Slide out skirt buckling

[laffman]

Got an update from the dealer. Repairs were approved by GD under warranty. Dealer received new set of decals today. That's all they were waiting on before going up to the campground for the initial inspection, which is 8/5. If it can be repaired on site, the work will be done that day. If not, the dealer will make arrangements to have it picked up at the end of the camping season so it can be repaired at the dealership. Dealer service agent got the trip for the initial inspection covered with no service call fee. Got my fingers crossed they can fix it at the campground.

[RetArmyMSG]

Just had both sides done for exact same thing, buckling. They removed the metal sides and reinforced the panels. they ordered new decals as well. seems to have worked, so far. The dealer said it was due to heat, especially the southwest heat where it commonly reaches the 100+ during June and July.

Art,

Did you have the work done at Holiday World in Las Cruces? The same thing is happening to mine and although I got mine from a dealer about 9hrs away, I'd like to take it to Cruces for the repairs if possible.

[Trijart]

Scott, yes I had it done in Las Cruces. Talk to Mr. Gallardo. We're out traveling the state right now and will be back on Sunday. I'll contact you then.

[laffman]

Well this has come back to haunt me again this year. After being repaired last fall under warranty, the skirts are buckling again. The method of repair, take the skirts off and remount them, seemed very inadequate at the time. Now I'm proved correct. And now I'm out of warranty. At the time, the dealer said any additional repairs would still be covered by warranty, since they performed the repair as instructed by Grand Design. As soon as I get home from my current trip, I'll be testing that claim. If the dealer gives me the runaround, I'll go to Grand Design customer support instead. These panels need to be replaced. They ripple and buckle in the summer sun.

[Capt Jim]

Count me in. My 379fl has just been dropped off at the dealer for the same issue. Hot weather no doubt increases this effect, but it also appears that the method of installation is the likely cause. It is possible that during assembly these panels are fastened from both ends to the middle. After staring at the side of my trailer for a while, it occurred to me that this looked just like the mistake I made some years ago while installing some odd shaped sheet metal in a race car chassis.

[laffman]

Jim, I think they need to punch oblong holes in these panels, like home siding. This would allow the necessary expansion and contraction. Post an update when you get it back.

[gws154]

Sadly, you can count me in!

[JCR GD]

Jim, I think they need to punch oblong holes in these panels, like home siding. This would allow the necessary expansion and contraction. Post an update when you get it back.

This is the real fix for expansion.

Mine does it too when in the sun.

[laffman]

Well good news from the dealer. Grand Design agreed to cover the repair, even though it's out of warranty. I was hoping they would, seeing that the repair they did last year under warranty didn't fix the issue at all. The repair actually made it worse. Last year it only popped out at one spot on each side. Now the entire panel ripples when heated.

Earliest they can get it in is the end of Sept. Just like last fall when the original repair was done, I won't be able to tell if it's fixed until next summer when the weather here in MI is warm enough to heat the panels. Hope I'm not going thru this again next year. I'll start to regret my Grand Design purchase.

Here are a few of the pictures I sent to the dealer to convince them last year's repair didn't work.

[offtohavasu]

I'm not sure I've seen an RV that DOESN'T do this. My buddies Jayco has it all over.