@@MyBucketListDay Or when one is involved in an accident the injured party suing GD for millions. They'll sing a different tune then. This is yet another example of why this industry needs to be regulated.
IMO, Lippert should be held equally accountable as well for choosing to sell frames THEY KNOW aren't structurally sound enough to support the finished products right off the assembly lines.
At first glance looking at the pictures in the video, those welds look pretty bad. The edges of the weld should look basically straight and smooth. Those welds look cold and probably aren’t tied in to the material very well. I might would check them occasionally. I’ve never saw an rv frame but I imagine most would show the same problems. It’s hard to get good results in a fast paced work environment when welding with a mig gun. It can be done but not easily. Especially if your welding aluminum. Also when your welding on anything with wiring you need to be aware of where your welders ground cable is in relation to where your welding. You will melt wires quickly. That was a very telling video. Hope they got you back in business. Happy travels.
You should be more disturbed as those welds on the repairs look worse than I have seen from Vo-Tech students. This is insane, we were at Hershey last weekend and came Very close to purchasing a GD Momentum. So glad we are changing our plans.
Yea, that concerned me as well, but there are a lot of Amish people that work in the service area and they do not want to be filmed. Against their religion so I do respect that.
@@MyBucketListDay you bought their BS without doing a little research?!? “Most non-Amish think it's against their religion to be photographed. It's actually NOT against an Amish person's religion to be photographed. The Amish religion does, however, prohibit POSING for photographs”. Go look at RUclips. There’s videos all over the place of people filing across the entire factory. They just refused to allow you to film because they knew what was going on.
@@JColip1776 Thats A BS EXCUSE! They wouldnt allow you to record if they were Baptist, Lutheran or Mennonite! They are CRIMINALS and its high time to hold them accountable! People are going to get killed over this willful negligence!
Being used full time is not the problem. You said yours probably broke when it was delivered. Shouldnt matter if you use it once a year or everyday. In my opinon these problems started when grand design sold out to thor.
I cannot speak for the changes that resulted from new ownership, but clearly Lippert is designing , building and continues to deliver frames that do not meet the stresses they are suposed to. Broken spring hanger issues are all over YT, the industry is using components designed for utility trailers on much heavier trailers. The frame is the starting point of the build, you cannot just swap the frame like you could on your truck. The investment could lose most of its value over a bad frame.
i disagree, these junk wagons are horrible for full time living, every single component they come with is subpar, the build quality sucks, it has to be lightweight, and cheap, if i had to buy another it would be an Airstream
Thanks for the detailed report. One buys with trust that frame manufacturers and rv companies will design and build a unit with adequate or above strength. The frame, suspension and tires are the foundation and must be strong plus!!
Let the lawsuits begin. If they were smart and the frame manufacturer was smart they would do a recall in all the trailers before they get sued for people dying in accidents... this is the kind of stuff that lawyers will bury a company for
They’re already being sued. They turned down a simple solution with less than 1 hr install. So instead of helping them now guess who’s the expert witness? Lol unreal they had an opportunity to repair these and chose to tell everyone to F off.
@@jonpeterson4085 you’re talking to “the” expert witness for all the law firms. LCI had their chance to make this right and chose not to. They banked on people just bending over and accepting it. They also didn’t want to come to an agreement where all of my shops handle the repairs. So now I help the ones who are unfortunate and left stranded. They pay and they pay well. They didn’t know who they messed with.
I have seen so many videos like yours and it just seems appalling that this continues to happen. Lizamazing did a great video this week about the same issue. She used a great analogy about planes, boats and automobiles it really opened my eyes and then yours just blew me away. If your rig failed before you got to Indiana, it could have caused your truck to flip, you could have been seriously injured or worse. EndlessRving has had a lawyer on their channel a couple of times, maybe you should reach out. sounds to me like the only way the industry is going to change is force. Thanks for sharing!!
Oh my gosh!! I’m so grateful we have a Brinkley!! Also grateful you didn’t get hurt! Our Momentum was doing the very same the very same thing. GD refused to deal with us referring us to the dealer. I kept telling them the frame was busted. I was an engineer in a previous life. This should NOT be allowed to happen and I fail to understand why it’s still going on. So sorry they did so much damage to your rig. What a nightmare.
I feel so bad for you! I’m hearing more and more about Grand Design total lack of quality but they constantly rate as one of the better RV’s out there. As a future RV inspector are these issues visible without taking anything apart? Thank you for your videos.
@@TimMcmillan-k1c our first sign was the cabinetry pulling apart in the nose. Then scraping of the walls where the cabinets scraped as the rig bounced down the road. Then bolts backing out at the base of the walls in the nose and the steps now scraping the wall during travel. For the bolts you should feel along the carpet. I noticed as I was brushing the dog hair off the carpet and saw the lumps. We then noticed the pin box was slightly tilted. Just looked off camber a bit.
Wow what an eye opener for the industry and GD. Another RUclipsr has the same type of issue with a GD Momentum. I can't wait to see part 2 to see what GD did now.
Great that GD worked on your rig and fixed everything. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for water leaks. All that bodywork that was removed and then re-installed DID NOT follow the factory assembly process when that rig was put together. Also, it's harder to seal caulked joints the second time.
We ditched our Grand Design Reflection 303rls Fifth Wheel a year ago. After dealing with Customer Service giving us the run around over and over. And the CEO told us at the RV Tampa Show that don't be bringing it to their place in Indiana. We had daylight through walls, kitchen sink falling through and cabinets flying open and one drawer crashed and broke. We ended up with another brand. And the difference between Grand Design and our new RV is like night and day. Customer service is amazing. We had broken spring Hangers over and over. Lippert came to our house and fix them. Lippert said that they just make the frames to the different brands specs even if they don't agree. Lippert needs to stand up and say "no way and makes the frames the way they should be.
