Lance Repair in Southeast?

Willie's Camping Center, Clinton NC 910-564-6900

Apalachee RV Center, Inc.
1364 Duncan Ln, Auburn, GA 30011
(770) 868-0999

Finally took my Lance 1121 in for repair. We decided to take it to Apalachee RV.

It has been decided to rebuild both rear wings, and after a pressure test, decided to scrape all exterior sealer off and reseal the entire camper. They seem real interested in taking care of what needs to be done and doing it right.

Obviously, it is going to cost a pretty penny, but I do not have the time to do it and if they do a good job, it will be worth it.

I sold a Lance with the wing issues. I see builders are getting away from the seam split on the wings, why the one I sold had issues, great place for water intrusion and rot. I was up front with the buyer, didn't hide anything and told him it would be a job. He's got it tore apart right now. Nice camper except for the wing issues.

My new one has a single piece rear wing, something I was adamant about. No seam. no leak.

I don't have / had the time nor the ambition to tackle it.

Good luck with yours...

I am pretty sure the one on the right leaked around the gas bottle door. It does not appear it was coming in at the splice. It starts too high. My understanding is that the repair will do away with a visible seam.

At the very least the seam should overlap and not just butt up, Lance created a huge problem for buyers trying to save money by not making it one piece. I'm either looking at doing this myself or paying someone, I'm leaning on paying someone

The horizontal seam on the wing is a poor engineering thing. There is really no need for it other than ease of assembly. The one thing I looked at when buying a new unit. If it had a seam there, I walked away. The other is the inside box area under the camper, behind the truck tail lights must be extremely well sealed because that is a pressure point for water when you drive in the sain, much like the nose of the cab over, only worse because all the spray from the truck wheels is hammering away under there and collecting in the corners.

I realize that you don't know me since I seldom post anymore.

You can check me out in the truck camper modifications. Then form your opinions.

I searched the whole country over to have my 2003 Lance 1161 repaired. It had a lot of work that needed urgent attention.

Much of the required work was caused by substandard repairs made at the Lance Customer Service Center at the factory .i tried some other RV dealer repair facilities.

They were good at cosmetic fixes....only to be able to sell the camper now with hidden damage.

I watched Capt PJ.... pjay9 have his 1161 completely rebuilt here on The truck camper forum. I personally know PJ and so I was also asking questions by text, email, and phone.

I then recommended to and followed Harold B on Lance Owners of America as he had his Lance 1161 rebuilt at the same shop in Lakewood, WA... Southend RV Repair.

It's not just the shop that is fantastic but David F is the best I've ever seen... be it campers or his hobby of building show cars.

Mine is about 80% finished now... like the last two I am having a total rebuild.

Yes... it's expensive and even more expensive to get it there and go back after it.

Now my camper would sell for more than I have spent... before I'd have had to pay a fork truck to load it into a trash truck.

Good luck with your choice... I hope you consider the cross country total repair.

Chet (Sleepy)

Update on progress. The right wing was a complete mess and the left wing had rot also.

The shop has done a pressure check for leaks and recommended scraping all old sealer from the upper areas and reseal. I feel this was a really good idea. Putting good over bad just makes a lot of bad. They have torn into the right wing and sent photos. About what I expected unfortunately. They seem concerned to do it right.

Hope so.

ps: thanks for the info Sleepy. While I personally don't know you, I have followed a lot of your posts and respect your experiences. Thanks again.

Dale

Just tucking into this post to watch it - am on the road and will show photos of a Lance wing repair when we get home. about a week or so, maybe two :)