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Old 01-23-2020, 05:16 AM   #21
jeffba
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Interesting enough when they make the repair, they want the weight on the pin not the front jacks. So it could be that the steel frame flexing causing the aluminum frame to flex and break
 
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Old 01-23-2020, 06:01 AM   #22
richfaa
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Golfmedik View Post
It has been called "frame flex" but most all of them are welds on the aluminum frame or cage that have broken, not the steel Lippert frame.
That is what I was trying to determine
In frame flex the frame flexes' more than is normal due to actual broken frame in the over hang. The other condition is as described but the visual symptom are the same.
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Old 01-26-2020, 12:46 PM   #23
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Thanks to all for submitting a survey response - we have 76 responses as of this morning (1/26). Survey stays open for about another week.
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Old 01-26-2020, 01:50 PM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Daryles View Post
As Monty Parks pointed out previously, there are two issues. Frame flex and wall flex. Richfaa mentioned this above.
We had wall flex.
Model. 2019. 3130re
The aluminum weld broke on the vertical stud next to the bedroom slide. We had it fixed last week (missed Quartzsite) at Affinity in Elkhart In. THEY DID AN AWESOME JOB!!! And fast!!! Along with a few other minor warranty repairs including replacing the 50A breaker with the 80A one to fix the hydraulic pump issues. Works great now!!
BTW, at the rally in September we had a lippert tech look at ours and he said we were fine. At that time there was just the bulge in the outside wall. No damage was visible inside the bedroom closet.
Since then DW noticed the split in the wall at the bottom of the closet. We notified Keystone. Standard answer, take it to a dealer CW??? No way!!!! We took it to Affinity.
THEY ARE GREAT!!!!
Had stud break loose from bottom plate next to living room slide on 2015 HC. Keystone paid for the repair even tho a year out of warranty.
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Old 01-26-2020, 02:24 PM   #25
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Thanks for setting up this survey - I noticed the questions about the distance of the bedroom slide on the front left, but I don't have a slide there because I have the 3820FK - which I selected on the previous screen. I instead used the distance for the slide on the RH front. Hope I didn't mess up the survey (I don't have any visible frame flex yet).
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Old 01-26-2020, 04:40 PM   #26
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We had a 2017 3820FK, and there is a small slide on the right side, which is just a kitchen counter with lots of cabinet storage. Yes our 3820FK did have frame flex, and spent 2 months at the dealer trying to figure out how Keystone wanted them to beef up the welds etc. We noticed the front wall separating from the side wall at the front left in the kitchen behind the seating for the kitchen table. The dealership noticed cracking and bulging at the seam on the outsides where the red arrow points to in the pic below. The kitchen was too heavy with the refer and batteries and Onan generator etc. If you have a 2019 or newer, maybe they beefed it up when making them? Although I don't see the 3820FK listed as an option anymore?
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Old 01-26-2020, 05:54 PM   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffba View Post
Interesting enough when they make the repair, they want the weight on the pin not the front jacks. So it could be that the steel frame flexing causing the aluminum frame to flex and break
A stiff riding tow vehicle and the heavy duty trailer tires that also give the rv a rough ride especially if you still have the leaf spring suspension definitely helps in the cause of frame flex. I work in the forest products industry and our company had heavy duty trucks that was breaking our chip van trailers right by the landing gear and also pushing the pin box up inside the trailers.The trailers were air ride also. We switched to air ride trucks from the rough riding springs and problem solved
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Old 01-26-2020, 06:00 PM   #28
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A better riding hitch and trailer suspension probably would definitely help in alot of these problems and other structural issues. I have a 2017 310RE and was thinking of installing the Timbren Silent Ride on my rv. Anyone have and experience on this suspension. Has great reviews
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Old 01-26-2020, 07:54 PM   #29
allenclme
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3820 Frame Flex

Quote:
Originally Posted by vipermanden View Post
We had a 2017 3820FK, and there is a small slide on the right side, which is just a kitchen counter with lots of cabinet storage. Yes our 3820FK did have frame flex, and spent 2 months at the dealer trying to figure out how Keystone wanted them to beef up the welds etc. We noticed the front wall separating from the side wall at the front left in the kitchen behind the seating for the kitchen table. The dealership noticed cracking and bulging at the seam on the outsides where the red arrow points to in the pic below. The kitchen was too heavy with the refer and batteries and Onan generator etc. If you have a 2019 or newer, maybe they beefed it up when making them? Although I don't see the 3820FK listed as an option anymore?
Mine is the same as yours without the full body paint - same year, no generator and no built-in dinette.
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Old 01-26-2020, 10:19 PM   #30
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We bought our 2002 3280RL about 4 years ago. Noticed a small 45 degree crack in the filon coming from the lower front bedroom slide. Drilled a hole and covered in silicone. About a year later, crack had continued, drilled another hole and silicone. After our last trip, I noticed the silicone had worn though.