@laurastrong6303 Keystone Arcadia fifth wheel. We have had some small issues. But Keystone has DIY program. They send you the parts and you fix them. Like a handle broke, etc. We had a issue with our axles but Lippert sent us new axles for it. My husband is a good mechanic and he installed them. But Keystone has always been there for us.
@MyBucketListDay there is other people who own the Momentum RVs with the very same issues. The RVIA needs to be informed of this. So they can do recalls. My fear is that these RVs will totally break when going down the road and causing a very serious accident and kill some very innocent people. I pray that they do something very quickly. 1 Strange Adventure has very similar issues with their Momentum. Thank God Grand Design got your RV in and fixed it. We never had no luck talking to their Customer Service and the CEO. We switched brands. Stay safe out there
What do you mean by "ditched"? You sold it to someone if so did you tell them all the problems with the rig? If not that's not right to pass your troubles onto some other RVer. JMO
Thank you for the documentation!!! Anyone considering a Grand Design - and many other brands - needs to watch this first! I am so sorry for your and many others disappointment with most of the RV industry.
Wow, I been following g another YT issue with frame failure for the grand design. We’re close to pulling g the trigger on one, so glad we settled on the Montana 3901rk. Picking up today They were going to charge them 16k in labor alone with no guarantee on the finish product! The worst part is they are full timers. Best of luck and save travels to you!
If your picking it up today be aware that as soon as you leave the RV dealer lot you have lost all your leverage. If you have not had your RV inspected prior to you picking it up, you may be picking up a box of garbage. Even if its new! Always get your RV inspected by a third party to be sure there is nothing damaged or wrong. Keystone has had the same issues on their fifth wheels. Just trying to help, Best of luck.
We had the same problem with our 2017 Open Range. One weld broke then it started cascading. We were fortunate that insurance covered it as we were out of warranty but the repair company added a huge support beam from the pin box back to the frame and added gussets all up in the nose of the camper.
The frame manufacturer makes the frames to spec. They'll make them as strong as an RV manufacturer is willing to pay for. The problem is that the RV manufacturers overload the frames because they don't want to pay for stronger frames. It would cut into their profit margin. Someone is going to get killed for the sake of their profits.
Hey Geoff, Did Grand Design change your GVWR and Sticker, after adding more weight or metal and making your 5th wheel more structurally sound? Just a thought.. Good luck
GVWR won't change as that is max capacity for the trailer, now what they should of done was add the extra weight to the UVW sticker or removed weight from the cargo capacity sticker. All that steel and weld added to the UVW and increased the hitch weight which changes the characteristics of the trailer. So now you may be overloaded on the drive axle of the truck when it's loaded the old way with all that new weight up front, it's time to take it back to the scales to see if it's legal to drive loaded the old way or have to move things around.
This and many other negative videos about grand designs and frame problems are the exact reason why I chose to buy an alliance paradigm. Thank you for divulging that there is a problem with grand design products.
@@backtoasimplelife Do they have an Avenue or a Paradigm? So far ( knock wood) I can't find one thing wrong with my Paradigm. Went over every inch of that thing. And everything works great. Very happy so far.
This is really unacceptable! It's not being designed and engineered correctly. They are opening themselves up for lawsuits, what if you had an accident and someone was killed? Good luck, glad it's repaired now. Thanks for sharing.
@@williamcunningham1586 from what i understand from this video Lippert isn't the problem GD over loaded the frame. GD ordered a lighter weight frame to save money and weight. GD OVERLOADED AND BROKE IT.
My Dad was a welder, and as a kid, I remember him saying that a proper weld is stronger than the part it’s welded to. This stuff is ridiculous. I was looking at Grand design but glad I didn’t, went with Jayco. They have a 2 year bumper to bumper warranty, and I feel their frame is a quality design because it’s integrated with the tongue. Thanks for keeping us informed
I must have one of the 3 out of 10! I have the same 376th that is a 2019 model and it’s been trouble free, no slide or frame issues. Been across the US a few times with it on some rough roads. Other than loose trim and things I’ve accidentally broke, it’s been great. About to replace the faux leather seats that are starting to peel, but that isn’t a GD fault.
How does this new welded reinforcing steel change the weight of the Trailer and tongue weight on the truck? Looks like it would make the tongue weight heavier?
Why do so many people think Brinkley is so awesome? When Grand Design came along, everyone said they were the hest, Brinkley.us.just the new kid on the block now. Do they even make toy haulers?
We have a 2021 376THS with independent suspension. We are hoping this will minimize the jarring from the roads. I also hope we aren't one of the 7 out of 10 unlucky ones. Glad you got it fixed right this time. 👍
I used to hold Grand Design to a higher standard before your video. Thanks for sharing. I find that alot of issues people are have with there rigs most always seems in involve lippert.
Your video popped up on my feed and why am I not surprised that the rig with problems is a Grand Design! I am relatively new to RVing and I was under the impression that GD was a quality manufacturer. With your experience and those of many others, I don't think that anymore!!
They use to be good. About 6 to 8 years ago when Winnebago bought them out most of the founders left and that's when the changes to making more $$ over quality came about. Ever since then its down hill. Heck the whole RV manufacturers are buckling down to make maximum profit. Having worked at both GD and across the RV manufacturing industry they all share the same parts with just little changes here in there. Lippert uses the cheapest metal they can get ahold of to make frames with. Its not quality metal and hasn't been for 10+ years now. It's all about the money at the end of the day. The cheaper they can make units and the faster they can make it the more profits they make. They push out 5k+ frames a day easily.
This was a very useful video. I am wondering if we have the same issue with our 2021 Riverstone Legacy as I feel part of our floor becoming uneven in our front kitchen. Is this something that was all covered under your warranty or did you have to file an insurance claim with GEICO? Just trying to figure out the best way to move forward with this issue.
