I bought a 2005 Tiffin Phateon 4 years ago. So far it’s been an inverter, house batteries, and tires. I bought a unit 10 years old due to my budget. This could happen to any one of us with older coaches. But, my co worker bought a new 2016 Tiffin 45’ foot bus. It’s been in the shop more than it’s been on the road. It breaks just sitting,total beautiful .. lemon... it could be the DPF, regen , emissions, sensors etc. So new is not necessarily always the answer. Andrew said it best, Class A ownership is not cheap and not for the faint hearted. The alternative, tent, pop up, or little camper, whatever A person could scream, cuss and cry over this, Andrew is taking the high road and trying to stay positive. There is a reward for his positive attitude, it may be down the road but it will come. Make the repairs , and move on down the road. Hats off to you my friend, your better at adversities than I am. God Bless
Andrew, this is one of the “big three” for Tiffin coaches built around your coaches time frame. Tiffin would’ve replaced the flooring for the black, grey and fresh tanks with a composite fiberglass I believe (that’s what they did on my coach in Red Bay ( no charge)) the other two biggies were fault on drivers side front slide flooring - test under right and left corner of slide while extended using a screwdriver push up on flooring ( don’t need much force if flooring is bad to penetrate - again Tiffin fixed no charge) and lastly roof issues at the radial - showed cracks. Do what previous commenter said and contact Red Bay could save you big bucks!
Glad to see you so upbeat brother. No different from any homeowner replacing a full roof or an HVAC system at their house. Keep doing your thing Andrew!
Dang. Sorry you're dealing with this, too! I know that this era Tiffin used the plywood subfloors in the wet bay and they were prone to sag and fail. The replacement subfloors are usually made of a water-resistant polymer. If you can find a shop that's experienced in wet bay subfloor replacements then it's not too bad. They usually cover these repairs at up to 8 years from the in-service date. I'd contact Mr. Bob and see about sharing the repair cost. You've got the right attitude for this lifestyle! Best of luck on the repair!
Thanks Andrew for showing us that your water tank was thinly / sparsely strapped, and was also held to the undercarriage of the frame with plywood; a design that likely caused the water tank to be susceptible to damage from shaking and rattling at the stress points. I will be very interested to hear what the repair people recommend for a permanent fix! Bravo to you Andrew for maintaining a positive "take it in stride" attitude!! I also thank the Lord that He kept you safe on the road, and that you discovered the tank collapse in a better location; other than on the side of a busy freeway! Angels are watching over you!
All part of the RV adventure! Having a good attitude like yours is the best start. I hope the bill for all the work is manageable for you. Praying for the best.
Andrew my friend, sorry to see ur having trouble w/ur Tiffen, but u have me laughing when the ants got on you and ur reaction was priceless😂 hope it all works out for you and keep up the great vids, you've taught me more about the RV lifestyle than i could've learned on my own✌️always an adventure w/you!
Appreciate keeping it real Andrew .... and you are right ... all these rigs have issues ...New or Old ...they all have issues ....I wish you will find a suitable solution soon .... By the way .... the customer who left the money in the deisel tank's cap is super cool dude ....
SORRY to see this, but youre smiling thru it !!!! RVers take a hit and keep on rolling !!! Happy Trails Michelle Tallahassee !! My son used to detail, he told me about "clay bar" , I know your work ethic and being hungry for adventure,. take care !!
I feel your pain! We have a 2008 Holiday Rambler Scepter. It’s beautiful and in great shape but , man do we have lots of fix it stories!👍 We usually try to fix what we can ourselves cause RV dealers take forever and are very expensive! Good luck!
Andrew, as Joe mentioned, that panel opens up by removing screws on the bottom. You will need something to prop it up. It will allow you more access to strap the tank up. You might want to check your shower drain for leaks. The trap may have come loose or is cracked. This leak is not obvious because the drain is covered/ protecting it from the cold with some black insulation. Hope this helps and good luck!
Sorry to hear of this unexpected issue and hope that it can be repaired at reasonable cost. Fortunately you caught this in storage imagine the damage if it had failed after hitting a bump on the interstate. I had always heard that water was the biggest threat to any RV but what can you do if the leak is hidden. As always I admire your positive attitude and look forward to further updates.
Awe the damn water tank leaks,I had to remove one on my alfa gold this summer, luckily we caught it early because we are full timers,you got your self a project my friend hope it turns out ok🙃😉✌
All I can say Andrew is that I feel for you. I hope you can get this fixed without it costing a ton. We had similar water issues with our used Winnebago. I must say this: I admire and respect your positive attitude and outlook. You are simply stating the truth.
Just spend the day in Fontana Ca at the California RV show. Check out A to Z in trailer's - motorhomes A, B,C super C which are turning into quite something. But will always end up at Tiffin and spend a great deal of time checking out the new tiffin's. Yes there are the ones how have a native look a Tiffin. But answer these few question. How many RV manufacturer CEO will stand in there motorhome and talk with you. I have enjoy many conversation with Bob Tiffin and found him to be very easy going. Next question how many RV manufacturer can you go back to the manufacturing plant to get your motorhome work on all year round ( many manufacturers will say call your dealer) and find Bob Tiffin walking around talking with owners. I have heard many stores of Tiffin reaching out to owners to help them with problems even on older couch's. And the last question how RV manufacturer will work with a dealer to set up a repair shop with factory train technician. Answer Tiffin, Tiffin has set up shop with Mike Thompson RV in Colton Ca. to work on only Tiffin couch's with factory train technician. Is tiffin the best! NO! - no one RV manufacturer is the best but I see Tiffin working at it the hardest... I thank you Mr. Bob Tiffin and all at Tiffin.
