took Montana to fixit shop

[The Bone]

I have a 03 Montana and In the front corner by the closet the wall or something has gone wrong. it has torn some of the ceiling in the corner where the tv goes. In the back of the dresser the back has dropped about 1 1/2 inch. Some of the trim in the corner has come off and a piece of the trim on the ceiling has come lose. The trim piece in the closet has come completely off.
I bet this isn't going to be cheap. Took it to California Camper in Newark.
Wish me luck.

[Mike117]

Good luck. Hope it's not a frame issue?

[mlh]

Sounds like the frame has come unglued. It was a fairly common problem a few years ago.
Does the pin box move up and down when it is hitched?
Lynwood

[mazboy]

IF you have issues in your front closet you more than likely have frame flexing.

do not have them fix the closet damage without dealing with the real problem, flexing.

and yes, if i am correct you are talking a whole lot of money and many dealers can't do this repair.

message me and lets talk.

[coachgrowl]

I had this problem on an 04 keystone laredo. Pin box cracked. Was in Canada at the time. $10,000 for the complete repair. Good sam bless their hearts covered the entire job except for the $500 deductible. Never go out without it.

[twindman]

I had frame flex fixed at my dealer. About $1800. Takes 4 guys to take off front cap. Then weld the joints between horizontal frame and vertical connection pieces. By the way, the Tacoma dealer that many think is a good place, didn't even know what frame flex was when I talked to shop service person. So took a chance and drove home to Mesa.

[The Bone]

I do think it's something to do with the pin box. Its worse when hooked up to the truck. When I get this fixed it may be time to trade up. I have towed it 26.000 miles in 2 years. LOL Two trips to the east coast and back to Ca. Next 5er will have a different pin box installed.

[prndl]

Originally Posted by coachgrowl

I had this problem on an 04 keystone laredo. Pin box cracked. Was in Canada at the time. $10,000 for the complete repair. Good sam bless their hearts covered the entire job except for the $500 deductible. Never go out without it.

I just checked the Good Sam ESP and I did not see where frame or pinbox is covered. Landing gear yes bot not frame issues. Maybe your repair scared them out of covering frame issues.

[cdaniels]

Call customer service at Keystone. They fixed ours as well as alot others after the fall rally. Ours was a 09. Its a structual defect a safety issue Which is why they are willing to do the repair at no cost. Be worth calling to find out. We are very pleased with the repair.

[mlh]

I think there’s a 90+% chance your frame welds have broken loose. The way you describe it it’s classic frame break up. This was a bigger problem a few years ago than it is now. The only way to fix it is to take the front cap off, reweld and add steel to the affected area.
Lynwood

[The Bone]

I wonder if a different pin box would keep this from happening? This has been a great rig so far. Everything in my 5er works all lights plugs slides refer heater ac. It wasd a good purchase for us. Just hope they can fix it without removing the cap.

[mlh]

No the welds have broke in the front because they weren’t welded properly to begin with.
Lynwood

[rohrmann]

When we had a broken frame a while back, the mobile repair guy was able to remove the pin box as well as the Filon under the the front of the rig and part way down in the area where the front compartment doors are located, and was able to weld and gusset the weak and broken areas and was able to weld the frame above where the pin box attaches. There was no reason to remove the front cap, as everything broken was not in that area. Maybe you will get lucky.

[The Bone]

Thats what I'm hoping for.

[Phil P]

X2 Lynwood

[Rondo]

Listen to Lynwood (mlh). This man is a genius at diagnosing things. I've relied on his wisdom on a few problems I've had with both my old unit and this 2013 we've got now and he has been spot on. To fix that frame flex they will have to remove the front cap entirely and have a welder that has experience in welding aluminum re-weld the frame and possibly even add additional bracing.

[mlh]

Come on guys y’all scare me. I just a Country boy using a little common sense. Thanks anyway.
Lynwood

[twindman]

Originally Posted by Rondo

Listen to Lynwood (mlh). This man is a genius at diagnosing things. I've relied on his wisdom on a few problems I've had with both my old unit and this 2013 we've got now and he has been spot on. To fix that frame flex they will have to remove the front cap entirely and have a welder that has experience in welding aluminum re-weld the frame and possibly even add additional bracing.

A question here - You talk about aluminum welding. Does this mean our frames are now aluminum?? My 2013 Mountaineer frame wasn't when I drilled some holes in it for a 'mod'.
Thanks - just curious.

[rohrmann]

If you have a failed frame, the steel structure that supports the rest of the trailer, then it is all steel. If the walls and floor structure has failed on these rigs, then that is made from aluminum and would need aluminum welding. Frame flex is usually the frame broken that supports the rest of the trailer, and would be accessed without needing to remove the cap, unless major components are needing to be replaced. If frame flex is bad enough, then the aluminum structure may need to be repaired also, so in that case, the cap may need to be removed, but I don't know how repairs would be made to the aluminum structure in the walls. This is a photo of an LCI frame, but do not know what brand of trailer it is made for.

[Rondo]

Sorry Tom I wasn't talking about the main frame I was talking about the framework from the floor up and in the nose of the units. It is all aluminum framing at that point. Sorry for misleading you on the framework. Bob gave you the picture of the main frame that holds up the body of the unit itself and it is made my LCI or Lippert.