stress crack

bcbearhnt · 11-03-2020, 04:47 PM

I have a 2020 Keystone Fuzion 373. Six months old and i have a crack 5 inches long diagonal from the lower left corner of the bed slide. Have been in contact with my dealer and he has been in contact with his Keystone rep. on what to do next. Has anyone aware of a recall on this problem?

ChuckS · 11-03-2020, 05:02 PM

I can assure you that in your 2020 with the crack at bedroom slide out corner it IS NOT a stress crack..l it is a STRUCTURAL fault that will require extensive repair to correct fix... and ... on a 2020 unit I’m really surprised.

I am curious as to what type of fifth wheel hitch you are using with your unit?

Here is a file that will help you.. I hope...understand what the repair is gonna basically entail .

bcbearhnt · 11-03-2020, 05:10 PM

Yes it is a structural flaw. Dealer said fix would be at factory and would involve frame work and gusset welding. A skin repair with a flex joint splice trim. I am pulling with a Pull-rite super glide.

bill3kirk · 11-05-2020, 09:33 AM

We used to have a Cougar so I still follow this forum, but our 2018 Jayco North Point had the same issue. It runs across many manufactures if they don't put in stress/expansion joint in the lower front corner of the slide. Ours was repaired twice at the Jayco factory (both under warranty). The second repair has held (over 6k miles now). I ultimately installed a Flexair 21k pinbox and the Roadmaster shocks suspension. The longer these 5th wheels get the more flex but I'm no engineer. Mine is 43'.

Roscommon48 · 11-05-2020, 09:44 AM

push for a new trailer. you start to talk to manufacturer

bcbearhnt · 02-28-2021, 06:35 PM

Bought my fuzion in May 2020. it is now in shop for structual crack issue on bed slide since Nov. 13 2020. Nor to be finished till last week of March. Owned this unit since May 2020 like I said but only been in my posession for about 4 months, cause of many other small warranty covered issues. When i get the unit out of shop, I will be unloading it get something I can actually use to go camping.

RamminTime · 03-01-2021, 05:56 PM

Curious to what your build date is? Is the bed east west? I have same year and model but north south bed.

bcbearhnt · 03-01-2021, 06:11 PM

dont know build date cause still in shop but bed is east west. crack is at lower left side of bed. Shop that is fixing it said he sees this alot because of poor engineering at factory and they are aware of problem but in to big of a hurry to get unit out. He said it is job security for him but sad for me. Skin has to be removed, break welded and beefed up and skin reattached with expansion joint to help relive stress.

Don_T · 03-12-2021, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChuckS

I can assure you that in your 2020 with the crack at bedroom slide out corner it IS NOT a stress crack..l it is a STRUCTURAL fault that will require extensive repair to correct fix... and ... on a 2020 unit I’m really surprised.

I am curious as to what type of fifth wheel hitch you are using with your unit?

Here is a file that will help you.. I hope...understand what the repair is gonna basically entail .

Thanks for posting the link and information ChuckS. I have had the same issue with my Alpine 3301GR since January 2018. All requests for help from the factory have been refused since then. They said it was out of warranty so I am on my own. Anyway I have the camper parked beside my garage and will be opening the cap and sidewall up this spring, if I am able to handle it that is. I can't afford to pay a dealer to do this. I can hire a welder to do the structural fix once I know what it is. Hopefully I can get the skin back on so it looks decent. I am hoping this can be done without removing the bedroom slide as I have no way of doing that. The rest I think I can handle. Has anyone done this themselves? Any comments welcome.

John&Genny · 03-14-2021, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChuckS

I can assure you that in your 2020 with the crack at bedroom slide out corner it IS NOT a stress crack..l it is a STRUCTURAL fault that will require extensive repair to correct fix... and ... on a 2020 unit I’m really surprised.

I am curious as to what type of fifth wheel hitch you are using with your unit?

Here is a file that will help you.. I hope...understand what the repair is gonna basically entail .

The thing that gets me Chuck is that this defect has been around at least as long as I've been on the forum, which was around 2016. Why LCI has not seen fit to repair this obvious structural problem is beyond me.

spicercars · 03-15-2021, 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John&Genny

The thing that gets me Chuck is that this defect has been around at least as long as I've been on the forum, which was around 2016. Why LCI has not seen fit to repair this obvious structural problem is beyond me.

