Community Forums

Jim A · 10-19-2007, 06:15 PM

While on the way home from Albuquerque on Wednesday, we were headed into a strong headwind. Around the Arizona border I noticed that the rear view camera was aimed lower than normal. When I stopped at the rest stop, I found that both the left and right brackets holding the air deflector were broken, and the deflector was held on by only the center bracket, which also holds the camera. The deflector had been bouncing off the camera, redirecting it downward. Soon it would have come off, and bounced off of my toad!!! Or into another car!!!

I was able to remove it by drilling out the four pop rivets still holding it on, clipped the clearance light wires, and put it in the toad for the rest of the trip. But at least I have something to put back on, and didn't kill another motorist. The remaining tab (about 2" x 2") on the bracket blew off later, so you can imagine what it would have done with an 8 foot long fiberglass wing attached to it.

So if you are ever driving and find your rear view camera mis-adjusted, you better stop and check it out.

BTW, the Alpine drove beautifully in the wind. With or without the air deflector.

Jim A · 10-19-2007, 06:15 PM

While on the way home from Albuquerque on Wednesday, we were headed into a strong headwind. Around the Arizona border I noticed that the rear view camera was aimed lower than normal. When I stopped at the rest stop, I found that both the left and right brackets holding the air deflector were broken, and the deflector was held on by only the center bracket, which also holds the camera. The deflector had been bouncing off the camera, redirecting it downward. Soon it would have come off, and bounced off of my toad!!! Or into another car!!!

I was able to remove it by drilling out the four pop rivets still holding it on, clipped the clearance light wires, and put it in the toad for the rest of the trip. But at least I have something to put back on, and didn't kill another motorist. The remaining tab (about 2" x 2") on the bracket blew off later, so you can imagine what it would have done with an 8 foot long fiberglass wing attached to it.

So if you are ever driving and find your rear view camera mis-adjusted, you better stop and check it out.

BTW, the Alpine drove beautifully in the wind. With or without the air deflector.

hrhuggie · 10-19-2007, 10:27 PM

Jim,
we just lost ours this week also while driving in some high winds going over the "Grapevine" on Wednesday. Unfortunately ours was gone before we knew it, never knew it was gone until I stopped at a rest stop between Bakersfield and Fresno

. Fortunately it didnt hit the Toad, and since no one stopped me complaining that my spoiler had hit them I assume it is laying on the side of the freeway someplace

. WRV is shipping one to me to replace the lost one

.

Basil Shannon · 10-20-2007, 05:27 AM

Greetings from Benson, Arizona,

Welcome to the lost spoiler club. Last spring we lost ours somewhere between Dallas and Corpus Christi. It missed the toad and apparently didn't kill anybody so it must have landed in the ditch somewhere. The camera stayed but was damaged. I attached some temporary clearance lights to the remaining brackets until we could get back to the factory for repairs in August. WRV did a great job with the repair.

NOTHING DRIVES LIKE AN ALPINE!

Jim A · 10-20-2007, 08:10 AM

Gee, I didn't know there was a lost spoiler club. I guess I should be happy that mine lasted longer than yours did. But after looking at the bracket design, I guess I am not surprised I am not alone. Somebody at WRV has a lot to learn about stress fractures and bending metal at sharp 90 degree angles.

Basil - Did they do anything different when they did your repair? Since I still have mine, I plan to reinstall it myself. Hopefully before Chula Vista. The paint touchup might take longer, since I don't have the paint.

Basil Shannon · 10-20-2007, 09:53 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Basil - Did they do anything different when they did your repair? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I have not been up there to look but I assume it was reinstalled with pop rivets like before. In our case, the right bracket left with the spoiler. The remaining brackets stayed with the coach and were bent and twisted. The camera was still there but was damaged and had to be replaced. The mode of failure was that the pop rivets pulled out (vibration????),not failure of the 90 degree bends in the brackets. I thought the brackets looked flimsey but I'm no M. E.

NOTHING DRIVES LIKE AN ALPINE!!!!!!

lundy · 10-20-2007, 10:42 AM

I was wondering. Why the air dam anyway. I have heard from others about it coming loose. I know that it is intended to direct air down and keep the rear clean. I have purposely looked at motor homes without such a devise and they are at least as clean as mine. It makes it more difficult to clean and I would rather redesign the cap without it.
Better you loose the airdamn in the wind than what happened to mine in the wind. When I stopped in Blyth, CA, I looked up and about 7 feet of the roof separated from the side wall. Now I have ducktape on both sides!

EngineerMike · 10-20-2007, 11:52 AM

The new 08 rear cap incorporates a lip that looks like the spoiler of yore (no separate spoiler). If that one comes off...

jerry and toni smith · 10-21-2007, 05:55 AM

Having had coaches both with and without the air dam I feel that the air dam is somewhat effective (but not perfect). I like the looks of the rear of the coach. Another reason for a ladder so you can check stuff on the roof for looseness or vibration. Lets face it, given enough time on the road (specifically hwy80 over Donner) there isn't any thing that wont eventually vibrate loose and blow off.

jerrytoni, 2006 34

Jim A · 10-21-2007, 02:56 PM

I guess there are two failure modes. On my spoiler the rivets were still tight, except for the four that I drilled out to remove it. I intend to bolt angle brackets to the remainder of the brackets, and then rivet the spoiler to the new angle brackets. So, if you see me on the road, you might not want to follow me for a while!!!

Hopefully I will replace it before my next trip, so I will not conduct an experiment to see if the rear of the coach gets dirtier without the spoiler.

Jerrytoni, I carry a Little Giant ladder with me so that I can get on the roof in emergencies, and it was worth it in this instance. I also had a drill with me for emergencies too, although I borrowed one from somebody else since my battery was not charged, and his was.

Lundy, I agree, I would rather have a missing spoiler than a separated roof. (Unless the spoiler hit somebody.)

Mule Skinner · 10-22-2007, 01:34 PM

HAHA,,,,, "Lost spoiler club",,,,, I thought I was the only one!
I lost mine last summer, well almost lost it. I could see it in my rear view camera.
.062 5052 Aluminum brackets should be .090 and they might hold?