Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Topic: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida (Read 2461 times) previous topic - next topic

Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

December 17, 2016, 06:19:18 am

I inspected the following U270. It has impending bulkhead failure, with significant rust. Seemed to drive OK though.

1996 Foretravel U270 3600, Winter Haven FL - - RVtrader.com

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #1 – December 17, 2016, 07:52:29 am

Thank you I was going to go look at this one. Steve Laymon

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #2 – December 17, 2016, 08:47:20 am

[moved from Classifieds since this isn't a member-owned classified - Michelle]

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #3 – December 22, 2016, 01:10:22 am

When you say impending failure, can you be more specific as to where on the coach? how severe is the rust and what kind of repairs would you be looking at?

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #4 – December 22, 2016, 08:56:21 am

I could predict that when the coach hit large pot holes, the bulkhead was flexing enough that I was concerned the fuel tank, which weighs 900LB full, could hit the ground. There were buckles in the vertical bulkhead near the fuel tank, complete with rust-through and ripples in the structure. The bolts holding the bulkhead on sheared off when torqued, due to rust.

I offered $15k for the coach back in September, but they may accept that kind of offer now. The repairs, professionally done, could cost $30k. It is mostly labor. You could jury-rig it with large L brackets for a quick fix, but for a permanant fix, the whole basement should be removed, overhauled and reassembled.

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #5 – December 22, 2016, 01:03:32 pm

I noticed last night they had lowered the price to 19,xxx
and were asking for an offer. Guess they know the coach
has problems.

Carter-
Nac

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #6 – December 22, 2016, 01:11:39 pm

unless the insurance company will pay for a fix - or a handy guy like Don wants to take on a BIG job, it is likely junk if the entire basement subfloor needs to be replaced - figure that job at $25 - $35K, doesn't leave much left if the coach in good condition is a $40K coach.

Maybe if Bernd wasn't busy it could be a shop project, but I am not sure he has the time....

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #7 – December 22, 2016, 04:03:42 pm

Perfect opportunity for someone to get into a premium coach for short money, given some drive and talent, something a competent tradesman familiar with tools and working at a good pace can handle. Preferably one with a welder buddy who works for beer. Lots of work, no doubt, but not much in the way of mtl. cost. Sweat equity. No way to come out paying $100/hr for labor, you'd be in too deep.

This assumes the rest of the coach is not a rust bucket. At least you know what you are facing going in, and not paying retail and then finding out as has happened to some. Offer 10K contingent on checkout of other systems.

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #8 – December 25, 2016, 08:44:09 pm

Thank you for the heads up. My wife and I were planning on driving 3+ hours to take a look at that this week. I am quite handy, but do not have the time and/or type of experience needed. Your comments are very much appreciated. We will keep looking elsewhere.

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #9 – December 28, 2016, 09:41:39 pm

I flew from PHL to MCO to inspect this coach. Paid a diesel mechanic to inspect. Engine was good. It drove OK.
Too bad Foretravel didn't rust proof the basement steel members.

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #10 – December 28, 2016, 10:22:30 pm

My friend is dealing with this on his 2000 U270. He did the bolt fix, then it came apart again.. Upon inspection, it is rusted out. Coach came from Alaska.
IMO, the metal could have been thicker.But what do I know?
Fortunately, he got it into his heated shop, and has the means to fix it.
Chris

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #11 – December 28, 2016, 10:58:10 pm

Wow! That's some rust.

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #12 – December 29, 2016, 08:19:20 am

Wonder how that compares to the one in Florida? Guess we all

should be aware of the damage from road salt and wash the exposed

area under the coach ? I hope FT people look at the pics.

Carter
Nac

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #13 – December 29, 2016, 10:09:31 am

Quote from: Texas Guy – December 29, 2016, 08:19:20 am

Guess we all should be aware of the damage from road salt and wash the exposed area under the coach ?

Yup, my Land Rover lived in Maine for a few years and was junk when I got it back west!

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #14 – December 29, 2016, 10:49:02 am

You have to go to a car wash after every drive in winter if they salt/treat the roads or this happens. In Germany, we bought an unlimited pass at the car wash and every time we went home at night, we ran the cars through the wash. Porsche tried 120 types of galvanizing before they came up with the type they use today.

