Open Roads Forum

Print  |  Close

Topic: 5th Wheel Hitch Ripping off Camper!!??
Posted By: jbslade82 on 04/14/18 06:51pm

Good evening,

I'm posting this for information gathering. My mom who travels often with her 5th wheel for dog shows across the northeast broke down tonight. The hitch on the 5th wheel camper appears to be ripping off the camper itself. Seemingly a structural failure. I have a link below with the photos which also include an internal photo showing how the closets are affected. Luckily no accident occurred and all are safe!

Has ANYONE seen this before? It just seems so impossible. I tried googling a similar failure and came up with nothing.

The camper is a 2009 41' Heartland Cyclone Toy Hauler. She does not have it overloaded. She carries dogs, not toys.

I'm looking for any advice, information, etc. She was traveling a longer distance than usual today. From NY to MO and broke down in Indiana after a 12 hour drive.

https://adobe.ly/2HyIH4t

Any info will be VERY helpful....
[image]

[image]

[image]

[image]
Moderator edit to insert pictures

* This post was edited 04/15/18 10:32am by an administrator/moderator *

Posted By: JIMNLIN on 04/14/18 07:03pm

My 28rk '97 5th wheel trailers structure around the pin box broke around three years old.
Fix was to drop the under cover on the overhang and replace and beef up the structure that broke.
No big deal to fix for a custom steel fab shop or big rig trailer repair shop.
One of my area rv dealers has a shop that does this type of work.

"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers

'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides

Posted By: blueglide on 04/14/18 07:13pm

Do a Google search on Lippert frame failures. Betting that's what your mom is dealing with.

2017 Ford F450 XLT CC 6.7 4X4 Dually
2017 Arctic Fox 32-5m Fifth Wheel


Posted By: BB_TX on 04/14/18 07:15pm

Looks like the often referred to frame failure. Meaning welds have broken where the pin box frame is welded to the trailer frame. Will require a good frame shop go in and reinforce and reweld it all. Not safe to tow as is.

Posted By: jbslade82 on 04/14/18 07:21pm

BB_TX wrote:

Looks like the often referred to frame failure. Meaning welds have broken where the pin box frame is welded to the trailer frame. Will require a good frame shop go in and reinforce and reweld it all. Not safe to tow as is.


Would she best be towed to the local large RV shop or somewhere else?

Posted By: Jim@HiTek on 04/14/18 07:28pm

You should check local shops with googling, "Complaints about 'shop in question' ". And check them on RVServiceReviews

Good luck.

Jim@HiTek
Have shop, will travel!
Visit my travel & RV repair blog site. Subscribe for emailed updates.
Winnebago Journey, '02
Cat 330HP Diesel, 36.5', two slides.

Posted By: blueglide on 04/14/18 07:28pm

Fortunately your mom broke down in the center of the universe for rv manufacturing. A huge number of rv's are made in Indiana. Hopefully there are some competent welders and rv service centers nearby. Chances are her rig could have been built in Indiana as well.

Posted By: blueglide on 04/14/18 07:38pm

I don't own a Heartland rig but I just looked and their factory is just north of Elkhart IN so they might be able to help.

Posted By: mowingman on 04/14/18 07:57pm

Wow, that is serious. I would not tow that rig another mile the way it is. I do't think I have ever seen a hitch ripped loose that badly. glad she is ok and did not lose the trailer out on the road.

Posted By: stew47 on 04/14/18 10:15pm

She should talk with insurance agent also.

Posted By: time2roll on 04/14/18 11:02pm

deleted

* This post was edited 04/16/18 08:46am by time2roll *

2001 F150 SuperCrew
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
675w Solar pictures back up

Posted By: Old-Biscuit on 04/14/18 11:04pm

Check out link with images of '5th wheel pin box failures'

LINK


Contact a 'trailer shop' or 'local welder'
Don't bother with Lippert, RV MFG Factory, RV Dealership ...any place that has anything to do with RVs
THEY WILL NOT HELP....

Overhang cover (large piece that goes around pin box) will have to be removed...then you can Visually Inspect the pin box structure

With pin box hanging down like in your picture..DO NOT TOW
5vr will have to be place on flat bed trailer for transport
OR have a MOBILE WELDER come out and rebuild/re-enforce/repair

Is it time for your medication or mine?


2007 DODGE 3500 QC SRW 5.9L CTD In-Bed 'quiet gen'
2007 HitchHiker II 32.5 UKTG 2000W Xantex Inverter
US NAVY------USS Decatur DDG31

Posted By: jbslade82 on 04/15/18 07:12am

stew47 wrote:

She should talk with insurance agent also.


Interesting. Since there wasn't an accident, what could the insurance company do?

Posted By: Merrythought on 04/15/18 07:26am

Most important, are she and the dogs okay? If the frame is made by Lippert, she can call Lippert customer service and perhaps the company can help her out. Also call Heartland RV for advice and help. I suspect the RV is not towable in that condition. Insurance could certainly be of assistance as well as road side service to get the unit towed to a nearby repair shop or campground. I wish I were close enough to help but I am in Maryland.

