2019-2024 FR3 and Georgetown Propane tank bracket failure recall just issued

[Mister B]

Stealership said that the brackets came in and have installed them. Took a week for brackets to come in from FR. Pickup on monday (having other maint. and annual inspections done along with recall)

 

[Rosko]

A simple solution to brackets without cracks, use a Heavy duty C clap to press upper support arm and under side of propane tank plate bracket. This takes the weight off L brackets that are in question. Lowe’s sells them at $11 apiece.

 

[NXR]

A simple solution to brackets without cracks, use a Heavy duty C clap to press upper support arm and under side of propane tank plate bracket. This takes the weight off L brackets that are in question. Lowe’s sells them at $11 apiece.

Got a link? The L brackets are welded on so I'm not sure how a C-clamp would doing anything. The C-clamps I'm familiar with would not stay in place over thousands of miles of rough roads.

Ray

 

[Rosko]

The clamp is connected to support bar above the L bracket and under the tank plate. Basically, assisting the welded bracket hold up the tank. The tank can’t fall if bracket welds fail. I will continue to check tightness of C clamp on every trip. C clamps are extremely tight and should remain so on paved road driving.

 

[NXR]

So effectively what I did with the four safety chains as noted in the PDF in post #1? The "C" goes around the horizontal support arm?

Ray

 

[Phila. Kid]

Two Points of Failure on LP brackets

Some of the comments here are suggesting the failure is just the welds. There have been posts and pictures, in the other forum that covers Forest River that showed that the angle bracket which is noting more than a 90 degree bent steel plate are failing at the bend, cracks have been noticed at this location also. The new brackets that are being supplied to fix the recall have stiffener gussets to support the 90 degree bracket and to relieve the stress. The other issue being the welds is being eliminated by bolting the new support bracket to the frame and eliminating the welds all together.

 

[tourwdw]

Just brought mine in for other warranty work and they checked on this while it was there. Dealer took pictures and sent to Forest River who deemed a fix was not needed on my rig.

To the admins: I am duplicating this post in the FR3 section because this is a critical issue and I believe it belongs in both Owner sections. Your call, of course.

Potential Number of Units Affected 6,966

Summary
Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Georgetown and FR3 Class A motorhomes. The liquid petroleum gas (LPG) tank mounting brackets may break, which can result in the LPG tank becoming dislodged and damaged.

Recall notice link: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V103-7106.PDF

There's not too much information on the actual repair process yet. While MORryde knows what they did to add reinforcement to new coaches, someone has to develop, test, and document the process to retrofit the reinforcements to all of the variations of existing motorhomes. That is not a process that can be rushed.

Note that dealers will NOT be notified until March 24, 2024 so your dealer will NOT have any idea what to do for a repair until then.

If you want to discuss this with your dealer you could email them the PDF I attached to this post. It has several pictures of actual failures people have experienced.

Remember, the number of reported failures is currently in the single-digits, like one-tenth of one percent so far. I'm sure that number will increase but this likely is a "Low probability-High impact" condition.

Note that the NHTSA and Forest River acted off of people who filed complaints with the NHTSA and Forest River. No one with a Georgetown or FR3 manufactured prior to March 2019 filed a complaint.

Does that mean none of the earlier ones are potentially affected? It is unlikely that the very first person to experience a problem really was the first person to have the condition AND reported it to the NHTSA.

Me, I'd be looking at the pics in this PDF and checking mine even if it is outside of the recall range. This is something an owner can do. You MUST clean the brackets and area and examine the brackets from the top and bottom using a bright flashlight. If you find a problem please file an NHTSA complaint. The recall can be expanded if necessary.

-----------------------------------

Thanks to everyone who filed an NHTSA complaint about their failures. Your action is helping to keep other Georgetown families safe.

You'll note that MORryde decided to improve the tank mounting as of December 11, 2023. That means FR definitely took this issue very seriously.

