Community Forums

jkee 207 · 01-15-2019, 10:30 AM

Hi there! This is a 2013 TT which we purchased in 2017.
Began noticing buckling on front panel from top running light to bottom.
Any thought on cause or has anyone else experienced this?
Thank you in advance!

tuffr2 · 01-15-2019, 10:43 AM

Water intrusion possible. Maybe from where the lights are mounted. Or more likely a possible broken weld of the aluminum frame.

Can you take and send a picture?

jkee 207 · 01-15-2019, 11:06 PM

I would be glad to take and post pictures.
We are out of town until 1/27 so will post as soon as we return.
Thank you for your thoughts.

jkee 207 · 01-16-2019, 02:05 PM

I did find one photo of the TT buckling on my phone.
The indentations are on the right. Sorry re photo quality...the center & left is sunlight reflection. I see you are from Palm Coast...we are 20 year St Augustine residents and will be at Gamble Rogers as camp Hosts for Feb and March😎
Thank you in advance for your assistance. How should we address this going forward?

60sumtin · 01-16-2019, 02:41 PM

If I'm looking at what I think I'm looking my first suspicion would be a water leak causing the front skin to delaminate. I'd take it to a couple shops and have an assessment done then repaired sooner than later.

tuffr2 · 01-16-2019, 02:56 PM

I see a light right above that area. Lights sometimes leak. But that front cap looks dented in, as if it is aluminium and not fiberglass.

Did you buy this trailer new or used? If used you probably do not know all the earlier history.

To me it looks like it hit a tree branch.

Cumminsfan · 01-16-2019, 03:46 PM

Thats 100% delam.
I'm pretty handy and knowing what I know I would myself remove the front cap material. Order some new Filon and install it. Then take it to a paint shop and have them paint it to match.
RV's are super simple for the most part. Two people could re-apply that front cap in a matter of hours. Another couple hours to do the trim and caulk.
Two other solutions are, leave it and just do a thorough caulk job. Or take it to a dealer and have them replace it. That would be $$$ IMO.

bneukam · 01-16-2019, 03:47 PM

These front curved sections are constructed with a Luan backing. The foam board is cut to create the curve and is not laminated like the sides. Looks like to me the Luan has separated from the fiberglass causing it to buckle from expansion and contraction. The most likely culprit is water intrusion.

bneukam · 01-16-2019, 03:57 PM

Should have added that this is a cosmetic issue. Yes, it can be repaired. If it was me I would make sure the lights are sealed and let it be. Unless it’s still under warranty, but even then they may make into a lack of maintenance issue.

keymastr · 01-16-2019, 06:27 PM

I have seen these ultra-light trailers that buckled like that because there was no structure behind the front panel. They push alot of wind at 65MPH.

jkee 207 · 01-17-2019, 09:26 AM

Thank you all much for your suggestions. Really appreciate the input...it is a used TT and did not have any of this buckling when we purchased in July 2017. It was stored until April 2018 when we travelled to CT for a 6 month Workamping assignment. We first noticed faint rippling about Feb 2018. In Aug we had roof checked by RV repairmen who stated roof was sound. We pointed out buckling but they had no explanation for it. It seems to have become more pronounced this winter hence my inquiry.

Thank you all again for your suggestions! Will post resolution down the road.

tuffr2 · 01-17-2019, 02:11 PM

I can agree, it looks like the force of the wind towing it at 65mph as it looks like it was pushed in, like what would happen if not enough backing was used. Is the front kinda flimsy if you push on it easy?

Cumminsfan · 01-17-2019, 02:31 PM

If you didn't have when you bought it and it was hardly towed anywhere I don't see it being from the wind pushing on it. Been wrong before though

keymastr · 01-17-2019, 05:30 PM

Might be a combination of water intrusion and wind damage. You may not know until you dig in to it.

I noticed what looked like fasteners of some kind on the right edge near the trim strip, I would not have expected to see them as they should be under the trim strip. Hard to get a clear idea of what they are from that pic but I would be looking at them and that marker light for sure. I made sure to recaulk mine before the first year anniversary because of so many reports of them failing and causing delam like yours appears to be.