<p>Firstly, the camper is stored in the same garage as the old one was. (nothing different).</p>
<p>The garage is open during the day quite often and closed at night, so it breaths well enough in there...IMO.</p>
<p>The old camper had dings, dents and scratches, and never had pitting....anywhere.</p>
<p>The old one had 2 leak issues over the years, one from the roof where it was seamed together, and the other area</p>
<p>that had rot was the 1st 16 inches on the floor of the front entry inside.</p>
<p>So, like I said, it was an old camper at the end, so to a have a rotten floor over that time is to be expected, and a</p>
<p>roof leak is also expected over that time...but that was it....oh, and the seal strips where in rough shape for years</p>
<p>before being replaced, yet camper/siding was A1.</p>
<p>Also, after each trip, camper is lifted up in driveway, to dry out and clean out....even the over-cab bed walls are</p>
<p>left open/down to allow air to dry out any moisture from the trip....every time.</p>
<p>Even when I pack up for the drive home, I take time to wipe down the inner walls with towels for any moisture</p>
<p>that may have accumulated from condensation etc....fan on when cooking....which ironically, is a much stronger</p>
<p>and effective fan then the old camper.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I do live in Vancouver BC, so yes, moisture, such as rain while out camping or the drive home is a common</p>
<p>occurrence...but again...nothing new, and the old Alaskan handled it just fine.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As for the pitting...yes, water is getting inside the sheet metal, or should I say into the walls.</p>
<p>And yes, probably right from the get go, as the pitting started in the 1st few years already of ownership.</p>
<p>It actually started on the rear top door on the outside facing surface...BUT....it was from the inside out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The other sections as I said where on the sides, generally at the bottom of the windows but all the way from</p>
<p>front to back of those side, but at the same height.</p>
<p>Also, at about the same height, on the rear of the camper on both sides.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I agree, water is getting in, behind the paneling siting in the wood and Styrofoam on the inside sheeting surface</p>
<p>and thus causing the corrosion from the inside out.</p>
<p>The pitting is not from starting from the outside in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now here is the interesting thing...</p>
<p>Brian feels that it is due to the side window company manufacturing windows with crappy center rubber strip</p>
<p>seals...the seal that run in the middle of these windows from top to bottom.</p>
<p>These strips appear to be tooo short. leaving space for water to get in and then follow gravity down.</p>
<p>Very plausible, and thus creating the corrosion from the inside to outer surface in time.</p>
<p>(the fix was to put some silicone into that gap of the window, which leaves me not too happy to be honest).</p>
<p>Yes, a short term solution if it is the problem, but it is not a proper long term fix, as the windows should be replaced ...IMO)</p>
<p>Also, the sheet metal is only painted/coated on the outside surface...not on the inside surface.</p>
<p>That is fine, as water should not be sitting inside the walls to begin with.</p>
<p>Had the panels been painted/coated on the inside surface, then pitting/corrosion may not occur.</p>
<p>Something they were considering.</p>
<p>BUT, if the inside surface is also protected, then all that happens is wood that stays wet, and rots, and you never</p>
<p>know there is an issue....unless there is a pool of water inside your camper...lol.</p>
<p>So all that does is hide a "bigger issue".</p>
<p>What has to be solved is "what is failing to keep water out"??!!</p>
<p>If the corrosion was on one side of camper or one area only, then it was just a "accidental failure".</p>
<p>This is not the case, and in fact is on both sides AND "multiple campers"!</p>
<p>There is an issue for sure....no doubt about it, and Rick, who doesn't say much (nice guy!), is concerned and</p>
<p>perplexed.</p>
<p>These newer camper have more silicone sealing then the old ones ever did.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I did suggest sending some of the metal siding to a metallurgist to see if the sheeting is not of good quality etc.</p>
<p>Maybe Boeing out there in Tacoma could have it tested/inspected??</p>
<p>Maybe it is cheap Chinese material like the old recycled metal Japanese cars from the early 70's!!!....</p>
<p>remember the way those Datsun's used to rust!! </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now here is another "kicker" to the problem.</p>
<p>The rear door is not produced at the facility, but farmed out etc.</p>
<p>The rear door was the 1st area to show pitting, paint blistering etc.</p>
<p>Different window all together...not in anyway related to the side windows leaking etc.</p>
<p>They replace the door at least...BUT....if it is a window issue....they used the same window!!...reinstalled the old</p>
<p>window.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now before I left, I wonder if there were metal staples or screws behind the sheet metal where the pitting was,</p>
<p>and that somehow it may have been causing issues.</p>
<p>Now, I was not around to see when the sheeting came off on the sides etc.....BUT...when picking up the camper,</p>
<p>I saw the "old door" sitting there...</p>
<p>I asked to have the aluminum rails removed all the way around and hinges etc, because I wanted to see what was in behind there as far as stapes and screws or whatever else....</p>
<p>So....no staples....no screws....just wood (2x2 or something like that...not plywood...and Styrofoam etc)</p>
<p>What did I see.....</p>
<p>Wood that was so wet and soft, that I poked right thru with my finger...not even a screwdriver.</p>