I do have one of Magnolia's puppies from her first litter.

Posted By: soren on 04/15/18 07:28am

jbslade82 wrote:

stew47 wrote:

She should talk with insurance agent also.


Interesting. Since there wasn't an accident, what could the insurance company do?


Absolutely nothing, this has as much to do with your insurance company, as it does with the Easter Bunny. If I had a dollar for every armchair expert here, who recommended "call you agent" for every scratch, leak, or product failure on an RV, I could buy a new rig.

Roof leaking? Call your insurance!

Garbage quality frame failed? Call your insurance!

put a cosmetic dent in your bumper, and have a deductible that's 2X the cost of the repair? Call your insurance company!

When you call your company, they can, and often will, turn the inquiry into a claim. A claim hurts your standing with the company, and can result in higher premiums, AND being unceremoniously dumped. Insurance is there for a reason, and it's to be used when it's truly needed. You can really screw yourself, by filing (willingly or unknowingly) nuisance claims.

Posted By: jbslade82 on 04/15/18 07:42am

Merrythought wrote:

Most important, are she and the dogs okay? If the frame is made by Lippert, she can call Lippert customer service and perhaps the company can help her out. Also call Heartland RV for advice and help. I suspect the RV is not towable in that condition. Insurance could certainly be of assistance as well as road side service to get the unit towed to a nearby repair shop or campground. I wish I were close enough to help but I am in Maryland.

I do have one of Magnolia's puppies from her first litter.


Mom and dogs are all good! They are in a FJ lot. She noticed the issue during a refuel luckily no accident!!

Do you have an idea how to find out if it is a Lippert frame?

[emoticon] that's awesome!

Posted By: gloriebkj on 04/15/18 09:43am

Long time poodle friend of Marlene. We are in TN if there is anyway that we could help her and the dogs, please let us know....Betty, Glorie

gloriebkj

Posted By: Merrythought on 04/15/18 09:46am

Glad she is okay and safely off the road. Most frames are made by Lippert. There should be a sticker in the pin box giving the serial number of her RV. She also needs to contact Heartland, the manufacturer, as they may be able to help out. Lippert's phone number is 574-537-8900. Heartland's number is 877-262-8032.

Tell her to let Betty and Noel know she is okay. Noel may also have some recommendations on getting assistance.

Posted By: Johno02 on 04/15/18 09:47am

PM me or Betty with exactly where she is. Don't kow what we can do to help, but will do whatever we can.

Noel and Betty Johnson (and Harry)
2005 GulfStream Ultra Supreme, 1 Old grouch, 1 wonderful wife, and two silly poodles.


Posted By: F-TROUP on 04/15/18 11:16am

Forget Lippert as they only warraenty the frame for 24 months from date of purchase find a good welding shop local.

Posted By: jerem0621 on 04/15/18 12:25pm

Good thing she checks her equipment!

Any decent frame shop should be able to help. You could google around for some of the big rig tow companies and ask them if they have any references for a good shop. When my dad has a suspension equalizer fail on him the tow company was able to get the trailer to their yard and he found they were also capable of making the repair in their yard...so he paid them to do it. You may find the same.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

TV-2022 Silverado 2WD
TT - Zinger 270BH
WD Hitch- HaulMaster 1,000 lb Round Bar
Dual Friction bar sway control

It’s Kind of Fun to do the Impossible
~Walt Disney~


Posted By: TXiceman on 04/15/18 07:18pm

Lippert frame. WHat else do you expect.

Ken

Amateur Radio Operator.
2023 Cougar 22MLS, toted with a 2022, F150, 3.5L EcoBoost, Crewcab, Max Tow, FORMER Full Time RVer. Travel with a standard schnauzer and a Timneh African Gray parrot

Posted By: camperfamily on 04/15/18 07:31pm

Going through something similar myself now. Located a competent repair shop or if the current location will allow it, a mobil welder. Its scary but the repair really isn't that hard. Removing and reinstalling the covering is perhaps just as hard. Ours has failed a little differently than that one and requires different repairs. Google lippert frame failure or lippert pin box failure to see what's going on. Have it fixed and move on, not worth crying over or filing claims on. JMO.

As others have said, do not tow it. A large flat bed tow will be in order. If she has roadside find the repair shop then call for a tow to that shop.

2011 Cougar 322QBS
2007 Pilgrim 278BHSS (Sold)
2023 F359 CCLB 7.3
2013 F350 CC LB 6.7 (Retired)
2002 F350 CC LB PS (Retired)
B&W Companion Hitch

Posted By: tinner12002 on 04/16/18 04:28am

Does anyone know what part of IN she is broke down in??

2015 Ram 3500/DRW/Aisin/auto/Max tow/4.10s,Cummins, stock Laramie Limited--Silver
Tequila Sunrise 2012 Ultra Classic Limited
2018 Raptor 428SP

Posted By: jbslade82 on 04/16/18 06:02am

tinner12002 wrote:

Does anyone know what part of IN she is broke down in??


Yes, 45 mins east of Indianapolis.

