Winnebago Caused Rust: Need Names!!!

[ExitStrategy]

Originally Posted by CaptBill

If that wasn't your intent, then why do you have an attorney? Maybe those who are complaining about windshield frame rust, should have simply peeled back that outer rubber trim once a year, and cleaned/checked, and treated the metal. The frame probably has rust on it too, unless you've been under there, wire-brushing and painting it.

I've kept after both the undercarriage and the windshield frame. Clean it, touch it up; it lasts. On-going maintenance. You either do it, or you don't. If you don't; don't complain.

CaptBill - I have several attorneys and many attorney friends. Believe me, I had quite an in-depth discussion about Winnebago's liability back when I posted that last year, but my attorney advised me that the best way to handle this issue was to just try to bring it to light and then let the NHTSA and/or DOT handle it. I'm past being blindingly mad because rust was hiding under my windshield moldings - Who would even know to look there without threads like this? As far as frame and outer cabinet rust - I have none. This is because those areas were painted and my rig is in Southern California in a garage, which is why I was so flabbergasted that I had rust on the windshield frame. I agree that over the road frame rust can to be expected, however; Rust hidden under moldings on a vertical surface is NOT EXPECTED. Negligence on the part of the manufacturer by welding non-coated steel parts to the windshield frame at the bottom and then scribing through rust coating at the top is likewise, NOT EXPECTED. Those miss-steps are akin to not painting the main chassis frame rail because both just invite rust. It just shouldn't have happened.

[bachler]

If you do not want Information Do not read this... We have attorneys in the family. As far as using an attorney it Is like this. No attorney in there right mind will take a Case Like this. Because there is NO money to be made. The factory May/maynot Decide to repair the problem, The owner cannot get any money out of a problem That is a result of rain , Moisture From within the coach. If you can find an Attorney that will take it . Good.. You will only Be made whole again. NO MORE;;

[BFlinn181]

See, that's it Exitstrategy, stop the rain inside your Southern California garage (or inside the coach) I'm not clear on Bachler's (sic) meaning. THAT'S why the frame, under the fiberglass and behind the glass is rusting. No fault of the manufacturer, it's that rain in your garage. Life is good, rain is bad.

[ExitStrategy]

Originally Posted by bachler

If you do not want Information Do not read this... We have attorneys in the family. As far as using an attorney it Is like this. No attorney in there right mind will take a Case Like this. Because there is NO money to be made. The factory May/maynot Decide to repair the problem, The owner cannot get any money out of a problem That is a result of rain , Moisture From within the coach. If you can find an Attorney that will take it . Good.. You will only Be made whole again. NO MORE;;

I know that this is going to sound crazy, but for once I agree with Bachler. It would be very difficult to find an attorney to take this case. This is very much what the attorney I consulted with told me, which is why reporting these incidents to the NHTSA is likely the best course of action. Good luck to all.

[Old Dude 66]

We purchased a 2011 Adventurer last year. We live in Texas and keep it in a shed when not being used. Is the rust issue something I need to be checking on each year?

[ExitStrategy]

Originally Posted by Old Dude 66

We purchased a 2011 Adventurer last year. We live in Texas and keep it in a shed when not being used. Is the rust issue something I need to be checking on each year?

Yes, you need to keep an eye on your frames regardless of how you store your rig or where you live! Most of my trips were to the desert in Southern California and the rig saw hardly any rain. That means my rust was most likely caused by me washing it! Granted, I'm pretty fastidious about keeping my vehicles up, but I had no idea of the damage I was doing. The first thing you need to check is your lower windshield rail - The factory put raw steel L brackets there on the earlier coaches. If yours are not coated, you should coat them with something like POR-15 right away. That step may save you. If the factory has already coated them for you, by all means let us know. The second step would be to peel the top molding back and check for any window locating / scribe marks that may have gone through your electrostatic coating at about the upper window line. If you see anything at all, try to peel back any window sealant that may have gotten on the frame and wire brush out any rust before treating that area with POR-15 also. You may not have the scribing issue, as I have not seen any rigs later than about 2007 that have reported that.

