Lippert Frame Failure

[charlan]

On the last leg of our 5000k mile trip to Ontario as we set up at a camp site we noticed a problem with our front cap.



So as soon as we got home we took the trailer to a RV repair shop,
2 days later they had the cap off and here is what they found.















Looks like it cracked where the kingpin hanger beam was welded to
the front cross beam, possibly weakening the beam.

[RustyJC]

Doesn't sound like a great trip!

Out of curiosity, what kind of hitch arrangement are you running?

Rusty

[troth]

You can sell the meteorite on E-Bay and recoup your loss!

[rv parker]

HI Charlan; I have a toybox with a lippert frame. It appears to be coming apart. My gearbox was purchased new from affordable rv in ontario Ca. in late 2004 it shows a manufacture date of 09-2004. It has about 1200 to 1500 miles on it. All I haul is 2 honda atvs and 100 gls of water. I tow it with a chevy kodiak equiped with air ride and a B&W companion hitch.
It is a 37ft. 5th wheel, it is cracking by the bedroom slide up stairs. Pictures to follow as soon as I figure out how to post them. Let me know what Lipert and Fleetwood say. Thanx RVPARKER

[woodburner]

I find it odd that in the past few months I've read more and more on frame failures and how some Mfg's know about the problem yet there is no re-call issued; at least not a wide spread one. It's a shame that a number of people will have to get mamed or killed before they'll do something to correct this wrong.
There is another very similar post on RV_Net regarding the Lippert frame failure....I haven't heard it on any other products but Lippert.

[charlan]

Quote:

Originally posted by RustyJC: Doesn't sound like a great trip! Out of curiosity, what kind of hitch arrangement are you running? Rusty

Hijacker 4 way pivot

[charlan]

Quote:

Originally posted by rv parker: HI Charlan; I have a toybox with a lippert frame. It appears to be coming apart. My gearbox was purchased new from affordable rv in ontario Ca. in late 2004 it shows a manufacture date of 09-2004. It has about 1200 to 1500 miles on it. All I haul is 2 honda atvs and 100 gls of water. I tow it with a chevy kodiak equiped with air ride and a B&W companion hitch. It is a 37ft. 5th wheel, it is cracking by the bedroom slide up stairs. Pictures to follow as soon as I figure out how to post them. Let me know what Lipert and Fleetwood say. Thanx RVPARKER

[charlan]

Quote:

Originally posted by charlan: <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rv parker: HI Charlan; I have a toybox with a lippert frame. It appears to be coming apart. My gearbox was purchased new from affordable rv in ontario Ca. in late 2004 it shows a manufacture date of 09-2004. It has about 1200 to 1500 miles on it. All I haul is 2 honda atvs and 100 gls of water. I tow it with a chevy kodiak equiped with air ride and a B&W companion hitch. It is a 37ft. 5th wheel, it is cracking by the bedroom slide up stairs. Pictures to follow as soon as I figure out how to post them. Let me know what Lipert and Fleetwood say. Thanx RVPARKER

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Lippert and Fleetwood point the finger at each other, lippert says they built to fleetwood spec,Fleetwood says if so it wouldn't break.
Anyway my Insurance is covering it and I will see if they recoop from manufacturers.

[Jeff_in_The_Dalles]

Wow.

It would probably be a good idea to see if you can report it to NTSB.

Also, I've got to ask... what happened with the rock?

[diandtom]

We have a Lippert frame on out 03 Arctic Fox and in over 20K miles of towing no problems.

[charlan]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeff_in_The_Dalles: Wow. It would probably be a good idea to see if you can report it to NTSB. Also, I've got to ask... what happened with the rock?

Lots of falling rocks in the mountains up here, that one decided to go through our roof.

[woodburner]

Has anyone heard of any resolution to this problem? Heard of any more this is happening to?

[charlan]

Quote:

Originally posted by woodburner: Has anyone heard of any resolution to this problem? Heard of any more this is happening to?

The frame has been repaired, still waiting for the rest of the repairs (rock damage), the insurance company is paying for all the repairs so I dont know what, if any, they will get reembursed from Lippert/Fleetwood.

[woodburner]

That's what I was curious about; whether or not Fleetwood had stepped up to the plate....this should be a warning to those considering their product if they deny you the repairs.