2012 XLR 27HFS- cracked frame !!!

[Goldwing]

On our way home from Arkansas I noticed while doing a circle check, left side of trailer had 5 cracks on i beam and the flange was broken open at front of suspension.Right side had 5 cracks of which all are above suspension area!! When you walk in trailer it was like being in a boat with rough water -side to side motion also this way when towing home 800 km as no dealers or welding shops had time to put 3 cross braces across hanger brackets .
I contacted Forest River XLR department and Diane quickly responded back and sent information to Lippert as they make the frames. Brian responded back and said that nothing could be done as we are second owner and rust on frame also frame built to spec.
So then Forest River engineering have no clue!! As was the problem of bent 3,500 lb axles and I replaced with 4,400 lb at our expense due to no warranty on second owners.
So now our retirement travel's are on hold as we have a unfit trailer and very Blessed that we made it home and not pulled over by police or MTO. They would have pulled plates and charged us. Knowing this a my 44 years as truck driver.
Trailer is VERY unsafe and not wanting to turn any corners as this is what created the stress cracks on the 1/8"gauge-( 6 i beam) along with driving on the rough roads.
I thought retirement was Living the Dream not worrying about trailer axles falling out and could cause trailer to flip over.
Will be contacting the NHTSA about this and MTO (Canada).
NEVER BUY FOREST RIVER !! or you will pay dearly by accident or wallet to repair But as Brian said built to spec.
We need not North American Engineering but Chinese or Korean to engineer the RV industry, then it will be correct!!
Any one have the owner - Warren Buffet email address??
Check your trailer out and ride safe not as a hazard to those around!!
James

[bikendan]

FR doesn't make the frame, Lippert does and they warranty the frame.
Don't know why you're blaming FR. Most RV trailers have Lippert frames and nearly all RV manufacturers use them.
And we'll never see China or Korea importing RVs enmasse to North America. No profit in it for them.
Only if they buy a RV manufacturer here.

[Goldwing]

Yes Lippert make frames as per Forest River requirements , this is what engineers do.
So it comes back to Forest River.
Just as trucks and cars
James

[Oaklevel]

It is likely that the first owner overloaded the trailer and rough roads. Which can lead to cracks in the frame. There is another member on here that had issues but he will openly admit that he overloaded the camper.

Have you weighed the camper? Toyhaulers are notorious for the owners to overload.

[JohnD10]

What you need to do is to find a competent axle shop to look over your issue and give you an idea what is going on with your trailer before you go blaming anyone.

Then, armed with that information, contact Lippert and Forest River with your findings.

I had a suspension issue with my previous TT 1000 miles away from home and my extended warranty and the manufacturer of the TT both told me that I had overloaded the TT and caused the problems.

Until an axle shop in Denver inspected the TT, then had me completely empty the TT and get it weighed the way it came from the dealership and it turned out that completely empty, that TT weighed 1040 pounds more than the ratings of both axles combined.

While all I got from Dexter was two upgraded new axles with brake and wheel bearing assemblies and a complete set of leaf springs (about $650 worth of parts), it still cost me close to $4000 to get the work done.

Oh...and my extended RV warranty offered to pay $150 of that repair...once I paid up the $150 deductible.

I read the complete extended warranty microbabblelegaleze several times and found an opt-out clause that got me about half of the purchase price of said extended RV warranty, which made a great down payment for my 5'ver.



I traded that TT off one week after getting it fixed for my current 5'ver.

[TheWolfPaq82]

and to think, I have a 1987 Jayco popup that's still road worthy....with new tires that is. Frame is fine, little rust here and there. By the end of the first season on our 2018 Cherokee, I had to sand most of the frame and welds and repaint it. Very shoddy workmanship.

[Goldwing]

Yes I have had trailer weighed and loaded with food and what little water we carry it was 3,150 kg , trailer spec plate -GVWR- 3,573 kg. with 3,500 axles of which I changed to 4,400 axles as now they have this so GVWR would be 4,502 kg
I did take trailer to have looked at by shop foreman at etrailer.com in Wentzville,Mo. of which he said after 20 minutes going over whole trailer- not engineered properly and after all years in trailer business never seen anything like this, take it back to Forest River and show them, as they tell frame manufacture what and how they want for there units.
I then stopped into I69 Trailers Centre in Markle In.of which shop foreman came out and said same thing and more - like should not be on the road , should use C channel instead of pre- fab beam (pig iron).
No one had time to 3- weld cross braces on shackle mounts ( both said this should have been ) as stress cracks are caused by this, turning!
I asked a frame mechanic welder here at home and after seeing he was turned off of Forest River producing such _____ ! He would not repair as for liability issues as said sell it as a park model and deem it as salvage!
Looked at trailers in storage yard, other Forest River products and guess what same gauge of frame and signs of cracking (newer trailer than ours) Jayco trailer had better frame 3/16 instead of ours 1/8.
So yes I have done my home work before I posted this and dealt with service manager for XLR at Forest River and LCI also gave them a chance to help out and to have them aware of legal claims that could come to them from insurance industry from accidents deemed as engineered not knowing trailer needs.
as 44 years as commercial driving I am aware of weights and inspections, still willing to learn from experience
James

[dbarr]

My welded up fake I-beam needed repaired twice before the recall and then again after that.
I see your frame is missing the reinforcement gussets above spring mounts that were installed per the recall. There were 7 different models included in that recall spanning ‘13 and ‘14 model years, all coachmen.
I traded mine this spring without making a single trip after my factory repair last August....it wouldn’t have made it through another long distance trip.

I looked under every trailer displayed at a spring RV show this year and didn’t find one unit, of any brand, built on this garbage.

Sorry for your loss.

[raceready]

Have you spoken with the Insurance company that holds your policy? Just a thought.

[Goldwing]

No I have not talked to them - good suggestion !
Should I do it before or after I torch it ? LOL
Cheaper to do this than fixing it tough. But don't have heart to do this and not fair in my mind.
Right now it is scrap!