Bounder: Bounder Manufacturing problems

[KoolBell]

I want to let everybody know about this problem I have had, and the cause and repair that is taking place.
I have attached some pictures, and I will try to talk you through the problem and the repair.
First the problem..
The driver's side front wheel well has a crack that developed because of a lack of support, and only one rivet was used to attach the bottom of the wheel well (WW-from here on out) to the support.
The wheel well is approximately 19" in length, and the support bracket is only 5" in width, and placed near the center of the WW.
The placement of this bracket allows a tremendous amount of vibration along the WW thus causing the rivet to loosen and eventually fail. While the rivet was loose, and the WW was vibrating the crack formed.
Making matters worse is that the mud flap also was rubbing against the WW and caused excessive wear to both parts.

The patched repair was done to get us home.
We drilled three holes in the WW base, and the bracket, and fastened them together with nuts and bolts, using neoprene washers.

The plan is to remove the current patch, and bracket from the frame, build a suitable support bracket, that actually covers the entire width of the wheel well, and then reinstall.
While the new support bracket is being built, fiberglass repair will be done to the WW from the inside, and then touch up paint will be used to make the repair look good as new.
As I am writing this, I can not tell if the pictures are actually uploaded. Wish me luck in that department.

[Clifftall]

Would like to see those pictures. Please try again.

[Clifftall]

Is this the bracket you're talking about?

[SarahW]

What year and model are your Coach? Sorry you're having a problem. (And I don't see the pics.)

[Camping4fun]

Let see those pictures remember a picture is worth a 1000 worlds.

[KoolBell]

Try this?

[KoolBell]

Okay, I'll try this again.
I see the pictures loaded the fourth time around, and now I'll try and explain them.
DCP_1939.jpg
This picture shows that the original bracket is way too small for any real support of the wheel well. Thus the single rivet used to attach to the bracket failed. A bolt was put into place, just to get us to the next campsite.

DCP_1942.jpg
This picture shows that the mud flap was actually installed firmly against the wheel well, causing wear to both parts, and not allowing the flap to actually work properly.


DCP_1945.jpg
This picture shows the temporary repair done at the campsite, to get us home. Not a permanent fix mind you, just to prevent further damage to the wheel well/fender.

Once we get started on the actual solving the problem repairs, I'll post more pictures. I am also going to send this to Fleetwood, and let them know what I perceive to be an unprofessional, and inadequate job done during manufacturing.
Maybe, just maybe, this sort of thing can be prevented in the future.
I also hope that any of you with this model, can get a head start on the problem, before a three to four inch crack appears in your fender.

It's 2008 Fleetwood Bounder Model 35H. It's 36 ft in length, and has a Ford V-10 and an F-53 Power Platform

[Clifftall]

Thank you for all you have done to bring this to the attention of the rest of us. I will certainly look at mine the next time I'm at my MH. This is the first I've heard of this. The brackets in my post #3 above have been a problem posted by others . The weld has failed and needed to be re-welded.