One would think that containing water tanks would be fine with metal not wood. Easy to see how that rotted and probably the ants ate the wood. Cutting cost always happens behind the walls and that is why people are so pissed off at these builders. I've driven City buses for years and 30 years they are still running and not rotting. They take more abuse than you can imagine and run a million miles. I'm tired of the RV industry building junk unless you actually but a bus for 2 million. If you can't build a great product for what you charge them stop making them. In a house a metal roof is only 10% more and last 4 times as long. This holds true in RVs also.
Darn. Great attitude Andrew. In your video I could see the other side sagging so it was a good idea to run most of the water out of the tank. IMO, just looking at how water rotted the wood was; this was leaking for a long time. Hang in there brother.
Man, that lot where your motorhome is parked is HUUUGE! Looks like 2 football files plus or longer. Is that a defunct airstrip? Enjoy your videos. You tell the truth about ownership.... you have to maintain a schedule and ALWAYS observe every inch of the rig. Catch problems early. I am impressed that your business moves nationwide. Looking foward ti more of "your stuff and RV's".
Sorry your having these probs brother, but like you said, sooner or later you have to do repairs and maintenance. Even if it cost a little more, don't cut corners in the repair brother. Do it right the first time and you probably never have that prob again. How long have you had that coach? Looks like that problem may have been there for quite a while. Good luck brother. Stay safe.
Wow what a bummer Andrew. You sure do have a positive approach though! We would love to see a detailed video on where these leaks came from on the floor issue and the water tank.
My first thought I was wondering if the person before you might have bottomed out in that area or had a slight accident in this is result of faulty repair. Really surprised there's so much wood in that unit I thought it would be all aluminum and steel. Now I worry about my coaches there are much older than yours.
Being a rear radiator with a tag axle, that’s an older coach and obviously that tank has been leaking for a long time and that’s the end result of not fixing it a long time ago. That’s going to be a massive repair bill
Has nothing to do with being a rear radiator or a tag axle. That is the wet bay floor. Nothing is leaking. Very bad design by TIffin, They had to repair dozens if not hundreds. Happened to my 06 allegro Bus when it was 2yrs old.
Its an easy fix and I did mine over the weekend, Just takes a little time to remove everything and pull the tanks out and then wash everything from the previous owner who crapped in it lol. But its not and expensive fix, i did mine for about $300
Well on a positive note it happened while in storage and not in the middle of nowhere! Interested to see if you have to get your rig on a lift for the repair and would like a tour of the underside if you do. Good luck!
That is very true, I forgot to mention that in the video but was definitely my first thought m. Could have been really bad. Will definitely make sure to document all of the repairs. Thank you!
If you need to add more straps before moving maybe use hydraulic leveling jacks to raise rig to give you more working room. Looking forward to repair and cost video. We feel for ya buddy.
Andrew, you will need to pull the water tanks and have the floor structurally reinforced! There should have been some cross members there as at 8lbs a gallon, you have a lot of weight bouncing up and down going down the road. It looks like you don't have a bay door there? You have to get access to repair it right! Hate to see that kind of water damage and it will take a bite out of you budget if you don't find the right repair shop to fix it! Personally, I would have a metal floor installed and do away with the wood. Not good in my opinion with Tiffin and that issue!
I had the same problem with our Phaeton, Took it back to Red Bay, when they built those older coaches they just used a OSB floor when we brought it back to red Bay they had me go to a special place north of there another shop installed a composite floor like a heavy thick plastic that would not rot out, they had to pull out all the tanks and install the floor took them about a half a day cost us about $950
You’re attitude is what pulls you through thick and thin...good things coming your way bud...hope it doesn’t cost you much...and you continue your adventure..👍👍👍🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺
Tiffin replaced mine for free when the coach was 5 years old. I also had a problem with my large slide out. it didn't go bad when they were paying 100% but it did go bad during the time frame they were doing 1/2. I was unable to get to Red Bay during that time, but just this past summer I made an appointment & after telling the guy doing the work that I had not been able to do it when it would have been half off, he urged me to call Bob Tiffin. I did & left a message & Bob called me back in 30 minutes. Just based on my word, he paid for 1/2 of the repair. How many manufacturers to you know that would do that for a 12 year old coach!! These are best people in the world to deal with. I would never buy anything but a Tiffin!
So, Andrew (coming late to the party), Husband and I are thinking of a 2008 to fulltime in. We're aware of the issue with the water bay and have watched fixit (DIY) vids to replace and fix. It seems that you didn't think your Phaeton could withstand lots of travel miles. Do you think that a Pheaton would not be a good fulltime rig? We're looking at other coaches, like 2005-2009 (?) Country Coach, between 34'-36', even Beaver or Allegro RED same years and length. Should we cross Phaeton off the list?
