Side Wall Ripped/broke while retracting slide-advise needed

[omextreme]

I posted this on the Keystone Forum but that forum has less active members so hopefully here is a better place to post.

While retracting my main slide on our 2015 Montana HC the slide started to stall after only moving 10" - 12" inward. I immediately stopped moving the slide and went to investigate the cause of the jam.

While looking at the cables the wall "popped" out and broke away from the frame of the trailer. What appears to have happened is that the jammed slide pulled the wall outward 3", ripping the interior wall and bowing the fiberglass side of the unit.

After looking more closely at the structure failure and I am dissapointed in Keystone on this one. The vertical side wall support was only welded on 1 side to the lower frame. The aluminum tubing tore where it was welded. This location is an EXTREMELY high stress spot since the entire weight of the slide leverages against it.

This area SHOULD have been reinforced with more metal or at least heaver strength aluminum.

Now the question is how should this be properly repaired, It this something you would trust the local shop to handle or should I push for this unit to go back to Keystone and be repaired there?


Thanks

[rhagfo]

omextreme wrote:

bid_time wrote:
Forget Keystone, Jam the dealer. Tell the dealer he should be a stand up guy and replace the RV. Let him deal with Keystone - he chose to be the dealer for Keystone.

Unfortunately the dealer we bought the unit from is not in the state we live in. The seller screwed up their end of the deal from day one and have been little help since. I should have walked from the deal at the start but after driving 600 miles with little kids to retrieve the unit I was too committed to back out... Lesson learned.

NEVER, NEVER be afraid to walk away!!

We were looking for a decent GN horse trailer, and put on many miles finding the right one. Got the price we wanted on the one we wanted, by walking out the door.

[omextreme]

bid_time wrote:
Forget Keystone, Jam the dealer. Tell the dealer he should be a stand up guy and replace the RV. Let him deal with Keystone - he chose to be the dealer for Keystone.

Unfortunately the dealer we bought the unit from is not in the state we live in. The seller screwed up their end of the deal from day one and have been little help since. I should have walked from the deal at the start but after driving 600 miles with little kids to retrieve the unit I was too committed to back out... Lesson learned.

[bid_time]

omextreme wrote:
An update on this trailer:

Keystone denied the request to return the unit to them for repairs and the local dealer has been working on it for the past 3 months.

It is still not back in our possession, we have missed 3 delivery deadlines with the next "Promised pickup" 2 days from now. We were told it was ready on the 19th and during pickup inspection the slide failed again. This time the wall didnt crack but the roller that was the cause of the previous jam/failure bound up again. So we cancelled the 11th and the 12th (easter weekend) trip to allow another repair attempt.

I have been in constant contact with Keystone but all I am getting is seemingly shallow apologies.

During this last call the rep offered to cover the payments for the time the unit was in the shop. Once we told her that we didn't have payments she seemed at a loss for a "plan B" compensation. Not that I think an offer to cover payments is enough of a compensation anyway.

Even if they get the slide working this attempt I am really so unhappy with this unit I feel keystone still should swap us out into another camper.

Anyway, sorry for the rant!

Forget Keystone, Jam the dealer. Tell the dealer he should be a stand up guy and replace the RV. Let him deal with Keystone - he chose to be the dealer for Keystone.

[timandpeggy]

I'm having the same issue, just not as bad. Our 2016 (built July 2015) 353RLstarted having the wall next to the main slide (at the refergirator end) looks like the stud separated from the toe plate. The wife noted the slide sticking when she was running it, and the floor covering has marks. We're on an extended trip and staying in St. George, Ut. So my wife can attend therapy at the Las Vegas V.A. Las Vegas just has too much activity for her and it affects her anxiety.

We've been working with the Camping World here, and they've been on the phone with Keystone. They have a tech (Ron) that's real good, and he has a fix planned. What it is, I really don't care, as long as it works. They evaluated and talked with Keystone, and I was there while they were on the phone. Keystone, in their infinite wisdom, is only approving 4 hours. The service manager doesn't care, he's told the shop to fix it, he'll deal with Keystone.

We take the trailer in 4 Apr (Monday) and as of right now, we've been told about 1 day. Based on what it's going to take, and how these folks here work (extremely efficient and fast, plus good work), I tend to believe them. However, I also understand that when they open it up, it'll be Pandora's box, so we're set up for 3 days in a local hotel right now. I'll update after the trailer is opened.

[colliehauler]

I would be livid if I had a 3 moth old rv and that happened. Keystone needs to fix or replace the unit.

[laknox]

I keep wondering what would happen if someone like the OP simply showed up at the factory with a problem like this and said, "fix it or replace it, I'll wait".

I'd also like to know why it takes 3 months for an attempted fix by the dealer? In that time, Keystone could have shipped them an entirely new slide and they could have simply "black boxed" it instead of repeatedly trying to fix what, obviously, can't be fixed. Frankly, the =dealer= should be telling Keystone that this can't be fixed at the dealer level and needs factory work or replacement.

Might be time to start thinking about legal action.

Lyle

[danrclem]

Rant understood. I can't blame you for being upset paying a lot of money for a new unit and then can't use it. Keystone should step up on this one.

[omextreme]

An update on this trailer:

Keystone denied the request to return the unit to them for repairs and the local dealer has been working on it for the past 3 months.

It is still not back in our possession, we have missed 3 delivery deadlines with the next "Promised pickup" 2 days from now. We were told it was ready on the 19th and during pickup inspection the slide failed again. This time the wall didnt crack but the roller that was the cause of the previous jam/failure bound up again. So we cancelled the 11th and the 12th (easter weekend) trip to allow another repair attempt.

I have been in constant contact with Keystone but all I am getting is seemingly shallow apologies.

During this last call the rep offered to cover the payments for the time the unit was in the shop. Once we told her that we didn't have payments she seemed at a loss for a "plan B" compensation. Not that I think an offer to cover payments is enough of a compensation anyway.

Even if they get the slide working this attempt I am really so unhappy with this unit I feel keystone still should swap us out into another camper.

Anyway, sorry for the rant!

[dcg9381]

Keystone agree to take it back for repair? Covering transport?

[minnow]

I would clean out the RV of all personal things. First, it's going to be gone for a few weeks and stored at an unknown location/environment. Second, it's going to be hauled back to the factory in the winter. Hopefully of course a safe trip, but.....

[omextreme]

The dealer has recommended to keystone that they bring it back to the factory. As of yet they have not responded but it is the holidays so I hope to get confirmation shortly.

The dealer is saying it is ok to leave non valuable personal stuff inside but we are inclined to "move out" while it is out of our possession.

[tsetsaf]

Agree with others back to factory would be my first move to.

[waltbennett]

Irelands child wrote:

Oh and the Montana Owner's Club - there are probably better sites such as here and iRV2

Don't think you've ever looked into the Forum for anything as I can guarantee you'll find out more about your specific year and model Montana there than anywhere else - and that's not to mention mods & etc. to them. GS and iRV2 are great for general information, but if I wanted info on whatever I owned, I'd look where I'd find a lot of others that owned the same thing.

[shepstone]

Oh wow thats a lot of strain , hope all goes well, & please keep us updated. Have you taken it to the dealer or manufacturer yet?