3791 J-wrap Issue

[JAWs]

Hi all,

I had an incident this past very windy Friday after taking my 2016 3791RD for its annual inspection (Texas).

On the way home, thankfully about 6-7 miles from the house, something caught my eye in the right-side mirror. Something flopping. Luckily, I was on a lightly traveled divided cut-through four lane, so I immediately stopped, on the road, yes, no shoulder. When I got to the back of the trailer, I saw my J-wrap only being held on by a few bolts on the bottom to the frame. The rest had torn thru the J-wrap and were still in the frame. This piece of aluminum is almost 13 feet long. It will not go in the trailer. No way to hold it up. It will not fit in the bed of the truck. I had to leave the piece in the grass along the side of the road, take the Montana home, pick up my enclosed utility trailer to go back to get a hopefully still there piece of J-wrap. It was there. Loaded the piece and took it home.

Here's where I got REALLY mad! Upon inspection of the J-wrap, the ONLY bolts holding the wrap to the trailer securely is on the bottom to the frame. PERIOD. So what holds the top? ONLY the aluminum channel that holds the black plastic cover at the floor level. It’s used as a pinch piece. The aluminum ONLY goes up to just below the screw line of the aluminum channel. No adhesive of any kind. No screws. No staples. No nails. Nothing! If the J-wrap had an extra 1/2” of material, the screws holding the channel could have gone thru the aluminum to help hold. Or, a few staples AND the channel would have been nice! But NOOOO!

I’ve watched a couple J-wrap install videos; none were Keystone models. THEY used staples under same said channel.

Yeah, I’m still mad as _____!

JOEL

[Foldbak]

Yikes. Could have been worse I guess. It could have come off and hit a car.

[JAWs]

True...and thank the good Lord it didn't!

[Mikendebbie]

My J-panel popped out of the rubber "keeper" gasket along the top edge on one of our first trips in 2018. I saw it flopping in the mirror and fortunately there was a Walmart a few miles ahead. DW and I popped the panel back into the rubber gasket and I used silicone (its what I had on hand) to seal over the entire length of the gasket. No trouble since. For 2018 models - they were not using staples to attach the J-panels (at least none that I have found). My list of "things to do to the RV someday" includes adding a few braces to the bottom of J-panel (kicked back to the frame) to provide more rigidity and strength.

The sketch below IS NOT accurate for the actual construction - but it illustrates the gasket "keeper" at the top of the j-panel.

I recall that when I first posted about this problem - others had experienced the same thing. Also I remember several threads about putting a dab of silicone over the back side of the screws that hold the fender skirts on so that the screws wont back out of the skirt. I treated all of the fender skirt screws and any other similarly backed screws. I can't remember what those are called - but someone here will remember and provide a link to previous threads on the subject.

[JAWs]

You were lucky!! Sure wished that's all that mine had done!
I'm still mad as ____ at Keystone for their lack of thought!
Even some double sided adhesive tape would have been better than their nothing!
Now I get to pay for their neglect!

[Cindy and Ray's Grand Tour]

The same thing happened to us on our New England trip last summer. I saw it flopping in the wind on I-95 but at least two bottom screws were holding. I pulled off at next exit ramp and used the mighty Duct tape to tape the top to the trailer. I found a RV repair shop near our next campground that could fix it on an urgent basis the next morning. They pulled the trim and used silicon before putting the trim back over the top edge. They found a couple of places to add a couple of screws.

[JAWs]

That's kind of what I was thinking...some dollops of clear RTV or double adhesive tape. Anything to help!


Heaven forbid if the J-wrap was an extra 3/4 in taller so the screws that hold the aluminum channel could go thru the J-wrap.

[dieselguy]

I've replace the J wrap on a couple of FR products and neither J wrap was fastened under the beltline molding nor could it be and yet hide the fasteners ... it was simply slid inside the metal beltline molding about 7/8". On each end of the J wrap and at various brackets along the bottom "curl" of the J wrap were where the fasteners were. If you "calmly" think about the beltline molding design, as far as the actual J wrap is concerned all you need is the ends secured with fasteners as well as a few brackets along the bottom. Lotsa RV's are made this way at least models that I've had hands on. Here's a couple of photos of one of my past projects ... your beltline molding may be different.

[JAWs]

I appreciate your time to write. However, with as many others having the same issue, I feel some sort of support is needed. Over time, as the aluminum expands and contracts can cause the screws they are held in with to lose their tension. My trailer, coach to some, is now seven years old. Texas will see Temps from -5 to 112. Aluminum will expand and contract in that temp range. Yes, not much, but it doesn't take too many times for that miniscule amount to cause issues. Staples, small head nails, RTV, heck, even double sided tape would be a help.
Or, maybe, the powers to be WANT us buying new J-wrap...as it falls off.

