Cracked Fender Skirt on 26 RBPR

[testwest]

My 2014 Premier 26 RBPR has cracked fender skirts. They cracked almost immediately after purchase in November 2014 and we had them warranty-replaced at Camping World in Burlington in spring of 2015.

The replaced skirts are cracking again (spring 2016), this time more severely than even the OEM set! The problem appears to be a design flaw/poor choice of materials - all related to a finished product that can't take its air-loads when under-tow. Normal driving speed air loads excite the middle drop-down piece of the tandem fender skirt to flex. The inside brace/stiffener eventually breaks where it attaches to the pop-out frame. The ABS fender skirt then starts cracking at the screw holes - and now those cracks have propagated in all directions to the point that the skirt is only firmly attached at the front and rear tips.

I'm familiar with ABS, and find its extensive use (at the thickness used for these fender skirts) as non-load-bearing trim pieces INSIDE aircraft.

I've written to Keystone's Customer Relations to see what they can do. My request was for properly designed parts that I could self-install - I hold better tolerances than the dealerships.

Absent free parts of better design from Keystone, I will build replacement fender skirts and braces in my home-shop. My husband and I both build aircraft and their subsystems as a hobby.

[slow]

This is what I did to resolve the skirt cracking issue: http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/sho...ighlight=skirt

No more fluttering with cross winds or loose screws.

[sourdough]

Fender skirt issues are an ongoing thing. Search for fender skirts, cracked fender skirts etc. and you will see many posts referring to the problem. I'm on my 3rd set with a set of new replacements in our storage building and another waiting at CW (insurance). The fix is relatively simple. The skirts do not handle the air flow properly. The are inadequately braced and the screws are placed through thin metal. The vibration pulls the screws out allowing to skirt to flex; this in turn allows it to crack and eventually either fly away or break.

Re-secure the factory braces. Add your own in flex areas (I used thin aluminum), some type of washer under the screw head and speed nuts (8x32?) on each screw with a dab of blue Loctite. 3rd trip to FL from TX and haven't had a loose screw or fender yet.

[gkainz]

Nice post and sorry to hear another fender skirt crack story. However, if you build some, make a set for me? Oh, and while you're at it, could use a new upper cowl for our '83 Piper Dakota.

[dcg9381]

RV side skirts should be a little cheaper than a cowl for a Dakota, but they do seem to be problematic to find "the same one".

These darn things are barely held on at the factory - they need to be braced or they're likely to fail again...

[markdol1]

Just need to know what icon skirts are on my 2014 bullet 26 rbpr. mine just tore off . i think they are icon #2248 thanks.

[cmlong]

When I replaced the fender skirts on my Cougar I reinforced the back of each screw hole with fiberglass mat and epoxy. Never had problems again.

[mfifield01]

Originally Posted by cmlong

When I replaced the fender skirts on my Cougar I reinforced the back of each screw hole with fiberglass mat and epoxy. Never had problems again.

I've been thinking about doing this to mine. Do you have any pictures or tips?