Fresh water tank fell off - Page 4

GMAL · 05-13-2019, 04:18 PM

We have a 2019 21FBRS and would like to use for travel, so we would like to travel with plenty of water. We don't always stay in regular campgrounds. Are the tank supports still an issue with 2019 trailers? DH is willing to take off the underbelly pan to reinforce, but is reluctant to create a problem replacing it if none exists. Have any 2019 owners had issues?

Has anyone taken off the belly pan to check?
Your experiences would be greatly appreciated!

rockfordroo · 05-13-2019, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMAL

We have a 2019 21FBRS and would like to use for travel, so we would like to travel with plenty of water. We don't always stay in regular campgrounds. Are the tank supports still an issue with 2019 trailers? DH is willing to take off the underbelly pan to reinforce, but is reluctant to create a problem replacing it if none exists. Have any 2019 owners had issues?

Has anyone taken off the belly pan to check?
Your experiences would be greatly appreciated!

I think the fact that FR is apparently telling people not to travel with full tanks is all you need to know.

I'd look.

GMAL · 05-13-2019, 11:32 PM

Thanks!

dward51 · 05-13-2019, 11:40 PM

Also you don't need to take off the underbelly to add reinforcement. You should see 2 whimpy U-channel bars under the tank. Just replace them with something more substantial.

I upgraded mine to a pair of 3"x1.5"x3/16" A-36 steel U-channel from Metal Depot. I probably could have kept the 2 whimpy bars and put just one of the mega bars in the middle and been fine. 2 Bars added about 49 lbs total weight. I got the idea from Babbock. He used even bigger bars than I did!

Crabdad · 05-14-2019, 05:00 AM

Mine fell 2019 19' Rockwood too the dealership attempted to repair it Driftwood Rv in NJ and screwed it up. I then took it to my shop and they removed the flimsy support Driftwood installed and did it better . The whole job cost $1000, Forest River reimbursed me for the work. they absolutely know there is a problem. It is cheaper to fight one claim at a time for them then do it right. when mine fell it was on a highway and a metal support hit the vehicle behind me but no one was hurt. these are time bombs and I supposed FR will wait until someone dies before addressing the whole issue.

dward51 · 05-14-2019, 02:35 PM

I think it is all for the sake of saving weight to market these trailers as towable by more vehicles.

Same for the frame issues. It may be adequate for travel on flat smooth roads, but throw in some good potholes, speed bumps, and a full water tank (on top of a very loaded trailer to start with), oh and let's not forget tires rated for about 40lbs more than the axle and trailer. On paper and smooth ground it may work all day long. But in the real world, not so much.

The more beefier you make these, the more they weigh and suddenly your 20' trailer is starting to need a 2500 to tow it. Like you said, cheaper and more profitable to fight the issues one at a time as not every trailer travels the same road and hit's the perfect storm causing issues.

dward51 · 05-14-2019, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crabdad

Mine fell 2019 19' Rockwood too the dealership attempted to repair it Driftwood Rv in NJ and screwed it up. I then took it to my shop and they removed the flimsy support Driftwood installed and did it better . The whole job cost $1000, Forest River reimbursed me for the work. they absolutely know there is a problem. It is cheaper to fight one claim at a time for them then do it right. when mine fell it was on a highway and a metal support hit the vehicle behind me but no one was hurt. these are time bombs and I supposed FR will wait until someone dies before addressing the whole issue.

Two of the 3"x1.5"x3/16 thick steel U-channels only cost me $75 shipped. Another $5 for bolts to mount them with.

Throw in some acetone from my back stock to degrease the steel, and some Rust-O-Leum primer and rattle can paint, and my only other cost was time. Beats the crap out of having to buy a new tank after it drops!

Crabdad · 05-15-2019, 04:48 AM

Forest River ponied up $1000 for my repair

01tundra · 05-15-2019, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dward51

Two of the 3"x1.5"x3/16 thick steel U-channels only cost me $75 shipped. Another $5 for bolts to mount them with.

Throw in some acetone from my back stock to degrease the steel, and some Rust-O-Leum primer and rattle can paint, and my only other cost was time. Beats the crap out of having to buy a new tank after it drops!

Do you have any pictures of what you did?

I was thinking about picking up two sticks of Unistrut channel from Lowe's to reinforce ours if possible.

