take care of it before it has a chance to get worse. As a “bonus” you’ll get a chance to see whether or not this shop deserves any future business from you.

 

[Rosy]

So you bought the camper last year, covered it and stored it over winter, used it this summer and now have this bulge?

I assume the camper was new from the manufacturer/dealer last fall? What exactly does your warranty say it covers and how long is it for?

Also, are you sure it would take a professional more than 2 and a half hours to inspect that?

 

[Rick in Ohio]

So you bought the camper last year, covered it and stored it over winter, used it this summer and now have this bulge? Correct

I assume the camper was new from the manufacturer/dealer last fall? Correct

What exactly does your warranty say it covers and how long is it for?
Me (and wife) research concludes, product warranty (from roof vendor) - 5 years. This is for material defect only. Manu (general) warranty - 1 year.

Also, are you sure it would take a professional more than 2 and a half hours to inspect that? It has already been inspected by dealer. They (manu) will pay for 2.5 hours of labor to repair it, I'm liable for the rest plus material.

From manu, names removed:
Now having said this and put this behind us we will do a one time goodwill gesture to have xyx repair the bubble. We will allow up to 2.5 hours labor for the repair. If there is any additional time that will be a customer pay.

abc, I see you are copied on this email. Please makes arrangements for Mr. nnn to have his unit brought in and repair that bubble. This is a one time goodwill for 2.5 hours. Please let me know when you have the claim in and I will get in and authorize it right away.

 

[calvin99]

I think their response is reasonable. Honestly, it looks like a simple job and they're willing to take care of it.

If it becomes a warranty issue, that's apparently covered by the roof vendor. They're trying to protect themselves from having to do the roof vendor's work, in the highly unlikely event there's hidden damage.

FYI, Is this your first RV? Something I've learned, is most of the components are made by third parties, and the RV manufacturers will try to involve the third parties whenever they can. I would have thought the roof was built by the manufacturer, but maybe not.

 

[Rick in Ohio]

A simple job is a relative term, depending on who is doing said job and paying for it. This will take more than 2.5 hours and will require removing the drip edge, most likely all or part of the awning, prying up the roofing, stretching out the roofing and reapplying adhesive to flatten out the area in question.

I've seen this done on u-tube and would not want to attempt it myself, although I jump into many projects expecting positive results or rework with lessons learned.

The manu was offering to pay for 2.5 hours to pacify me hoping I would go away because I am an annoying customer that expects quality, service and results. I will still be in the hole for $628 in labor and more for parts, tax, and what ever stuff they add to your work order.

This is not acceptable to me. This is a new camper under warranty and I don't think I should be responsible for these repairs. A warranty is a guarantee of quality. If you run from this or deflect it, you are not committed to quality, you just pass these issues on to the customer and do not address them internally, perpetuating the issue and ignoring GMP

 

[AbdRahim]

First season using new camper, cleaning roof noticed a 'bubble' by skylight.
Forest River says it's 'normal' and not warrantable, but if I want it repaired they would cover 2.5 hours of the work.
Obvious question: is it normal or in need of repair? I would like to have it repaired but don't want to cover majority of work.
Has anyone had this issue with a new camper? What are my options?

View attachment 14766

I have a similar spot on the slide roof on my MH. Tech checked it and said it is water tight. Also had a similar spot on my brand new trailer, when I had it. They said just a spot where glue did not stick or hold.

 

[Rick in Ohio]

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