Andrew regarding your water tank dropping to the ground I am shocked that you didn’t keep an eye on this months ago you’re always so very thorough and accurate you you missed the signs of the damage the rotting etc. there had to be indications months ago this just didn’t happen overnight what happened to you? Where is your beautiful dog today
Wondering if they can get away from plywood , or do what they did in the boating industry. Sandwich plywood between fiberglass or do like Boston whaler, foam between glass, strategic anchors to bolt the cabinets. It’s Lightweight and waterproof. If you think motor-homes take a pounding,go out on a whaler in rough chop and there goes your rot problem.
Maybe but this isn't Bob's fault (and it's unfair to expect him to cover the cost for Andrew). Andrew bought this coach secondhand and was subsequently advised that the floor had issues up by the slide due to rot. What I find disturbing is that the service guy smelled the "musty" odor AS SOON as he walked into the coach and yet Andrew did not notice it when he was looking at purchasing the rig. I'm not criticizing Andrew here; I'm just questioning why he didn't notice there could be a problem when it was readily noticed by somebody else. But more importantly I find it HIGHLY disturbing, the number of people who immediately come to the conclusion that the manufacturer must be responsible for every little problem in a coach. Some problems are clearly the responsibility of the manufacturer if something wasn't done right on the line but that doesn't excuse the owners from preventive maintenance and FIXING crap as it becomes a problem. I like to think that Andrew would have addressed it right away (I believe he would have) but clearly the previous owner either ignored it or was oblivious to the fact that there was a problem (which, honestly, he would have had to have been an idiot not to have noticed THAT level of damage). Bob might help - but if he does he damn well should be given TONS of accolades for doing so because I personally don't look at this as a "Bob problem."
I didn’t say it was Bob’s fault. Never in my comment did I say it was Bob’s fault. But Bob has been known for fixing things that get hurt by water. I’ve heard of him fixing roof rails that have leaked along with other leaks that could have resulted in something overlooked during the build. I just suggested Andrew might have luck with checking it out. But, never did I say it was “Bob’s fault”. I’ve had a Phaeton and now a Bus. I’ve been extremely pleased with both mine.
@@deerman143 - Apologies then. That's how I perceived it (which I think is easy for most reading to do - as why else would another party pay to have somebody else's property repaired usually).
Dude, a big enough water leak to completely rot out the sub-floor is NOT "normal diesel coach ownership". What IS part of diesel coach ownership is maintaining the coach in good working condition. That includes periodically inspecting the coach completely underneath and inside to watch for problems like this. When you do maintain it properly, you avoid these ridiculous problems.
Man that sucks. Kinda like when my black tank fell, only had one strap holding it. what a shitty situation, my friends said and you say your shit doesn"t stink. Hang in there I always say it has to stop sometime. cheers
OMG! I had similar situation and I ended up spending 6k on a fifth wheel. Fortunately, I was able to claim on insurance. I hope this works out for you!
That panel there opens up. In the gap there’s screws that hold it shut. Wished they’d put a door latch to match the baggage doors. I believe it’s 4 screws then you can access the plumbing and the tanks. After you take the 4 screws out the door swings up. There’s no hinge so be careful. The gap between the access panel and the baggage door is tight, you’ll need a skinny screwdriver and I’d tape the edges of the baggage door to keep from messing up the paint.
RVing with Andrew Steele if you ever have any questions you know how to get ahold of me. I have been told it’s not a real pricey job to have fixed. If you call tiffin service they’ll give you a number to call (outside source) to a local place in red bay that fixes that. They replace the rotted particle board with a poly board. I want to say it was less than $2k and it’s a one day job or less.
Tell you what I found 2x4 that are made out of plastic/composite/ resin. Don't see then at the big box stores yet. You can Google search The wood screws go right through them.
Maybe you can do a video on why to not buy a used Diesel Pusher without first having it inspected by a certified RVIA inspector. This is just the kinda stuff they know to look for, especially if there has been several people reporting having an issue. You could have used fuel tank straps to hold it up. You need to find where it is leaking before doing a permanent fix.
By the way my floor hadn’t fallen completely out like yours so I was able to drive it from Nevada back to Alabama and have it repaired I had one RV dealer here in Nevada tell me it would be $4000 for the repair here that’s why I decided to take it back to red bay
If they had used marine plywood I don’t think it would have done that. I can’t see why, when they cost as much as they do that it wouldn’t be standard. If it is marine ply it’s substandard. X
Damnit man, is that a Boat, uno bust out another 1000 lol sorry bro, couldn't hold it back. I full time just went thru that. Your a good old boy ! You're gonna be just fine.fix and check the rest travel on rite ? God Bless Andrew your in my road prayers watch your Karma, lol you got no worries there ya think lol .
man i feel bad 4 ya. the average joe non business owner who aint loaded with dough like we may be- this is disastrous , as a 1999 newmar owner i would never expect newmar quality to be this bad- i thought tiffen was pretty close in quality build but after seeing this you or i wont be buying a tiffen in the future, thats just the truth bro !all good! :) except Tiffen-( they apparently aren't good) lol but i feel for you :( sad
Its amazing that someone would have had enough common sense when laying out the so called WET BAY that they would have used a different material. I had the same problem with mine and called Tiffin and was told it was not covered anymore even though it only had 23000 miles on it. I had just bought it and its not something that just shows when doing an inspection before buying it. I am now having to change the roof out with only 26000 miles due to water leakage and that is with me sealing it each year since i have owned it and I keep mine in my shop. So its also nothing that showed up until later after I purchased it. Never again.
