Forest River or Gulf Stream

[allscott]

Ron,

Thank you very much for that additional information.

I have just received another bit of information via another RV forum that places another nail firmly in the Gulf Stream coffin.

This member took a factory tour at Gulf Stream where he witnessed that the steel used was stored outside and allowed to rust, then without any cleaning or treatment the rusty steel was used in the coaches construction.

I do not want to pay $200,000+ then shipping charges for a new rusty motor home..........would you?

Has any member on here taken a factory visit and seen similar or totally the opposite?

Oh, I nearly forgot another RV manufacturer has come to light Triple E http://www.tripleerv.com/? any knowledge of these coaches on here?

Thanks

I am completely new to the fourm, know next to nothing about RV's or their construction.  My only reason for responding is that I do know a bitl about structural steel tubing.  I worked for a manufacturer for many years.

Surface rust on structural tubing in no way comprimises the integrity of the steel.  The type of carbon steel used to make the tubing will literally show signs of surface rust in a couple of days outside under certain conditions.  It is actually kind of funny that as a manufacturer we would take great pains to keep HSS (square tubing) inside a warehouse whereas the MUCH more expensivie oil field casing and tubing was allowed to sit outside and develop surface rust. 

The reason for doing this was simple, the oilfield companies had the technical knowledge to know that surface rust was common and not a problem, the HSS market tended to be more concerned about how the product looked. 

I am in no position to try and sway the original poster on their decision.  I just don't like to see a company chastised (on one count) for a practice that does not affect the quality of the product (it costs a lot of money to store this stuff inside for no reason).

I'll try not to ramble on my first post, I have already learnt alot from this site and hope to learn more as my search for knowledge in the purchase of an RV continues (I am getting sick of camping in a tent).

 

[Chet18013]

Everything you say is true, however, rusting tubing sealed inside a wall , with finish paneling in contact with it is subject to staining from the corrosion and also the condensation which forms from the use of propane heat in the winter time. It just seems a lack of attention to details. After all, my automobile frame is steel tubing--of a sort-- and it has a protective coating applied. When purchasing an RV that costs 10 times the price of a luxury car this kind of cost cutting is inexcusable.

Chet18013