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Old 04-30-2020, 09:20 AM   #1
Pjw73nh
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2011 19 FBPR Bullet Premiere Fender Skirt issue.

I am having issues with the slide out wheel skirt. Because it's on the slide, it is not attached very well. Just a couple of flimsy aluminum strips behind it. But because it's the slide, they can't be attached to the trailer frame like the passenger side is. They are at an almost vertical angle and provide very little lateral support so this wheel skirt pretty much just flaps in the breeze when traveling.

As I've noticed the mount points starting to wear, I've put a washer and screw in. It doesn't really do much and as you see by the pics, it's a temporary fix, that just prolongs slightly the eventual failure. I've also got a short horizontal crack at the rear of it that I've temporarily duct taped. If I end up keeping the skirt, I'll probably rivet a small plastic backing plate behind it.

Repair, or replace ?

Where the mount points are recessed into little "pockets", it's sort of difficult to fit anything structural there. I was thinking some combination of JB weld and ??? . More washers and screws? Maybe build out the "pockets" with spacers and put a molded band of plastic over the two wheel curves? Either way, repair or replace, any suggestions on how to keep it from flexing/flapping ?. Otherwise, I'm just going to have this happen again. It's a pretty poor design to begin with.
Thanks.
P.../NH
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Old 04-30-2020, 09:43 AM   #2
JRTJH
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I would be reluctant to use JB Weld on anything that's subject to moving and breakage. JB Weld is "too permanent" for a plastic fender skirt. Eventually, you'll need to replace the broken or "UV brittle" plastic. JB Weld would be difficult to remove from the "other parts" to get the broken stuff off the trailer...

You might consider a 90 degree aluminum strip. Insert it against the bottom of the slide floor with the angle "up, toward the slide sidewall. That would put the angle between the sidewall and the fender skirt. Then you could screw into the aluminum angle rather than "into stripped out space"...

You may not be able to insert a 48" angle strip, but may need to cut it into 3" or 6" sections so it will "fit the available spaces without causing the fender skirt to be deformed.

I find that sometimes, when I can't readily visualize the solution, laying on a creeper, under the trailer, looking up at the problem makes finding a solution a little easier.

Whatever you decide to do, don't use "Locktite" on the screws, it melts the plastic on the fender skirts.... Or so another poster discovered, much to his dismay....

Using JB Weld to repair the cracked part (from behind with a backer plate of some kind) would probably keep that fender skirt in use for a few more years.
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Old 04-30-2020, 10:12 AM   #3
Pjw73nh
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John, Thanks for the reply. Yes. I like looking at this from your aluminum angle "angle". When the rain stops, I'll crawl under and have a look-see to see if there is a way to get some angle aluminum up there. Either in strips or otherwise. Any thoughts on getting around having to use the same holes on the skirt itself? Or building-out/reinforcing the existing mount points/holes?

Also, I still think I'm going to need something structural running down the back of the skirt a few inches in 2-3 places to keep it from flapping. But I can look at that once I get under there again.

Thanks.

Paul
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Old 04-30-2020, 10:29 AM   #4
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I, and I figure many others, have had lots of experience with "flapping", "broken/cracked" skirts. Yours has progressed far enough that replacement might be in order BUT finding one for a 2011 trailer might be nigh onto impossible.

The extent of that damage will require attacking it from different perspectives; repair the damage and eliminate the cause of the recurring issue.

Repairing the damage; I have had great success using the JB Weld along with reinforcing the affected areas. If possible reinforce with an appropriate material on the back for the cracks (not around the hole) and apply the JB Weld to prevent future breakeage. If the crack wants to flex I force a little JB into the crack and compress it with a clamp of some kind until it sets. Those holes that have broken out from around the screw; I cut an appropriate sized disc from plastic (I believe a 3/4" hole saw worked for mine) then trim/form that disc to fit into the hole (having drilled a hole in it to match the one in the skirt). After the disc has been properly formed clamp it into the cutout using JB Weld with the holes aligning.

Preventing future recurrence; one of the major problems with those skirts is the fact that it is cut at the edge of the slide. That allows the front of the skirt to act as a funnel sending battering wind up under that skirt. I have used multiple ways to reinforce that depending on what the front of that cut skirt looks like. Fabricate a metal brace/tab that can attach to the skirt and body at the front of that cut (inconspicuously). On one similar to the one in the picture, after repairing the broken out portion of the fender I put a strip of butyl tape under the first 6-8 inches and depressed the skirt into it before tightening the screw - feels like it is set in concrete (almost). You may need to fabricate more of the little (almost useless) metal strips that go up and attach to the floor bottom then down to the inside of the skirt (you very may well have to do that to the J wrap down the side as well since it flopping works on the skirt too along with all the other supports).