yes but wait till your future Provost has a issue that you need them to fix - because that one will break also- you better have your belt tightened around your waist cause it aint gonna feel good when your pants fall down and you bend over! TRUTH bro! :) if a MAN made it it will fail its only a matter of time! TRUTH! sad but true
The quality at Red Bay hase cycled over the year's. Fortunately they have been willing to take care of the issues But its very frustrating for the owners. Especially when you think you purchased quality. Tiffin is far from the BEST QUALITY. But they treat customers like Family and have a good reputation.
I may have missed why you didn't drain the fresh water tank before trying to lift it. Must have a winterizing drain somewhere. Would have made the job a LOT easier. Also, would have been smart to put a 2 x 6 under the tank to spread the heavy load before lifting it in the middle with the floor jack....unless you didn't care if the tank cracked and needed to be replaced. Work smarter, not harder!
Dang! Sorry Andy, You got screwed on this tiffin. Heck I've got friends that have bought 10-20 year old tiffins and are real happy. But this SUCKS!! Sorry bro
Mountain Aire is four models down from the top of the line and as far as Winnebago purchasing Newmar is concerned Winnebago has a record of not changing or requiring cheapening of the build on any of the companies that they purchase if Winnebago changes Newmar I will switch to a used Foretravel when it comes time to purchase another RV
Wow that is rotted?? See what happens when you buy a Tiffin, lol JK, could happen on any coach. Water leaks are just terrible and hard on anything made of steel. Note to self, Oil guard or Ziebart rust proofing?? I was surprised that you didn't use a 2x4 under the jack to lift the tank, jack could have went right through your tank.
Wouldn’t it be nice to see RV manufacturers incorporate water detection sensors/drain pipes into the most common areas that tend to leak? I’m sure that with simple things that can readily be bought from Maplin etc... that these could be used via a phone app. or incorporated into systems like Silverleaf etc... The easiest way is to ensure that plumbing joints repaired robust enough to stand the mini earthquake effect that RV’s suffer whilst moving however, for the money and design prevention, it’s not an impossible ask.
Bet the dealer new about it when they sold it any average rv tech could have found those problems and you know the dealer looked that coach over not gona go to north trail when i buy my coach
I bought a 2005 Tiffin Phateon 4 years ago. So far it’s been an inverter, house batteries, and tires. I bought a unit 10 years old due to my budget. This could happen to any one of us with older coaches. But, my co worker bought a new 2016 Tiffin 45’ foot bus. It’s been in the shop more than it’s been on the road. It breaks just sitting,total beautiful .. lemon... it could be the DPF, regen , emissions, sensors etc. So new is not necessarily always the answer. Andrew said it best, Class A ownership is not cheap and not for the faint hearted. The alternative, tent, pop up, or little camper, whatever A person could scream, cuss and cry over this, Andrew is taking the high road and trying to stay positive. There is a reward for his positive attitude, it may be down the road but it will come. Make the repairs , and move on down the road. Hats off to you my friend, your better at adversities than I am. God Bless
Andrew, this is one of the “big three” for Tiffin coaches built around your coaches time frame. Tiffin would’ve replaced the flooring for the black, grey and fresh tanks with a composite fiberglass I believe (that’s what they did on my coach in Red Bay ( no charge)) the other two biggies were fault on drivers side front slide flooring - test under right and left corner of slide while extended using a screwdriver push up on flooring ( don’t need much force if flooring is bad to penetrate - again Tiffin fixed no charge) and lastly roof issues at the radial - showed cracks. Do what previous commenter said and contact Red Bay could save you big bucks!
Glad to see you so upbeat brother. No different from any homeowner replacing a full roof or an HVAC system at their house. Keep doing your thing Andrew!
Dang. Sorry you're dealing with this, too! I know that this era Tiffin used the plywood subfloors in the wet bay and they were prone to sag and fail. The replacement subfloors are usually made of a water-resistant polymer. If you can find a shop that's experienced in wet bay subfloor replacements then it's not too bad. They usually cover these repairs at up to 8 years from the in-service date. I'd contact Mr. Bob and see about sharing the repair cost. You've got the right attitude for this lifestyle! Best of luck on the repair!
Thanks Andrew for showing us that your water tank was thinly / sparsely strapped, and was also held to the undercarriage of the frame with plywood; a design that likely caused the water tank to be susceptible to damage from shaking and rattling at the stress points. I will be very interested to hear what the repair people recommend for a permanent fix! Bravo to you Andrew for maintaining a positive "take it in stride" attitude!! I also thank the Lord that He kept you safe on the road, and that you discovered the tank collapse in a better location; other than on the side of a busy freeway! Angels are watching over you!
Absolutely!! 💯💯💯 Thank you!!
All part of the RV adventure! Having a good attitude like yours is the best start. I hope the bill for all the work is manageable for you. Praying for the best.
This is an adventure?
Aren't these purchased for vacation. Who would want this headache nd expense?