Tony, we have the 391FSK and that is exactly what we feel as well on the right side facing forward in the kitchen in front of the drawers and the trash can pull out. What have you done to address it?
While I was out of warranty, GD agreed to cover it under warranty due to all the slide issues I had from day one. It was determined that it had been broke from the day I took delivery. Should have been addressed then but they did not inspect it even when the slide outs kept breaking...
@7:50 mark, wait so it's GD's spec for the pinbox connection that it be welsed to 2 small 2x2 square tube member ls WITHOUT and addt'l gussets / bracing? Yikes...that sounds like it will apply to ALL 5th wheel models!
I believe your assertion about the Brinkley frame to be mistaken. The design they are using is also used in some GD models. Not your MO, but the same design is under a number of GDs. It's not at all like what Luxe has Lippert build for them, nor does Brinkley or GD inspect what they get from Lippert. This said, you're missing an important point - the Lippert quality is subpar! Their welds are terrible, their coating is junk, and what they send out of their factories would not make it past welding inspection of any other industry.
I wont argue the point on the welding, but from seeing first hand what is coming in to the Brinkley factory and through my conversation with them, it is very different than what is being delivered than the rest of the industry.
@MyBucketListDay I'll stop in next time I'm in Indiana. However, given that Ron is also on the Board at Lippert, I would take it with a grain of salt. I think Brinkley is doing a lot of good things with their models and assembly procedures, but there's still too much Lippert at the core to make them true innovators IMO.
I am glad they fixed your Rv and I hope you have no more issues with it. However adding more welds I fear will not fix your issues the whole frame is compromised in my opinion and will crack somewhere else. But hey maybe it want thanks for the video and safe travels
Sorry you had this experience with GD. I recently bought a Northwood 5th wheel. They make Arctic Fox, Fox Mountain, and Glacier Peak 5th wheels and they still build their own frames. I have never heard of a frame problem with Northwood.
I feel for you........I've gone through the frame failure myself as I've mentioned before except Forest River basically laughed at our situation and said too bad to sad, not our problem now. It explained why the exterior screws on the front of my previous 5th wheel were constantly backing themselves out, but the dealer couldn't figure out why. With our current/new 5th wheel, I am always holding my breath for when I get out of my truck after towing for what I am going to see on the camper/5th wheel. So far, after 1 year the camper/5th wheel seems to have held up. I'm always nervous and always checking the exterior fiberglass on the front of the camper. I can't wait to hear about the story you're going to tell next week.
I always knew these rigs are not made to live in and traveling full time. How many of these do they have to fix before they realize they are putting people’s lives in danger?
to every one out there remember this LET THE BUYER BEWARE . and stop trying to find the great American dream that boat left the shore and it sailed off into the big blue sea
I have a 2021 40 ft winnebago 5th wheel. It.has a forever warranty that will be in place for as long as we own it as long as we get it inspected every year. Weve had 1 problem where the fridge light burned out and they replaced the entire fridge. Winnebago was the only one we found that offered that warranty.
We bought an Arctic Fox 35. We’ve taken all over the country. We’ve had it overloaded several times. Northwood makes their frames in house and I’ve been told by one of the engineers that the frame will never crack as it’s way over built.
The money we put in these campers. The companies need to be accountable for the quality of their products and safety. If a plane or car were to fail, they would be sued. Something needs to change.
We were very close to upgrading from our 2018 travel trailer to a GD Reflection 150 but there has been so many documented issues and videos that this one was the final piece for me. Just called my sales guy at Blue Compass and told him I wasn’t going forward.
You did an amazing job explaining so much detail without a note!!! I couldn't have done that. If they are all built like that, will everyone have the same problems? I feel so badly that you have had all of those problems. Grand Design is supposed to be one of the better quality travel trailers. What year was yours built and is this a Covid issue, or just a bad design issue?
Yes, it was a covid build... As to this happening to others, everyone uses their RV differently and we have over 30k miles on ours and been across the county and back, so it has seen a lot of rough roads. So other that don't travel like that may not have the same experience.
Know I know why some of the key players at GD left and started Brinkley! They could not deal what the crap GD, was putting on the road. Geoff, what do you do now? Your rig has been patched all over and who knows what will break next! You have missed countless hours/days of relaxing time driving around and enjoying your retirement. Your subscribers/followers need to see you on the road soon......best of luck. Ciao di Roma
It's a safe bet RV manufacturers are going to continue to have their frame manufacturers supply frames that just barely meet the support requirements because at the end of the day, it's all about profit and stronger frames cost more. Wouldn't it be nice if you could order a new 5th wheel and pay extra for a "heavy duty frame" (massively over engineered) from the very start?
Speaking from experience. Just what you showed from the pictures those welds are subject to break again. They didn’t prep the steel before welding. Penetrating of said welds are not correct and would not pass a bend test. I don’t know who their welder is but that person should never weld anything that has lives at stake or needs to be structurally sound. I’d definitely take it back and demand them fix it properly by a professional welder that knows what they’re doing. I’m looking for my first RV at the moment and this has shown me what not to buy. Thanks for your info and video.
Well then let the youtubers be your voice. Help support the message and forward this video to all your RV friends. I'll stand up and take the lead if that's what folks want....
Is there a certain year. Or time period. These frames have problems. ??? I just bought a 2016 g d solitude. 369rl. It’s sagging. 2 inches from one side to the other. My dealer says. They don’t know. Seems fine going down road. But should I be worried about someone getting hurt. I’m having problems with from bedroom slide !!!!!
Its amazing the mass amount of grand design trailers that are complete trash from the factory. RUclips is full of these videos. I would never buy one of these things.
11:46 The big weld over your inserted word "The" (near top center of picture) looks cracked to me. This whole situation is disturbing, glad that you took the time to post the video.
