Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

So I decided to remove my luan sidewalls in preperation for electric and insulation and I am horrified at whats underneath. Every single beam is completely rusted..some of them are bent..It looks like the metal studs they used to build my trailer have been sitting outside bare for YEARS!!!! I ordered from the factory because I wanted brand new..Is this a common find?? As soon as I figure out how to post pics I will show you what I am talking about...

For a brand new factory trailer, that is strange to say the least. Where was the trailer built? Haulmark has a few different factories. For example, my factory built trailer (that is still on order) is coming up from Ogden UT.

Before you paid for the trailer, did you do a thorough PDI (Post Delivery Inspection) with the dealer? I plan on doing this and panel removal is one of the inspection points.

In any case, if it is bad as you say it is, then I would be taking the trailer back to the dealer.

I figured out how to post pictures in my album..Take a look at what they are trying to pass as a brand new trailer..I bought the trailer through a dealer in indiana(that had the cheapest price online), and picked up the trailer myself at the Haulmark factory in Mcadoo PA..2.5 hrs from my house in New York..I inspected as much as I could but I did not even think of bringing my drill gun and taking off the luan side panel..I am at a complete loss at what to do..Major bummer

I guess I have to get on the phone with Haulmark tomorrow and see what they say..What do I do in a case like this?? Do you think Haulmark would have the nerve to give me a hard time after I email them the pics of all the rust?? Unbelievable

And if I ordered the trailer with insulation already done I would have never known about the rotting carcus underneath..I guess Haulmark is betting on most people not ever taking there sidewalls off..Maybe thats why they secure it with 100 screws..

I would be absolutely pissed. There is no effort to prevent rust through a coating, and once it starts it is a cancer. This can be corrected but they should bear the cost even if it only for the materials i.e. Por 15 or Zerorust.
I will be interested in their response and you might want to point out that you brought this up on a forum with lots of potential customers.

Sorry to see such a rusty mess. The problem is the metal between the framing and the skin that you (or them) can't get at to clean or paint. All of us steal frame trailer guys will have the same problem you have...but not like that for many years.
BC Explorer you should take some of digitek's pics with you when you go to pick up your unit. The dealer will not want to believe you and may not let you remove the trim over the seams to remove the sheet goods until you have paid for it.

Correct me if I am wrong but looks like they did not use a lot of weld on the studs to frame as well....rust 5

Other than some used older trailers this is the worst case of rust I have seen.
what do you do? I think I would complain first to the seller send them pictures then to haul-mark
or maybe send both a NICE letter and pictures remember flies are caught with honey
a threating letter sets the wrong tone no matter how mad you are and if I were you I would be very mad.

pete

I spoke to my dealer and sent them pics of the rust and they said that they have never seen this before. They also said that there will be no one in the warranty dept until Tuesday. After uncovering this and inspecting the trailer I have learned something about the production technique used. The whole trailer frame is put together with rusted steel thats probably sitting in some damp warehouse. After the trailer is put together the whole frame is sprayed. On my trailer I noticed part of each vertical rusted stud is sprayed near the bottom where it meets with the horizontal stud which is sprayed. For some reason they did not spray this side of trailer-Maybe they ran out of paint, or maybe they were backed up and needed to get the trailer done and couldnt wait for paint to dry. If they would have sprayed the studs I would have never known they were covered in rust. I just assumed that it was bare metal that was painted. I wonder if any other or all the trailer manafacturers use this method of covering up the rust. Even the ceiling studs which are painted black I bet are covered in rust underneath that shiny paint. Not sure what I am expecting to hear from Haulmark on Tuesday. If they offer to fix the problem they are just going to paint the rusted metal. Even if they build me a new trailer alltogether its still going to be built with painted rusted steel because that is how they build them. Really frustrated at the lack of quality. I wonder if any companies take pride in building the trailers with fresh unrusted metal??????? What do you guys think I should do??
Should I just paint the metal with rustoleum and just accept the fact that I bought a crappy made product??
Should I tell them to come pick it up and refund my money and go to another trailer manafacturer????
If they offer to fix it should I just have faith that they will fix it properly and not just paint over it??
Frustrated!!!

I know you are frustrated, especially having to wait for Tuesday, but I'd give them a chance to make it right by you.

The pictures you took will go a long way in getting this resolved.


Barb

What they're saying is that they get the studs from their manufacturer without priming applied at the factory? If that's the case then anything that they have will already started to rust. Unless they can keep it dry and out of humid air the oxidation will start right away. No different than getting kiln dried wood and storing it in a humid shop...it will reabsorb water again.

You're going to have a battle no matter what happens. Good luck and try to take three breaths every time you start on any part of the process.

If you get an offer to discount the original price for you to 'spend' on a repair you're likely going to need to strip it down and spray on one of the rust stabilizing primers on all of the studs. That isn't too difficult...but why should you have to do the work on a brand new trailer? Buying a used one with rusty studs would have a price adjustment.

Good luck,

Tom

I think they should replace your trailer with one that does not have rusty studs and give you some kind of upgrade for your troubles. Then when you get home with your raw studs give them a coat of paint.
If you want to see raw studs, very little weld and poor undercoating, check out my album of a 6 month old Diamond.

Edited a bit....

Digitek,

Sorry to see the rust situation, some of that looks like more than surface corrosion. At least you have Universal Trailer as an ultimate backstop...

http://www.universaltrailer.com/

Today, I finally took delivery of my new XXXX brand 7x22 that's been sitting at the dealership for about six months pending some warranty issues. XXXX went out of business several month's ago, no recourse on warranty at this point. I'll open her up a bit and give a full report on another thread.

The Universal Trailer conglomerate should be able to help you, unless their top-end items like Featherlite are not worth keeping a good reputation over.....

According to their website:

"you will not find a better built with better quality and better backed trailer than a Haulmark."