You really have a great attitude on repairs. Wishing the best outcome.
Andrew my friend, sorry to see ur having trouble w/ur Tiffen, but u have me laughing when the ants got on you and ur reaction was priceless😂 hope it all works out for you and keep up the great vids, you've taught me more about the RV lifestyle than i could've learned on my own✌️always an adventure w/you!
🤣 Thank you for coming along for the journey! I know you have been a longtime subscriber and I appreciate it.
Appreciate keeping it real Andrew .... and you are right ... all these rigs have issues ...New or Old ...they all have issues ....I wish you will find a suitable solution soon ....
By the way .... the customer who left the money in the deisel tank's cap is super cool dude ....
SORRY to see this, but youre smiling thru it !!!! RVers take a hit and keep on rolling !!! Happy Trails Michelle Tallahassee !! My son used to detail, he told me about "clay bar" , I know your work ethic and being hungry for adventure,. take care !!
I am so glad mama talked some sense into me when we went tire kicking at the Georgia RV & Camper Show last month ...yikes!
Good luck with that Andrew.
Thanks for sharing this Andrew. This is very good for every RV enthusiast to know.... RV owner ship is not all fun and games...
Yikes! That was a tough time with a fantastic attitude. I appreciate your positive example. Have a great day!
I feel your pain! We have a 2008 Holiday Rambler Scepter. It’s beautiful and in great shape but , man do we have lots of fix it stories!👍
We usually try to fix what we can ourselves cause RV dealers take forever and are very expensive!
Good luck!
Thanks for showing the good and the bad. You have a good attitude and I wish you all the best on your channel growth. You are putting out good content
Yikes. Glad that did not fail while you were driving across country. Could of been a serious accident. Great video. Be safe
Andrew, as Joe mentioned, that panel opens up by removing screws on the bottom. You will need something to prop it up. It will allow you more access to strap the tank up. You might want to check your shower drain for leaks. The trap may have come loose or is cracked. This leak is not obvious because the drain is covered/ protecting it from the cold with some black insulation. Hope this helps and good luck!
The industry needs to go wood free.
I have a Winnebago and it is wood free.
Feel for you Andrew!
Good luck on the repair!
Sorry to hear of this unexpected issue and hope that it can be repaired at reasonable cost. Fortunately you caught this in storage imagine the damage if it had failed after hitting a bump on the interstate. I had always heard that water was the biggest threat to any RV but what can you do if the leak is hidden. As always I admire your positive attitude and look forward to further updates.
Thank you!
Awe the damn water tank leaks,I had to remove one on my alfa gold this summer, luckily we caught it early because we are full timers,you got your self a project my friend hope it turns out ok🙃😉✌
Andrew, sucks to have these issues but thanks for sharing so maybe others can head off this type of failure.
All I can say Andrew is that I feel for you. I hope you can get this fixed without it costing a ton. We had similar water issues with our used Winnebago. I must say this: I admire and respect your positive attitude and outlook. You are simply stating the truth.
Thank you! Can I ask how bad the water issues in the Winnebago got you for $ ?
Would it make sense to replace the compromised wood with synthetic decking lumber instead? If there is anymore water leaks it would not be affected.
Just spend the day in Fontana Ca at the California RV show. Check out A to Z in trailer's - motorhomes A, B,C super C which are turning into quite something. But will always end up at Tiffin and spend a great deal of time checking out the new tiffin's. Yes there are the ones how have a native look a Tiffin. But answer these few question. How many RV manufacturer CEO will stand in there motorhome and talk with you. I have enjoy many conversation with Bob Tiffin and found him to be very easy going. Next question how many RV manufacturer can you go back to the manufacturing plant to get your motorhome work on all year round ( many manufacturers will say call your dealer) and find Bob Tiffin walking around talking with owners. I have heard many stores of Tiffin reaching out to owners to help them with problems even on older couch's. And the last question how RV manufacturer will work with a dealer to set up a repair shop with factory train technician. Answer Tiffin, Tiffin has set up shop with Mike Thompson RV in Colton Ca. to work on only Tiffin couch's with factory train technician. Is tiffin the best! NO! - no one RV manufacturer is the best but I see Tiffin working at it the hardest... I thank you Mr. Bob Tiffin and all at Tiffin.
One would think that containing water tanks would be fine with metal not wood. Easy to see how that rotted and probably the ants ate the wood. Cutting cost always happens behind the walls and that is why people are so pissed off at these builders. I've driven City buses for years and 30 years they are still running and not rotting. They take more abuse than you can imagine and run a million miles. I'm tired of the RV industry building junk unless you actually but a bus for 2 million. If you can't build a great product for what you charge them stop making them. In a house a metal roof is only 10% more and last 4 times as long. This holds true in RVs also.
Darn. Great attitude Andrew. In your video I could see the other side sagging so it was a good idea to run most of the water out of the tank. IMO, just looking at how water rotted the wood was; this was leaking for a long time. Hang in there brother.
Man, that lot where your motorhome is parked is HUUUGE!
Looks like 2 football files plus or longer.
Is that a defunct airstrip?
Enjoy your videos. You tell the truth about ownership.... you have to maintain a schedule and ALWAYS observe every inch of the rig. Catch problems early.