I was going to say the same thing that this is not a new issue and don't you think it would be easier to build the frame right to begin with?

ChuckS · 03-15-2021, 05:20 AM

The majority of the cracks is not actually caused by Lipperts frame.. its how the builders attach the rest of the structure to the frame they had built by Lippert to their specs...

**flybouy** · 03-15-2021, 05:31 AM

I have to wonder how many of the stress crakes are caused by drivers doing a "Dukes of Hazard" over bridges, railroad tracks, etc.

I have followed a number of folks approaching campgrounds that look like they are trying to get the trailer airborne over road obstacles. Seems like the later in the day on a Friday approaching a CG the faster they drive.

ChuckS · 03-15-2021, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flybouy

I have to wonder how many of the stress crakes are caused by drivers doing a "Dukes of Hazard" over bridges, railroad tracks, etc.

I have followed a number of folks approaching campgrounds that look like they are trying to get the trailer airborne over road obstacles. Seems like the later in the day on a Friday approaching a CG the faster they drive.

Yup I see this everytime we tow.. I pull in and out of gas stations slow and easy to minimize the jouncing and slow down from my standard 62 mph towing speed if the road is rough, etc...

Many OPs beat the crap out of the RV from end to end and bottom to top and perform little to no routine maintenance or inspections after arriving at destination..

wiredgeorge · 03-15-2021, 01:51 PM

Perhaps, rather than the owners experiencing these issues being at fault because of their driving habits, it may be that Keystone hasn't pressed Lippert to reinforce the frame where it cracks on so many trailers. Since it is in the same location, why not weld a plate to strengthen the area of the crack if they (Lippert and Keystone) know the frame will be used for a bedroom slide. As with any engineering problem, some will be affected and some not and driving habits MAY be part of it but with this many failures, not all the drivers can have Daisy Duke with them in the front seat of their orange tow vehcile.

**sourdough** · 03-15-2021, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Perhaps, rather than the owners experiencing these issues being at fault because of their driving habits, it may be that Keystone hasn't pressed Lippert to reinforce the frame where it cracks on so many trailers. Since it is in the same location, why not weld a plate to strengthen the area of the crack if they (Lippert and Keystone) know the frame will be used for a bedroom slide. As with any engineering problem, some will be affected and some not and driving habits MAY be part of it but with this many failures, not all the drivers can have Daisy Duke with them in the front seat of their orange tow vehcile.

Say it ain't so George! Say it ain't so!! I thought if I got a little more feisty with my driving Daisy was going to just jump right in there beside me....and DW. Hmmm, now that I think about it maybe "feisty" driving isn't what I need to be doing; I can see trouble brewing when Daisy jumps in now that I think about it.

**flybouy** · 03-15-2021, 06:47 PM

My experience is more like Morgan Freeman "Driving Miss Daisy" , not driving Daisy Duke.

travelin texans · 03-15-2021, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John&Genny

The thing that gets me Chuck is that this defect has been around at least as long as I've been on the forum, which was around 2016. Why LCI has not seen fit to repair this obvious structural problem is beyond me.

I've had an '03, '09 & '13 all which had cracks on one of the lower corners of the bedroom slide & one had it at the top corner, 2 were repaired with the H trim piece & one traded with the crack that no one seemed concerned about.

Hotrod1340 · 06-20-2022, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcbearhnt

I have a 2020 Keystone Fuzion 373. Six months old and i have a crack 5 inches long diagonal from the lower left corner of the bed slide. Have been in contact with my dealer and he has been in contact with his Keystone rep. on what to do next. Has anyone aware of a recall on this problem?

I just noticed I have the same issue on my 373. I have purchased it September 2021. I dropped it off at the dealer today hopefully I will hear something soon. Have they completed the repairs on your unit? How did the factory address your concerns?

wiredgeorge · 06-20-2022, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hotrod1340

I just noticed I have the same issue on my 373. I have purchased it September 2021. I dropped it off at the dealer today hopefully I will hear something soon. Have they completed the repairs on your unit? How did the factory address your concerns?

I wouldn't expect an answer. The fella you addressed hasn't been on the site since March 1, 2021. There are multiple threads on this subject if you dig around. I don't have bedroom slide so haven't followed closely but it appears it has to do with the frame itself.

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