We plan to call around place this morning and figure out where to get the RV into. If anyone has recommendations please let us know!

Posted By: memtb on 04/16/18 06:44am

stew47 wrote:

She should talk with insurance agent also.


And a good attorney! Maybe with enough bad press these manufacturers will up there game as far as quality! We have “FAR” too many frame failures in the RV industry.
If the trucking industry had these types of failures....you could bet your “behind” that the DOT would be involved!

Todd & Marianne
Miniature Schnauzer's - Sundai, Nellie & Maggie Mae
2007 Dodge Ram 3500, 6.7 Cummins, 6 speed manual, 3.73 ratio, 4x4
2004 Teton Grand Freedom, 39'
2007 Bigfoot 30MH26Sl


Posted By: BarneyS on 04/16/18 11:04am

memtb wrote:

stew47 wrote:

She should talk with insurance agent also.


And a good attorney! Maybe with enough bad press these manufacturers will up there game as far as quality! We have “FAR” too many frame failures in the RV industry.
If the trucking industry had these types of failures....you could bet your “behind” that the DOT would be involved!

Keep in mind that any mention of legal action, past, present, or future, will get the thread either closed or deleted.

From forum rules:
Posts are not allowed in which a local, state, or federal consumer action board and/or legal counsel is/have been involved. This includes posts related to future, ongoing or past lawsuits.
Barney

2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch (Sold)
Not towing now.
Former tow vehicles were 2016 Ram 2500 CTD, 2002 Ford F250, 7.3 PSD, 1997 Ram 2500 5.9 gas engine


Posted By: wilber1 on 04/16/18 11:55am

memtb wrote:

stew47 wrote:

She should talk with insurance agent also.


And a good attorney! Maybe with enough bad press these manufacturers will up there game as far as quality! We have “FAR” too many frame failures in the RV industry.
If the trucking industry had these types of failures....you could bet your “behind” that the DOT would be involved!


Didn't stop Lippert from turning out axles with grease contaminated brakes for years. The manufacturer of our unit gave up on them and switched to Dexter.

"Never trust a man who has not a single redeeming vice" WSC

2011 RAM 3500 SRW
2015 Grand Design Reflection 303RLS

Posted By: LIKE2BUILD on 04/16/18 03:29pm

jbslade82 wrote:

tinner12002 wrote:

Does anyone know what part of IN she is broke down in??


Yes, 45 mins east of Indianapolis.

We plan to call around place this morning and figure out where to get the RV into. If anyone has recommendations please let us know!

Would she happen to be anywhere near Richmond, IN on I70? FlyingJ shows a location at Spiceland, IN....is that the one? If so, there is a big Camping World dealership in Richmond that has been there for years. I don't know anything about the quality of their service but it's been there ever since I was a kid (don't ask, but it's been decades).

There could be local welding shops near her but an RV dealership might be a place to start. As big as that CW dealership is, I'm sure they've had to have seen the Lippert frame failure and would hopefully have experience fixing it.

KJ

'14 Ram 2500|Crew Cab Long Bed|4X4|Cummins
Curt Q20 with Ram 5th Wheel Prep
2000 Crownline 205BR
1997 Ranger Comanche 461VS
'01 Polaris Virage TX PWC
'94 Polaris SLT750 PWC
3 Wonderful Sons (21, 15, & 13)
1 forgiving wife!!!


Posted By: garyp4951 on 04/17/18 08:40am

My first thought would be to call a mobile rv repair guy to remove, and re install the overhang, and a mobile welder to patch it up so she can continue her trip.

Posted By: Cummins12V98 on 04/17/18 09:17am

They build them to the manufacturers specs. "Light N Cheap"

2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

Posted By: laknox on 04/17/18 09:39am

Cummins12V98 wrote:

They build them to the manufacturers specs. "Light N Cheap"


"Light N Cheap" can be a good design IF it's built properly. I've seen plenty of pics of beautiful welds that only stuck on one side. I've also seen pics of some fugly welds that cracked right through. I've seen pics of places where there were =supposed= to be welds, that never got done. This is where I fault both Lippert =and= the mfrs for not doing quality checks. The mfrs, especially, seem to just grab a frame off the pile and slap parts on them without first checking anything against the specs. This is where they are at fault for missing cr@ppy and missing welds as well as not catching any non-spec metal used. I've seen more than one report here where Lippert flat out used the wrong metal to build frames that then failed.

Lyle

2022 GMC Sierra 3500 HD Denali Crew Cab 4x4 Duramax
B&W OEM Companion & Gooseneck Kit
2017 KZ Durango 1500 D277RLT
1936 John Deere Model A
International Flying Farmers 64 Year Member

Posted By: larry barnhart on 04/17/18 12:09pm

RV dealer near us told me the frames are the worst he has ever seen. Long time rv store owner.

chevman

chevman
2019 rockwood 34 ft fifth wheel sold
2005 3500 2wd duramax CC dually
prodigy



KSH 55 inbed fuel tank

scanguage II
TD-EOC
Induction Overhaul Kit
TST tire monitors
FMCA # F479110

Print  |  Close