This is kind of concerning. As much as it sucks for @Toyoyotaco I do hope this is just a QC issue and not a change in material to speed up production.
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I doubt GFC is changing the perimeter frame extrusion - what he has is what they’ve all had from the start. Last I knew, they had brought their coating work in-house, and seem to be happy with the process that’s been in place for some time.
From the condition of the holes (not deburred, and no paint), it looks like a one-off production issue. I hope they haven’t changed their coating process, because the stuff they’ve been using has held up very well for pretty much everyone. It’s hard to say from the photos, but that frame doesn’t look like it was ever prepped for a coating, and was assembled out of sequence.
I Also hope this is not a fast track for the production process!!!
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Maybe another GFC owner around build #858 can post some photos to compare the extrusion.
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They have changed to anodizing the extrusion
I think @Toyoyotaco hit it. It looks like Anodizing vs powder coating.
Anodizing is probably a good idea. It does look a little weird on this one…
I’ll be picking up #859 next Wednesday. Will be interested to see what the anodizing on mine looks like.
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@GFC_Taylor @Mike_GFCUSA
Can you guys shed some light on this or has something changed again in the production line?
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Hey all,
@Toyoyotaco brought his camper back to us on his way home from Billings so we could check it out. We were able to do a little detective work to get to why his extrusion looked like it does in these pictures, and clean his camper up for him with just some soapy water and a green scotch-brite pad.
First, an update:
We’re anodizing our utility tracks now. This is a huge upgrade. Anodizing hardens aluminum leading to a more durable surface and a finish that we’re really stoked about. With regards to speed, switching from powder to ano doesn’t actually save us any time. Considering this is your utility track, and it’s going to get a lot of use, durability is key. Anodizing also takes up less tolerances than powder coating, leading to better fitment during assembly. In the end, we’re always innovating, and we think the anodized utility tracks are all around a step up from powder coat.
So what happened?
Jose saw some smudges and spots on his extrusion that wouldn’t come off when he wiped them with a cloth, so naturally he took his truck through a touch free car wash. This led to the small splotches of discoloration throughout the utility rails that you can see in his photos. Why? Anodized aluminum is hard, like glass hard, and like glass, residue from oily detergents and waxes can leave streaks and marks.
How did we fix it?
The best way to clean anodized aluminum is with a few drops of soap in water, a green scotch-brite pad, and a little elbow grease. This would have taken the initial smudges off and definitely removed the discoloration caused by the car wash.
In conclusion, I’ll do some digging/experimenting in order to recommend the best cleaning practices for campers with anodized utility rails. For now, the best option is hand wash with good ol’ soapy water. I recommend doing this with a beer in hand, cut off jeans, and some very loud ZZ Top. As always, I appreciate everyone’s feedback here (especially @Toyoyotaco’s). Y’all are the best customers and always help us figure out ways to make the GFC experience better and better!
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Honestly, I wish mine were anodized vs powder coated. Definitely an upgrade IMHO.
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@GFC_Taylor
I’m truly falling in love with you guys:heart:
!!!
I keep learning so much here on the GFC forums… Thank you very much for the info as it was very informative.
Keep up the great work in improving your products! Chuck
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Thanks for the update.
What prompted the new drain holes?
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Great question as I forgot to add that in my post!!
More water flow, albeit the one’s on @Toyoyotaco’s camper shouldn’t have passed QC. We cleaned them up for him, and that process is dialed now.
@ace7196 I’ll have to check with the design team and get back to you on the specific type of anodizing.
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This is awesome! Don’t even know why I was worried. Every time there is a change it is always for the better. I am interested in knowing what type of anodizing it is though
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I understand that the new drain holes offer more water flow, but I was more interested in why they were required.
Were people experiencing problems with a lack of drainage?
Was debris clogging the original holes?
Was water backing up & infiltrating the tent?
Is this something that people should consider adding to their older GFCs?
I haven’t noticed any drainage problems, but maybe I should be paying more attention.
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And yet again another great question I was going to ask!!
Seriously, this is a great forum. They really did take a long look into it and got it all fixed up. So yeah soap and water only no automatic car washes for me. It’s a monthly subscription I get to cancel and an excuse to buy a power washer for the home. Just need to see where I can wash it best and not get other cars wet in the process. (City living)
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