Roof damage after Tree Fall. Any suggestions and help is welcome!

[Doekele]

Hi all,

Normally, I'm more of a lurker here, but this website has been the ultimate source for FWC info and advice—so now we're hoping you can help us with a bit of a situation.

A little background first to set the scene. We're a Dutch couple who moved to the US (Madison, WI) in 2022 for work. After my job wrapped up, we weren’t ready to leave this amazing country just yet. So, we decided to spend a full year traveling the US in our Ford Ranger with an FWC Fleet camper before heading back to the Netherlands. We're now in our 11th month, planning to fly back at the end of April. It's been the best experience ever—what a beautiful country you all have! We’ve driven about 30K miles, visited 27 National Parks, and even made it all the way up to Alaska.

But… a few days ago, things took a rough turn.

Last Tuesday-Wednesday night, around 1:30 AM, we were asleep in our FWC when we got jolted awake. It was stormy—nothing crazy—but we had parked in a campground parking lot about an hour from the Smoky Mountains NP. We had checked for dead trees nearby and thought we were in a safe spot. Unfortunately, a big, healthy pine tree from farther back in the woods came down. The top part of the tree clipped the driver’s side back corner of our FWC.

The damage isn't catastrophic, but it's enough to cut our trip short. There is only damage on the roof. The bottom part of the Fleet is ok. There is also no damage on the truck. The biggest issue is the inside back panel that holds up the roof. Also both struts are bent, there’s some denting on the roof, and the back fan got damaged. We managed to get the roof closed and safely drive back to Wisconsin without any problems, but the camper definitely needs repairs.

We reached out to FWC in California, but the earliest repair slot they have is at the end of April. Totally get it—they’ve got a packed schedule building and delivering campers—but that timing means we’d have to postpone our move back to the Netherlands and delay starting work again. If this is the case, we will make that work of course, but no harm is done asking for some advice in this forum!

So, we're wondering: are there any other options to get our 2023 FWC Fleet fixed? Any tips or suggestions would be super helpful!

Our biggest concern is replacing the inside back panel/structure. We don know if the roof damage is manageable, we need an expert opinion for that. The tear in the siding looks like it could be patched up. The fan should also be a relatively easy fix. Does anyone have experience with similar repairs done by other companies then FWC?

Another challenge is storage—FWC doesn’t have space to store the camper before or after the repair. Right now, the plan would be to drive the 30 hours to California, wait for the two-week repair, and then figure out the rest. Is there anyone near the FWC factory who might have ideas about storage or could help with some of these logistics?

We’re bummed the trip is ending like this, but hey—guess it just means we’ll have to come back in a few years to finish what we started!

Would really appreciate any thoughts or advice you all have.

Thanks so much!

Doekele and Eveline.

 

[Vic Harder]

Glad you are safe and dry! That damage doesn't look too bad. The lift panel is ruined for sure, but that can be replaced. The hole in the soft side can be taped/repaired. The bend in the roof looks minor from the photos. The fan housing can be replaced. What are the black bits attached to the jack bracket?? They look like they got damaged too, whatever that was.

Check out the Marty and the other good folks at ATC in Sacramento. Sister company to FWC that is phenomenal at repairs and the "personal" touch. They should be able to take good care of you.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

First sorry to hear what happened.Second your trip sounds great and yes we do have a great country lots of great places to see.
Now have you made any contact with Marty at ATC campers they are in Sacramento ? I don't know if he is allowed to fix newer FWC campers.It is worth a try.He does fantastic work and usually fits repairs into his time.Isn't there any FWC outlets on the east coast that can do a repair?
After rereading your post,I would defiantly contact ATC. Since you have already considered
driving to the west coast for a repair.
A broken lift panel should be easy to fix and the other repairs seem to be minor.
Good luck.
Frank

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

OUCH!!!!!! So sorry your camper was damaged. I’m not sure if ATC in Sacramento would work on a FWC camper this new, but it’s certainly worth a call. From the photos, the damage while nasty looking, isn’t beyond repair, and may not take that long.

Give ATC a call, ask to speak to Marty. A number of us here will vouch for the quality and affordability of their work.

BTW, I suspect your auto insurance may cover a lot of the repair cost.

 

[Doekele]

Thanks all for the kind words and the great tips! For sure we will make the call to ATC today, ans see if they can help in the situation.

What are the black bits attached to the jack bracket?? They look like they got damaged too, whatever that was.

That was the Aluminess Expedition tool kit holder for our Ax and Shovel. It got the worst hit I would say.

BTW, I suspect your auto insurance may cover a lot of the repair cost.

We have our camper insured through Progressive. So far the contacts have been great. We'll have to see how it all unfolds in the end.

 

[Wyo4Life]

Wow, glad you were not hurt in the deal. Welcome to the USA and it looks like you have already seen more than most people who live here. Above recommendations are sound and I wish you the best of luck in getting your camper fixed in a short amount of time.
Something else to think about since you have to go back to the Netherlands is if ATC for example can fix it, may you could think about having them sell it for you on consignment and then when you come back you can purchase another camper? That way you would not be burdened with trying to store it long term here in the USA while you are back home. Just a thought.

 

[FAW3]

I live in Northern Virginia near Manassas. You can park in my driveway and we can at least do field repairs to your FWC. I’ve dealt with some lighter tree fall damage successfully.

I’ll send phone via PM.

Frank