Quality Control Concerns

[DoubleT]

Have been looking at replacing my 2008 2619 with a new 2720 14-15 year model. Looked at 2 brand new ones last week @ Western Camper in Fort Worth and was amazed at the poor quality of the finish work on the cabinets! Table edges appeared to have been routed and NOT sanded! Rough edges lots of splinters, stain poorly applied. Cabinets quality was poor as well. Staple/nail hole filled with a smear of putty, no even wiped smooth or sanded. No clear coat or seal. Corners not even close on the miter cut. Looked like Jr High Wood Shop. Very Disappointed. Mechanically rest of unit looked well made as expected. Has anyone else noted a drop off in quality of Cabinet work or finish work on New/Current models of TM??

[tentcamper]

We look at one at the factory in May that was just finished. I thought it was okay and about like the finish of all the higher mid-end campers we have had and look at. I do a lot of wood working and would have noticed the flaws you mentioned. Maybe it's what day of the week it's made.

[DoubleT]

Glad you saw better work at the factory. Hope it was just a bad run. Looked at a Silver Trail and cabinet work was much better. The cabinets in my 08 2619 are much better made than the '14 2417 and 2922 I saw. Hope quality is back where it should be. Looking at moving up!

[scrubjaysnest]

I would point out your concerns to the dealer. As far as I know the cabinets are made for TM by another vender.

Somebody was a asleep at the quality control switch. I hope it is the exception and not the rule.

[stormpeakco]

Originally Posted by moaboy

Somebody was a asleep at the quality control switch. I hope it is the exception and not the rule.

Like other contributors to the forum, as we prepare to head out for our first mini trip dry camping sojourn we are finding issues with new-never used equipment in our new '15 2720QB.
Purchased in Feb, picked up in March and we were nearly ready to drive away from the dealer orientation when it was discovered by one of the staff that one of the running lights wasn't working. Our yellow flag of wary was raised that the dealer staff had yet to thoroughly check out new equipment, even when the unit had been sitting for sale in their lot for months.

This Memorial Day weekend we charged the Thetford Recirc for the first time and it appears the gasket to the Slide-EZ valve is faulty (as blue fluid may be released from the outside without releasing the "inside" lever on the Thetford). Glad we didn't trim the outflow flange-skirt-valve yet for fear someone might say we've altered the OEM and any warranty is void.
Next, the water tank was treated with the dilute bleach solution, rinsed and filled for the first time and noted a small amount of water repeatedly accumulating next to the water tank under the dinette bench. After a half hour of wiping-drying and feeling around I've found the brand new water pump is leaking 3-5 mls/min of water from only the head gasket (whether the pump is activated or not-gasket vs. cracked head?). Making matters worse is that the TM inventory list of the equipment states Shurflo but is a Artis Products pump instead (which to my knowledge isn't a Pentair subsidiary).

We've tried to check out everything else but waiting for the dealer to call back this am (and waiting for the other shoe....). Like others have stated, TM may be better than other RV manufacturers but maybe not by much (have seen the youtube videos showing the rapid assembly line of TTs).

[Padgett]

What you have to expect with something hand crafted in low volume. It is a complex system. Do agree it is something that should have been caught by QA but they do seem to have the hard parts right.

I have a friend who is a professional who insists on installing gaskets dry (we agree that if proper surface preparation is done it should not leak. OTOH that assumes properly machinged surfaces so I add a thin layer of grease to gaskets so if the surface is not perfect, the gasket (paper or cork) will swell just a tad.

Unless you have an assembly line with specified operations for each station (and that requires very ex$pen$ive tooling) there are going to be variations. Not an excuse, that should not happen and at a production rate of about 3/day, a few hours checkout should be standard. But who checks the checkers ?

[kikeehn]

I'm just wondering if a lot of these issues couldn't be traced back to the move.
I'm assuming that the majority of employees did not transfer to Nebraska when the plant was moved.
Maybe some key employees transferred but not the whole plant. Now you have a complete training issue of training all new employees to the Trailmanor way of construction.
Also remember employees nowadays don't have the same work ethic that those of us from the Baby Boomer Generation have or had. The pride in a job well done and done correctly just isn't the same.
Also I feel dealers are also to blame since they know about most these issues and should be Prepping the Trailmanors accordingly and checking for these problems before the unit leaves the lot, but here again the bottom line raises its ugly head to dictate what is done.
And finally nowadays "that's close enough" is the normal way of thinking and we'll let the next guy handle it. JMHO

[Padgett]

Since none of use know how TM is organized, we don't even know if there is a QA person/function.

Unfortunately it is more of a general cleanup & detailer person and not an engineer. With only about 23 employees that does not allow for many $100k+ professional engineers (though I would hope they have at least one but is probably fully occupied by the Rise.)

Anyone read any Ayn Rand ? Even in the '40s she had a good idea of what was likely to happen when entitlement becomes the rule.

Do suspect that the current management could use some advice.

Also is an indicator when a large dealer does not even bother to bring one to a large show.

Is sad in a way, the original concept was and is brilliant but is really being lost in trivialities (such as a lack of QA, is what people remember when the innovations are forgotten.

However in the 30 years since originally developed, why is there not a power module option ?

[TrailManorMan]

Is sad in a way, the original concept was and is brilliant but is really being lost in trivialities (such as a lack of QA, is what people remember when the innovations are forgotten.

However in the 30 years since originally developed, why is there not a power module option ?

Padgett, many of us don't want, need a power up, nor do I want the added cost and weight of a power up device. Seems you have a problem with this while others don't seem to consider that a problem. Just something else to maintain in my opinion. I love the way mine operates, maybe you should do a survey, include the estimated cost and weight also!