Ian10965
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Re: 2019 KZ Connect Lite- C201QB – Lippert Frame problems??
What make and year is your trailer? I'm trying to understand how the braces connect to the frame. It's hard to tell in the picture, but it looks like the yellow rail sits under or next to the actual RV frame. Is this part of a shock mount kit? It looks like the center brace has a backing plates that surrounds the spring bracket to clamp the brace on to it. The end braces look like they must use a separate bolt through a hole drilled in the side of the spring mount, since the brace sits above the shackle bolts. Has this corrected the frame weakness completely regarding the spring mounts? Thanks Ian.738Views0likes0CommentsRe: 2019 KZ Connect Lite- C201QB – Lippert Frame problems??
FIRST Myredracer, you said something which gets to the heart of my original question: What I really hope to be able to sort out is how much if any improvement there has been with this problem area for 2018 trailers over earlier models. myredracer wrote: The frame on these (unless they've changed recently) is made from 3 pieces of 1/8" sheet steel and welded together. It flexes a LOT more compared to the more common 1-piece rolled beams. Fatigue cracks can develop above the spring hangers and I know someone with a KZ who has had this happen. I note from your profile that you have a KZ Spree 262KS, which coincidentally is also rated at 6800lb GVWR like the 261RB in my pix. This makes a really good point of comparison from 2014 to 2018. ( Sorry, I'm mis-remembering here, I know you have a custom frame. Do/did other ~26' trailers have the 3pc 1/8" built up rails/) I spend a lot of time using the paint.net free photo editor. One use for this is in making measurements from photos. I constructed a center point for one of the wheels in the 3rd pix , and measured the radius of the 14" wheel to the bead point. In arbitrary photo units it is 6.19". I measured the thickness of the frame flange, 0.18". 7"x(0.18/6.19)is 0.20". I expect some error in my measurements, but the flange thickness looks a whole lot closer to 3/16" (0.1875) than it does to 1/8". The real proof of this will be when I can physically measure some of the current KZ frame member thickness soon. Hopefully this frame is thicker than earlier units, so that is one confidence building point in proceeding with the purchase. The splan going forward would be to keep a real close eye on the known problems area of spring mounts, wheel alignment, and tire wear, starting with 3 point tread depth measurements of all 4 tires during my PDI. Its about 1300mi from the KZ factory to here. That should be far enough to assess the state of alignment of the wheels. If I see problems developing, I may decide to implement some of the fixes listed in this excellent post TT Spring Hanger Stiffening (Long, lots of pics) One item that I could see adding without touching the frame would be a bolt on side to side rail like this Click For Full-Size Image. Forewarned is forearmed. SECOND Soundguy, I want to make sure I understand the timeline of broken frame repair of your 2014 FE. If you purchased the trailer in 2014, I am seeing 12 month warranty, so it would have run out in 2015? Oct 2017 would be something like 2 years out of warranty. That seems to me quite good that Lippert would fix your frame this far past the warranty. How much was your dealer responsible for pushing Lippert to make good on this? Its a double issue for me, because if I was to undertake actual reinforcement mods to the frame, wouldn't that kill any chance of a Lippert fix later on? BTW, nice looking electrical work in your profile pix. I am guessing you're an electronics guy like me. I thought as much from "soundguy" which I have actually called myself occasionally. 20+ years NAV Canada Airport tech with concurrent sound system moonlighting. Thanks everyone for helping me on this. Ian734Views0likes0Comments2019 KZ Connect Lite- C201QB – Lippert Frame problems??
I am considering the purchase of 2019 KZ Connect Lite C201QB. Unfortunately this will be a sight unseen purchase. The dealer told me that he would not hold me to continue with the purchase if I don’t like what I see after it arrives. Delivery will be mid June if I order now, well after salt season. If I decide not to take this trailer then the all too short Atlantic Canada summer season will be pretty well shot for ordering a different TT. Hopefully with the help of forum members I can at least resolve my biggest concern about this trailer before I order it. None of these trailers ( KZ Connect Lite 2017-18 C201RB or C201QB) are available for me to look at anywhere close to me in Atlantic Canada. I did look over a Connect 261RB, photos below. I have read a number of reports of various deficiencies in Lippert frames. I would not be surprised if one part of the Lite designation is reduced metal in the frame compared to the Connect or Spree Connect series. What I really hope to be able to sort out is how much if any improvement there has been with this problem area for 2018 trailers over earlier models. It would really help if someone could post pictures of the spring mount area of the frame of one of these (C201QB/RB). I have read posts that suggest that the worst of the Lippert frame troubles may be in the past. Is this correct?? Damage to dual axle spring mounts as a result of the lateral stress during turns seems to be a pretty clear cause and effect. At least this area is easily visible, and I can keep a close eye on wheel alignment as a symptom. If and when the problem appears, I can get the reinforcement done. I have been DIY cutting and fitting steel for decades for hobby /home use. The only skill I don’t have in this area is the actual welding itself. I do plan to keep this trailer for the long haul. I am 60+, and we plan to make this our only TT after 9 seasons with an 8ft popup. The need for DIY fixing and upgrading is part of my DNA anyway. It’s the weakness in other less visible areas of the frame that concerns me more. By the time I see external effects of frame failure there may be widespread damage. The yearly mileage for our trips would be at the short end of the spectrum. We will be sure to go under the GVWR, and never carry much water in the tanks. If not for this I probably wouldn’t even be considering this brand of trailer. I did manage to get some pictures of a new Connect 261RB, not Lite, at a RV show. See Below. Unfortunately this was before I knew about the frame problems so I didn’t get a clean close up of the flange/rail joint. Its covered with dirt, so I can’ t tell if its welded or rolled. For sure there doesn’t seem to be much if any reinforcement of the spring mounts for a 6800lb GVWR trailer. I tried to scale the metal thickness with a photo editor from the shot with the 14” wheel. Both the flange and the spring hangert look to be 3/16”. At least this would be an improvement over the 1/8” welded up “I-beams” that I have read about. From the info Lippert frames the narrow flanges look similar to the other welded up “I-beams” that are so problematic. THESE PICTURES ARE NOT THE TRAILER I AM LOOKING AT. THEY ARE A DIFFERENT NEW CONNECT 261RB. Click For Full-Size Image. Click For Full-Size Image. Click For Full-Size Image.6.3KViews0likes14CommentsKZ Connect Lite C201QB quality and service
My wife and I are seniors and are considering the purchase of a new KZ Connect Lite C201QB TT, and are looking for feedback about the quality and durability of this line of trailers. Our main reason for this choice is that it is 7.5 ft wide and one of the shortest trailers we can get with dual axles, a walk-around queen bed, and a sofa. I have seen a lot of serious complaints about this vendor’s quality and warranty service, but they are mostly from the era of the ’08 market crash. I don’t know how KZ has performed in recent years. We had been seriously looking at a Jay Flight SLX 212QB. The Jay Flight (like most of the available products) is 8ft wide. We live in Atlantic Canada, and some of the secondary roads we use are narrow, twisted, and in poor shape. We are quite concerned about the prospect of towing an 8ft wide unit on these roads. It was dicey enough at times over the 9 years we towed our 7’2” wide Starcraft Popup. Ideally we could get a 7ft wide trailer, but about the only affordable candidate that is close is the Jay Feather 7 23RD which is two feet longer than our absolute max of 25’ bumper to hitch. Our driveway is cramped, along with many of the wooded campsites that we use. Even a 25’ long unit will be pushing these limits. Also the C201QB is both narrower and more aerodynamic than the Jay Flight 212QB, which would cut down the wind resistance and fuel consumption.1.5KViews0likes4Comments
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