I just noticed that with the fiver unhooked I have a separation on the curb side near the front cap. The material under the overhang surrounding the king box is dropping away about 3/4 of an inch where it meets the side. The scary part is that when I hook up the truck and put weight on the king box it closes up. I took down the trim insert on the underside and tightened the screws. It closed up a little but not much. I fear a broken weld up in the framing. Any thoughts or suggestions? I will try to post pictures.Thanks AL

Not good...who needs this kind of grief.If you go to the link below you will see many examples of failed welds on frames...and how they were fixed.Probably going to be a trip to a local welding outfit.Broken Frame Images...LINK

Find a good welding shop and make sure they brace it with extra metal. I've had several Lippert frames and know they are made pretty cheap.

I have had 3 fivers and not one with a Lippert frame, I am on the forum consistently and read these frame issues and wonder why consumers continue to buy products that are inferior at the start. I guess it is best to just keep posting these problems and complaining maybe someone at Lippert will decide that it is time to stop the nonsense. Just because some people want a particular layout or are limited in the level of quality they can afford doesn't mean that they should get an inferior product. The manufacturers using the frames are the ones who can put the pressure on Lippert, but worry about pricing themselves out of a section of the market. Too Bad we settle for good enough.

Your 2005 falls right in the LIPPERT frame issuePull the overhang panel off exposing the pin box structureVisually inspect for torn cross sections, cracks, busted welds etc.Do this with trailer setting front landing gear legs (no pin weight) and hooked up to truck (full pin weight) Look for sidewall movement........and pin box flex

I'm running into the same problem on my 08 Cougar, except it's not the pin box. I just downloaded the PDF from Lippert and checked for pin box movement and there is none.My problem is the bottom of the bedroom closets are starting to separate and are bowing a bit on their sides. From talking with Lippert they are saying it might not be the frame but how Keystone attaches their aluminum framing to the steel of the frame, they use screws and they may be loosening or cracking.This is starting to look like a big job, insurance will pay for it but I can't imagine how well a local shop will be able to take the cap off and do a proper repair because it looks like all the bedroom cabinetry has to come out as well. Since this work is done before the frame is attached I don't know how they will!be able to do a decent job.I saw one picture of a failed repair attempt and they burned the camper down because they didn't remove the woodwork and the welding done under the cap area burned through to the bedroom !I have the insurance adjuster adjuster coming again today to look at it.Ron W

Broken Lippert weld? 2005 Cougar | Good Sam Community

Cougarnewbie
Explorer
Jun 03, 2016
rjsurfer wrote:
Cougarnewbie,

It's an easy measurement to make, although they have you using your jacks as a tie off spot to measure. My jacks are a little to shakey to give accurate measurements.

Just take a tape measure and measure from a point on the front of the camper under the front storage compartment to a point on the pin box.it should make a 45 degree angle roughly. Do this on both sides of the pin box. Measure it twice once with the camper unsupported and once with the camper connects to the truck. There shouldn't be more than 1/4" difference in the two measurements. You can see this will measure any flex.
I went and got the pdf. Thanks for your help! AL

Ron
rjsurfer
Explorer
Jun 03, 2016
Cougarnewbie,

It's an easy measurement to make, although they have you using your jacks as a tie off spot to measure. My jacks are a little to shakey to give accurate measurements.

Just take a tape measure and measure from a point on the front of the camper under the front storage compartment to a point on the pin box.it should make a 45 degree angle roughly. Do this on both sides of the pin box. Measure it twice once with the camper unsupported and once with the camper connects to the truck. There shouldn't be more than 1/4" difference in the two measurements. You can see this will measure any flex.

Ron
Cougarnewbie
Explorer
Jun 03, 2016
rjsurfer wrote:
Cougarnewbie,

A quick question, did you see the framing under the cap and how it was designed?

The results from doing the measurment test that Lippert said to make showed the pinbox was not moving at all, zero movement so I'm now at a loss as to why the bottom woodwork in both front closets are cracking and bowing a bit.

