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Old 06-17-2019, 03:37 PM   #1
Roadtravelers
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Frame Cracked

We have a 2016 High Country 305RL I was inspecting the 5er today and saw flaking paint on the frame. I removed flaking paint from frame above center equalizer on both sides. Both sides are cracked. The crack is aprox. 2-3" long about 3/4" above the lower flange of the frame. I have contacted Keystone and Lippert on this issue no word back yet will keep updating
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Old 06-17-2019, 06:32 PM   #2
mlh
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I wonder if that crack wasn’t a flaw in the steel when the I beam was made. I would keep an eye on it to see if it changes.
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Old 06-17-2019, 06:40 PM   #3
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The aft "I beam" is not a "I beam" per say it is a welded part out of 3 different pieces of material not like the forward section I beam, it is a fabricated part.
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Old 06-17-2019, 07:13 PM   #4
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That is right, it’s made not extruded.
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Old 06-17-2019, 07:15 PM   #5
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I went to a repair shop today and talked to them he said it has too much flex in the beams from side to side. just waiting on Lippert now
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Old 06-17-2019, 07:18 PM   #6
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i think last years issues on MOC were less disturbing than this years
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Old 06-18-2019, 01:01 AM   #7
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Once you have that crack repaired, install the MORryde X-factor braces. These will stop the side to side flex that looks like what caused the crack in the frame I-beam.
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Old 06-18-2019, 04:19 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by rohrmann View Post
Once you have that crack repaired, install the MORryde X-factor braces. These will stop the side to side flex that looks like what caused the crack in the frame I-beam.

Just be aware of the fact that you may have a drain and/or gas line that you will to work around to install an X-Factor as I did on our HC
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Old 06-18-2019, 06:37 AM   #9
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If this crack was from flexing why didn’t the top or bottom of the beam crack? That is where all the flexing took place. The top and bottom of the beam is where the strength of the beam is not the center about all the center of the beam does is keep the top and bottom 10 or 12 inches apart. Did you ever notice tractor trailer trailers with 6 inch or larger holes drilled in them. Those holes don’t really weaken the frame. The top and bottom is what gives the frame strength.
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Old 06-18-2019, 02:19 PM   #10
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Those are stress cracks and YES Lippert did a repair on my no longer SOB even out of warranty. They welded three cross bars across frame 1 in front and 1 behind the spring hangers and one across the equalizer hanger.
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Old 06-18-2019, 02:30 PM   #11
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you sure you do not want a job as a QA inspector?

That was a good catch!!
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Old 06-18-2019, 03:33 PM   #12
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I retired from Aviation as a Inspector on corporate jets Just doing my best to keep us safe
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Old 06-18-2019, 06:06 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by mlh View Post
If this crack was from flexing why didn’t the top or bottom of the beam crack? That is where all the flexing took place. The top and bottom of the beam is where the strength of the beam is not the center about all the center of the beam does is keep the top and bottom 10 or 12 inches apart. Did you ever notice tractor trailer trailers with 6 inch or larger holes drilled in them. Those holes don’t really weaken the frame. The top and bottom is what gives the frame strength.
Lynwood
It is close to the bottom, he said about 3/4" above the bottom flange, as a rule of thumb you would only make a hole in the center of a beam no more than a 1/3 the height of the web or less. Any cracking in the top or bottom third should be taken serious as the bending stress increases from zero at the centerline & increases as it moves outward toward the flanges. A trailer beam will see tension & compression on both flanges as you move down the road.
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Old 06-18-2019, 07:02 PM   #14
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What the repair shop has told me that the cracks come from side to side flex I have heard back from Lippert today They want more pictures and S/N of the frame and axles etc etc.
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Old 06-23-2019, 04:02 PM   #15
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OK, now I'm trying not to worry. What causes stress cracks in the frame?
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Old 06-23-2019, 05:33 PM   #16
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The cracks come from side to side flexing of the frame. The repair will be a plate and a angle welded to the beam. Then I am installing 3 each X Factor Cross Beams to help to or to eliminate the flexing.
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Old 06-23-2019, 06:51 PM   #17
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If the crack is from side movements, why didn’t the top or the bottom plate crack? They that more stress than the middle plate.
They probably know what they are talking about but I would still wonder about that.
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Old 07-01-2019, 03:52 PM   #18
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Just got the frame cracks repaired today and installed 3 X Factor Cross Members at the same time. The repair is a weld repair to the crack and a plate welded to the vertical web and welded to the horz. piece on both outside of the frames.
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Old 07-02-2019, 07:16 PM   #19
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I would think those were caused by cornering and jack knifing trailer into tight parking spots. Especially on dry pavement. The frame is under a lot of stress in the axel area. That is a good catch as not many people check that area of frame. Including me.
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