Front Cap separation?! Frame issue?

Keeble130 · 03-16-2022, 11:08 PM

Hey all so I have a 2015 Keystone raptor 332ts and while towing home the other day the camper hit a rough spot in the road that bogged the truck down for a second. Fast forward I get home and fine that the axles have some damage and the front of the camper has started to separate while sitting on my truck. When I put the camper on the jacks the separation returns to normal. I filed an insurance claim and the camper is now sitting at camping world. They say there is not frame damage and have gotten the front cap separation issue resolved with screws?! Does this sound right? It doesn’t to me and I’m wondering if they have possibly missed a broke frame issue. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

keyholeelf · 03-17-2022, 07:02 AM

I can't make out the axle damage.
My 5th wheel also separates like that. I think it's just stress loading up on the 5th wheel pin, the frames sags a little in that area causing the rubber to separate because of the age of everything. Maybe the rubber is stiffer now. I would guess the repair is just screwing that rubber down in more places. I'm not an expert and this is all a guess.
Please add trailer model and information into your signature.

travelin texans · 03-17-2022, 07:36 AM

I don't see any axle damage either. The arc in the axle is normal for alignment.
What I do notice is a SRW truck, hopefully at least a 1 ton, backed under a 16500lb GVWR toyhauler that will have a pin weight in excess of 3700lbs (23% of that GVWR). For safeties sake check the numbers on your door jamb especially the payload, yellow/white tag stating "occupants & cargo must not exceed XXXXlbs. The pin weight on that rv is beyond the limits of a 3/4 ton & pushing the limits on some/most 1 ton SRW trucks depending on truck options.

**JRTJH** · 03-17-2022, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelin texans

I don't see any axle damage either. The arc in the axle is normal for alignment.
What I do notice is a SRW truck, hopefully at least a 1 ton, backed under a 16500lb GVWR toyhauler that will have a pin weight in excess of 3700lbs (23% of that GVWR). For safeties sake check the numbers on your door jamb especially the payload, yellow/white tag stating "occupants & cargo must not exceed XXXXlbs.

I think, from what I can see in the axle photo, that the center spring hanger and the equalizer is bent inward at about a 45 degree angle. It looks to me like the center spring hanger has twisted the frame rail on that side. I'd suspect that the other side may be a mirror image ????? I reposted that photo and if you click on it, it will open in the correct attitude.

We had a member a couple weeks ago post that his dealership told him his frame was twisted and there was no way to repair the damage.... If what I "think I'm seeing" is correct, this may be much more significant than the gaps in the corner molding on the trailer front surface.

Keeble130 · 03-17-2022, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelin texans

I don't see any axle damage either. The arc in the axle is normal for alignment.
What I do notice is a SRW truck, hopefully at least a 1 ton, backed under a 16500lb GVWR toyhauler that will have a pin weight in excess of 3700lbs (23% of that GVWR). For safeties sake check the numbers on your door jamb especially the payload, yellow/white tag stating "occupants & cargo must not exceed XXXXlbs. The pin weight on that rv is beyond the limits of a 3/4 ton & pushing the limits on some/most 1 ton SRW trucks depending on truck options.

It is a 2012 F350 6.7 with airbags to help as well, I don’t really know the weight I have never weighed it just hook and go. Back to my issue. Yes the axle damage seemed to be more of a twisted spring hangar issue that only got worse with mileage. The rear axle has shifted quite a bit to the driver side and when you lay a board against the tire it is no where near the front. The part you see at a 45 angle did twist the frame and broke away in two spot. All this happened at highway speed around Atlanta. I’m pretty concerned about if the truck pulled something free in the neck that is causing the separation. And sorry about the rig where a signature should be I haven’t figured it out yet. Thanks for the feed back if anything else crosses your minds please let me know

**JRTJH** · 03-17-2022, 10:12 AM

Here's my take on what I see in your photo. I don't believe any RV dealership repair service is equipped to handle that kind of frame damage. They are going to "farm it out to a trailer repair facility" and will probably mark up the charges to make a profit from the "servicing of the repair"...

So, if I were you, I'd talk to a couple of RV places, ask where they take chassis/frame repairs to be done, then ask around to see who has a good reputation around Sweetwater. One place with a website that appears to have some fairly good reviews is I-75 Tire Truck and Trailer Repair. I've NEVER done any business with them, but they are local and if you talk to some people around town, should get some sort of idea on their quality service.....

If you haven't yet, I'd urge you to report this to your insurance company. I'm guessing that you're going to be looking at several thousand as a minimum repair and there's the possibility that the trailer can't be repaired, in which case, you're looking at a "total loss". I'd get the insurance company involved early in the game.

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