I worked for Sunline decades ago and those frames were lightweight, poorly welded, or missing welds, the paint looked like it was applied by blowing up a paint can. We had a welder set up and touchup paint at the first station to address these issues. Plus the campers themselves were made from the cheapest materials they could buy. "America's Lightweight Leader" 🤮
Just imagine what we could fix it the money from the Infrastructure Bill was actually spent on fixing our infrastructure (Roads) instead of LGBTINEFI+ awareness and bird watching bridges in Pensilvania?
You need to know that your frame at the Axles breaks regularly . you would notice a very thin horizontal line in the I beam web at the point where the cross braces that holds the main I beams vertical from 3 ft before to 3 ft behind the axles .. The best thing is to park it at a piece of land or a lot at a trailer park for a get away destination.
I'll give a shout out to Arctic Fox and Outdoors RV. They use their own Northwood frame. It is pure beef. They may not have the fluff on the inside, but I'll take a foundation over fluff any day.
If you read the fine print I think it has a clause in the Warranty about living in or using as a resident. And it does say They are Not designed to live in or use all the time .
So my wife and I bought a 2021 grand design momentum 351 ( built in June 2020 but titled 2021 ) still paying for it , now it’s probably worth less ! Well I will keep it no problems yet , I live in Pa been to Florida 3 times, Myrtle beach 3 times !
Whoa.... thanks to you and the many, many other vloggers that have educated us to the failing Grand Design RVs!!! I will not be purchasing a GD RV. So very sorry you are have to go throught this!
Do you know if the Brinkley weighs more? With thicker metal more pieces welded in the structure I would think it would, compared to a similar camper. Also would the Brinkley be more expensive?
First thing are you towing with a short bed truck? Because with that pin box stretched out for sliding hitch can turn but it pus so much leverage on the pin box on the 5 th wheel and I always tow with a long bed dullay long bed and they ride better to, don’t know if this is a problem or not just what I’ve seen .
I have a destination trailer with no drop frames. Ive always wondered how these frames hold up over time running up and down these roads. Has to take a toll. And like you say if your on the road all the time. And in my case, Im in Ohio. Indiana to Ohio not that bad to sit in the same spot.
I find it amazing that RVs don’t have to meet strict government safety standards like any other vehicle on the road-semis, passenger cars, fire trucks, etc. Until safety standards are required things won’t improve.
It was hard to tell from the video if they grindered (grinded?) the paint from the steel before welding, and then reprimed/painted. Also, curious how much weight all that steel added (that's less beer you can carry).
How often do you have frame malfunctions on a vehicle made in the US or anywhere else? Why do so many RVs have this problem and why does government not intervene? Just asking.
My dads 2018 GD had the subframe collapse above the shackles. I replaced the subframe completely with 1/4 x2x2 and reinstalled the suspension. Just a couple of runs to Texas from Wisconsin. His 2014 needed the front frame beefed up because the hitch was sagging several inches and hitting the cap. They offered to pay me for my time and material to repair these defects after I provided documentation. I run a fab shop so that helped.
@9 min mark, point is made that these frames aren't designed for the high-use, frequent / far travel owner. But @10 min mark, admission that this 5er's frame was cracked during its maiden voyager (delivery). Holy hell...these frames are junk then!
I'm sure these issues are not just limited to GD I had an issue over a different RV manufacturer. where our RV body separated from the trailer frame... we happened to be on I70 when we noticed a cloud of smoke and the tire burst caused by the body of the RV was rubbing against the tire. they told me that our RV slipped through a recall to have these fixtures replaced. Soon as i mentioned possibly involving an attorney they stopped communicating with me They probably won't let just anyone one the factory without them watching over you.. limit where you go.. see what they want you to see cause you may see something that may open them up for litigation!
Met people in SD that we’re heading there for their appointment as well. Said they would have theirs for a month and were full time so had to rent a place to live. How horrible of an experience!
WOW!!! Incredible story, thanks for sharing it. It's all about the foundation. A weak foundation, makes everything above it weak, and you don't need an engineering degree to figure that out. The cheapest way to do things is always the most expensive way to do things, not only from a monetary stand point, in this case and may others like it, it is costing G.D. their reputation. They are not a reputable company to put the lives of their customers and the public at risk to save a few dollars. Shame on them. Shame on Lippert for putting a product out they knew was inadequate for the intended purpose to make a few dollars. In their case the customer isn't always right! Good luck with you "Re-Design"
My 2010 Heartland Cyclone 3950 did the same thing. Lippert fixed it when I brought it back to Indiana. Gave me a life time warranty They would not let me take pictures also
Excelent video. Thanks for publishing. And a big thank you for pointing out that Brinckley is the sole exception - many would not give that information. One request- I had to turn the volume up very high to be able To hear you
I’m not taking up for any company but right beside the entry door that says, the camper is designed for occasional use. Iknow that’s ridiculous but none were ever designed to live in, leave outside, go through desert heat, 30 below zero, etc. Brinkley can be used full time because they cost as much as a house, lol. There has to be something in between this high end and crappy, lol, thanks
Worked for my family’s RV business in the 90’s. It was awful being stuck between manufacturer’s shoddy workmanship and customer expectations. Ironically, an older man who was a welder in his younger days worked there when I was there. He used to always say, “If you don’t have time to do it right the first time, when are you going to have time to fix it?” R.I.P. Jackie Ned! Miss you! 👍🏼 Edit: And for the record, worked there almost a decade and can only remember a handful of customers whose expectations were unreasonable, IMO.
