2019 Reflection 285BHTS travel trailer, purchased new in 2019.
Had problems with the slide not coming in all the way on one side. It did it randomly since we got it and was told by a Grand Design dealer that we just needed to hold the slide button down for 30 seconds after the slide stops moving when bringing the slide in and out. We did this and always make sure the trailer is level when working the slide. It still periodically would not come in all the way and we would have to run the slide out and back in until it did come in all the way. We were also told to do that by the dealer. Never seemed to do it when at the dealership. Would sometimes do it frequently sometimes go for months without doing it.
Fast forward to this past spring, 3 days into a 3 month trip we had problems bringing the slide in took a 4 or 5 times of bringing it in and out before it finally came in correctly. Stopped and went to put the slide out and nothing. Got it into the only shop that could/would take it in a few days before Easter, camping world.
They took the rear slide motor out and confirmed it was not working, replaced it, then they replaced the slide controller which had shorted out. Replaced that and still nothing. Finally tracked it back to the wire running to the slide motor that was run under the support leg for the shower pan and had pinched it until it started shorting out. Eventually shorting out the motor and controller completely.
Worked for about 8 rounds of coming in and out before it started to bind up again. Then the front corners of the slide dug into the floor when it came in ripping big areas of the flooring up. At the same time I heard a loud popping and noticed the theater seating moving up and down as the slide moved out. When we stopped to put the slide back out again I checked (like I do every time to make sure nothing was blocking slide on the inside) at that point I noticed light coming through at the bottom of the main trailer wall in front of the slide. Had to put the slide out to be able to access the bunk room. When the slide opened it pulled the wall back into place. When we put the slide in to return home and take it to get fixed I heard another loud pop and when I looked the same had happened to the main wall behind the slide. Could see daylight through the back side about 3-4 inches down and in the front 1ft+ and could see right through to the ground. It popped the screws or welds whatever attaches the main side wall to the floor.
Spoke with a representative that told me to have it taken to a Grand Design repair facility near me. Took it to Lazy Days in Tampa where after almost 3 months they reattached the wall and said the slide was working correctly. When I went to pick it up checked the wall and it appeared fixed and ran the slide in and out to make sure it was working. Battery was low so just ran it in and out 1 time and was paying attention to the base of the wall and the theater seating to see if it moved, everything appeared to be working fine. When I got home put the trailer in storage (at my house) where it sat for a couple of weeks before I went out and ran the slide out to do some stuff in the trailer. That's when I noticed that the wall in front of the slide was "shaking"/moving in and out all the way up the wall.
Now I'm afraid to do anything with is as there is a window right there and I don't want anything else to break. I reached out to the service advisor at Lazy Days who of course responded with "the tech said the slide worked correctly". I've put everything on hold because of the Holiday season and now starting to try to figure this out again. I'll be reaching out to Lazy Days tomorrow and then going to reach out to Grand Design for any suggestions they might have.
I love our trailer it's the perfect floorplan (which they no longer make) not to mention having it all set up just how we want it. But now it has been in the shop or unusable for the past 6 months, not to mention over 3k in repair bills just on trying to get this fixed.
Does anyone have any suggestions on fixing it or ways of stabilizing it so I can use the trailer again. Unfortunately buying a new trailer right now isn't in the budget, especially having a trailer that is worthless as a trade and can't be sold in good conscience other than for scrap.
Every time I think about it I want to cry, this trailer was purchased specifically to take my mom traveling to see the country after her cancer treatment. Yet here it sits slowly eating away at the money budgeted for traveling. I'm not naive and understand that these trailers break and have issues and that there can be issues during manufacturing processes no matter the brand. I just saddened that it has come to this point and I feel like I'm stuck with a trailer that is worthless now all because of a mistake by Grand Design, sadly not the only mistake in the manufacturering of this particular trailer. But that's a completely different story, the hole for toilet cut to large, made toilet unstable, supposedly fixed by warranty but has still never felt as stable as our previous trailer. Unfortunately trying to do anything to that will require ripping up the floor and dropping the underbelly again. Trying to brainstorm ways of fixing or supporting it. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Had problems with the slide not coming in all the way on one side. It did it randomly since we got it and was told by a Grand Design dealer that we just needed to hold the slide button down for 30 seconds after the slide stops moving when bringing the slide in and out. We did this and always make sure the trailer is level when working the slide. It still periodically would not come in all the way and we would have to run the slide out and back in until it did come in all the way. We were also told to do that by the dealer. Never seemed to do it when at the dealership. Would sometimes do it frequently sometimes go for months without doing it.