I am impressed that your business moves nationwide.
Looking foward ti more of "your stuff and RV's".
Good luck on the fix. Can't wait to see it.
Sorry your having these probs brother, but like you said, sooner or later you have to do repairs and maintenance. Even if it cost a little more, don't cut corners in the repair brother. Do it right the first time and you probably never have that prob again. How long have you had that coach? Looks like that problem may have been there for quite a while. Good luck brother. Stay safe.
Wow what a bummer Andrew. You sure do have a positive approach though! We would love to see a detailed video on where these leaks came from on the floor issue and the water tank.
Absolutely, I will make sure keep everyone updated 👌
Wow. Should there be some sort of steel structure supporting the water tank?
preach that brohem!
there was. the jack.
Keep up the good attitude. Easier said than done.
That leak looks to me like it was there for a long time.
My first thought I was wondering if the person before you might have bottomed out in that area or had a slight accident in this is result of faulty repair. Really surprised there's so much wood in that unit I thought it would be all aluminum and steel. Now I worry about my coaches there are much older than yours.
Being a rear radiator with a tag axle, that’s an older coach and obviously that tank has been leaking for a long time and that’s the end result of not fixing it a long time ago. That’s going to be a massive repair bill
Has nothing to do with being a rear radiator or a tag axle. That is the wet bay floor. Nothing is leaking. Very bad design by TIffin, They had to repair dozens if not hundreds. Happened to my 06 allegro Bus when it was 2yrs old.
Its an easy fix and I did mine over the weekend, Just takes a little time to remove everything and pull the tanks out and then wash everything from the previous owner who crapped in it lol. But its not and expensive fix, i did mine for about $300
Also curious....are all connections double clamped in your RV?
Well on a positive note it happened while in storage and not in the middle of nowhere! Interested to see if you have to get your rig on a lift for the repair and would like a tour of the underside if you do. Good luck!
That is very true, I forgot to mention that in the video but was definitely my first thought m. Could have been really bad. Will definitely make sure to document all of the repairs. Thank you!
If you need to add more straps before moving maybe use hydraulic leveling jacks to raise rig to give you more working room. Looking forward to repair and cost video. We feel for ya buddy.
Andrew, you will need to pull the water tanks and have the floor structurally reinforced! There should have been some cross members there as at 8lbs a gallon, you have a lot of weight bouncing up and down going down the road. It looks like you don't have a bay door there? You have to get access to repair it right! Hate to see that kind of water damage and it will take a bite out of you budget if you don't find the right repair shop to fix it! Personally, I would have a metal floor installed and do away with the wood. Not good in my opinion with Tiffin and that issue!
I had the same problem with our Phaeton, Took it back to Red Bay, when they built those older coaches they just used a OSB floor when we brought it back to red Bay they had me go to a special place north of there another shop installed a composite floor like a heavy thick plastic that would not rot out, they had to pull out all the tanks and install the floor took them about a half a day cost us about $950
Thank you for sharing that! Did your tank fall through the floorboard like-mine did as well?
You’re attitude is what pulls you through thick and thin...good things coming your way bud...hope it doesn’t cost you much...and you continue your adventure..👍👍👍🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺
Tiffin replaced mine for free when the coach was 5 years old. I also had a problem with my large slide out. it didn't go bad when they were paying 100% but it did go bad during the time frame they were doing 1/2. I was unable to get to Red Bay during that time, but just this past summer I made an appointment & after telling the guy doing the work that I had not been able to do it when it would have been half off, he urged me to call Bob Tiffin. I did & left a message & Bob called me back in 30 minutes. Just based on my word, he paid for 1/2 of the repair. How many manufacturers to you know that would do that for a 12 year old coach!! These are best people in the world to deal with. I would never buy anything but a Tiffin!
Andrew, notice OSB board between frames......what is between the frames of the same year Prevost?
I will be interested to watch the repair on this. Afraid to go look at my coach.
Is water damage covered under your coach’s Insurance?
Andrew, suggest you reach out to Red Bay, you have a strong presence on the internet. Part of RVing...and an expense for your career.
So, Andrew (coming late to the party), Husband and I are thinking of a 2008 to fulltime in. We're aware of the issue with the water bay and have watched fixit (DIY) vids to replace and fix.
It seems that you didn't think your Phaeton could withstand lots of travel miles. Do you think that a Pheaton would not be a good fulltime rig? We're looking at other coaches, like 2005-2009 (?) Country Coach, between 34'-36', even Beaver or Allegro RED same years and length. Should we cross Phaeton off the list?
Wasn’t this problem part of the “Big Three” we Tiffin owners have heard about for so long?
Andrew regarding your water tank dropping to the ground I am shocked that you didn’t keep an eye on this months ago you’re always so very thorough and accurate you you missed the signs of the damage the rotting etc. there had to be indications months ago this just didn’t happen overnight what happened to you? Where is your beautiful dog today
So sorry to hear this, man. Hopefully you can work it out.
Absolutely! I will make sure to document it. Thank you!
great attitude toward your challenge ...
Thank you!!
Bummer Andrew. Hope things work out with your coach.
Wow, that’s not going to be cheap to fix,but hey it will be like new once it’s done !