And especially thanks to Forest River for taking care of this issue despite the cost to FR.

 

[NXR]

Just brought mine in for other warranty work and they checked on this while it was there. Dealer took pictures and sent to Forest River who deemed a fix was not needed on my rig.

I wish I could have confidence in that process but I don't.

- I'm certain that none of the rear mounting brackets were cracked when new. Ours was four years old with about 17,000 miles when I found the crack, and the crack had rust in it. That means it was cracked for a while. I never noticed it because the crack was behind a tie-wrapped flexible propane line.

- None of the front stitch welds were found failed until the owner saw the front of their propane tank almost hitting the ground, after driving. One owner posted a picture of their bent rear bracket from the front end dropping.

Who knows what might have happened if their rear bracket had a pre-existing crack when the front of the tank fell?

- Multiple people have reported loose or missing tank mounting bolts, which they reported to the NHTSA per the public reports, but the recall does not discuss checking the tank mounting bolts unless the tank was removed for installing the new brackets.

If yours is still at the dealer I would ask them to check the tank mounting bolt torque. Per Step 17 of the recall the tank mounting bolts should be torqued to 55 ft-lbs while taking the weight off the tank with a floor jack or similar.

- At least three people, including me, reported to the NHTSA that the white tank mounting flange was cracked but the recall does not discuss checking for those cracks nor do the recall instructions say to take pictures of that area

- As of mid-December 2023 all new Georgetown and FR3 motorhomes are getting the upgraded brackets per the recall notice.


The NHTSA forwards all complaints to the manufacturer for their evaluation. I have no insight into why it was decided to not check all propane tanks to assure the four mounting bolts were properly torqued or why it was decided to not require pictures or even a visual inspection of the propane tank mounting flanges. Yet the NHTSA essentially forced a recall on Ford after four motorhome owners reported bolts on the rear sway bar fell out. The ways of government remain a mystery to me.


I'm certainly not trying to raise FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) in how your propane tank is mounted, or anyone else's, but I think it's prudent to consider things.

The first post in this thread has a PDF attached that shows what I did after I found the cracked bracket, and after I had the crack repaired locally. If you have not reviewed that PDF you may want to just for your own awareness.

FWIW,

Ray

 

[Twinboat]

I took my FR30DS to Camping World for pictures, after I submitted my own, and Forest River wanted better angles.

Took a few calls and visits to get them to accomplish this simple task, what a con job CW is.

After 2 weeks of sitting there, I called and said I'm coming for it. When I got there it was in the shop having the pictures done. I took my MH home after the pictures and waited 2 more weeks before stopping in for a statis report. After 20 minutes of paper shuffling and phone calls, I was told I'm good, no recall for me.

 

[NXR]

After 20 minutes of paper shuffling and phone calls, I was told I'm good, no recall for me.

Keep an eye on it, as I know you will. My rear bracket wasn't cracked until it did.

This is such BS on FR's part. What an epic customer perception fail.

Ray

 

[David-NJ]

For those that submitted photos to Forest River, how long did it take for them to reply?

Thanks.

 

[NXR]

A business day or two. When the rush was on it could take maybe a week but I'm guessing it's slowed down. If you've been waiting longer resubmit the pics or make a query with your VIN to:

Georgetown Owner Relations
(574) 206-7600
motorizedservice@forestriverinc.com

Their Oct. 23rd update shows only 2,220 of the 6,966 affected have had anything done at all. That's about 700 in the last three months.

Ray

 

[David-NJ]

The email I received from Forest River back on November 11, 2024 (sorry I thought I posted)
I attached the photos that I sent to FR. Build date 10/31/2022

Forest River has had the opportunity to review the pictures you provided in reference with the LP Bracket Recall 24V103, this email comes to inform you that the inspection has passed and no further action is required. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact your warranty representative for Forest River gas class A products.

Forest River can be reached at MotorizedService@forestriverinc.com or at 574-206-7600