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Chessie
09-02-2009, 06:13 PM
I noticed the rear outside wall of my Passport 245RB is flexible. I can push on it and it gives. Same thing happens with the front side, but not as flexible. the side walls are both rigid. I thought the outside covering was separated from the inner wall. However, I checked other new Passports at the dealer and they behaved the same way. The saleman at the dealer said that was normal. Has anyone else noticed this, and do you believe this is normal construction?

Flyguy
09-06-2009, 09:23 AM
This is probably normal because the rear tail lights mount on a separate small square of plywood behind the rear wall and there is lots of insulation between the tail lights, my tub/shower is on the left side of that rear wall. I have seen pictures of those who have removed the rear wall and you can see how those tail lights are mounted and reinforced (JMHO).

Festus2
09-06-2009, 11:30 AM
Further to what Flyguy has mentioned...... we have a 5th wheel with a rear kitchen and a fairly large rear window on the back. There is some "give" and flex on the fiberglass panel below the window and the flex becomes more apparent the lower you get. I am not sure if this is "normal construction" or not but I am not concerned about the flex in the rear panel. It doesn't have a good, solid feel to it if that is what you are expecting. It does seem to be "normal" and I wouldn't be concerned about it.

Flyguy
09-06-2009, 08:10 PM
I went out and checked mine today, it flexes also and I think that there is no aluminum cage structure in that area or very little and as I said the tail light mountings create a space behind the wall. There seems to be more aluminum cage structure on the sidewalls and those walls feel more solid, but again I think that this is normal and nothing to worry about.

Chessie
09-07-2009, 05:58 PM
Thanks all for your input. Looks like a felxible real wall is not a problem. I was used to my previous trailer (Fleetwood Wilderness) which had a rigid rear wall.

W902
09-21-2009, 09:36 AM
I purchased an 09 Cougar 289BHS in July and noticed the rear wall was bulging out in big spots around the back (outside wall). The guy next to me has a newer Outback and said fiberglass delamination was a real problem for Keystone on the Outbacks. He thought I should take mine in for replacement. The problem areas are near the edges and around the rear window. You can push in on the spots (probably a foot or so in diameter) - they appear to be flexible. Is this a future problem waiting to happen? As in, if water got in at some point could it separate the whole fiberglass panel? Or is this a normal feature of a fiberglass rear wall, like is mentioned above? HELP!
-W9:confused:

hankpage
09-21-2009, 01:00 PM
Delamination is when the very thin fiberglass (Filon on Cougars) separates from it's luan backing and looks almost like thick paint blistering. Every Cougar I have seen the back panels seem as if they have too much insulation stuffed in them and are bulging slightly between framing. The panels do have some give when pressed in but should feel fairly solid ..... keep in mind it is just a 1/4" or less panel. This is normal and nothing to worry about. Enjoy your Cougar. ;)

bennydog
09-22-2009, 07:58 PM
OK no snappy comments....I just washed our 2010 Cougar for the first time after retuning from the long trip, I was out of bug juice, and noticed that both the front and rear caps (walls) have quite a bit of give in them. I suspect that there is very little framing in the walls due to their curved nature so there is not much to attach them to.

Flyguy
09-23-2009, 05:38 AM
What you say is true, I haven't put anything on the front of my trailer except for a leveling device, and on the rear wall I have my rear view camera mounted up high and a clip halfway up for my Auburn Tiger tail to hang on when we're traveling. I wash my trailer with Borax powder and like the way it cleans.