Quality control

[Iowa Dave]

I spent the afternoon in Cedar Falls at the boat and travel show. It’s held in a building where the University football and basketball games are played. As I was leaving I walked along the lowest walkway in front of the stadium seating. This put me about 12 feet higher than the main floor where all the activity occurs. I was just above the tightly packed in stick built trailers looking down on the roofs. Here are a couple of pictures of the neat caulking the average person does not see till the first time they get on a ladder to look at their roof. They are all new rigs. Is “goobered up” a technical term?
Iowa Dave

[gbaglo]

Fine crapmanship.

[Y is Me]

If it isn't a technical term, it most certainly should be for cases like this! Man, I am so glad I stumbled across Escape Trailer Industries before I managed to save up a down payment for a trailer and pay off my truck.

[JPSpins]

Heartbreaking when I think of the future owners and what they will be dealing with.

[Jim Bennett]

More is always better, right?

[cpaharley2008]

I here Jayco is making one every 7 hours.....heck the glue is still wet

[steve dunham]

It's caulk on an area , (Roof) where most trailer owners will never look unless there is a problem . You can draw any conclusion or pass judgement as you wish. I for one am not overly concerned nor do I find it a reason to ignore or minimise quality problems with FG trailers.
As with all things manufactured , the quality & workmanship could and should be better !!

[cpaharley2008]

Not only is there a sea of caulk, but that rubber membrane is glued and I had air bubbles in one of mine that if popped would create a hole.

[Donna D.]

Bet it's silicone and those trailer manufacturers buy it by the rail car.

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I here Jayco is making one every 7 hours.....heck the glue is still wet

I believe it’s 7 hours from start to finish of each individual trailer, and per that one video boasting of this that was posted awhile back, they actually crank out 26 or so trailers per day. But that video could be out of date so who knows how many they’ve optimized to today.

[Iowa Dave]

Good morning all,
As you may have detected, while my speech and actions don’t always connect all the dots, my mind usually doesn’t let me down. By posting pictures I was attempting to show what I considered sloppy workmanship on new trailers. Simple enough. To connect the dots for those unable to do so, my message was, whenever purchasing new equipment a thorough examination of the workmanship or lack of it from all angles, top, sides and bottom and the ability to ask the question “ how will this hold up and how will or can it be fixed if there is a failure when I own it,” is considered by me to be “doing my due diligence”.If I’m satisfied with my conclusions I exercise my long held Davy Crockett mantra, “make sure you’re right then go ahead”. Dots connected I open my wallet, moths fly out and I pay the man with a few silver certificates. Have a great day, I’m headed for an auction where there is a nice flexible flyer sled and a nice radio flyer wagon and those suckers were built right, back in the day. I looked at them last night.
Iowa “second childhood” Dave

[wetzk]

It's self leveling caulk. You lay it on thick and it flows then flattens a bit.
While I do not like rubber roofs this is the correct way to do them.
You do not want a small seam of caulk you want it to overlay the roof a bit.

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

I spent the afternoon in Cedar Falls at the boat and travel show. It’s held in a building where the University football and basketball games are played. As I was leaving I walked along the lowest walkway in front of the stadium seating. This put me about 12 feet higher than the main floor where all the activity occurs. I was just above the tightly packed in stick built trailers looking down on the roofs. Here are a couple of pictures of the neat caulking the average person does not see till the first time they get on a ladder to look at their roof. They are all new rigs. Is “goobered up” a technical term?
Iowa Dave

Jeeze! I thought my repair jobs were messy...this makes me look like a real pro!

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Iowa “second childhood” Dave

And here I had wrongly assumed you were still going on the first one.

But yes, those Radio Flyer wagons wer (are) da bomb. I saw one in Cottonwood AZ a few weeks ago in near new condition. Woulda bought it, but did not want to have to haul it back.

[davidmurphy02]

20 years ago we knew nothing about RV'ing but wanted to travel, got a small stick and tin 5th wheel that we loved. A little bigger and heavier than the 5.0TA but our faithful 98 Ram 1500 (which I'm still driving today) pulled us all over the country on many adventures. We learned the hard way, repeatedly, though about poor construction and flimsy roof seals. First a major flood inside on our first big trip when we got caught in an extended downpour. Then over the ensuing years, water found its way in through various parts of the roof several more times. Eventually wood rot in the ceiling and walls made it no longer roadworthy. The past few years we bemoaned the fact that everyone seemed to have stopped making small fifth wheels many years ago....then just recently we discovered Escape. The 5.0TA is exactly what we've been looking for - we are just beginning the journey towards owning one and are beyond thrilled. I don't know whether I'm more impressed with ETI and their product, or with the amazingly knowledgeable and helpful owners in this forum. Looking forward to a trailer that, among other things, will never die from roof leaks and wood rot!

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

And here I had wrongly assumed you were still going on the first one.

But yes, those Radio Flyer wagons wer (are) da bomb. I saw one in Cottonwood AZ a few weeks ago in near new condition. Woulda bought it, but did not want to have to haul it back.

For your reference, the Radio Flyer 90 in very good condition, no rust, no paint chips, only apparently driven at grandma’s place a few Sundays a year, went for $100. The very good condition Flexible flyer 3 (48 inch deck) only driven at grandma’s on Christmas vacation by an only grandchild, on a property with no trees or jumps, went for $90. I think they are going to change the state motto to “Iowa, where your second childhood kicks in the same time as your IRA withdrawal becomes mandatory.” I did buy a very good garden kneeler and seat for $5.
Iowa Dave

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Bet it's silicone and those trailer manufacturers buy it by the rail car.

I'll bet it's not. We have two "stickie" RVs (in addition to our all-moulded fiberglass travel trailer), and while there's lots of caulk, I haven't found silicone sealant on the exterior of either of them, anywhere.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

20 years ago we knew nothing about RV'ing but wanted to travel, got a small stick and tin 5th wheel that we loved. A little bigger and heavier than the 5.0TA but our faithful 98 Ram 1500 (which I'm still driving today) pulled us all over the country on many adventures. We learned the hard way, repeatedly, though about poor construction and flimsy roof seals. First a major flood inside on our first big trip when we got caught in an extended downpour. Then over the ensuing years, water found its way in through various parts of the roof several more times. Eventually wood rot in the ceiling and walls made it no longer roadworthy. The past few years we bemoaned the fact that everyone seemed to have stopped making small fifth wheels many years ago....then just recently we discovered Escape. The 5.0TA is exactly what we've been looking for - we are just beginning the journey towards owning one and are beyond thrilled. I don't know whether I'm more impressed with ETI and their product, or with the amazingly knowledgeable and helpful owners in this forum. Looking forward to a trailer that, among other things, will never die from roof leaks and wood rot!

I enjoyed reading about your journey David, and how you came upon Escape. You're just up the road a piece from me in Austin. Hey, once you get your 5'er, let's go camping.