Couldn’t that happen on any RV, or is it a common problem only on diesel motor homes. Sure hope you get it fixed.
Wondering if they can get away from plywood , or do what they did in the boating industry. Sandwich plywood between fiberglass or do like Boston whaler, foam between glass, strategic anchors to bolt the cabinets. It’s Lightweight and waterproof. If you think motor-homes take a pounding,go out on a whaler in rough chop and there goes your rot problem.
So anyway, how much did that cost to repair?
I think I’d contact Bob. With the slide out sub floor and now this, I bet he would take care of this or at least help you out.
Maybe but this isn't Bob's fault (and it's unfair to expect him to cover the cost for Andrew). Andrew bought this coach secondhand and was subsequently advised that the floor had issues up by the slide due to rot. What I find disturbing is that the service guy smelled the "musty" odor AS SOON as he walked into the coach and yet Andrew did not notice it when he was looking at purchasing the rig. I'm not criticizing Andrew here; I'm just questioning why he didn't notice there could be a problem when it was readily noticed by somebody else. But more importantly I find it HIGHLY disturbing, the number of people who immediately come to the conclusion that the manufacturer must be responsible for every little problem in a coach. Some problems are clearly the responsibility of the manufacturer if something wasn't done right on the line but that doesn't excuse the owners from preventive maintenance and FIXING crap as it becomes a problem. I like to think that Andrew would have addressed it right away (I believe he would have) but clearly the previous owner either ignored it or was oblivious to the fact that there was a problem (which, honestly, he would have had to have been an idiot not to have noticed THAT level of damage). Bob might help - but if he does he damn well should be given TONS of accolades for doing so because I personally don't look at this as a "Bob problem."
I didn’t say it was Bob’s fault. Never in my comment did I say it was Bob’s fault. But Bob has been known for fixing things that get hurt by water. I’ve heard of him fixing roof rails that have leaked along with other leaks that could have resulted in something overlooked during the build. I just suggested Andrew might have luck with checking it out. But, never did I say it was “Bob’s fault”. I’ve had a Phaeton and now a Bus. I’ve been extremely pleased with both mine.
@@deerman143 - Apologies then. That's how I perceived it (which I think is easy for most reading to do - as why else would another party pay to have somebody else's property repaired usually).
Dude, a big enough water leak to completely rot out the sub-floor is NOT "normal diesel coach ownership". What IS part of diesel coach ownership is maintaining the coach in good working condition. That includes periodically inspecting the coach completely underneath and inside to watch for problems like this. When you do maintain it properly, you avoid these ridiculous problems.
Hey that sucks Andrew but anyway that’s life stay positive focus on your goals and dreams you gotta keep going good luck with everything
Man that sucks. Kinda like when my black tank fell, only had one strap holding it. what a shitty situation, my friends said and you say your shit doesn"t stink. Hang in there I always say it has to stop sometime. cheers
🤣🤣🤣 Thank you
I have a 1983 Tiffin Allegro that I'm rebuilding. I replaced the roof and a few pieces of the floor.
OMG! I had similar situation and I ended up spending 6k on a fifth wheel. Fortunately, I was able to claim on insurance. I hope this works out for you!
What a scam. RV company produces junk. Insurance pays for it. Indirectly my car insurance is increased! Tanks for nothing!
That panel there opens up. In the gap there’s screws that hold it shut. Wished they’d put a door latch to match the baggage doors. I believe it’s 4 screws then you can access the plumbing and the tanks. After you take the 4 screws out the door swings up. There’s no hinge so be careful. The gap between the access panel and the baggage door is tight, you’ll need a skinny screwdriver and I’d tape the edges of the baggage door to keep from messing up the paint.
Thank you, I appreciate that! Pro tip from a guy with the same coach is huge 👌🙏
RVing with Andrew Steele if you ever have any questions you know how to get ahold of me. I have been told it’s not a real pricey job to have fixed. If you call tiffin service they’ll give you a number to call (outside source) to a local place in red bay that fixes that. They replace the rotted particle board with a poly board. I want to say it was less than $2k and it’s a one day job or less.
Tell you what I found 2x4 that are made out of plastic/composite/ resin. Don't see then at the big box stores yet. You can Google search The wood screws go right through them.
Maybe you can do a video on why to not buy a used Diesel Pusher without first having it inspected by a certified RVIA inspector. This is just the kinda stuff they know to look for, especially if there has been several people reporting having an issue. You could have used fuel tank straps to hold it up. You need to find where it is leaking before doing a permanent fix.
Dude, I’m leaning towards renting a Prevost coach when I need one for the time being.
💯💯💯
No worries Andrew.
Needing floors in your driver no big deal. Just ask Fred Flintstone
Lol
RVing with Andrew Steele
Seriously though, ... You always maintain a kick ass attitude and don’t let anything get you down.
🤘
I have a 2006 tiffin bus 43 foot and mine did the same
Time for a Bus! Metal frame Sticks and Staples, Money Pit..Sorry man
Holyshit Theres only a board holding up that massive water tank.
Gees I really wanted an A class diesel pusher
Time to call your insurance co. looks like it has been leaking a long time!