[dieselguy]

One thing some of us (Mikendebbie) have done to lessen the loosening of fasteners all over the RV is to dab RTV on the threads on the backside of the fasteners like the ones on the brackets that help hold the J wrap on, the ones that hold your plastic fenders on, and the ones if accessible on the front and rear edges of the J wrap. In short, after snugging up the fastener, dab some RTV on the exposed threads under the slides and skirting. It prevents them from loosening completely up and falling off.

[Lhinkle114]

We have the same problem, for now we used silicone to hold in place and deal with it at the rally. The fix might be a wider piece of aluminum trim all the way around, even a extra 1/4 will help.

[LeftOverParts]

I noticed the bottom of the long, forward J wrap on the "passenger side" flopping a week ago while parked at the campsite and found that the aluminum had ripped through 3 of the 5 screws holding it to the frame. Also found that the forward J wrap on the "driver's side" is mainly tucked under a hard propane line and only has 3 screws holding it. Added 1/4 in x 1 1/4 inch fender washers on most J wrap screws. The fender washer was too large for some places on the rearward J wrap near the wheel wells so added regular 1/4 washers. Silicone on the screws is a great idea - thanks!

[vapackerfan1966]

Originally Posted by JAWs

Hi all,

I had an incident this past very windy Friday after taking my 2016 3791RD for its annual inspection (Texas).

On the way home, thankfully about 6-7 miles from the house, something caught my eye in the right-side mirror. Something flopping. Luckily, I was on a lightly traveled divided cut-through four lane, so I immediately stopped, on the road, yes, no shoulder. When I got to the back of the trailer, I saw my J-wrap only being held on by a few bolts on the bottom to the frame. The rest had torn thru the J-wrap and were still in the frame. This piece of aluminum is almost 13 feet long. It will not go in the trailer. No way to hold it up. It will not fit in the bed of the truck. I had to leave the piece in the grass along the side of the road, take the Montana home, pick up my enclosed utility trailer to go back to get a hopefully still there piece of J-wrap. It was there. Loaded the piece and took it home.

Here's where I got REALLY mad! Upon inspection of the J-wrap, the ONLY bolts holding the wrap to the trailer securely is on the bottom to the frame. PERIOD. So what holds the top? ONLY the aluminum channel that holds the black plastic cover at the floor level. It’s used as a pinch piece. The aluminum ONLY goes up to just below the screw line of the aluminum channel. No adhesive of any kind. No screws. No staples. No nails. Nothing! If the J-wrap had an extra 1/2” of material, the screws holding the channel could have gone thru the aluminum to help hold. Or, a few staples AND the channel would have been nice! But NOOOO!

I’ve watched a couple J-wrap install videos; none were Keystone models. THEY used staples under same said channel.

Yeah, I’m still mad as _____!

JOEL

My 2022 3781RL was not fastened to the frame at all on the passenger side. It had two self drilling screws attached to the front of the fender, and was barely under the pinch rail. The screws pulled out of the plastic fender. I have been fighting the issue ever since. I put "U nuts" in the plastic fender, self drilling screws into the frame where non had ever been installed , and put screws through the J wrap. It then popped out under the door. I put a piece of aluminum flat bar under the door to hold it. I believe that in addition improper installation, the frame flexes so much, that there will be constant issues like this

[JAWs]

I am sorry for everyone who has had this problem.

Hey Keystone, so without guessing, this problem has going on for at least seven years. Don't you think this warrants some attention???
JOEL

[Milijose@embarqmail.com]

Hey brother the win blow my like a 10 foot of it it was flapping no damage only 2 screws was biting on the j rap so I put it back better and when I screw them back I made sure the j rap is under the trim.

[JAWs]

I'm with ya!
I'm not so naive that there will ever be a perfect trailer produced, but, dang it, can't there be any form of common sense or decency from a producer to rectify a decade old problem?

[Old_Salty]

We also had the bottom come free on our 2021 3791RD but from a different problem. The bolts went through the metal wrap into the frame but the screws broke. The holes in the wrap were not damaged. New screws installed an inch or two from the original broken screws and added a few more. Cheap screws... This after 1-1/2 years of occasional use. This rig has a lot of bells and whistles but fails terribly in quality of build. Our old unit was of a much higher quality.

[JAWs]

WOW, you actually had screws in yours! Too bad they came from China. I guess that's about the same as nothing.

Mine is a '16, and for what I've read about '20's and newer, I'm glad I got mine when I did.

[twindman]

I have a 2013 and the rear section that is only about 3-4 feet long came loose on the top. Tried to put back but eventually the bolts on the bottom wore thru and the hole became about 3/4 wide!

I think the constant flexing of the body just tears bigger holes like someone else mentioned. So this has been going on for 10 years! Yes, Keystone, help us somehow.

[Milijose@embarqmail.com]

My friend this industry is not going to change anything why because they sale it so I made my peace and fix what ever damage I take care of it but then I will keep my