Community Forums

MrBrookstone · 11-29-2020, 05:37 PM

Currently sitting on the side of the road with a broken pin box in my 2014 Coachman Brookstone 5th wheel. Anyone have experience or recommendations on towing or flat bedding? Currently sitting on landing gear to prevent it from hitting bed rails while trying to figure out a plan to get it to a service center 5 miles away

Tomsrancho · 11-29-2020, 05:50 PM

I can only wish you good luck, sorry for your situation.

TMyers17 · 11-29-2020, 05:57 PM

Where are you located?

MrBrookstone · 11-29-2020, 06:05 PM

Hollister CA

TMyers17 · 11-29-2020, 06:10 PM

Sadly, I have an extra 16k pin box where I switched to a Goosebox but I’m in NC.

Is someone coming to help?

After you catch your breath, please post some pictures.

MtCamper · 11-29-2020, 06:36 PM

Look for a welding shop with a service truck. Have a temporary field repair and fix it right when you get to the shop.

wiredgeorge · 11-29-2020, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrBrookstone

Currently sitting on the side of the road with a broken pin box in my 2014 Coachman Brookstone 5th wheel. Anyone have experience or recommendations on towing or flat bedding? Currently sitting on landing gear to prevent it from hitting bed rails while trying to figure out a plan to get it to a service center 5 miles away

Perhaps a bit more specific description or pic of the broken pin box will get more specific tips.

Old-Biscuit · 11-29-2020, 08:09 PM

If 5vr would be hitting bed rails due to pin box failure you have limited choices
Flat bed it or mobile welder to do temporary bracing/stitch welds to allow it to be towed

You should go ahead and remove the overhang under panel so you have full access to pin box structure to visual inspect what & how bad the welds/frames have failed

Sam's Portable Welding 391 Union Rd Hollister CA 95023.
(831) 801-6580.

True Towing is the company that can help you get the tow truck or roadside assistance you need, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week!
888-597-7270.

Good Luck!!

wiredgeorge · 11-29-2020, 11:28 PM

Excellent post O-B. Hope this guy is still connected to get this info. On a weekend night at the side of the road, who knows? Hope he posts a follow up.

MrBrookstone · 12-01-2020, 10:06 PM

Sorry for the radio silence.

It was a very difficult and frustrating past few days. After many attempts to find a tow company to help I continually came up empty handed. No tow company wanted to tow and no one would low bed it due to the height.

I began to strip down the skin to get access to the attachment point of the pin box thinking my only option was to find a portable welder and brace it up enough to move. I made one last call to another tow company (probably about the 20th one) an owner of the company came out and made a few calls to some fellow tow operators who didn’t want to touch it either. At this point he suggested that we chain across the landing gear and up to the pin box creating a triangle with the chains to prevent additional destruction. With his help we slid the slider hitch back, removed the tailgate. With the chains in place we were able to give enough stability to the hitch pin box to travel 5 miles to the closest service center. Pretty un conventional but very effective.

To add to the issue VERY few RV service centers will even entertain the idea of the scope of this work. Many out right told me “no we won’t do it”.

Once I get some pictures of the damaged framing I will share them here if someone can please tell me how to post pictures in the forum.

Thanks for all of your responses and support.

Edd505 · 12-01-2020, 10:49 PM

Pictures are easy on the comment tool bar click the paper clip looking icon and it brings up a box to upload files. Be interested in seeing what happened.

You tow driver sounds like and old timer,I'll find away to do this.

cletesingler · 12-05-2020, 08:35 PM

Welcome to the Club! I have a 2014 Brookstone 325, even after my pinbox and frame broke. I noticed it on the way home from FL (I-10) and gradually ever so slowly made it home about an inch off the bedrails - but when turning either direction it grabbed the plastic bedrail cover and was actually held on by the bedrail. Took it to my service guy, simple check to see if the landing gear would raise my truck when hitched, and it did not. $11000 later and a lot of welding, plus another $1000 for TRAILAIR (Flexair?) pinbox, and it's like new and twice as strong, with added pin weight of 400 pounds. It's real interesting looking in the rear view mirror on a rough road and see the Flexair pinbox move up and down 2-3 inches! The worst news: Lippert frame builders built the vertical frame members in a couple cases near the pinbox without any welding to the horizontal frame! The best news: insurance paid the bill......

R.Wold · 12-05-2020, 08:38 PM

I bought a used one from a dealer that also installs high-end after market units. This was in South Dakota but it was only $200. Time to shop around the area. You might find one at an RV dealership.

R.Wold · 12-05-2020, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cletesingler

Welcome to the Club! I have a 2014 Brookstone 325, even after my pinbox and frame broke. I noticed it on the way home from FL (I-10) and gradually ever so slowly made it home about an inch off the bedrails - but when turning either direction it grabbed the plastic bedrail cover and was actually held on by the bedrail. Took it to my service guy, simple check to see if the landing gear would raise my truck when hitched, and it did not. $11000 later and a lot of welding, plus another $1000 for TRAILAIR (Flexair?) pinbox, and it's like new and twice as strong, with added pin weight of 400 pounds. It's real interesting looking in the rear view mirror on a rough road and see the Flexair pinbox move up and down 2-3 inches! The worst news: Lippert frame builders built the vertical frame members in a couple cases near the pinbox without any welding to the horizontal frame! The best news: insurance paid the bill......

$11000 ??

??