I am a retired pressure vessel welder with over forty years of welding experience ranging from machine shop, factory , construction and nuclear power plant work and I've worked under virtually every condition imaginable. Admittedly, the pictures you showed are not the best, but they are good enough to see that the weld repairs they have made are VERY substandard! The smartest thing you can do is sell that time bomb for whatever you can get for it, get a lawyer and contact the federal government about the safety issues that you and possibly thousands of others have been subjected to. Hopefully you have some way to prove what the company people told you about the frame design flaws and something can be done to get these off of the road before someone is killed, all in the name of saving a few dollars. The government would be the best route for forcing a recall on these RV's and a class action lawsuit would definitely be in order! Good luck, I'm afraid you're going to need a lot of it!
So sorry this happened to you. What year is your rig? Looks like my list of possible RVs just got smaller. This is a unit that I was very interested in buying. I guess I'll be looking at Brinkley a bit more now.
I have a 2020 Forest River Impression that has the same issue as well as a frame camber issue. Getting nothing but a run around from Lippert and Prime Time Industries. Was told not to pull it by a local repair company. Dangerous indeed
If the RV Manufacturers are over loading the frames then those GVWR numbers must be bogus? Who comes up with those numbers? Lippert should be assigning the gvwr of the chassis based on how they built it. Or maybe they do but it assumes a perfectly distributed load which is never going to happen in an RV, maybe it's not total weight but where the weight is located.
I noticed you have supports under your slides. From what I heard that causes problems because your RV wobbles around on suspension constantly somewhat and supporting slides stops them from shifting with the RV causing issues. I heard the only situation it has any relevance is that if you where doing a remodel to an old RV making it a permanent structure sealing the slide to the RV and adding foundation for RV. I am not sure if they are considered to be legit and I was curious if anybody has had them suggested by or just purchased them sold at a dealer
This is insane. 😤 The fact that GD knows about this issue should be enough for them to recall ALL these units. Very dangerous situation.
They will never do. recall! It would bankrupt all the manufactures. Stronger regulation on frame quality and safety would help.
@@MyBucketListDay Or when one is involved in an accident the injured party suing GD for millions. They'll sing a different tune then. This is yet another example of why this industry needs to be regulated.
IMO, Lippert should be held equally accountable as well for choosing to sell frames THEY KNOW aren't structurally sound enough to support the finished products right off the assembly lines.
At first glance looking at the pictures in the video, those welds look pretty bad. The edges of the weld should look basically straight and smooth. Those welds look cold and probably aren’t tied in to the material very well. I might would check them occasionally. I’ve never saw an rv frame but I imagine most would show the same problems. It’s hard to get good results in a fast paced work environment when welding with a mig gun. It can be done but not easily. Especially if your welding aluminum.
Also when your welding on anything with wiring you need to be aware of where your welders ground cable is in relation to where your welding. You will melt wires quickly.
That was a very telling video. Hope they got you back in business. Happy travels.
Ford Pinto comes to mind.....JS'n
You should be more disturbed as those welds on the repairs look worse than I have seen from Vo-Tech students. This is insane, we were at Hershey last weekend and came Very close to purchasing a GD Momentum. So glad we are changing our plans.
Yes, several were bad and I had them redo them.
The fact that the company won't let you film would be enough for me to know not to deal with them
Yea, that concerned me as well, but there are a lot of Amish people that work in the service area and they do not want to be filmed. Against their religion so I do respect that.
They can’t let them film because most employees are Amish and it’s against their beliefs
@@MyBucketListDay you bought their BS without doing a little research?!?
“Most non-Amish think it's against their religion to be photographed. It's actually NOT against an Amish person's religion to be photographed. The Amish religion does, however, prohibit POSING for photographs”.
Go look at RUclips. There’s videos all over the place of people filing across the entire factory. They just refused to allow you to film because they knew what was going on.
@@JColip1776 Thats A BS EXCUSE! They wouldnt allow you to record if they were Baptist, Lutheran or Mennonite! They are CRIMINALS and its high time to hold them accountable! People are going to get killed over this willful negligence!
There are other "influencers" who have been invited to film there, so that's curious.
Being used full time is not the problem. You said yours probably broke when it was delivered. Shouldnt matter if you use it once a year or everyday. In my opinon these problems started when grand design sold out to thor.
Agree, when they went from a family owned to a corporate owned, that's when everything went south.
I cannot speak for the changes that resulted from new ownership, but clearly Lippert is designing , building and continues to deliver frames that do not meet the stresses they are suposed to. Broken spring hanger issues are all over YT, the industry is using components designed for utility trailers on much heavier trailers. The frame is the starting point of the build, you cannot just swap the frame like you could on your truck. The investment could lose most of its value over a bad frame.
i disagree, these junk wagons are horrible for full time living, every single component they come with is subpar, the build quality sucks, it has to be lightweight, and cheap, if i had to buy another it would be an Airstream
Agree. This "not designed for full time" is a crock and a self-serving bad excuse and is designed to screw the buyer.
@@fredmauck6934No offense intended but I wouldn't call it an investment
Thanks for the detailed report. One buys with trust that frame manufacturers and rv companies will design and build a unit with adequate or above strength. The frame, suspension and tires are the foundation and must be strong plus!!
Thanks for the comments, yes one would think. Sadly not the case...
Let the lawsuits begin. If they were smart and the frame manufacturer was smart they would do a recall in all the trailers before they get sued for people dying in accidents... this is the kind of stuff that lawyers will bury a company for
Absolutely!!!!
You mean besides choosing the business school method of just declaring bankruptcy “protection”?
They’re already being sued. They turned down a simple solution with less than 1 hr install. So instead of helping them now guess who’s the expert witness? Lol unreal they had an opportunity to repair these and chose to tell everyone to F off.
frame manufacturer only supplies what rv maker orders
@@jonpeterson4085 you’re talking to “the” expert witness for all the law firms. LCI had their chance to make this right and chose not to. They banked on people just bending over and accepting it. They also didn’t want to come to an agreement where all of my shops handle the repairs. So now I help the ones who are unfortunate and left stranded. They pay and they pay well. They didn’t know who they messed with.
