Possible frame problem. Warranty?
Bought a 37BH silverback in June '13. Notices that lifting the fiver on and off the truck that there is a lot of flex in the front port side of the coach. Didn't think much of it until I noticed on ou...
Forum Discussion
I agree the frame probably has a few broken welds in the overhang area. It likely needs some additional bracing too, since these rv trailer frames are built so light and thin.
I own and operate a welding shop. I've welded on many rv trailer frames, whenever the frame is exposed and accessible without tearing apart the trailer to get to it. For a welder, the welding and adding additional bracing of the frame, is the easy part of this job.
It's taking the whole front end apart in order to get to the frame, removing all the combustible materials around the damaged area, that will catch fire during the welding if not removed, then putting it all back together properly so it doesn't leak and looks like new, that is the hard part.
That's why I would take it to the dealer or manufacturer. Let them mess with tearing it apart and putting it back together properly.
As a properly certified welder, I can do a much better job of the welding and fabricating a better mousetrap that won't break again in the future. However, as a welding shop owner, not an RV repair shop owner, I wouldn't want anything to do with all the other non-welding-related, rv-specific work that goes with that job.
I think you'll find that most general welding shops won't want to mess with that part of the job either. As welders, the cosmetic rv exterior work is out of our area of expertise, we probably don't have the tools or materials to do all of it, and that opens us up to a nightmare of problems with the customer, if everything doesn't go back together properly. We don't want those kind of problems.
I own and operate a welding shop. I've welded on many rv trailer frames, whenever the frame is exposed and accessible without tearing apart the trailer to get to it. For a welder, the welding and adding additional bracing of the frame, is the easy part of this job.
It's taking the whole front end apart in order to get to the frame, removing all the combustible materials around the damaged area, that will catch fire during the welding if not removed, then putting it all back together properly so it doesn't leak and looks like new, that is the hard part.
That's why I would take it to the dealer or manufacturer. Let them mess with tearing it apart and putting it back together properly.
As a properly certified welder, I can do a much better job of the welding and fabricating a better mousetrap that won't break again in the future. However, as a welding shop owner, not an RV repair shop owner, I wouldn't want anything to do with all the other non-welding-related, rv-specific work that goes with that job.
I think you'll find that most general welding shops won't want to mess with that part of the job either. As welders, the cosmetic rv exterior work is out of our area of expertise, we probably don't have the tools or materials to do all of it, and that opens us up to a nightmare of problems with the customer, if everything doesn't go back together properly. We don't want those kind of problems.
