Help- we found crack in frame

[Brundo]

We were going to reinforce the frame on our fifth wheel. After some of the paint was off. we found crack in the frame next to pin box on front cross member. Has anyone had this fixed? Where did you take it and how did they fix it? How much did it cost? Would appreciate any info you have.

[Pete_k]

goducks10 wrote:
Doesn't matter who builds them, there's no reason for failure period. The RV industry will cut corners worse than anyone else. I'm just glad Lippert doesn't build planes:)

But they do Build Planes... Plane old frames, I always say they build them to what the company wants. But also think there using China Steel that is junk. Thus it may fall apart if you hit a bump.
I did see a guy in East Tn in April, he was dragging his new camper over curbs and ditches trying to get back on the road. First though was this guy will have frame issues and blame it on someone other then his self..:(

To the original poster hope you get your frame fixed and never have any issues again with it.

[LostinAZ]

goducks10 wrote:
Doesn't matter who builds them, there's no reason for failure period. The RV industry will cut corners worse than anyone else. I'm just glad Lippert doesn't build planes:)

X2

[goducks10]

Doesn't matter who builds them, there's no reason for failure period. The RV industry will cut corners worse than anyone else. I'm just glad Lippert doesn't build planes:)

[sk734]

Time for popcorn

[richfaa]

Nicely said Lost.I left all that technical stuff behind when I retired 12 years ago. 42 years of technical and engineering stuff was enough. My smart phone is now way smarter than I want to be now days. In fact.. It hurts when I have to think. annnddd I agree with whatever it is that you said. 🙂

[Jloucks]

richfaa wrote:

LostinAZ wrote:

richfaa wrote:
Lippert builds over 60% of all frames so they may have more problems.

Yep, we owners need to make excuses for Lippert

I did not flunk my course in probabilities. Minimum common sense will indicate that the more of a product in use the greater probability of failure even if the % is the same..

I know what you meant is correct, but the way it is worded is wrong. If you want to get all technical n stuff it should read...

"the greater the number of a product in use the greater the number of those products will have failures given a % of failure greater than zero"

The percent chance of a trailer failing is not dependent on the number of exact same trailers in existence. Every identical trailer has the same percent chance of failure regardless of the number of like trailers.

Said another way, the chance of a trailer failing is the same no matter how many are made.

[LostinAZ]

richfaa wrote:

LostinAZ wrote:

richfaa wrote:
Lippert builds over 60% of all frames so they may have more problems.

Yep, we owners need to make excuses for Lippert

I did not flunk my course in probabilities. Minimum common sense will indicate that the more of a product in use the greater probability of failure even if the % is the same..

Not arguing with that at all. However,there is another side to this coin. Lippert has more experience with higher volume of production and therefore their intimate knowledge of weak points in their product should be higher and therefore their failure rate as a percentage of total production should be significantly lower than other manufacturers....... unless...... the other manufacturers are building in more safety margin into their frames than Lippert. I hereby predict that if we could have access to the engineering design specifications of all frames vs their intended application we would find that Lippert is cutting corners significantly more than the other frame builders. I cannot prove that to be true nor can it be disproved without that data. However I would venture a guess that Lippert's failure rate percentage is much higher than other frame manufacturers. Especially in the Keystone/Montana line. I think it is pure speculation and a corporate fed Kool Aid fantasy to let Lippert off the hook just because they build more frames than any other frame manufacturer. In reality they should have frame design down so well they should have a miniscule failure rate compared to other lower volume builders. That does not appear to be true.

[richfaa]

LostinAZ wrote:

richfaa wrote:
Lippert builds over 60% of all frames so they may have more problems.

Yep, we owners need to make excuses for Lippert

I did not flunk my course in probabilities. Minimum common sense will indicate that the more of a product in use the greater probability of failure even if the % is the same..

[45Ricochet]

Here you go OP, it's a long thread. Hope you will find some useful information. Lots of photos. Good Luck

Lucky nobody was killed

[JIMNLIN]

Brundo wrote:
We were going to reinforce the frame on our fifth wheel. After some of the paint was off. we found crack in the frame next to pin box on front cross member. Has anyone had this fixed? Where did you take it and how did they fix it? How much did it cost? Would appreciate any info you have.

I cracked my pin box mount on my current 5er. The trailer was used.
I had a extended warranty policy that covered cracked frame issues which are not rare. I've owned many equipment/flatdeck trailers doing commercial work and cracks do happen and are easily fixed.
Cost depends on your particular problem . One price don't fit all here.

As others say a big rig trailer repair facilities or some RV dealers can handle those type of issues.

[Brundo]

RamTX what did they do to fix the cracks? Would appreciate any info.
Thanks.

[Jerry_B]

n7bsn wrote:

FishOnOne wrote:
You may check into the nearest Camping World or Holiday World.

Good luck...

For what? a reference to a shop that specializes in frame repair?

Really!

[Me_Again]

That is the same screwy logic that says all the failed ST tires are because a higher percentage of trailers use them. Fact is we seldom read about LT tires failing except the GY G614 which is not a true LT offering. Fact is we seldom read about Young or other inhouse frames cracking. 10 percent of say the 60 percent of 200,000 trailer per year with ST tire problems in 12,000 problems. 1 percent of the remaining 40 percent with higher quality tires is 800 problems. OR 15 times more of cheap tires. Now apply that to frames!!!!

Chris

[LostinAZ]

richfaa wrote:
Lippert builds over 60% of all frames so they may have more problems.

Yep, we owners need to make excuses for Lippert