The problem area is very close to the front of the cap and maybe an inch or two from the bottom panel. This is way forward of the pinbox assembly.

Any ideas?
from underneath mine all the welds on the frame look pristine.next step might be to pull the cap.What is the measurement test? Is that the PDF from Lippert? Local welder and I feel something is moving to have caused the metal plate to rip. My problem is only one side. Just a thought, Is there a plate that the cap sits on? My side wall appears to rest on an 1/8 inch plate/flange that is welded to the box framing. Just spit balling

Ron
rjsurfer
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
Cougarnewbie,

A quick question, did you see the framing under the cap and how it was designed?

The results from doing the measurment test that Lippert said to make showed the pinbox was not moving at all, zero movement so I'm now at a loss as to why the bottom woodwork in both front closets are cracking and bowing a bit.

The problem area is very close to the front of the cap and maybe an inch or two from the bottom panel. This is way forward of the pinbox assembly.

Any ideas?

Ron
Cougarnewbie
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
Cougarnewbie wrote:
I just noticed that with the fiver unhooked I have a separation on the curb side near the front cap. The material under the overhang surrounding the king box is dropping away about 3/4 of an inch where it meets the side. The scary part is that when I hook up the truck and put weight on the king box it closes up. I took down the trim insert on the underside and tightened the screws. It closed up a little but not much. I fear a broken weld up in the framing. Any thoughts or suggestions? I will try to post pictures.
Thanks
AL

Found an 1/8 in. steel plate/flange that runs under the upper deck from the cap back 4 ft. welded to the box frame and screwed into the aluminum bottom of the side wall. There is a screw that was never there because Keystone's aluminum stops 2" from the cap. The opposite side the alum. goes all the way to the cap. The steel is ripped. Lippert is sending a new part. I have a welder lined up. Lippert tech help was great!
Cougarnewbie
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
thirtydaZe wrote:
how does one go about finding out what frame his FW sits on?
Look on the curb side of the pin box. Look for a white sticker. That is where Lippert puts their frame number.
thirtydaZe
Nomad
Jun 01, 2016
how does one go about finding out what frame his FW sits on?
laknox
Nomad
Jun 01, 2016
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Your 2005 falls right in the LIPPERT frame issue

Pull the overhang panel off exposing the pin box structure

Visually inspect for torn cross sections, cracks, busted welds etc.
Do this with trailer setting front landing gear legs (no pin weight) and hooked up to truck (full pin weight)
Look for sidewall movement........and pin box flex

From what I've seen in the many pics posted here, many of the "busted welds" weren't actually "busted", but never stuck to the metal on one side. Just a bead tacked to one side, but not the other. Lousy, lousy welding. I could do better than that after a couple days in my 8th grade metal shop class.

Lyle
rjsurfer
Explorer
Jun 01, 2016
I'm running into the same problem on my 08 Cougar, except it's not the pin box. I just downloaded the PDF from Lippert and checked for pin box movement and there is none.

My problem is the bottom of the bedroom closets are starting to separate and are bowing a bit on their sides. From talking with Lippert they are saying it might not be the frame but how Keystone attaches their aluminum framing to the steel of the frame, they use screws and they may be loosening or cracking.

This is starting to look like a big job, insurance will pay for it but I can't imagine how well a local shop will be able to take the cap off and do a proper repair because it looks like all the bedroom cabinetry has to come out as well. Since this work is done before the frame is attached I don't know how they will!be able to do a decent job.

I saw one picture of a failed repair attempt and they burned the camper down because they didn't remove the woodwork and the welding done under the cap area burned through to the bedroom !

I have the insurance adjuster adjuster coming again today to look at it.

Ron W
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Jun 01, 2016
Your 2005 falls right in the LIPPERT frame issue

Pull the overhang panel off exposing the pin box structure

Visually inspect for torn cross sections, cracks, busted welds etc.
Do this with trailer setting front landing gear legs (no pin weight) and hooked up to truck (full pin weight)
Look for sidewall movement........and pin box flex

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