Assistance Please with Severe Undercarriage Rust & Corrosion on New 2005 Coach

bbk3 · 11-25-2005, 07:27 AM

Hello Everyone,

I was wondering if anyone could assist us with any personal ideas or information of their experiences with completely rusted and corroded undercarriages and resolutions of such. We purchased a brand-new 2005 Winnebago Vectra 40KD in March of this year from Lazydays in Florida and have been trying to resolve a SEVERE rust and corrosion problem (info and pictures at http://www.rvguides.com/2005). No one can tell us what caused it definitively, and no one will accept responsibility for it. Not surprisingly, we are now at an impasse with the dealer and manufacturer over this issue. If you would prefer, you can also contact me offline confidentially at [email protected].

Thank you all in advance for your help.

Bob

bbk3 · 11-25-2005, 07:27 AM

Hello Everyone,

I was wondering if anyone could assist us with any personal ideas or information of their experiences with completely rusted and corroded undercarriages and resolutions of such. We purchased a brand-new 2005 Winnebago Vectra 40KD in March of this year from Lazydays in Florida and have been trying to resolve a SEVERE rust and corrosion problem (info and pictures at http://www.rvguides.com/2005). No one can tell us what caused it definitively, and no one will accept responsibility for it. Not surprisingly, we are now at an impasse with the dealer and manufacturer over this issue. If you would prefer, you can also contact me offline confidentially at [email protected].

Thank you all in advance for your help.

Bob

N8XV · 11-25-2005, 08:19 AM

Just looking at the dates you posted, the pictures and a guess. I would say the travel time from factory to dealer happened at a time of very wet, sloppy, salt laden roads. After arriving at the dealership the under carriage was not hosed off. Leaving a very heavy coverage of road salt, then along with the higher humidity in Florida it gave the damp salt a chance to work. One reason I say this is because at about the time your coach was headed for Florida so were we. We took 75 south and after we got to Florida our bikes on the rear were rusted and corroded, even the oily chain was rusted so bad I nearly had to replace it. Friends that took 65 south the same day had even more bad roads with salt. By spring that year before they headed home they noticed the under carriage of the RV was rusted and corroded. Not much doubt in my mind what caused it. Had it been delivered one day earlier or one day later to the dealer you might not have had this rust problem as bad. What to do about I have no idea except to wire brush, scrap and redo. My guess is the rust and corrosion look worst than any problem that will happen because of it.

"007" · 11-25-2005, 08:39 AM

You do not say in profile or other where you are from. Living in the Northeast when ever we travel in winter first thing on getting home is wash down the under carriage of coach they use alot of salt around here in winter. I have to agree with Bill you have a bad case of salty highway travels Dealer or delivery guy didn't do there job an wash the under carriage. Did you look under coach on your PDI it must have looked bad than. Alot of sanding or sand blowing machine on rust, an scrapping then under coat may help but some metal looks like it has pin holes thru it. Salt also works from the inside out if it has gotten into frame tubing.

"007"

Wolf S · 11-25-2005, 09:50 AM

I agree that this looks a lot worst than it really is. Ohter than some difficulty in removing some nuts and bolts down the road I doubt if this will result in anything.

Have you had the chassis pressure washed real well? It looks in some pictures like there is still salt present. Something as simple as WD40 goes a long way on exposed nuts and bolts. The surface rust on suspension parts and other heavy components just looks bad.

MrTransistor · 11-25-2005, 10:42 AM

Hi bbk3,
Go to this page, http://www.loctite.com/int_henkel/loctite_us/index.cfm?&pageid=19&layout=3 , and type in ˜Extend' into the first window then ˜go'. I have used this product and it does what it says. Power wash the underside first to get all the salt off, but leave the surface rust on. Works as good if not better than under-coating and weighs less. Makes for a nice looking black undercarriage. I think this or a similar product is available from other sources under other names as well.

ottersea · 11-25-2005, 10:46 AM

You try some brush on rust neutralizer and then recoat afterwards. I did this on my PU with good results. Metal Ready is what I used and it is made by Por15.

fun time · 11-25-2005, 11:55 AM

I truly "feel your pain" after reviewing your pics. Other than what has been offered by others as to the cause really does not solve your problem and I would think the dealer would offer some of the suggested solutions for free at the very least.
This really does bring up a question for the veterans on this forum. How many of you that travel in the winter months wash down the under-carrriage of your MHs? If you do, how? High pressure? Hose only? Do you use some kind of cleaners? We will be heading south and returning to the north during Dec and again in Jan. returning in Feb. I sure would not like to have the under-carrriage of my coach looking like these pics. Any advice from you veterans?

TXiceman · 11-25-2005, 01:30 PM

Are you sure it is rust? There are several steels now that are designed to purposely have an oxide (rust) coating that is a barrier to farther corrosion. If you scrape of this protective oxide layer, it will rust.

Ken

Petro · 11-25-2005, 04:19 PM

Bob;
Some years ago I purchased a used 90 Southwind that looked great on the outside and interior. The owner spent summers in WI and winters in MS Some time later when I was underneath I found the same problem your pictures show. On further checking I found the winters were spent at Ocean Springs, MS on the beach. The rust was caused by salt like Mark said. My service center wanted to pressure wash the underside to remove any loose rust abd then spray the whole ubderside with drain oil and let it drip off on his gravel lot. My wife said no to that being parked in our garage. So I spent the winter brushing off the loose rust and using a product similar to the Loctite Extend. I sprayed some in areas I could not get to and brushed it on the other areas. It is as good as Mark says it is and it stopped the rust and made it look good. I then sold it and the would be buyer had his mechanic look under it and he commented on how nice it looked. It is "gut wrenching" and requires a lot of work but it can be stopped and made to look a lot better.
Sorry for your problem and Good Luck.

