Trailer Frame Failures

[Shockwavetraveler]

I have a 2019 Forrest River Shockwave Toyhauler that had a frame failure just behind the propane tank mount. Have others have this failure? Please post a response if you have that experience.

[Qwkynuf]

I have seen other pictures/discussions of failures like this. There's at least one YouTube video from a guy that had it happen in Alaska.

I have to wonder how many of these failures happen after negotiating a significant dip in the road? If the trailer is still going downhill, while the the tow vehicle trying to go uphill, and the weight distributing bars are fighting the ability of the hitch to pivot - at some point something is going to break.

Without the weight distribution bars, the hitch ball is free to pivot up and down and could tolerate a significant break angle. But once those bars are connected you would be limited by the amount they can bend. At some point they are going to cause the hitch ball pivot to become rigid. Now the ball is lifting on the front of the tongue, and the bars are pulling down on the A-frame, creating a fulcrum. Something is going to break - either the bars, the chains, the hitch head, or the trailer frame.

That's really the biggest downside of weight distribution hitches - the tool that makes it where you can safely pull more weight than you would be able to otherwise, by limiting the pivot range of the ball connection, also limits the terrain that you can traverse because it limits the pivot range of the ball connection.

[Shockwavetraveler]

However, there are several Speed bumps that I slowly drive over in this storage yard. Many, many trailers are stored there and I haven’t seen this failure.

[Oaklevel]

I have to say that a frame failure on a TT without a strong jolt of some type or being overloaded is extremely rare.

Do you have any close up pictures or the damaged area?

[radiodave]

It used to be listed in WD Hitch Instructions that: When towing off-road, dirt roads with dips and gullies to disconnect the hitch bars and drive slow. Your TV and TT will handle it better.

[Shockwavetraveler]

The trailer has been lightly loaded and only used as a Toyhauler less than a dozen times. Never any severe gullies or dips that I remember. I do keep the fresh water tank pretty full since I dry camp a week or more at at a time.

[Shockwavetraveler]

Here’s the other side of the trailer.

[Oaklevel]

If you are the original owner I would talk with your dealer and Forest River. More than likely the frame was made by Lippert. Have seen welds fail, but it is not normal for a frame to buckle without an outside incident.

If Forest River won't cover it I would go through your insurance company.

Good Luck !!!!!!

[TitanMike]

Looking at the picture my first thought is it buckled due to overloading, shock loading, or both at the same time.

Shock loading is not uncommon when one encounters a transition from highway pavement to bridge deck that is raised somewhat, a frost heave in the road, or a huge pothole on a Forest Service Road.

The Trailer may not be overloaded enough to bend the frame on relatively smooth and even roads but a sudden bump sends high forces up on ball and axle and load is suddenly magnified.


That's what it looks like to me.

Not too long ago a member of the forum posted a pic or two of similar damage and it was caused when the Dealer's employee was moving the trailer and dropped it off the forklift.

Most frame failures I've seen over the years are either clearly manufacturing defects with crappy welds or the result of what I described above. Very few just fail.

[D W]

I have seen that before. Mostly caused by a jack knifed push up a grade. The one pic shows the steel in the tongue folding. Takes a lot of side force to do that.