I have seen so many videos like yours and it just seems appalling that this continues to happen. Lizamazing did a great video this week about the same issue. She used a great analogy about planes, boats and automobiles it really opened my eyes and then yours just blew me away. If your rig failed before you got to Indiana, it could have caused your truck to flip, you could have been seriously injured or worse. EndlessRving has had a lawyer on their channel a couple of times, maybe you should reach out. sounds to me like the only way the industry is going to change is force. Thanks for sharing!!
Yes, I saw it. While I'm not for regulation on RV's, I am for regulation on the frames, suspension and braking systems. This needs to be addressed
Don't look for the state to do anything legislative. Too many jobs and taxes collected in Indiana.
RVs are nothing but props.
Liz is doing a great job of bringing these problems to the forefront.
Oh my gosh!! I’m so grateful we have a Brinkley!! Also grateful you didn’t get hurt! Our Momentum was doing the very same the very same thing. GD refused to deal with us referring us to the dealer. I kept telling them the frame was busted. I was an engineer in a previous life. This should NOT be allowed to happen and I fail to understand why it’s still going on. So sorry they did so much damage to your rig. What a nightmare.
Watch next week's episode, you are going to be shocked...
@@MyBucketListDay we will
Be watching. GD shame on you.
I feel so bad for you! I’m hearing more and more about Grand Design total lack of quality but they constantly rate as one of the better RV’s out there. As a future RV inspector are these issues visible without taking anything apart? Thank you for your videos.
@@TimMcmillan-k1c our first sign was the cabinetry pulling apart in the nose. Then scraping of the walls where the cabinets scraped as the rig bounced down the road. Then bolts backing out at the base of the walls in the nose and the steps now scraping the wall during travel. For the bolts you should feel along the carpet. I noticed as I was brushing the dog hair off the carpet and saw the lumps. We then noticed the pin box was slightly tilted. Just looked off camber a bit.
But was your Brinkley frame made by the same people(Lippert?) that GDs was?
Wow what an eye opener for the industry and GD. Another RUclipsr has the same type of issue with a GD Momentum. I can't wait to see part 2 to see what GD did now.
Yes, its becoming an industry wide issue. Yes next video will shock you
are you talking about PNP
Great that GD worked on your rig and fixed everything. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for water leaks. All that bodywork that was removed and then re-installed DID NOT follow the factory assembly process when that rig was put together. Also, it's harder to seal caulked joints the second time.
Thanks for the tips!
We ditched our Grand Design Reflection 303rls Fifth Wheel a year ago. After dealing with Customer Service giving us the run around over and over. And the CEO told us at the RV Tampa Show that don't be bringing it to their place in Indiana. We had daylight through walls, kitchen sink falling through and cabinets flying open and one drawer crashed and broke. We ended up with another brand. And the difference between Grand Design and our new RV is like night and day. Customer service is amazing. We had broken spring Hangers over and over. Lippert came to our house and fix them. Lippert said that they just make the frames to the different brands specs even if they don't agree. Lippert needs to stand up and say "no way and makes the frames the way they should be.
May I ask what brand you went with?
@laurastrong6303 Keystone Arcadia fifth wheel. We have had some small issues. But Keystone has DIY program. They send you the parts and you fix them. Like a handle broke, etc. We had a issue with our axles but Lippert sent us new axles for it. My husband is a good mechanic and he installed them. But Keystone has always been there for us.
You are correct, Lippert can only build what is dictated by the manufacture.
@MyBucketListDay there is other people who own the Momentum RVs with the very same issues. The RVIA needs to be informed of this. So they can do recalls. My fear is that these RVs will totally break when going down the road and causing a very serious accident and kill some very innocent people. I pray that they do something very quickly. 1 Strange Adventure has very similar issues with their Momentum. Thank God Grand Design got your RV in and fixed it. We never had no luck talking to their Customer Service and the CEO. We switched brands. Stay safe out there
What do you mean by "ditched"? You sold it to someone if so did you tell them all the problems with the rig? If not that's not right to pass your troubles onto some other RVer. JMO
Thank you for the documentation!!! Anyone considering a Grand Design - and many other brands - needs to watch this first! I am so sorry for your and many others disappointment with most of the RV industry.
Wow, I been following g another YT issue with frame failure for the grand design. We’re close to pulling g the trigger on one, so glad we settled on the Montana 3901rk. Picking up today
They were going to charge them 16k in labor alone with no guarantee on the finish product! The worst part is they are full timers.
Best of luck and save travels to you!
If your picking it up today be aware that as soon as you leave the RV dealer lot you have lost all your leverage. If you have not had your RV inspected prior to you picking it up, you may be picking up a box of garbage. Even if its new! Always get your RV inspected by a third party to be sure there is nothing damaged or wrong. Keystone has had the same issues on their fifth wheels. Just trying to help, Best of luck.
We had the same problem with our 2017 Open Range. One weld broke then it started cascading. We were fortunate that insurance covered it as we were out of warranty but the repair company added a huge support beam from the pin box back to the frame and added gussets all up in the nose of the camper.
The frame manufacturer makes the frames to spec. They'll make them as strong as an RV manufacturer is willing to pay for. The problem is that the RV manufacturers overload the frames because they don't want to pay for stronger frames. It would cut into their profit margin. Someone is going to get killed for the sake of their profits.
You are absolutely correct, that is how it works and this why all the RV manufactures are having frame issues.
Hey Geoff, Did Grand Design change your GVWR and Sticker, after adding more weight or metal and making your 5th wheel more structurally sound?
Just a thought..
Good luck
GVWR won't change as that is max capacity for the trailer, now what they should of done was add the extra weight to the UVW sticker or removed weight from the cargo capacity sticker. All that steel and weld added to the UVW and increased the hitch weight which changes the characteristics of the trailer. So now you may be overloaded on the drive axle of the truck when it's loaded the old way with all that new weight up front, it's time to take it back to the scales to see if it's legal to drive loaded the old way or have to move things around.