I can't tell you how happy I am to see guys like you being proactive. I wish I had been.

Good luck.

[VanDiemen23]

If you live in a costal community, even if you store your vehicle in a garage, your biggest enemies are salt fog and condensation. The salt fog permeates the vehicle structure and the condensation constantly re-energizes the salt residue even after it dries out. The garage won't help much unless it's under positive pressure with air that is warmer and drier than the outside.

When it rains in coastal communities the initial dripwater is LOADED with salt and frequently causes major power problems for instance, when the conductive water bridges the primary and secondary of power line transformers. Just stand anywhere along the PCH in El Segundo on a foggy night and you can hear the power lines crackle overhead. Of all the tests we run on military equipment, salt fog is one of the hardest to pass. We've also found that the acids in acid rain are a HUGE contributor and harder to deal with than the salt - so those in the North East coastal pain get a double whammy.

I've inspected a lot of race cars, garage kept, in east and west coast coastal communities and it's not unusual to find every mild steel fastener, surface, and the brakes heavily corroded.

Even without the salt, condensation will be a problem in most areas.

Also, if the RTV sealant is activated by acetic acid, and the metal not painted or plated well, then the sealant started the corrosion process when it was applied.

I live in Ridgecrest, CA, which is one of the driest places in the US. I have a lot of mild steel for projects on racks in the side yard and if left out it will rust just due to the high heat accelerating the oxidizing process with just the incredibly small amount of condensation we get here. It rains less than 2.5" per year, maybe just 3 or four days total.

[Pelledan]

I can well understand the corrosion issues associated with coastal living. That said, what is a good camp distance to maintain from salt water where you would be less likely to be affected by the salt air?

Thanks, Dan

[Old Dude 66]

Originally Posted by ExitStrategy

Yes, you need to keep an eye on your frames regardless of how you store your rig or where you live! Most of my trips were to the desert in Southern California and the rig saw hardly any rain. That means my rust was most likely caused by me washing it! Granted, I'm pretty fastidious about keeping my vehicles up, but I had no idea of the damage I was doing. The first thing you need to check is your lower windshield rail - The factory put raw steel L brackets there on the earlier coaches. If yours are not coated, you should coat them with something like POR-15 right away. That step may save you. If the factory has already coated them for you, by all means let us know. The second step would be to peel the top molding back and check for any window locating / scribe marks that may have gone through your electrostatic coating at about the upper window line. If you see anything at all, try to peel back any window sealant that may have gotten on the frame and wire brush out any rust before treating that area with POR-15 also. You may not have the scribing issue, as I have not seen any rigs later than about 2007 that have reported that.

I can't tell you how happy I am to see guys like you being proactive. I wish I had been.

Good luck.

Good grief! Thanks for the advice! I live near Dallas, Tx and will definitely be taking your advice. I may even stop washing it. :-)

[bubbletruck]

My father has a flats boat that sits in the ocean. It's a few years old now, he does rinse it off about once a week, but It has no rust anywhere. Maybe a few random bolts or screws. I wonder what's the difference. Other than one floats and one rolls... LOL.

[garykk]

Originally Posted by bubbletruck

My father has a flats boat that sits in the ocean. It's a few years old now, he does rinse it off about once a week, but It has no rust anywhere. Maybe a few random bolts or screws. I wonder what's the difference. Other than one floats and one rolls... LOL.

The bolts and screws in a boat are either stainless, bronze or heavy galvanized, none of which are in a MH

[ExitStrategy]

Originally Posted by bubbletruck

My father has a flats boat that sits in the ocean. It's a few years old now, he does rinse it off about once a week, but It has no rust anywhere. Maybe a few random bolts or screws. I wonder what's the difference. Other than one floats and one rolls... LOL.

Many of the larger ocean-going vessels have sacrificial anodes that the rust attacks first. They are bolted to the outer hull below the water line and must be changed before they are all used up - otherwise the rust goes after the steel hull. I wonder if he is using those?

