Keystone frame cracks

[camper5]

My 2015 RKS WE has 4 frame cracks 2 on each side of the trailer at the rear and middle spring mounts, Has any one with model trail experienced this on there trailer ? If you have this model trailer please take a good look at your frame. I believe it is a manufacturing defect that will affect all trailers of this model.

[roadglide]

Can take a few pictures and post them .

[ChuckS]

This might shed some insight for you

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2011/RCRIT-11V486-1111.pdf

[MotownJG]

Interesting. Might this apply to a 2008 Keystone Copper Canyon? I suppose I should inspect the shackles first. What exactly am I looking for?

[camper5]

25531 Not sure how to attach photo.

[flybouy]

25531 Not sure how to attach photo.

Looking at your picture I don't see any crack. I do see a scratch in the paint that's blistering.

[camper5]

25532 Was not sure how the photo attachment worked on last post.

[camper5]

Paint will not blister in a straight line. It will bubble . look at the steel with no paint picture. Hard to see if you do not know what to look for.

[roadglide]

That’s strange looking you can Warm it up with a torch here it clean any paint and open a crack if there is one . If your grinding the paint you may loose what looks like a Fine crack . Is that a rectangle frame ?

[camper5]

It is a 5 1/2" I beam frame. when they made the frame there is a floor support welded above the middle and rear spring bracket. the floor support is only welded 4" from the top down where the weld stops is where the the frame can flex and that is where the crack is . No floor support at the front spring bracket, no crack.

[roadglide]

The I beam is not cracked only the floor support plate that’s tied into the I beam . I don’t get the frame design but if it’s just cosmetic I would do nothing .

[camper5]

If you look at the photo that I ground the paint off you will see the floor support weld on the back side and the I beam crack where the weld stops going horizontal 4" long . The floor support weld is in the center of the crack. A must repair crack.

[jsmith948]

Looks to me that the web of the I beam has cracked along/under where the floor support is welded to the backside of the web.
Probably due to lateral stress from the spring hangers. If you don't repair it it will continue to crack.
A vertical gusset welded to the web from top to bottom flanges in addition to welding the crack will prevent it in the future.

[Just chillin]

Probably crystalized the web where they welded the cross brace on. Needs to be welded and a gusset to the bottom flange. Try to eliminate the sharp turns, that puts crazy stress on that lower flange.

[gearhead]

Maybe a weld/fab shop will spray it with dye penetrant for you to confirm a crack or "indication". If so, take a pic of it.
But, yeah it looks like a crack.

[skids]

Probably crystalized the web where they welded the cross brace on. Needs to be welded and a gusset to the bottom flange. Try to eliminate the sharp turns, that puts crazy stress on that lower flange.

I have to agree with ^^^^. I was trying to figure out why a horizontal crack was there and it didn’t seem to come from vertical loading.

[Nagrompj]

This might shed some insight for you

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2011/RCRIT-11V486-1111.pdf

I completed this repair on my 2013 Laredo including the ”axle retro” in 2015 and have never had a problem since.
I highly recommend it for your rig. If you can do you own welding it will only take a weekend. It wouldn’t take a weld shop long at all.

[MrEnto]

That’s a crack. I just went through this on my 17 Fusion toy hauler. Design flaw for sure. I was lucky and it was covered on warranty. The frame is under built. It’s a known issue that no one seems to want to admit to for obvious reasons. Keystone deferred to the frame manufacture which I think was Lippert. I found a good local shop who was familiar with the problem and their welder inspired a lot of confidence when he explained the fix. My trailer creaked, poped and groaned from day one. After the fix, not a sound out of it.

[W7PSK]

I had a massive Crack on the bedroom area of my 5th wheel, where it leveled off and goes out. And it was past Warranty. My Extended Warranty wouldn't cover it as it was "Cosmetic". I contacted Keystone and told them about it, that it was under supported and needed plating to keep it from breaking. They said contact Lippert. When I contacted them they said contact Keystone. I ate 5000 dollars and had it fixed. They had to take off the front area, and weld triangle supports to the area and weld all the cracks.

Good luck getting Keystone or the trailer MFG to fix anything.

[Banffcamper]

The Keystone reaction of calling a web crack through the steel frame rail just “cosmetic” is shocking and irresponsible. If anything is an issue that should even be covered beyond the warranty this is it. It is the result of an engineering design defect. Also the Lippert remediation process is not enough. To stop the crack you need to find the crack tips which can ONLY be seen with a wet magnetic particle inspection system (MPI) which any competent welding shop will have. The actual crack tips cannot be seen with the naked eye and often are beyond the visible tip. Also, the grinding is important for weld preparation but can mask the crack tip areas. The crack growth can be arrested by drilling a hole in front of the actual tip then coating/painting the bare steel. The reinforcement steel add on is then necessary via welding. A welding shop should definitely be consulted for the repair.

[Tireman9]

My 2015 RKS WE has 4 frame cracks 2 on each side of the trailer at the rear and middle spring mounts, Has any one with model trail experienced this on there trailer ? If you have this model trailer please take a good look at your frame. I believe it is a manufacturing defect that will affect all trailers of this model.




Send a complaint to NHTSA (https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/). That might result in the MFG having to fix for free.

[CT Wanderer]

My 2015 RKS WE has 4 frame cracks 2 on each side of the trailer at the rear and middle spring mounts, Has any one with model trail experienced this on there trailer ? If you have this model trailer please take a good look at your frame. I believe it is a manufacturing defect that will affect all trailers of this model.

I had frame problems that started like that for me on my Montana 305RL. Had the cracks reinforced and a year later had a spring hanger break loose and damage the frame. I was lucky enough to find a competent frame shop for the repair and that my insurance covered the 8K bill. The frame now is better than originally built. Yes it’s under engineered and no Keystone won’t cover it, they refer you to Lippert the frame manufacturer. They will email you a fix like another poster sent and offer to pay 3 hours labor on the fix if you push them. Here is a link to my post on Montana Owners Club site. You can used the same ID as this website to view everything.
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77700&page=2