Did they charge you for the repair?
@@tomshute6703 maybe a NDC
This and many other negative videos about grand designs and frame problems are the exact reason why I chose to buy an alliance paradigm. Thank you for divulging that there is a problem with grand design products.
I know someone who has huge problems with their Alliance. Had to take it back to the facility three or four times.
@@backtoasimplelife Do they have an Avenue or a Paradigm? So far ( knock wood) I can't find one thing wrong with my Paradigm. Went over every inch of that thing. And everything works great. Very happy so far.
Really glad to hear. I hope it stays that way. I have high hopes for Alliance, but have found Brinkley to rise above them all in quality...
This is really unacceptable! It's not being designed and engineered correctly. They are opening themselves up for lawsuits, what if you had an accident and someone was killed?
Good luck, glad it's repaired now. Thanks for sharing.
Hope it stays repaired...
We have a Lance travel trailer and we're thinking of going fifth wheel... options were Alliance or Grand Design,but I guess we will go Brinkley 😊
You will be very happy with the Brinkley decision...
It’s just the momentum that has problems.
All the frames are built by Lippert
Luxe are built very well too. There’s a reason why a Brinkley and Luxe trailers weigh so much!
@@williamcunningham1586 from what i understand from this video Lippert isn't the problem GD over loaded the frame. GD ordered a lighter weight frame to save money and weight. GD OVERLOADED AND BROKE IT.
My Dad was a welder, and as a kid, I remember him saying that a proper weld is stronger than the part it’s welded to. This stuff is ridiculous. I was looking at Grand design but glad I didn’t, went with Jayco. They have a 2 year bumper to bumper warranty, and I feel their frame is a quality design because it’s integrated with the tongue. Thanks for keeping us informed
I must have one of the 3 out of 10! I have the same 376th that is a 2019 model and it’s been trouble free, no slide or frame issues. Been across the US a few times with it on some rough roads. Other than loose trim and things I’ve accidentally broke, it’s been great. About to replace the faux leather seats that are starting to peel, but that isn’t a GD fault.
Congratulations, your are the lucky one. I wish I was as fortunate
Don't speak to soon.
@@j_rainsgoat3929 I’ll let you know when we get back from Alaska!
Yes it is. They chose subpar suppliers and material. You wouldn't accept that failure in a $20k car.
How does this new welded reinforcing steel change the weight of the Trailer and tongue weight on the truck? Looks like it would make the tongue weight heavier?
So sorry for all your issues. Excellent advice for getting an inspection regardless of new or used. Hopefully there will be no more issues.
Crossing my fingers
Wow!! Just wow! Glad you made it back down to Florida. So, looks like you might be looking for a Brinkly...??
There is definitely a change coming, still not sure what. I'll let you know once I figure it out.
Good luck trading it in. Some dealers won’t taken trade because of this issue.
Why do so many people think Brinkley is so awesome?
When Grand Design came along, everyone said they were the hest, Brinkley.us.just the new kid on the block now. Do they even make toy haulers?
We have a 2021 376THS with independent suspension. We are hoping this will minimize the jarring from the roads. I also hope we aren't one of the 7 out of 10 unlucky ones. Glad you got it fixed right this time. 👍
I hope so too!
It is not fixed, they applied bandages and it will keep on breaking. Hopefully no one will get hurt.
Sounds like the seller made a perfectly timed brilliant decision! Congratulations to them.
I used to hold Grand Design to a higher standard before your video. Thanks for sharing. I find that alot of issues people are have with there rigs most always seems in involve lippert.
Thanks for sharing! Its not a Lippert issue. They only build what the manufacture requests from them.
Your video popped up on my feed and why am I not surprised that the rig with problems is a Grand Design! I am relatively new to RVing and I was under the impression that GD was a quality manufacturer. With your experience and those of many others, I don't think that anymore!!
They used to be, but when they were bought out by Winnebago, sadly, everything changed in quality.
@@MyBucketListDay Thanks for the reply! I am a new sub and I look forward to your follow up video.
They use to be good. About 6 to 8 years ago when Winnebago bought them out most of the founders left and that's when the changes to making more $$ over quality came about. Ever since then its down hill. Heck the whole RV manufacturers are buckling down to make maximum profit. Having worked at both GD and across the RV manufacturing industry they all share the same parts with just little changes here in there. Lippert uses the cheapest metal they can get ahold of to make frames with. Its not quality metal and hasn't been for 10+ years now. It's all about the money at the end of the day. The cheaper they can make units and the faster they can make it the more profits they make. They push out 5k+ frames a day easily.
This was a very useful video. I am wondering if we have the same issue with our 2021 Riverstone Legacy as I feel part of our floor becoming uneven in our front kitchen. Is this something that was all covered under your warranty or did you have to file an insurance claim with GEICO? Just trying to figure out the best way to move forward with this issue.
Tony, we have the 391FSK and that is exactly what we feel as well on the right side facing forward in the kitchen in front of the drawers and the trash can pull out. What have you done to address it?
While I was out of warranty, GD agreed to cover it under warranty due to all the slide issues I had from day one. It was determined that it had been broke from the day I took delivery. Should have been addressed then but they did not inspect it even when the slide outs kept breaking...
My advice would be to have that looked at. Likely the cause...
DANG Geoff!!!!! Can't wait to hear "The Rest Of The Story!"!!
You wont believe it, but it did happen, stay tuned
@7:50 mark, wait so it's GD's spec for the pinbox connection that it be welsed to 2 small 2x2 square tube member ls WITHOUT and addt'l gussets / bracing? Yikes...that sounds like it will apply to ALL 5th wheel models!