[steelheadbluesman]

Originally Posted by ExitStrategy

Many of the larger ocean-going vessels have sacrificial anodes that the rust attacks first. They are bolted to the outer hull below the water line and must be changed before they are all used up - otherwise the rust goes after the steel hull. I wonder if he is using those?

Got me wondering.... Could we put a strip of anode material against the bottom rail of the windshield frame and reduce or control the rust a little?

Probably crazy, but I'm just wonderin'....

[ExitStrategy]

Originally Posted by steelheadbluesman

Got me wondering.... Could we put a strip of anode material against the bottom rail of the windshield frame and reduce or control the rust a little?

Probably crazy, but I'm just wonderin'....

Not so crazy... Here is what Wikipedia has to say:

Galvanic anode - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Al10453]

My '99 Winnebago has very little chassis rust even though it stays near the ocean in Fl. 6 months out of the year. The cost to replace my windshield upper & lower steel frame supports was approximately $2700. Out of that $ 600 was for a glass guy to remove & reinstall the glass. Luckly the glass came out easily due to the rusted frame.

[steelheadbluesman]

Originally Posted by ExitStrategy

Not so crazy... Here is what Wikipedia has to say:

Galvanic anode - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It looks like it might be smart, if one has to open up the area for repairs, to attach a thin strip of aluminum or zinc flashing. Wouldn't take much. Hmmm.
Any downside? Probably not....

[BFlinn181]

I believe an anode only works immersed in water. Humidity is not enough to create the conditions necessary for an anode to work. Attaching zinc or aluminum to a steel framework will only create a weak electric 'battery' that will eventually cause the breakdown of the materials. Better to treat the rust and coat with a protective barrier. Problems arrise since the inside of the steel tubing can't be easily treated or sealed.

[steelheadbluesman]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

I believe an anode only works immersed in water. Humidity is not enough to create the conditions necessary for an anode to work. Attaching zinc or aluminum to a steel framework will only create a weak electric 'battery' that will eventually cause the breakdown of the materials. Better to treat the rust and coat with a protective barrier. Problems arrise since the inside of the steel tubing can't be easily treated or sealed.

Good info. Yes, every anodizing application I can think of has a more-or-less full-time water connection. I believe that answers the question. Of course I do live in the Oregon Cascades and at the coast much of the time, so I'm getting about 160 inches of wet stuff per year.... not exactly underwater, but sometimes it feels like it! Thanks for your input.

[VanDiemen23]

there are creeping oils made for the aviation industry that keep corrosion from occurring inside tubing. You drill a hole and squeeze some in. seal the hole with JB weld if you want. Aircraft spruce carries the stuff.

[RTegarini]

Originally Posted by bachler

Yes some folks can't handle the truth.

I agree, as many in this thread also do: the truth is that it's a proven fact that Winnebago has a windshield design problem that can lead to rusted out windshield frames and water leaks. I can easily point to my 2005 Itasca and my father-in-laws 2006 Winnebago as proof. They have spent their 'lives' in sunny California; sure, we get rain, but we don't have any of the extreme weather that can be found in other states.

Thank-you ExitStrategy for this thread and will point out to all 'non-believers' that in your first post in this thread you stated "Please, if you are not affected - Do not reply to this thread." As a Winnebago owner, if you don't have this rusted windshield/leaking issue, good (and lucky) for you, but please keep in mind that many of us do and feel helpless so far in dealing directly with Winnebago. Winnebago being a sponsor here should have no bearing in discussing the realities of a known design flaw. As a sponsor here, I can hope that Winnebago reads these types of issues because I know that when you call customer service regarding repairs and/or reimbursement, the hearing-aid battery must have gone dead. And I certainly haven't read any rebuttals here, posted from Winnebago, denying the issue.

I hope that all affected owners continue to post information/ post pictures and share other knowledge they acquire regarding rusting/leaking windshields. Those that don't have the problem, and have already stated such in this thread, have made their point and are free to review the other threads in 'Winnebago'. I don't see the point of throwing stones at owners that are financially on the hook for repairs because we want to expose and discuss it. -RT