<p>And, when I pulled out a section of that wet wood....it didn't just crumble...it broke down into "beach sand like"</p>
<p>composition....meaning...completely gone.</p>
<p>And when I tried to pry away the sheet metal from the would frame, the sheet metal tore as if it was "wet paper",</p>
<p>meaning it was totally corroded through.</p>
<p>Did I mention the pitting was in opposite areas of that window panel as well, not just one area.</p>
<p>The pitting was toward the bottom of the panels, but not right at the bottom, several inches up, but on the</p>
<p>right side and left side.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I don't have pictures...did not think of it at the time.</p>
<p>Honestly, I thought this was a case of "defective sheeting" from the supplier.</p>
<p>Afterwards, seeing other campers...all fairly new...with the same issues...same area...widespread...I then</p>
<p>wish I had.</p>
<p>What scares me more, now that I realize that it is water from the inside corroding the sheet metal.... </p>
<p>Is, how soon until it fails again???</p>
<p>Worse..."how bad was the wood below the widows on each side of the camper".</p>
<p>Mold and structural integrity are now a "big concern" on me...and you go camping to get away from your</p>
<p>problems, not sit there and look at them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Do Brian and Rick want to have this problem.....certainly not!</p>
<p>Do they have a serious problem at hand....absolutely!</p>
<p>Are they trying to get to the heart of the issue, and eradicate quickly....not sure..</p>
<p>I do see that they are "Perplexed"...for sure.</p>
<p>Am I confident about this camper now....no way!</p>
<p>The widows, if they are the issue, were not replaced with proper windows...just silicone.</p>
<p>The rear door....just replaced with the same window...so....now...what's going to happen??</p>
<p>As for the sheeting on the rear of the camper...just a "Patch" screwed on to cover up the "pitting in the area.</p>
<p>Meaning, that entire panel is as was, just covered up...something you might do if you were trying to</p>
<p>"Resale" to an unknowledgeable buyer....if your the type to do that?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>the only other thing that was different, is that there are now "Black and Grey" panels on the sides of these campers, something that was not present on the old camper.</p>
<p>So, is water getting in there???...say while driving down the highway in the rain??</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I agree, once water gets into/ behind the sheet metal skin....it is almost impossible to dry out!</p>
<p>More importantly...you have to stop the water from getting in in the 1st place....otherwise it never dries out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Whatever the cause is, if it is figured out, the issue with mine and these other campers with this issue, is...</p>
<p>these campers should have been "fully fixed".....like a "Recall".</p>
<p>Right now....they are not sure what is going wrong...</p>
<p>By then, it only time will tell if more campers come in....mine and others like mine....will be a lost cause.</p>
<p>I am not into fixing a camper that should not need fixing, atleast not with the proper care that it has been given</p>
<p>while in my possession.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>An odd issue...here and there.....for sure that is going to happen.....but not like this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>One last thing...repairs are just that...even though they tried to replace the sheet metal.....</p>
<p>The fit and Finish is not that great after the repair was done.....hey ...its a repair job.</p>
<p>I will not look like it should look now, regardless of the 7 or so years that have gone by.</p>
<p>It cost them money, and labor time to repair....something no company can afford to do for to long.</p>
<p>Even though they were obliging in replacing the sheet metal etc, I am not overly happy with the final results...</p>
<p>Certain edge strips aren't very tight any longer and silicone everywhere....</p>
<p>And what about the structure/wood inside??</p>
<p>And what is happening the next time it rains??</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Don't get me wrong, the old Alaskan was fantastic, and if the only thing they had changed was the "larger sized</p>
<p>pistons", it would still be a fantastic product these days.</p>
<p>Yes, they have tried to make the product even better....lots of changes, even little ones, make a big difference</p>
<p>to the comparison form old to new.....but not if it leaks, corrodes, and then rots. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sorry if I do not reply often...I'm not a fast typer at all.</p>
<p>I know Alaskan is not trying to create a lousy product by cutting corners or costs etc....</p>
<p>But there is a big issue, and some of us owners have probably "thrown away" our money on a "faulty product"</p>
<p>right now.</p>
<p>One day they will figure it out, but for some of us with the faulty product, we will be stuck with junk in the end.</p>
<p>I am getting ready to go away camping, and I know people will be asking about the camper (as is always the</p>
<p>case when we are out there camping)....so..what do I tell them??</p>
<p>I tell the truth...and for years I would say "great"!</p>
<p>Now will say......"Big Problems".</p>
<p>Sorry if I come across as "disgruntled"....don't mean to be.....but I wanted to see who else out there has these</p>
<p>issues going on....I know some out there that are....it's just they may not be on this site....not yet....but maybe</p>
<p>over time a "google" search may bring them here with the same issues.</p>
<p>And, If someone figures out the rue underlying causes, hope they can post it.</p>
<p>Thank You All....take care</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
Edited by Bugle M In, 24 June 2017 - 07:26 AM.