Don

Radarr · 11-26-2005, 04:24 AM

bbk3,

So much to be said for Winnebago's Electro-deposition paint job, right? It's nothing but
Hog-wash and where is the factory undercoat they brag so much about? It doesn't look like your coach got any of either!

Thank you for bring this problem to the attention of this forum. Your not the only person to experience these kinds of problems with Winnebago and Lazy Days. It does us well to be informed of these situations so we don't get caught up in the same.

Your problems are very serious and will require that you take a very firm position with the aid of a legal firm that specializes in Motor Home issues.

Keep us up dated as to how things go for you and how you are being treated.

radarr

tonigil · 11-26-2005, 06:05 AM

My suggestion & opinion is that Before you start any legal intanglements, you contact the Mfg. But, you have to be nice but forceful. Tell them of you dissatisfaction and inform them that you are requesting help from other RVers on the RV internet forums. Make sure that they know that you are posting your problems. They will listen. You can also send them a link via email to your postings so that they may review what others have said. No Mfg. want a bad rap so they might try to help you on this.
Just my opinion.
Toni

Hitchhiker · 11-26-2005, 07:13 AM

If the OEM's don't resolve your concerns with this you might want to start planning on getting rid of the rig before it's 4 or 5 years old. I looked at your photo's and IMHO by that time you'll be have numerous rust and corrosion related problems.

Some of these problems may involve safety issues such as brake calipers not sliding properly. Others will be ongoing maintenance issues such as U-joints, spring bushings, steering components, exhaust systems, holding tank straps, etc.

Tom N · 11-26-2005, 08:27 AM

Undercoating is an option from Winnebago on the Frieghtliner and Workhorse chassis'and it only coast ~$200. I know it's too late for you but others purchasing a Winnebago on these chassis may want to consider this option.

Since you did not avail yourself of this option you may not have any legal recourse.

My opinion.

John_Canfield · 11-26-2005, 12:23 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Radarr:
So much to be said for Winnebago's Electro-deposition paint job, right? It's nothing but
Hog-wash and where is the factory undercoat they brag so much about? It doesn't look like your coach got any of either!
radarr </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Winnie does have a pretty good metal-treating process for the house part of the coach in my opinion. I watched the parts being dipped/immersed into a multi-step bath. Mark at the visitor's center mentioned on our tour that the Fed government recently contracted with Winnie to do some custom coating for some military vehicle part/s.

Winnie does no treating of the Freightliner chassis (that I'm aware of) other than undercoating which is an option (which I ordered.) At either Freightliner or Winnebago, there are literally acres and acres and acres of chassis sitting out in the weather.

Surface rust is not a big deal; I believe that Bob has some issues that transcend normal chassis rust, i.e. the hose clamp that is badly rusted for an example. I have had hose clamps rust and break so I know for a fact this is a possibility.

Another thing I noticed was the bolts on the bottom of his Allison tranny - this is going to be another problem if the pan ever needs to be removed. I also noticed that some of the metal hose fittings are very badly rusted.

I think Winnie and LD own this problem together and need to make an appropriate effort to make Bob happy.

bbk3 · 11-26-2005, 02:18 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tom N:
Undercoating is an option from Winnebago on the Frieghtliner and Workhorse chassis'and it only coast ~$200. I know it's too late for you but others purchasing a Winnebago on these chassis may want to consider this option.

Since you did not avail yourself of this option you may not have any legal recourse.

My opinion. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hi Tom,

Actually we DID purchase the factory undercoating option from Winnebago -- option line #13 -- Option 24W Undercoating for $294.00.

max49 · 11-26-2005, 02:25 PM

That is a shame! A brand new beautiful coach.
I guess you could try to be nice and they might try to make you happier than you should be now but no one could fix that any where near like new should be. Rust is like a cancer that spreads and is incurable.
If I had any money left after buying that coach, I would feel I had no choice but talk to a lawyer or trade it and take another beating, but you'll be glad to get rid of allthose future and present problems.
Lazy Days may not be able to prove that they washed the undercarriage but you might have to try to prove that you did'nt drive it in snow and salty conditions too. I sincerely wish you good luck. Let us know how it goes.

Hitchhiker · 11-26-2005, 02:37 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">we DID purchase the factory undercoating option from Winnebago </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Either the undercoating they sold you was non effective or they ripped you off and you didn't get what you paid for.

Either way, someone owes you an adjustment for the 'diminished' value of the motor home. Have it appraised and if it's not worth the same as one without the rust and corrosion, ask them for the difference.

If they laugh at you, hire a lawyer.

The Shadow · 11-26-2005, 03:41 PM

This problem is not a new one for Winnie. It is directly related to delivering the MH in the winter through slush and salt. You may recall I reported this problem last January.

Rust

The link to my rust photos has changed and is now

Journey rust

Needless to say, buying a MH now means getting underneath and taking a very close look from front to rear.

GG1 · 11-26-2005, 03:54 PM

Maybe just maybe sometime someone with a decision and policy making capability from Winnebago will read these forums and see what their GOOD customers are having to deal with. All we want to do is have a reasonably dependable rv. Especially after what we paid for it. There have been numerous posts about rust, bad heater cores that consistantly go bad after a few years, body parts falling off, water leaks in the same place, paint going bad etc. etc. How long will it take for Winnebago to realize that they have things that have to addressed.

bbk3 as we discussed earlier unfortunately it looks like the only route is the attorney.