Yesterday I cut out the filon and rotted luan, pictures of crack attached.

The aluminum frame is attached to the steel frame. That frame flexes when the weight is transferred from the landing gear to the hitch. Something's got to give, so eventually a crack develops.

Going to engineer a repair tomorrow.

Suggestions would be appreciated.
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Old 01-27-2020, 08:29 AM   #31
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Frame Flex Issue

Hi Friends!
I did you survey but the last question is not one that was on the inspection checklist that Keystone had our Camping World look at - is it because we have a different model?

We paid to have the inspection completed and now Keystone is telling us our unit is "SAFE TO TOW" but not to use as the damage will get worse with use... What's the use of having an expensive unit if it isn't safe to use????

One of the techs when we took it to Camping World asked had we considered selling it... Isn't that crazy? Pass along a known issue to someone else?

I'm very disappointed that Keystone is refusing to do right with this unit! We've been loyal Montana owners for over 4 years and attended numerous rallies all over. I'm very sad!

Would it help you guys to see the inspection checklist Keystone sent to our Camping World so you could check your own units? I can try to figure out how to upload it or email it to those interested.

Thank you for letting me vent. This is a sad issue. We had lots of trips planned for this year...
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Old 01-27-2020, 08:34 AM   #32
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Probably a stupid question but how did you remove the siding to see the crack without causing more of an issue? Keystone didn't ask them to do that to ours so we could have a huge crack and not be aware of it.....
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Old 01-27-2020, 08:56 AM   #33
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Originally Posted by jeffba View Post
John so you are not lulled into not checking. I have frame flex and I have a 2019. So I would keep an eye out if I were you.
I have a 2019.5 3761FL. What model do you have? I keep looking as I have 2 front slides. We travel a lot with minimum fw as that tank is near front too
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Old 01-27-2020, 04:31 PM   #34
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Would I even know if I have frame flex? I've watched the weight transfer when putting down the front jacks and have not noticed any change in the composure of the unit. The only time I see any movement is while towing and watching the hitch/pin connection - the pin assembly appears to move up and down when traveling over changes in the road angle - like at rail road tracks and bridge encounters. All the silicone seams appear completely intact. Took the survey. Hope it helps.
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Old 01-27-2020, 11:34 PM   #35
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Survey completed. As was pointed out in post 20, "frame flex" is probably not a good description of the problem. Keystone fixed ours in Sep 2018, no issues since then.
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Old 01-28-2020, 09:25 AM   #36
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So Keystone is telling us since we are out of warranty they won't fix our unit, even though they have fixed several that were out of warranty.....not sure what to do next. Any suggestions?
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Old 01-28-2020, 10:45 AM   #37
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PM sent.
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Old 01-29-2020, 02:46 PM   #38
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Great news friends!
Alisha from Keystone called and Keystone is going to take care of us!!!! Yay!! I'm so happy and relieved!! I get to keep my unit - which I love, and know that it'll be safe to use for many more trips!!

Thank you Alisha!!!❤️��
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Old 01-29-2020, 03:16 PM   #39
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Originally Posted by Annaoinga View Post
Great news friends!
Alisha from Keystone called and Keystone is going to take care of us!!!! Yay!! I'm so happy and relieved!! I get to keep my unit - which I love, and know that it'll be safe to use for many more trips!!

Thank you Alisha!!!❤️��
Absolutely wonderful!! I've still not heard from Keystone or any of it's people, which they said they would call, but our rig leaves Monday for the factory.
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Old 01-29-2020, 04:48 PM   #40
Ozzie Cozzies
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Daryles View Post
As Monty Parks pointed out previously, there are two issues. Frame flex and wall flex. Richfaa mentioned this above.
We had wall flex.
Model. 2019. 3130re
The aluminum weld broke on the vertical stud next to the bedroom slide. We had it fixed last week (missed Quartzsite) at Affinity in Elkhart In. THEY DID AN AWESOME JOB!!! And fast!!! Along with a few other minor warranty repairs including replacing the 50A breaker with the 80A one to fix the hydraulic pump issues. Works great now!!
BTW, at the rally in September we had a lippert tech look at ours and he said we were fine. At that time there was just the bulge in the outside wall. No damage was visible inside the bedroom closet.
Since then DW noticed the split in the wall at the bottom of the closet. We notified Keystone. Standard answer, take it to a dealer CW??? No way!!!! We took it to Affinity.
THEY ARE GREAT!!!!
I've recently emailed my Dealer with exactly the same problem. I haven't heard back from them yet. I have a 2018 3130RE. Obviously a design flaw with them. I thought it was the electric motor of the slide over-extending and pushing the wall out. I thought it would be a simple adjustment of the slide motor, but your photos have enlightened me - they look very similar to mine. It is definitely more serious than I thought. Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.
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