Thanks

CedarCreekWoody · 05-15-2019, 08:46 AM

Here is my fix, on a 171RBXL. Cost about $20.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...de-129346.html

rockfordroo · 05-15-2019, 09:14 AM

Some folks have used angle iron from old bed frames they either had lying around or picked up from Restore or Goodwill.

Stovebolt · 09-06-2019, 01:45 PM

Back in June, I was getting ready for a trip with my FR Heritage Glen 282RK when I heard a loud pow sound while filling the fresh water tank. I only had about 1/2 a tank when it made a sound, it shook the whole trailer. I shut off the water and started to investigate and found the cover on the bottom of the unit bulging down. I cut away the cover and saw the tank and moved forward out of the frame channel with the back half of the tank laying on the front axle and the front half of the tank dangling by the propane line running to the back grill and kitchen area. To make a short story long, I emptied the tank, had to prop it up with a 3-ton car jack to empty all the water and then proceded to fix it with angle iron, "C" clamps and nuts with bolts to hold it enough to get it into the dealer. When this happened the slideout quit working at the same time, I figured it pinched the wires or worse. I took it to General RV in Wixom, Mi., left it, in the meantime, my wife wound up getting an operation so I actually forgot about it for a month while trying to handle everything else that was going on. After the dust cleared around here I called the dealer and was told my contact in the service department no longer worked there. Great! Anyhoo! The people there looked up the service paperwork and yes my unit was there and no it wasn't fixed. Well to make things worse, after they looked it over and called me back, they told me that Cornerstone United was going to cover the repair and neither would Forest River but they would keep hammering them until they could get something done with them. I told them to fix it regardless. In the end, General went to bat for me and got Cornerstone to cover everything but the deductible which was $200. dollars. They called a couple of days later with the unit being completed, everything working and when I went to pay the deductible it only came to $180. dollars and change. I didn't argue with that. Now it's back and everything works.

01tundra · 09-09-2019, 08:19 AM

I used 2"x2"x1/4" main cross members with 1.5"x1.5"x3/16" intermediate supports.

Used 1/2" rigid PVC board to distribute the weight and prevent the bottom of the tank from sagging.

Everything is bolted in and easily removable for tank access.

Mrs.Shockley · 09-09-2019, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01tundra

I used 2"x2"x1/4" main cross members with 1.5"x1.5"x3/16" intermediate supports.

Used 1/2" rigid PVC board to distribute the weight and prevent the bottom of the tank from sagging.

Everything is bolted in and easily removable for tank access.

That is a thing of beauty. I wonder what it would cost to hire someone to do something like that? Sadly, neither my husband nor I are terribly handy. We could manage wood, but not metal I don't think...especially crawling around on our backs to put it in place.

rockfordroo · 09-09-2019, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs.Shockley

That is a thing of beauty. I wonder what it would cost to hire someone to do something like that? Sadly, neither my husband nor I are terribly handy. We could manage wood, but not metal I don't think...especially crawling around on our backs to put it in place.

This guy just reinforced his existing support:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post2180499

(Post #65)

s1njin · 09-09-2019, 04:49 PM

They fix this in later builds or is this still an issue?

HangDiver · 09-09-2019, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01tundra

I used 2"x2"x1/4" main cross members with 1.5"x1.5"x3/16" intermediate supports.

Used 1/2" rigid PVC board to distribute the weight and prevent the bottom of the tank from sagging.

Everything is bolted in and easily removable for tank access.

That looks really well done. Congratulations.

CedarCreekWoody · 09-09-2019, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s1njin

They fix this in later builds or is this still an issue?

Most likely it is still an issue. Inspect yours to know.

Hawkester · 09-10-2019, 05:55 AM

I have no idea if they have fixed this yet, ours was a late year '18 model 21SS, so it never hurts to check your tank from time to time.

Last I heard FR didn't see it as an issue because most of us (myself included) don't report it or don't take it to the dealer to fix it because the dealer will just repeat what was there originally....and what good does that do?

01tundra · 09-10-2019, 07:14 AM

Here's what our 2020 2109S looked like from the factory.

They added a third intermediate and might have increased the gauge, but I could fill the tank and watch the belly cover start sagging so it was definitely deflecting.

Until Lippert begins to understand that when you notch angle and remove one leg it becomes flat bar and the moment of inertia is greatly reduced there will continue to be failures.......

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