21S FKHS Front pop-out issue?

DocHaley · 01-10-2019, 05:45 PM

My 21FKHS, 2017 year model, front pop-out that creates head room for the kitchen is apparently loose.

Flagstaff Hard Side Pop-Up Campers Folding Camping Trailers by Forest River RV

It was getting hard to insert the pins from the side wedge panels into the front flat panel so I had a friend come over and lift on the front panel to see if that would help any.

It made it so simple, it was a snap!

However, a screw had fallen out.

He gave me the screw and after removing the inside fabric that is held in by velcro covering the torsion bar and hinged connection I saw 5 more screws ready to fall out.

All but 2 of the screws across the hinge that connects the front flat panel to the box were loose. I tightened all of the up that I could but the last for on the left or drivers side would not tighten since they have nothing substantial to screw into!

They are apparently only able to connect to the flimsy interior 1/8" thick veneer of the panel.

I hope Forest River/Flagstaff reads these posts because I am concerned that if this has no remedy then at some time down the road this panel may simply be blown apart from the box and careen into another vehicle injuring or killing someone.

Or it could be that if you are having problems slipping the pin into the front panel as I did, that one of your rv's connections are failing.

I'm just assuming I am not the only one that has these issues with difficulty slipping the pin into the front dormer so please download this post of mine and keep it just in case FR/Flgstf decides to delete it for liability issues.

If you have experienced this and have a remedy or not, please send it to me via this post/forum. We all could benefit from a good fix.

I have contacted my attorney's and copied them with this post and pics of the issue. I will contact Forest River/Flagstaff with my concerns and see if there is a remedy I can apply. If not, then if this panel goes flying I can assure you there will be a law suit by someone. Either myself or some innocent bystander that was injured or killed due to a faulty manufacturing design.

Stephen
2017 21FKHS

**bikendan** · 01-10-2019, 06:33 PM

Well, there is no such thing as a 21S FKHS.
I'm guessing you meant a 21FKHW. If that's the right model number, I can edit it for you, if you want.

DocHaley · 01-16-2019, 05:59 PM

I got the interior of the camper opened up. Removed the skirt that is velcrowed to cover up the torsion bar and hinge that holds on the front vertical wall with the window in it.
5 screws were loose, fallen out, crooked.

I took all 11 screws out, removed the wall section by disconnecting the two struts and went to the garage to think.

I then went to a metal supplier and got a 5" x 78 and 3/4" piece of 1/8'' thick aluminum diamond plate.

My brother and I drilled out the very same hole locations that are in the interior hinge that holds this panel in place; took it back to the camper and hooked up the two gas struts and then inserted 2 inch 10-24 screws through the holes in the diamond plate we drilled and slid them through the factory hinge holes and screwed on some nylon insert nuts.

The 11 nuts/screws were tightened to what I felt was a good tightness and saw there were no areas of the diamond plate that gave in or buckled or wrinkled.

It works better than new.

If you want pics just send me a request and I'll take one of the inside and of the outside.

Stephen

Tightened them up

**Bama Rambler** · 01-17-2019, 10:19 AM

What would be really neat would be to post a few pics here!

Sounds like you did a good job of fixing it.

DocHaley · 01-17-2019, 02:03 PM

I plan to do so. Just did not know if anyone else was having the same problem.
I'll post one of the interior and one of the exterior completed.
Feedback will be appreciated since one never knows how well he does without it.
Look for a couple of pics soon.
Stephen

DocHaley · 01-17-2019, 04:32 PM

See the three pics attached.
One is just the finished process from outside.
One is of the inside hinge with all screws/nuts installed.
One is at an angle so that you can see the top row of fasteners that had failed earlier because of the poor process that connected the front wall panel to the hinge.

Feels sturdy as it could ever be and looks good from the outside as well.
No problems closing it down or fastening the small pop up roof.

Interior pins fit very easily now.

Stephen

pgandw · 01-17-2019, 06:00 PM

Thank you for the photos. I'll have to check my dormer hinge next time I have it up. I did check the walls and roof hinges when I took delivery.

