Floor Becoming soft near entry

[anuccite]

I have a Premier 2018 26RBPR

Which has developed a few soft spots right in front of door, and also along same wall heading forward towards tongue.


We have never seen any water issues (leaks or anything)



I scheduled to have the dealer look at it in Early August, right after our next trip. Hopefully it's an easy (warranty) fix...

 

[rjsurfer]

I hope I'm wrong but it sounds like the floor is rotting out. These new laminated floors seem to be prone to this type of damage.

The floor is made of a layer of thin of wood, foam board and another layer of wood laminated together. The wood sucks up moisture like crazy then it migrates along, once these layers rot out the foam board can't remain stiff, causing soft spots.

My dealer wanted to charge Keystone $10g`s to repair my rotted floor, other arrangements were made.

Ron W.

 

[kjohn73]

Good luck. We traded in our 2017 21RBS for a 2019 22RBS because of a rotted floor. It was NOT caused by water from within.

 

[sourdough]

Good luck. We traded in our 2017 21RBS for a 2019 22RBS because of a rotted floor. It was NOT caused by water from within.

What was the cause if you don't mind me asking?

 

[SteveW2993]

This kinda stuff scares the crap out of me. In my 2018 Passport 2670 BH there’s a curved aluminum plate on the floor at the threshold of the door that curves up to meet the door threshold - kinda helps the broom sweep the dirt out the door.

I pulled the three screws out of it that hold it to the floor to clean behind it, and one of screws was rusty. I put one of the ones that wasn’t rusty in that hole to see what would happen. Now it’s starting to rust as well. There’s never any sign of water in that area of the trailer. There’s lots going on above and around that area... the door, the aluminum channel with the plastic insert that goes around the door, the awning attached at the roof, one of the awning arms, the attachment of the stairs, etc. I’ve looked it all over, and it all looks like it’s sealed well. Don’t know what to make out of it, or what to do with it...

 

[CaptnJohn]

Water can come from a long distance, especially traveling downward. Could be coming from blowing rain, lights, roof, etc.

 

[Bamabox]

This kinda stuff scares the crap out of me. In my 2018 Passport 2670 BH there’s a curved aluminum plate on the floor at the threshold of the door that curves up to meet the door threshold - kinda helps the broom sweep the dirt out the door.

I pulled the three screws out of it that hold it to the floor to clean behind it, and one of screws was rusty. I put one of the ones that wasn’t rusty in that hole to see what would happen. Now it’s starting to rust as well. There’s never any sign of water in that area of the trailer. There’s lots going on above and around that area... the door, the aluminum channel with the plastic insert that goes around the door, the awning attached at the roof, one of the awning arms, the attachment of the stairs, etc. I’ve looked it all over, and it all looks like it’s sealed well. Don’t know what to make out of it, or what to do with it...

Oh, you mean like this???

 

[Bamabox]

 

[Bamabox]

After seeing your post, I had to check. Bingo. Same. So now I am really paranoid about water getting in on that foam sandwich floor. I think at the door entry, this could be the main issue..........

How can a gasket work when it’s being compressed by the hinges? Bad design. So have to figure that out. But now I plan on going around the whole body of the trailer and checking caulking. It looks like windows have a gasket under the frame on the outside? Thinking about running a small bead around the top and sides of windows leaving bottom open.

 

[Rich1945]

I hope I'm wrong but it sounds like the floor is rotting out. These new laminated floors seem to be prone to this type of damage.

The floor is made of a layer of thin of wood, foam board and another layer of wood laminated together. The wood sucks up moisture like crazy then it migrates along, once these layers rot out the foam board can't remain stiff, causing soft spots.

My dealer wanted to charge Keystone $10g`s to repair my rotted floor, other arrangements were made.

Ron W.

k just got my cougar lite back from dealer, soft spots also. 1 near the island and 1 in the area in front of the fireplace. Dealer says defective floor(no signs of water leaks) Keystone says its out of warranty. What did you do for a fix , also looking for any recommendations. thank you

 

[SteveW2993]

Exactly like that....

 

[Rich1945]

Exactly like that....

mine had no rust along door. Not sure if im in the right orum here s mine is a 5th wheel

 

[rjsurfer]

Dealer swapped out trailer, best solution for us. No way I could have sold it.

Ron

 

[danf-KEY]

Rain will bounce off the step onto the darco cloth and then wick through the cloth to the wood. That's why you see accelerated damage in door areas. You don't even have to haul the trailer to get damage.



The wood is not actually "wood" as you might think. It's wood covered with cardboard layers on the outside. The cardboard side are glued to the foam/frame. The problem is, the instant the cardboard gets wet it disintegrates. These floors would hold up much better if they got rid of these cardboard layers. They wouldn't be impervious to water problems because of the darco, but they wouldn't delaminate inside of 6 months after buying a new trailer.


You can tell if your bottom layer of "wood" has water damage by just feeling along the darco in the extended wheel well area (the entire length of the trailer). If the wood has ripples, water either was or is in there. If you haul in rain or wet conditions the exposed darco will get wet and water will wick into the floor.

 

[08quadram]

Just went out and looked at my '19 Bullet 269rls. The screw closest to the hinge side of each door is rusty also. Poking around with my thumb, I notice that about an inch from the bedroom door jamb (hinge side) it appears that about my thumb thickness is slightly soft compared to other areas next to the extetior wall. I will be bringing it to the attention of my dealer when they replace the graphics on my front cap due to peeling.

 

[SteveW2993]

Oh, you mean like this???

I may have found a couple sources for my issue. They involve the awning arm by the front door. I can see rain running off the awning while its rolled up, rain over topping the gutter. and driving in the rain being issues at these points - all near the roof. Top mount of awning arm - mount point and cable access. Just poor attention to detail at factory. I have removed caulking from the area, and redone with ProFlex.


I have also found the caulking on the door threshold on one side has separated. Will be redoing that as well.

 

[drsteve628-XRD]

My 2018 Bullet 269rls develop 3 roof leaks and the dealer came out and "Repaired "them". Since the wallpaper wrinkled in the bedroom an rear living area, they asked me to get the unit in for warranty work NLT 13 Sep. When I showed the assistant Service Manager the soft spot near my rear door, he told me the floor was rotting out. A half hour in the camper with him discovered another spot in the kitchen, one at the front door, the whole front compartment floor, delaminating of the front fiberglass cap and roof staples working their way out. All this on a camper that was used 3 times, picked it up in May. The A/M told that this job is beyond their capability and would start negotiating with Keystone. I told hem that somebody is going to make this right and it's not coming out of my pocket. Wish me luck

 

[danf-KEY]

Good Luck!


I was told by the dealer that they have seen a number of Bullets with rotted floors. They said that there is a manufacturing defect. Keystone did not put butyl tape under the screws that screw on the apron.



Between that problem and the darco not really being waterproof, floors in Bullets don't stand a chance.

 

[drsteve628-XRD]

DANF,
Thanks for the 411. I use any ammo that I can get in this firefight.
Much appreciated

 

[danf-KEY]

I'm in the same boat. Here's a link to a thread I started



http://www.keystoneforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39472