Falling Apart All Over

jmorse62 · 03-07-2021, 08:24 PM

I have a 2017 Keystone Hideout LHS177 and it seems every time I haul it something else falls apart. First the roof fell apart, Keystone fixed that under warranty. The next trip the counter top of the kitchen bounced around and started to fall off damaging the wall. Also the kitchen drawers supports all fell apart and the drawers got messed up.
I fixed that issue and now after hauling the trailer the entire dinette has pulled away from the wall by about 3 inches.
This doesn't seem normal. I drive sensibly and have never seen anything like this. I am starting to question the craftsmanship of Keystone.

LewisB · 03-08-2021, 07:55 AM

That does seem like a lot of issues. However, your trailer is a light-weight single axle trailer that is going to be a bit more "fragile" relative to rough roads, potholes, washboards, etc. (Tandem axle trailers have equalizers between the two axles to help smooth out the ride.) I'll have to leave the build quality for others to comment - I've only owned the much larger Keystone products and they seem "typical" at least to other makes.

Don't be offended by this next part: it's part of the equation. I'm not sure how experienced you are with an RV, so indulge me thinking out loud for a minute. There are some things that all of us have control over - that's our driving. Speed, swerving, driving fast on rough roads, all are within our control. You should expect to slow down significantly when pulling your light-weight single axle trailer on rough roads. If you don't, you are going to beat your rig to death. What might seem reasonable from the front seat of your truck may be just hammering the contents of your trailer. Try a test. Pick a typical destination and place some unbreakable medium weight object on your counter top or dinette; drive a couple of miles and check your object. Did it fall off? Drive the same path slower and check? You may discover that you have to slow down to less that 1/2 or even 1/4 of your normal speed.

Just a suggestion: Best of luck!

Cbrez · 03-09-2021, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LewisB

Try a test. Pick a typical destination and place some unbreakable medium weight object on your counter top or dinette; drive a couple of miles and check your object. Did it fall off?

After we bent an axle on our trip to Alaska several years ago we started putting a paper cup 2/3 full of water in the bathroom sink. If it doesn’t spill we know we had a relatively smooth ride. It it spills we start checking for anything else that me have gotten dislodged.

DAMILLER_SR · 03-14-2021, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LewisB

That does seem like a lot of issues. However, your trailer is a light-weight single axle trailer that is going to be a bit more "fragile" relative to rough roads, potholes, washboards, etc. (Tandem axle trailers have equalizers between the two axles to help smooth out the ride.) I'll have to leave the build quality for others to comment - I've only owned the much larger Keystone products and they seem "typical" at least to other makes.

Don't be offended by this next part: it's part of the equation. I'm not sure how experienced you are with an RV, so indulge me thinking out loud for a minute. There are some things that all of us have control over - that's our driving. Speed, swerving, driving fast on rough roads, all are within our control. You should expect to slow down significantly when pulling your light-weight single axle trailer on rough roads. If you don't, you are going to beat your rig to death. What might seem reasonable from the front seat of your truck may be just hammering the contents of your trailer. Try a test. Pick a typical destination and place some unbreakable medium weight object on your counter top or dinette; drive a couple of miles and check your object. Did it fall off? Drive the same path slower and check? You may discover that you have to slow down to less that 1/2 or even 1/4 of your normal speed.

Just a suggestion: Best of luck!

May I enhance your suggestion with a gopro type camera. I got to see my motorcycle fall over, so much fun🤣🤣🤣

Javi · 03-08-2021, 08:26 AM

If it were not illegal in many states, I'd suggest that you ride a few miles in the trailer on a regular route and at your normal speeds. This would tell you everything you need to know about what's going on...

but of course it is illegal in many states..

travelin texans · 03-08-2021, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javi

If it were not illegal in many states, I'd suggest that you ride a few miles in the trailer on a regular route and at your normal speeds. This would tell you everything you need to know about what's going on...

but of course it is illegal in many states..

But Lucy rode back there while Desi drove & she big rocks stored everywhere......

**sourdough** · 03-08-2021, 10:22 AM

I think the light weight combined with a single axle is probably a huge factor in your problems. I've only owned one RV with a single axle and I could watch the slightest things make it bounce in the air. Road transitions or frost heaves would send it a foot or two to the left or right at times. Things in it didn't like staying attached either but it was just part of what it was IMO. I think really slowing down would be a great benefit; it was for us but I got tired of it and got a bigger trailer.

notanlines · 03-08-2021, 10:36 AM

I like Lewis' idea. Put some things around the main room, set your smart phone on video, mount it in an appropriate place and drive for about 5-10 minutes on average crappy roads and see what goes on back there.

jmorse62 · 03-08-2021, 04:24 PM

Well that all makes sense. I rarely go over 65 mph but we do put on some miles. The last trip was 3000 miles round trip so I guess that puts some wear on the trailer.
I will try out the phone, or maybe sneak in the back for a spin when no one is looking.

mmoff46 · 03-09-2021, 10:44 AM

My wife and sisters and husband rode in our coachman 5th wheel while going down the road to New Mexico several years ago and it beat them to death except for riding in the bed above the hitch, They rode back the same way, and yes it was legal, we had two way permanent connection, some states don't allow it, but in our travels did.