Once the holes/breakage has been repaired, reinforcements fabricated and installed you can put the fender skirt back on. When installing, if possible, you need to then strengthen the screw attachments. I used 8x32 speed nuts behind all the screws, even if they went through a reinforcing metal strip. Some use screws with nylock nuts - you just have to put something behind those screws to keep them from backing out. Stopping the flopping and vibrating will go a long way in preventing that.

The JB Weld will probably not be colored like your fender. In my case(s) it has worked well but yours isn't the same as my fenders have been. Don't know if you would want to try to paint the skirts or ??

And, yes, DO NOT put thread locker (Loctite) on those screws!! I am the ignorant person that did that John referred to. It will make an excellent, perfect hole under that screw head....on a brand new trailer.
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Old 04-30-2020, 10:38 AM   #5
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Last summer we lost a rear wheel/hub that bent the J-wrap a little. When we got everything replaced and towed home, I needed to repair a couple of bends in the J-wrap. I pulled the entire fender skirt (about 20 screws) and laid it on the ground behind the trailer while I played with rubber hammers, pieces of wood and a lot of "cuss words"... After I got the J-wrap straightened out, I did some "rebuilding of the factory wheelwell cutout" before I reinstalled the fender skirt. If I were you, I'd go ahead and remove the entire plastic skirt, then you'll see better what you're dealing with.

As for the "flapping when towing". I'd look at something like a 10" or 12" shelf support, mounted at the center drop of the fender skirt with a couple of screws holding it to the bottom of the slide floor and one screw through the fender skirt at the end of that shelf support ??? Might work for you, I did something close to that with a piece of steel that I had laying in the workshop. If one end of the shelf support is too long, you can cut it off to fit, so it doesn't interfere with the slide movement or with tire clearance.
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Old 04-30-2020, 10:45 AM   #6
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John's post reminded me on those supports for the J wrap. I initially tried to form aluminum straps shaped like the OEM straps for the J wrap supports. The "selling point" I suppose of the design is that the bottom screw was under/behind the bottom of the J wrap and not seen. Not only was forming the bottom of the straps somewhat difficult to get the proper form, they just didn't perform well over time. Although everything felt firm upon initial installation after 1000 miles or so those most affected by the "flopping" would break. Getting something with strength that is preformed to attach to the bottom of the trailer and then through the side of the J wrap will give you better performance for the long term I'm sure.
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Old 04-30-2020, 10:49 AM   #7
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John, Thanks. Both very good ideas. Taking the entire skirt off for better viewing/access, and those shelf brackets. I am sure I'll be able to fabricate a fix *IF* I can get the mount holes in the plastic squared away sufficiently.

Sourdough, Thank you very much for such an informative post. Your experience will help me a great deal.
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Old 04-30-2020, 01:17 PM   #8
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On our large slide the fender on one end extends 3 or 4 inches past the slide. It bothered me to look in the mirror and see it dancing in the wind. So what I did, and has lasted all these years was to use what I had laying around the garage. I took a paint stirring stick and it seemed to be the correct thickness. So I cut and shaped it to fit behind the fender from the unsupported end to the first screw.

Found some left over resin from a fiberglass repair and gave it a coating to "weather proof" it. After allowing sufficient drying time I used 2 part epoxy to hold it to the back side of the fender. No more looking like a flag in the wind and hasn't cracked or split.
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Old 05-01-2020, 09:55 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flybouy View Post
On our large slide the fender on one end extends 3 or 4 inches past the slide. It bothered me to look in the mirror and see it dancing in the wind. So what I did, and has lasted all these years was to use what I had laying around the garage. I took a paint stirring stick and it seemed to be the correct thickness. So I cut and shaped it to fit behind the fender from the unsupported end to the first screw.

Found some left over resin from a fiberglass repair and gave it a coating to "weather proof" it. After allowing sufficient drying time I used 2 part epoxy to hold it to the back side of the fender. No more looking like a flag in the wind and hasn't cracked or split.
Whaaat? No duct tape or paper clips? Justkiddingjustkidding.
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Old 05-01-2020, 10:17 AM   #10
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Whaaat? No duct tape or paper clips? Justkiddingjustkidding.
That would have been my fallback plan if the first repair failed.
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Old 05-01-2020, 10:29 AM   #11
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On mine I did JB Weld a small washer on the backside on all the holes while adding about an 1 1/2" of JBW around the washer. Also added a 4' x2" piece of heavy aluminum strap horizontally behind the J wrap above the wheel openings for as many screws as possible to go into. Bent pieces of the same strap to go vertically on either end of the wheel openings & each end of the slide J wrap. All this firmed up the fenders & stopped a lot of the flapping & breaking.
Sorry, got a new phone & lost the photos.
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Old 05-01-2020, 01:16 PM   #12
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<<<Whaaat? No duct tape or paper clips? Justkiddingjustkidding.>>>

I used call it "spit and baling wire".
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