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Old 05-15-2019, 07:09 AM   #21
CT Wanderer
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Just thought I'd add a few pictures. Is there anyone out there that has had the frame bend and break like this before? The trailer welding repair guy I've talked to has said it is very unusual for the frame to wrinkle like that unless there was a collision. He said that normally hitting something in the road would cause a bolt or spring to break or the tire to blow but not bend the frame.
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Old 05-15-2019, 07:23 AM   #22
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It looks like someone jacked up one side of the trailer useing the spring perch. Very strange.
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Old 05-15-2019, 07:30 AM   #23
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Somewhere in your travels it appears you have 'hammered' a bump/pothole at highway. Look at the torn fabric above the tire. While that fabric contact is not unusual, it happened on our 343RL but nowhere near as bad as what yours shows. If your HC has 5200 pound suspension as ours had, it really needs to be upgraded with 6000# springs. I also added a 1" spacer and 6000# outer wheel bearings (along with disc brakes). While not a cure-all, it will help with spring compression and rebound and possibly a whipping motion that may have caused that damage. I know that the heavier springs and added spacer corrected a nasty wallow over bridge approaches and departures


Then there is the chance that yo dragged that rear frame hard such as going into a poorly designed gas station or similar driveway as I have with ours. You wont even know that you did it until you notice that the rear bumper plug is gone
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Old 05-15-2019, 08:38 AM   #24
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Normally there is a gusset welded on the flange of the I beam directly over the spring hangers. I don't see from the pics where there were any gussets used at all.
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Old 05-15-2019, 08:45 AM   #25
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Here are pics of my toy hauler gussets. The Monty has some also but it is in storage for now and can't get pics.
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Old 05-15-2019, 08:55 AM   #26
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When doing the repair, have a flat plate welded about 1" on the spring shackle itself also - that U piece of metal takes a lot of side twisting when turning on pave surfaces. Not sure you can do it on the center pivot - might add an hour to the repair to do both sides
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Old 05-15-2019, 10:32 AM   #27
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Normally there is a gusset welded on the flange of the I beam directly over the spring hangers. I don't see from the pics where there were any gussets used at all.

You are 100% correct. Our '14 343RL has one about 4-5" long over the rear and center hangers plus one about 12-14" long over the front hanger.


Cost reduction at Keystone or a bad Monday product at Lippert?
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Old 05-19-2019, 01:25 PM   #28
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I'm glad you found it. Looks like you possibly hit a pretty decent bump. There must have been some extra heavy flexing to bend the beam and snap the gas line clamp. I'm glad it didn't also break the gas line itself.
I-95 is SC will do that.
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Old 05-19-2019, 02:35 PM   #29
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Make sure he does a fill in that small crack in the bottom of the beam. Could be problem down the road.
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Old 05-19-2019, 03:37 PM   #30
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I have a 2016 305RL. I noticed yesterday that the passenger side wheels were very close together. I looked under the trailer and saw one end of the equalizer(CRE/3000) hard up against the frame of the trailer. This doesn't seem normal. I am parked in my yard on fairly level ground. I have never seen the wheels this close together as I put that side up on blocks to help level it and this is the first time the block wouldn't fit between the wheels. I attached a picture of the passenger side and driver side equalizers. Can any one tell me whether I should be concerned?
Just food for thought, Have all hubs removed before welding or a chance of bearing welding my occur, I'm just saying...… I welded on a dolly and damaged the wheel bearings by accident . (weld pits on the bearings) Trip all CBs and disconnect the battery. SAD that you have to fix this, just SAD!!!
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Old 05-19-2019, 08:25 PM   #31
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I think I'd contact Keystone on this. When the spring hanger breaks off the frame and takes a piece with it and the frame web is bent, isn't this a structural failure? Maybe they'll respond as with the slide-out frame structural weld. They should add reinforcing gussets for you whether they were meant to be original or not. Now I'm worrying about my 305RL!


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Old 05-19-2019, 09:53 PM   #32
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If it were me, (opinion) I would not talk to Keystone at all. They have big problems! I would talk to nearest machine shop and show pictures an discuss repairs. Unless you have a friend of a friend of a friend that can do something about the repair bill inside Lippert or Keystone. Just remember they will tell you, We contacted our ENGINEERS and they said...………I can tell you this, it takes about 6+ years of schooling to get an Engineering Degree. I don't think that they hang out at the factory. Just saying, Milwright I can see. Nearest machine shop will fix you up.
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Old 05-20-2019, 10:53 AM   #33
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May want to try a Mobile Welder - get recommendation from local RV repair place?
Pothole busted my front Frame and RV Repair Center (Dallas TX) sent Mobile Welder who had worked on MANY busted RV's. That Pothole did NOT damage my suspension....
Mine 05 has welded gussets above the Frame Hangers. Slightly Complicated my installation of "Joyrider" Shock Absorber" system to my RV
Possibly Trailer Repair places too.
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Old 05-21-2019, 07:11 AM   #34
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I just noticed that flat plate welded to closed up the frame channel about 4" from the spring hanger - think that was misplaced. Also looks like there is one up between the tires. ??? who knows what the frame mfg was thinking
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Old 05-24-2019, 07:17 AM   #35
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I contacted Lippert and they sent me an engineered solution. Looks like this has happened before as I don't think they did all those drawings and instructions just for me. They offered some monetary assistance in the repair but I don't think it will cover it. I found a local guy, Turnpike Motors in Newington CT, that has done warranty repairs for Lippert in the past. He has a bay set up for frame straightening on trailers up to 50'. I got a tour of the shop and I was impressed. They do mostly truck/trailer work but also do campers. They had four other campers in for service when I dropped off my camper. I had concerns about driving it there but Herve the shop manager told me to run a strap around the rear and front axle to keep the rear wheel from running too far back. I took it slow and had no problems.
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Old 05-24-2019, 09:16 AM   #36
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Sounds like the fix is on the way. Pls provide pics if you can when complete.
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Old 05-24-2019, 12:27 PM   #37
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Send Lippert a copy of the final bill and asked for a little support
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Old 05-24-2019, 06:00 PM   #38
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I would like Lippert to issue a Service Bulletin for the rest of the 305RL's if this has happened before so it does not happen to me in the future.
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Old 05-28-2019, 07:01 PM   #39
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Gussets

Quote:
Originally Posted by CT Wanderer View Post
I contacted Lippert and they sent me an engineered solution. Looks like this has happened before as I don't think they did all those drawings and instructions just for me. They offered some monetary assistance in the repair but I don't think it will cover it. I found a local guy, Turnpike Motors in Newington CT, that has done warranty repairs for Lippert in the past. He has a bay set up for frame straightening on trailers up to 50'. I got a tour of the shop and I was impressed. They do mostly truck/trailer work but also do campers. They had four other campers in for service when I dropped off my camper. I had concerns about driving it there but Herve the shop manager told me to run a strap around the rear and front axle to keep the rear wheel from running too far back. I took it slow and had no problems.
Did any of the drawings show addition of gussets above the spring hangers?
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Old 05-29-2019, 06:00 AM   #40
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This was a great set of ideas! The best is that the owner crawled under the Monty and looked at things. The tires were the tip that something was not correct. Becoming familiar with the "trailer" part of an RV is critical. Not what the salesman says anything about when someone is looking at an 5th Wheel that is a trailer with a bunch of nice looking stuff mounted on it. It is still a trailer!
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