CrazyCain · 03-09-2021, 02:25 PM

I have a 2016 177LHS and have never had any problems inside after towing except the occasional screw unwinding. Sorry to hear this..

Sledog · 03-14-2021, 07:20 AM

1. Welcome to RVing. In my 40 years of RVing, I've never had a rig that didn't have issues, even brand new. They flare-up less throughout the years, but they continue throughout the years and I continue to fix them. I've never had my fix(s) re-break, but factory issues continue flare up a decade later.
2. Poor craftsmanship from the factory is a fact of RVing. Some more, some less, but someone, somewhere is having a bad day or gets distracted during assembly and the purchaser pays the price.
3. The severity and number of your issues are over and above the 'norm". Use the warranty as much as possible, make them pay the price for their mistakes. Look into the lemon law for your state, maybe you got the worst "Monday Trailer" ever. It's likely they'll never admit their mistakes and continue to make you run back and forth to the dealer, but it's worth a try.
-just my opinion based on my experience with six towables (TTs & 5ers) from four different manufacturers. Best of luck sorting it out.

jadatis · 03-14-2021, 08:52 AM

The first thing that comes to my mind is to high tirepressure.
Light weight and overrated tires dont need the maximum pressure of tire.

So give me tirespecifications and weights, and I will calculate a highest pressure with no bouncing.

Need of tires loadrange and sises, and if ST.
From trailer GVWR,GAWR,Single axle we know, best would be weighed wheelloads, second best axleweights.

Checking this is cheap, and mayby the main cource of your troubles.

CrazyCain only had some screws unwinding, but could only have slighty to high pressure.

Jim2366 · 03-14-2021, 07:04 PM

Falling apart all over.

I thought you must be my doctor. I feel like I have been on a rough road for a lot of years. lol

I am a little slap happy with the extra hour of daylight and thought a little humor may help with the problems that you are having. It is not fun when things start breaking and I sincerely hope that things get better.

jmorse62 · 03-14-2021, 08:04 PM

I have Goodyear Endurance tires, ST 205 /75 R14 The side says Load Range D, 65 PSI

jadatis · 03-15-2021, 03:31 AM

When I look at the goodyear list this ST205/75R14
Has maxload 2040 lbs.
When I search European 205/75R14C 8pr it comes to loadindex 109S is maxload 1030kg/2271lbs given for 160kmph/99mph AT 65psi.
Strange but true.
Being a Dutchman, I have confidence in the european system, and same sises tires , to laws of nature can carry same load at 99mph without overheating.

So then at 65 psi your ST can carry also 2280 lbs , and then a deflection that gives no bumping.
So your lightweight TT ( still no GVWR given) has that less deflection, that gives bumping that destroys your poor constructed TT.

But if you also give total weight or GAWR, I can calculate it more secure, but my prediction is your damage courced by to high pressure, or better to less deflection.

**flybouy** · 03-15-2021, 05:20 AM

Look at the label on the front driver's side of the trailer fir the tire size and inflation. The manufacturer has already made the calculations for the trailer and the suspension that they put under it. Do not deviate from that unless you go up a letter rating to get more reserve (i.e. say go from a D rated tire to an E rated tire if the rim can handle the extra psi). NASCAR teams adjust pressure in very small increments but that's not recommended for trailer tires.

jadatis · 03-15-2021, 06:36 AM

Geral idea of TT makers, is that tires are yust enaugh for the TT, and maxpress on sidewall is needed, so that they recomend standard
But in verry few cases TT tires are that overrated thatlower then maxpress gives still 100% savetymargin.
But my idea is that Topicstarter has that exeption to the rule. Only need GVWR and/ or GAWR from topicstarter to be shure .

jmorse62 · 03-15-2021, 06:51 PM

GVWR is 4475 lbs

jadatis · 03-16-2021, 05:58 AM

Even if I use the 2271 lbs of european tires as maxload , my spreadsheet gives 64 psi.
This is maximum reserve without bumping.
So if you used 65 psi , I cant explain the falling apart by to high pressure. So not what I expected.

Or it must be that you dont load it to the max of 4475 lbs.

If I would have used the 2040 lbs maxload given for your ST, my pressure-advice would have come even higher, even 72 psi.

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