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame

TrailerTexan · 02-20-2019, 11:21 PM

It looks nice and appears to be a good repair. I wonder if just drilling the holes and using the screws with fender washers on the outside and the locking nuts on the inside wouldn't work as well? That wouldn't require the diamond plate which doesn't really add any strength to the wall and would be very cheap to do.

OYO · 02-21-2019, 05:32 AM

Nice job!

Ortep · 02-21-2019, 06:25 AM

From the photos, it looks like the diamond plate was always there. I also believe that by using the diamond plate you have spread out the stress of the screws over a larger area there by putting less stress on the fiberglass at each screw hole. Just MHO.

TrailerTexan · 02-21-2019, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ortep

From the photos, it looks like the diamond plate was always there. I also believe that by using the diamond plate you have spread out the stress of the screws over a larger area there by putting less stress on the fiberglass at each screw hole. Just MHO.

I only questioned it as a possible simpler solution option for others. The load is only spread in the area of compression based on the gradient of the surface. What that means is once the distance from the center of compression (the bolt center) is too great then there is really no benefit. Fender washers are usually three times greater diameter than the bolt passing through them which is sufficient to spread the load in the compression area. This is especially true for soft substrates which fiberglass certainly is. The rest of the plate is for appearance at that point and I admit is very attractive. I probably would have done it the same way as the OP.

Just offering another solution that from an engineering standpoint is likely just as good and probably easier and cheaper for another owner to do; each bolt could be installed before removing the next screw so it could retain the alignment.

Chewy2 · 06-18-2019, 01:25 PM

Doc Haley: The screws in my A214HW dormer wall hinge totally came loose - all of them. Tried to retighten but it wouldn't hold. I was wondering how the fix is holding up? I may have to do the same. I called my dealership hoping to have it repaired under the extended warranty and they told me it isn't covered. Fasteners are not covered! Walls are not covered. So I am going to look into doing this same repair. Thank you!

**bikendan** · 06-18-2019, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chewy2

I called my dealership hoping to have it repaired under the extended warranty and they told me it isn't covered. Fasteners are not covered! Walls are not covered. So I am going to look into doing this same repair. Thank you!

Just a warning for others. If you are looking at a 3rd party extended warranty, read the fine print very closely and look for "excluded" language. Most of these warranties don't cover common RV problems, like delamination and bad roofs.

Chewy2 · 07-01-2019, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chewy2

Doc Haley: The screws in my A214HW dormer wall hinge totally came loose - all of them. Tried to retighten but it wouldn't hold. I was wondering how the fix is holding up? I may have to do the same. I called my dealership hoping to have it repaired under the extended warranty and they told me it isn't covered. Fasteners are not covered! Walls are not covered. So I am going to look into doing this same repair. Thank you!

I did the same as Doc and repair went well. Cost was 58 for diamond plate. About 8 for stainless steel screws and nuts and 100 for fabricating guy to drill, mount, insure alignment and sealing. Took about 2 to 3 hours from start to finish. Was a good deal I think since I don't do that kind of stuff. Thanks Doc as you helped so much.

DocHaley · 07-01-2019, 03:23 PM

Chewy,
Not a problem. Ever have another one, give me a shout, that goes for anyone else out there.
I also had a Vibration Stress Crack in the caulking used to put the skylight in place on the rear roof of my unit.
Took my time, ran a slow water hose around the skylight, starting at the bottom and working my way up slowly with the inside pleated blinds and the frame taken out (was no big deal).
Soon as I got to the top right corner facing the unit from the rear it leaked.
Cut out some of the caulking from the factory and it had a 3 inch crack or stretch mark in it. After cutting it out I noticed that at that corner there was no factory caulking at all. They just missed it or the skylight moved during installation.
Cleaned it, used an air dryer on low to evaporate any water, taped over it for the night, uncovered it in the morning and dried it again and then put no some high dollar buytl rubber.
Ran the hose the next day for 30 minutes an that corner and the entire side and no leak.
I chose not to use that everbond tape since what I have seen looks out of place.

CYa

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