Crack in tub

08-05-2008, 03:24 PM

Something to watch for... DW noticed a crack in the outside aft corner of our tub (about an inch long). Turns out there is a brace in the outside storage area of our 3124KB that runs left to right and forms the attach point for the tub wall etc. The brace had 2 single screw L brackets holding it in place which had come loose. I had noticed the loose screws once before and simply tightened them, not realizing what they supported. Turns out, in talking with service at the Car Show in Colo. Sprgs. this is a common problem. My fix was to spread white epoxy into the crack and then install a brace in the storage area to both move the "wall" of the tub and close the crack as well and add support to the original brace. I also moved the L brackets as they had not simply loosened the screws but had pulled the screws out. Time will tell if it works. An additional fix would have been to drill a small hole at the end of the crack to help prevent it's spread but I didn't want to alter the appearance unless I had to. At this point the crack can't be seen.

**ShrimpBurrito** · 08-05-2008, 05:43 PM

Wouldn't a repair like this be covered under warranty? Unless, of course, it has expired...

Dave

countrygirl · 08-05-2008, 06:57 PM

The Trailmanor site says that the 2007's are included in the 2 year warranty. So depending when you bought your TM you still might be covered.

Hmm it does say structural warranty so it may not be covered.

This is what is on the site:

TrailManor Doubles Structural Warranty
Extends Coverage To Two Years
LAKE CITY, TN (March 11, 2008)—TrailManor has extended the length of the structural warranty for its unique folding travel trailers from one to two years.
The company made the decision to offer its customers the extra coverage after careful analysis of claims and after reviewing improvements made in production over the years.
“Our trailers have gotten better, so we feel it is only appropriate to pass this value on to our customers with extra warranty coverage,” said Bill Hulsey, President of TrailManor. “This is an indication in the confidence we have in our product, and it’s also the direct result of the efforts of our employees in producing an excellent product.

The two-year structural warranty coverage is in effect for all 2007 and newer models.

Since 1983, TrailManor has been manufacturing its unique brand of expanding travel trailers that tow like pop-ups. The TrailManor design provides the easy towing of a tent camper, plus features most people would expect to find only in upright travel trailers, such as a hardwall bathroom with tub, a complete kitchen with oven, a three-way refrigerator, and designer fabrics. A TrailManor can be opened as easily as opening a car trunk. All TrailManor models can be towed by properly-equipped minivans, crossovers, or sport utility vehicles.

08-05-2008, 07:24 PM

Thanks for the note on the warranty. When I talked to the Car Show the guy asked me how long I had had my TM but led me to believe since it had been more than a year it would not be covered. Besides, this time of year the last thing I want to do is take it out of commission for any length of time as we are using it about every other week. Also, I think their fix would be about the same as mine unless the tub was beyond repair. Nice to know about the 2 years though.

08-05-2008, 07:41 PM

Our '08 3326 is in the shop to replace both the tub and grey water tank. The dealer said the two are built as a single unit and ours developed a leak and the crack you refer to above. All covered under the warranty.

**ShrimpBurrito** · 08-05-2008, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shandysplace

The dealer said the two are built as a single unit and ours developed a leak and the crack you refer to above.

Do I understand correctly -- the tub and gray tank are a single unit? That seems odd.

Dave

**Bill** · 08-06-2008, 06:53 AM

I don't think they are manufactured as a single unit. I had a similar repair done, and I think that the two pieces are so close to each other that when they are assembled at the TM factory, the short connecting pipe is glued in place. The glued joint is inseparable, of course, and is also inaccessible. So if one piece or the other has to be replaced, or the joint between them leaks (which was my case), it is a matter of sawing either the tub or the gray tank into pieces in order to remove it.

Bill

08-06-2008, 09:16 AM

Not being handy like most TMers and w/a unit under warranty we are not in a postion to question dealer decisions and can only hope the final result is acceptable in terms of a satisfactory repair of the issue and the fit and finish of the installation. Time will tell.

ferdoh · 08-08-2008, 02:42 PM

Just noticed that our tub is cracked in the same place. Both screws in the storage area are gone! This makes me wonder if there is anything but the aluminum sheet there that they were screwed into. I'll have to make a phone call I guess.

08-08-2008, 05:02 PM

It is only screwed into the aluminum with no backing. The brace that the brackets hold does not seem to have a drooping problem when the screws come out but rather it vibrates fore and aft and hence cracks the tub. In addition to moving the L brackets so as to be able to screw into "fresh" aluminum I installed a wooden brace running fore and aft to more securely hold the original and hopefully reduce the movement that causes the tub to crack.