DutchmenSport wrote:
4X4Dodger wrote:
jmtandem wrote:
The photo that is on this thread is without explanation, we dont know the circumstances or how the unit was built, if there was a serious mfg flaw or what happened. It;s a nice photo but irrelevant to this discussion...and this occurrence is VERY VERY rare.
Spend some time on the Weekend Warror forums and you will learn that this was not that rare. Not at all.
I am sorry but in terms of the overall numbers of Rv's built and on the road and those Rv,s that have been on the road for years...it is an EXTREMELY rare occurrence.
Well, Path1 and I must be among that "elite" group of "rare" people then. Keystone paid 100% of the repair for us, but I had to pay the tow, which wasn't easy for anyone. Keystone put on a much heavier tongue. My current Outback has the split level frame. I prefer it MUCH more than the single level frame.
I think you just really made my point for me actually. So Thank you. The photos you shared of that really unfortunate experience is an example of THE Worst type of load bearing A Frame imaginable and one I did not talk about. It has thin wall tubular steel butted against a front crossmember.It as you know is not a Dropped frame A frame.Which sits under the trailer frame and is welded along it's contact points.
And this forum as well as the weekend Warriors is just so much localized anecdotal information when it comes to people who have these kinds of problems.
According to the RVIA there are 8.9 million RV owners in the US. Does anyone really think this problem is rampant? No. In terms of those numbers and even the part of those millions that are Travel Trailers this kind of occurrence, while terribly distressing to the owner, is still infinitesimally small compared to the overall numbers of units on the road.
It's math not an opinion.
That said if you look at the photos you will see that it was not the weld that failed but the steel rectangular box section. This could have several reasons, some having nothing to do with the RV manufacturer. (except poor design) But one thing for sure that design is not one I would buy. The under or dropped frame is still your BEST BET strength wise, all other things being equal.