By the way my floor hadn’t fallen completely out like yours so I was able to drive it from Nevada back to Alabama and have it repaired I had one RV dealer here in Nevada tell me it would be $4000 for the repair here that’s why I decided to take it back to red bay
Andrew Steele..... THIS is a very common problem with Tiffins. Happened to my 2006 Allegro Bus when it was 2yrs old.
CALL TIFFIN IN RED BAY
If they had used marine plywood I don’t think it would have done that. I can’t see why, when they cost as much as they do that it wouldn’t be standard. If it is marine ply it’s substandard. X
Sorry for your problem. I'd say that is bad design using wood framing for the water tank
Thank goodness it happened there, and not when you were driving.
I think I watch your video, just to listen to that Bad awesome background MUSIC !!!! KEEP GOING !!!!!!!
Haha thank you
I am with you on the music!
Damnit man, is that a Boat, uno bust out another 1000 lol sorry bro, couldn't hold it back. I full time just went thru that. Your a good old boy ! You're gonna be just fine.fix and check the rest travel on rite ? God Bless Andrew your in my road prayers watch your Karma, lol you got no worries there ya think lol .
Lol
man i feel bad 4 ya. the average joe non business owner who aint loaded with dough like we may be- this is disastrous , as a 1999 newmar owner i would never expect newmar quality to be this bad- i thought tiffen was pretty close in quality build but after seeing this you or i wont be buying a tiffen in the future, thats just the truth bro !all good! :) except Tiffen-( they apparently aren't good) lol but i feel for you :( sad
Shocking construction! What did Tiffin say?
Problems are never fun. Fortunately we haven't had any rotted support boards yet, but we have had other problems.
You will.
Its amazing that someone would have had enough common sense when laying out the so called WET BAY that they would have used a different material. I had the same problem with mine and called Tiffin and was told it was not covered anymore even though it only had 23000 miles on it. I had just bought it and its not something that just shows when doing an inspection before buying it. I am now having to change the roof out with only 26000 miles due to water leakage and that is with me sealing it each year since i have owned it and I keep mine in my shop. So its also nothing that showed up until later after I purchased it. Never again.
Sorry to see this problem. Looks pretty bad. I would be interested in knowing how that happened!!
I will definitely keep everyone updated. Hopefully it looks worse then it is. It keeps things interesting 😎
Wow. This makes me want to sell while it’s still new and just build a cabin!!!
Very smart move.👍
RV's will eat your lunch, and retirement fund also.😉😎
Right, sell when its new. Lets see? How much money can I waste?
it never occured to you to open the door and see what you are looking at?
This is not that bad you cut out the old rot find the leak fix and replace. Make it good as new and move on
Bummer. Super great attitude. :-)) :-))
Yes it did partially not as bad as yours, but the entire floor was replaced
That sucks Andrew but, welcome to the big leagues right? Wish you luck with the flooring and now this new repair.
Definitely all part of the game. Thank you!
yes but wait till your future Provost has a issue that you need them to fix - because that one will break also- you better have your belt tightened around your waist cause it aint gonna feel good when your pants fall down and you bend over! TRUTH bro! :) if a MAN made it it will fail its only a matter of time! TRUTH! sad but true
Stay positive Andrew my coach is 23 year old American dream still better than a new one
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 I love this older American coaches, very well built 👌🇺🇸😎
No worries brother that Cummins will run for a LONG TIME
The quality at Red Bay hase cycled over the year's.
Fortunately they have been willing to take care of the issues
But its very frustrating for the owners.
Especially when you think you purchased quality.
Tiffin is far from the BEST QUALITY.
But they treat customers like Family and have a good reputation.
I may have missed why you didn't drain the fresh water tank before trying to lift it. Must have a winterizing drain somewhere. Would have made the job a LOT easier. Also, would have been smart to put a 2 x 6 under the tank to spread the heavy load before lifting it in the middle with the floor jack....unless you didn't care if the tank cracked and needed to be replaced. Work smarter, not harder!
Dang! Sorry Andy, You got screwed on this tiffin. Heck I've got friends that have bought 10-20 year old tiffins and are real happy. But this SUCKS!! Sorry bro
Mountain Aire is four models down from the top of the line and as far as Winnebago purchasing Newmar
is concerned Winnebago has a record of not changing or requiring cheapening of the build on any of the companies that they purchase if Winnebago changes Newmar I will switch to a used Foretravel when it comes time to purchase another RV
Wow that is rotted?? See what happens when you buy a Tiffin, lol JK, could happen on any coach. Water leaks are just terrible and hard on anything made of steel. Note to self, Oil guard or Ziebart rust proofing?? I was surprised that you didn't use a 2x4 under the jack to lift the tank, jack could have went right through your tank.
🤣🤣🤣
Wouldn’t it be nice to see RV manufacturers incorporate water detection sensors/drain pipes into the most common areas that tend to leak? I’m sure that with simple things that can readily be bought from Maplin etc... that these could be used via a phone app. or incorporated into systems like Silverleaf etc...
The easiest way is to ensure that plumbing joints repaired robust enough to stand the mini earthquake effect that RV’s suffer whilst moving however, for the money and design prevention, it’s not an impossible ask.
Seriously though.... That R Classe..., 👍
Bet the dealer new about it when they sold it any average rv tech could have found those problems and you know the dealer looked that coach over not gona go to north trail when i buy my coach