Fast forward to this past spring, 3 days into a 3 month trip we had problems bringing the slide in took a 4 or 5 times of bringing it in and out before it finally came in correctly. Stopped and went to put the slide out and nothing. Got it into the only shop that could/would take it in a few days before Easter, camping world.
They took the rear slide motor out and confirmed it was not working, replaced it, then they replaced the slide controller which had shorted out. Replaced that and still nothing. Finally tracked it back to the wire running to the slide motor that was run under the support leg for the shower pan and had pinched it until it started shorting out. Eventually shorting out the motor and controller completely.
Worked for about 8 rounds of coming in and out before it started to bind up again. Then the front corners of the slide dug into the floor when it came in ripping big areas of the flooring up. At the same time I heard a loud popping and noticed the theater seating moving up and down as the slide moved out. When we stopped to put the slide back out again I checked (like I do every time to make sure nothing was blocking slide on the inside) at that point I noticed light coming through at the bottom of the main trailer wall in front of the slide. Had to put the slide out to be able to access the bunk room. When the slide opened it pulled the wall back into place. When we put the slide in to return home and take it to get fixed I heard another loud pop and when I looked the same had happened to the main wall behind the slide. Could see daylight through the back side about 3-4 inches down and in the front 1ft+ and could see right through to the ground. It popped the screws or welds whatever attaches the main side wall to the floor.
Spoke with a representative that told me to have it taken to a Grand Design repair facility near me. Took it to Lazy Days in Tampa where after almost 3 months they reattached the wall and said the slide was working correctly. When I went to pick it up checked the wall and it appeared fixed and ran the slide in and out to make sure it was working. Battery was low so just ran it in and out 1 time and was paying attention to the base of the wall and the theater seating to see if it moved, everything appeared to be working fine. When I got home put the trailer in storage (at my house) where it sat for a couple of weeks before I went out and ran the slide out to do some stuff in the trailer. That's when I noticed that the wall in front of the slide was "shaking"/moving in and out all the way up the wall.
Now I'm afraid to do anything with is as there is a window right there and I don't want anything else to break. I reached out to the service advisor at Lazy Days who of course responded with "the tech said the slide worked correctly". I've put everything on hold because of the Holiday season and now starting to try to figure this out again. I'll be reaching out to Lazy Days tomorrow and then going to reach out to Grand Design for any suggestions they might have.
I love our trailer it's the perfect floorplan (which they no longer make) not to mention having it all set up just how we want it. But now it has been in the shop or unusable for the past 6 months, not to mention over 3k in repair bills just on trying to get this fixed.
Does anyone have any suggestions on fixing it or ways of stabilizing it so I can use the trailer again. Unfortunately buying a new trailer right now isn't in the budget, especially having a trailer that is worthless as a trade and can't be sold in good conscience other than for scrap.
Every time I think about it I want to cry, this trailer was purchased specifically to take my mom traveling to see the country after her cancer treatment. Yet here it sits slowly eating away at the money budgeted for traveling. I'm not naive and understand that these trailers break and have issues and that there can be issues during manufacturing processes no matter the brand. I just saddened that it has come to this point and I feel like I'm stuck with a trailer that is worthless now all because of a mistake by Grand Design, sadly not the only mistake in the manufacturering of this particular trailer. But that's a completely different story, the hole for toilet cut to large, made toilet unstable, supposedly fixed by warranty but has still never felt as stable as our previous trailer. Unfortunately trying to do anything to that will require ripping up the floor and dropping the underbelly again. Trying to brainstorm ways of fixing or supporting it. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