The design and choice of materials was also not good. Roloks are for commercial building construction and not for this location. The steel needed to be galvanized and the foam traps water.

On the other hand, square tubing is inexpensive with only $500 or so for steel for the job. A Sawzall, metal band saw, a wire feed welder, a nice shop and a couple of guys could do a repair like this pretty fast. I still have my Miller 200 from the good old days. The only problem is the spray gets everywhere so you have electrical gremlins showing up at the worst time, brake calipers sticking, hardware that's difficult to remove. Retractable entry stairs are just one example.

Check Don's (aka acousticart) old posts/photos for what he did to his. He was a newbie when he started but did an old world craftsman-like job. Really excellent.

Bottom line is to consider with caution a coach that has been driven in winter from a northern state. Even a clean undercarriage from a southwest coach will have rust trapped behind the big angle irons at the bulkhead.

Pierce

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #15 – December 29, 2016, 11:55:32 am

Agree with the washing but not too good when its -20 degrees,you get ice insulation!!!!!

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #16 – December 29, 2016, 01:56:24 pm

When I was a tech at the Idaho store, a customer bought a new 98 U320. He drove it from Coeur D Alene in the winter up to Canada, then parked it wet in his outside shed for the winter. He then brought it down in the spring for warranty work. We just looked at everything, and scratched our heads on where to start. The coach was ruined. Everything from top to bottom was corroded. It was Sad
Chris

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #17 – December 30, 2016, 02:02:25 am

I did tell James Triana at the unihome intro in oct 87 at the factory I did not like the bare steel 1/8" wall tubing and the Roloks.

Told him later they would use doublers in the location and huck fasteners. Like Douglas aircraft where I had worked at in the 60's

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #18 – December 30, 2016, 06:53:23 am

Saw the 1996 in Fl. Too big a job for us to tackle.....and then the inside was pretty rough too. Pictures look better than in real life!!

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #19 – December 30, 2016, 07:09:26 am

Whatever steel or coating Oshkosh Truck did to our old 1989 GV chassis is still in there working. Not a bit of rust on the frame after 80,000 miles.
Wonder why FOT didn't consider the same steel/treatment for their frames? What cost would be added to sale prices? Worth it? I'll bet, although hindsight is 20/20.

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #20 – December 30, 2016, 04:40:34 pm

Oshkosh double polyurethane painted the assembled chassis without the engine for corrosion protection.

Best selling point was to get a new coach in for sale and to gunk the engine compartment with four cans then use our non spotting washing system.

The black everything and the bright yellow cat caused every prospective customer to tell there buddies "look at this' one I raised up the bed. Impressive.

Oshkosh built for winter conditions. Seems foretravel did not to the same extent.

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #21 – December 30, 2016, 07:47:09 pm

I think HMC did the same coating

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #22 – March 19, 2017, 07:36:34 am

Just getting around to posting photos from my trip to Winter Haven, FL last September, for posterity. The following photos show how bad the rust was in this coach. The big issues shown in these photos were:

- Rust jacking of the basement. I am sure most of the Rolock bolts would have broken off from rust.
- Bulkhead failure, allowing the diesel and propane fuel tank to move about while in motion.

I offered $15k for this coach, with no avail.

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #23 – March 19, 2017, 07:40:30 am

Clarification on one photo. This is what I consider to be a huge safety issue.

Re: Be aware of 1996 U270 For Sale in Florida

Reply #24 – March 19, 2017, 07:51:49 am

Agree with the comment about a "clean" southwest Foretravel. My 1997 U270, based in Escondido, CA IT'S WHOLE LIFE, had 10% of the Rolock fasteners break when removed. I considered myself lucky that 90% were intact. The only remedy I did so far was to:

- Spray ACF-50, a penetrating oil, an aircraft corrosion treatment ($90/gallon), in every broken bolt hole
- Spray ACF-50 into every accessible basement seam, up and down

The ACF-50 will creep for years, but has to be reapplied every two years.

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