Stress cracks or structural damage

[bill@mmigc.com]

We took our first trip with our 2013 RW36FL four weeks ago. We purchased the unit new in 2012, and had it parked in an RV park, stayed in it during the week while working nearby for five years, brought it to our home in East Texas where it was parked until our first true road trip. When we purchased the unit, the dealer installed a Reese goose Neck air ride box. Went to Wyoming, really got bounced around on Colorado roads. Noticed small crack about 3 inches long on both sides, at bottom of front slides angled toward the front of the unit. When we got back to East Texas, took to a Redwood authorized service dealer, who said looked like stress cracks on fiberglass, anyone have an opinion or experience same cracks?
bill@mmigc.com
Bill Wilson

[almcc]

Those cracks are common, our 2013 36 RL developed one on the roadside relatively early on and our friends Redwoods also have them. I would continue to check for other signs like the the corner mouldings around the front ahead of that crack separating from the side. Our steel frame around the pin area had multiple weld failures (poor quality welds) and substantial damage to the steel tubing occured because I didn't have unit checked earlier, cost of the repair (all steel replaced) was over $6,000 CDN. The steel is very thin, tubing seemed to be about 1/16 inch or so thick. Poor Lippert quality and not strong enough for full timing.

[XCMARK]

Originally Posted by bill@mmigc.com

We took our first trip with our 2013 RW36FL four weeks ago. We purchased the unit new in 2012, and had it parked in an RV park, stayed in it during the week while working nearby for five years, brought it to our home in East Texas where it was parked until our first true road trip. When we purchased the unit, the dealer installed a Reese goose Neck air ride box. Went to Wyoming, really got bounced around on Colorado roads. Noticed small crack about 3 inches long on both sides, at bottom of front slides angled toward the front of the unit. When we got back to East Texas, took to a Redwood authorized service dealer, who said looked like stress cracks on fiberglass, anyone have an opinion or experience same cracks?
bill@mmigc.com
Bill Wilson

If you can post a picture of the area where its cracked that would be help full.
Goose neck hitch puts added stress on the pin box area , the air bag helps but the added length is what adds stress.

[bill@mmigc.com]

Mark and Melissa,
Have not figured how to post a picture yet, I'm not the most efficient with my computer. As soon as I get savy enough, I'll post the two pictures I have.
Thanks,
Bill & Charlie (Charlene)

[skipperr]

Originally Posted by bill@mmigc.com

We took our first trip with our 2013 RW36FL four weeks ago. We purchased the unit new in 2012, and had it parked in an RV park, stayed in it during the week while working nearby for five years, brought it to our home in East Texas where it was parked until our first true road trip. When we purchased the unit, the dealer installed a Reese goose Neck air ride box. Went to Wyoming, really got bounced around on Colorado roads. Noticed small crack about 3 inches long on both sides, at bottom of front slides angled toward the front of the unit. When we got back to East Texas, took to a Redwood authorized service dealer, who said looked like stress cracks on fiberglass, anyone have an opinion or experience same cracks?
bill@mmigc.com


Bill Wilson

Ours did the same, and was told it was a hitch problem. Turned out lazy days didn't tighten the hitch properly and caused the damage. Of coarse they denied it, but we lost two nuts from the hitch under the truck. Now I keep a torque wrench with.

[webberwj]

Talked to the Lippert Scout team here at a Shipshewana rally and they went on and on, over emphasizing to never use a gooseneck connection on a fifth wheel frame!! Was not designed for it and the longer extension arm acts as a lever changing the load stress points out of design tolerance. I do realize many will say, "I have been towing my 5er for years as a gooseneck with no issues." My question is why? Why change the hitch at all ... just use a real fifth wheel hitch. My truck came with a gooseneck ball too but I still dropped in a real 5er hitch. I am an aerospace engineer at know even the most tiny of changes in aircraft frame design can be catastrophic...I can't imagine an RV frame would be much different.

[bill@mmigc.com]

Thanks for your info, "webberwj", when we purchased the unit, the dealer installed a Reese goose box, which according to Redwood and Explore USA RV, is the acceptable goose adapter. I sent Redwood/Crossroads pictures in an email and they needed the vin number and are to be getting back to me in next few days. I know we are out of warranty, but just want to know the unit is towable without issues.

[bill@mmigc.com]

Thank you skipperr, I checked the hitch out and it is tight, my truck F350 dually came with hitch from factory, it appears good, I will have my local Ford dealer check it to be sure this coming week.

[piper guy]

Y’all can run your gooseneck adapters, I don’t care whose, but I’ll stay with a conventional hitch.

My 2013 36RL came from the factory with a Tri-Glide. I pull with a Dually and at that time used a B&W hitch. Just after 4 years old, had cracks on side and then started to see much up and down movement in the pinbox at the coach end (not the normal airbag hitch movement). Redwood covered everything, I pulled it 1000 miles each way to the factory service center. They sent me pictures after they cut the skin off each side in the front and dropped the front skin underneath around pinbox. The structural supports going up the walls had cracked and also one of the pinbox reinforcements. Randy told me at that time that they were seeing quite a bit of this on the earlier units and if it had ever been towed with a goose adapter it would be way worse. Like I said, they fixed it. I know if it would’ve been on my dime, it probably would have been $8-10k. Oh, and my coach has had the IS suspension since it was 6 months old.

Now pull with a 245 Comfort Ride cushioned hitch and a MorRyde pinbox and try to avoid the horrible interstates as much as possible.

[mhs4771]

Vaughan and I changed Hitches and Pin Boxes at the same Rally. We have just over 50K miles on our '16 36MB and it's loaded heavy (well over the sticker 17.9K), but with our Front Bath the Bedroom slide is moved further back away from that corner where the overhang starts. Any way we've had no stress cracks or frame flex, knock on wood, and we're most timers spending 9 to 10 months in the RW and maybe soon to become Home Less.