Bulge Near ODS Bedroom Slide and Possible Frame Flex

[scootsk]

Good afternoon,

Just pulled into Williams Arizona and as I was setting up I noticed a bulge by the lower left corner ODS bedroom slide. There is a piece of molding there that I believe Keystone had installed to prevent cracks in the area. It appears the the side wall shifted about 1/4”. Please let me know if you have heard about this.

 

[Daryles]

Yup.
Wall flex.
Take it to Affinity RV Group in Goshen Indiana.

 

[LeftOverParts]

Your signature shows you have a 2019 - did you have the frame flex fix done? Asking in case you might know if your unit came with that trim or if it was added.

We had the frame flex in our ‘21 3231CK fixed a couple years ago. They did the fix per an updated procedure which included a cut between panels and adding a trim piece like yours to cover the cut. Last fall before a 6 week trip, I noticed that trim loosened up and looked just like years. I pressed on the panels and put the slide in/out and the panels seem fixed so just reseated and resealed the trim. (I realize something caused it). However for us, no further popping/loosening of the trim after about 4500 miles. YMMV.

 

[Revy-KEY]

Good afternoon,

Just pulled into Williams Arizona and as I was setting up I noticed a bulge by the lower left corner ODS bedroom slide. There is a piece of molding there that I believe Keystone had installed to prevent cracks in the area. It appears the the side wall shifted about 1/4”. Please let me know if you have heard about this.

We had an issue that looks very similar on our 2020 Montana 40ft 5th wheel.
Frame Flex Concerns: The aluminum wall studs often break at structural welds, which forces excessive movement (frame flex) into the fiberglass sidewalls, causing them to crack, especially near front slideouts and caps.
We contacted Montanas head office as we are from Canada. Long story short they came and picked up our unit took it back to the factory in Indiana and fixed it at no cost to us. It was quite a process but at least it got fixed

 

[Kfinnert]

Unfortunately, I agree with all of the other comments, this looks like a frame flex problem. I two walls shifting and, after getting it to Affinity in Goshen, the diagnose was frame flex. I had several studs where the welds had broken on ODS and DS of my trailer. The fix was fairly easy, and the work they did is not noticeable on the walls. Added bonus is that the trailer tracks and pulls a lot better once the frame was tightened up through this repair.

Call Tammy ahead of time and get an appointment, they are extremely busy!

Best of luck

 

[TWC84]

Looks like what I saw in the exact same spot on our 2018 3950BR. Didn't realize it was a frame flex issue until the Schwintek slide mechanism broke on the same side. Had to address both issues at the same time back in the summer of 2025. I wasn't able to go to Affinity, but so far the repair has held up.

 

[Jerkyguy]

Looks like what I saw in the exact same spot on our 2018 3950BR. Didn't realize it was a frame flex issue until the Schwintek slide mechanism broke on the same side. Had to address both issues at the same time back in the summer of 2025. I wasn't able to go to Affinity, but so far the repair has held up.

Where did you take yours ?

 

[jpwhite]

I had a bulge in the wall on my 2019 3120RL in the lower front corner of the bedroom slide opening.

I had it fixed at a nearby General RV dealership a couple of years ago. The dealership performed several tests that Keystone requested and determined it was a broken wall weld, not a cracked frame. They cut out a square section of the sidewall to access the aluminum wall framing.

The weld broke because it was only tacked and never properly welded. They had a team from Lippert come in and weld it properly with added gussets (they had two other 5th wheels in the shop with the same issue, and the welding team did them all on that same visit).

They replaced the cut out wall section, glassed around it, fared, and painted. Once in very cold (below 0) temps the patch was visible, however at "normal" temperatures i can not spot the patch.

Keystone paid for the repair even though the 3 yr structural warranty had expired.

 

[scottz]

I have no idea what "frame flex" is; a very generic term invented on the forum that could describe a number of problems; wish we would quit using it.

As stated, your problem is broken welds where the vertical aluminum studs attach to the horizontal frame. Keystone knows how to fixt it. Talk to customer service and hopefully they can get you into the service center or Affinity and fix it at no charge. Mine was done in 2019 at the Keystone service center; no more problems.

 

[twindman]

I have no idea what "frame flex" is; a very generic term invented on the forum that could describe a number of problems; wish we would quit using it.

As stated, your problem is broken welds where the vertical aluminum studs attach to the horizontal frame. Keystone knows how to fixt it. Talk to customer service and hopefully they can get you into the service center or Affinity and fix it at no charge. Mine was done in 2019 at the Keystone service center; no more problems.

I was one of the lucky ones with real frame flex when this term came into being! The welds in the frame in the front end where the frame goes up then forward under the bedroom broke. I was on the way to AK and got to Olympia NP in Washington when I saw the problem. I called a dealer in Seattle and they 'never heard ' of it before! LOL So I limped home to AZ and my dealer fixed it. This happened to a lot of people then. I think after that, Montana started welding in a short angled brace in the corners of the frame.
Oh, I was also the lucky one to have welds break on the studs on the sidewalls years later. Again dealer took the panel at the back (on side) off and showed me the studs. Several of them were broken.

 

[bsdf200]

My 2021 3120 RL is at Keystone plant in Pendleton, OR, having frame flex work on now.