I believe your assertion about the Brinkley frame to be mistaken. The design they are using is also used in some GD models. Not your MO, but the same design is under a number of GDs. It's not at all like what Luxe has Lippert build for them, nor does Brinkley or GD inspect what they get from Lippert. This said, you're missing an important point - the Lippert quality is subpar! Their welds are terrible, their coating is junk, and what they send out of their factories would not make it past welding inspection of any other industry.
I wont argue the point on the welding, but from seeing first hand what is coming in to the Brinkley factory and through my conversation with them, it is very different than what is being delivered than the rest of the industry.
@MyBucketListDay I'll stop in next time I'm in Indiana. However, given that Ron is also on the Board at Lippert, I would take it with a grain of salt. I think Brinkley is doing a lot of good things with their models and assembly procedures, but there's still too much Lippert at the core to make them true innovators IMO.
Even the welds by GD service looked terrible. Wow.
I am glad they fixed your Rv and I hope you have no more issues with it. However adding more welds I fear will not fix your issues the whole frame is compromised in my opinion and will crack somewhere else. But hey maybe it want thanks for the video and safe travels
Sorry you had this experience with GD. I recently bought a Northwood 5th wheel. They make Arctic Fox, Fox Mountain, and Glacier Peak 5th wheels and they still build their own frames. I have never heard of a frame problem with Northwood.
I feel for you........I've gone through the frame failure myself as I've mentioned before except Forest River basically laughed at our situation and said too bad to sad, not our problem now. It explained why the exterior screws on the front of my previous 5th wheel were constantly backing themselves out, but the dealer couldn't figure out why. With our current/new 5th wheel, I am always holding my breath for when I get out of my truck after towing for what I am going to see on the camper/5th wheel. So far, after 1 year the camper/5th wheel seems to have held up. I'm always nervous and always checking the exterior fiberglass on the front of the camper.
I can't wait to hear about the story you're going to tell next week.
Yes, your going to be shocked
These RVs all need to be recalled.
Couldn't agree more...
What would the value be after all those repairs?
I so LOVE my 2005 Class A MH !!!
No issues excepting the usual wear and tear items.
Thank You Fleetwood ..... back in the day.
Thanks for sharing!
I always knew these rigs are not made to live in and traveling full time. How many of these do they have to fix before they realize they are putting people’s lives in danger?
I don't think that factors into their business model!
Wonder if their business model includes BANKRUPTCY??
to every one out there remember this LET THE BUYER BEWARE . and stop trying to find the great American dream that boat left the shore and it sailed off into the big blue sea
yes and it landed in north korea and now big chief walla walla is laughing his head off
I have a 2021 40 ft winnebago 5th wheel. It.has a forever warranty that will be in place for as long as we own it as long as we get it inspected every year. Weve had 1 problem where the fridge light burned out and they replaced the entire fridge. Winnebago was the only one we found that offered that warranty.
What do they charge you for the inspection?
They own GD!
Grand Disaster. Glad no one got hurt. This is sad craftsmanship.
Yes, lots of room for improvement.
@@MyBucketListDayhow much was this rv new?
We bought an Arctic Fox 35. We’ve taken all over the country. We’ve had it overloaded several times. Northwood makes their frames in house and I’ve been told by one of the engineers that the frame will never crack as it’s way over built.
Until the quality of rv's improves, I won't be replacing the trailer we have now.
Go look at the Brinkley, They are different.
My late husband and I were considering buying a GD a few years back because we heard they were such great quality, So glad we didn't!
Good choice! Sorry to hear about your husband. Our hearts are with you!
The money we put in these campers. The companies need to be accountable for the quality of their products and safety. If a plane or car were to fail, they would be sued. Something needs to change.
agree..
We were very close to upgrading from our 2018 travel trailer to a GD Reflection 150 but there has been so many documented issues and videos that this one was the final piece for me.
Just called my sales guy at Blue Compass and told him I wasn’t going forward.
These things aren't uncommon. It's what I expect from every stick and staple builder.
Well said
You did an amazing job explaining so much detail without a note!!! I couldn't have done that. If they are all built like that, will everyone have the same problems? I feel so badly that you have had all of those problems. Grand Design is supposed to be one of the better quality travel trailers. What year was yours built and is this a Covid issue, or just a bad design issue?
Yes, it was a covid build... As to this happening to others, everyone uses their RV differently and we have over 30k miles on ours and been across the county and back, so it has seen a lot of rough roads. So other that don't travel like that may not have the same experience.
Know I know why some of the key players at GD left and started Brinkley! They could not deal what the crap GD, was putting on the road. Geoff, what do you do now? Your rig has been patched all over and who knows what will break next! You have missed countless hours/days of relaxing time driving around and enjoying your retirement. Your subscribers/followers need to see you on the road soon......best of luck. Ciao di Roma
You said it buddy, I'm missing the open road.
It's a safe bet RV manufacturers are going to continue to have their frame manufacturers supply frames that just barely meet the support requirements because at the end of the day, it's all about profit and stronger frames cost more. Wouldn't it be nice if you could order a new 5th wheel and pay extra for a "heavy duty frame" (massively over engineered) from the very start?
They should have just replaced it.
That would have been nice, but once you see next weeks episode, you'll be shocked at what happened next.
@@MyBucketListDay Well then I had better subscribe! Done deal, looking forward to your next episode.
Speaking from experience. Just what you showed from the pictures those welds are subject to break again. They didn’t prep the steel before welding. Penetrating of said welds are not correct and would not pass a bend test. I don’t know who their welder is but that person should never weld anything that has lives at stake or needs to be structurally sound. I’d definitely take it back and demand them fix it properly by a professional welder that knows what they’re doing. I’m looking for my first RV at the moment and this has shown me what not to buy. Thanks for your info and video.
If you don't have a RUclips channel you are screwed. That's the only people they bend over backwards to help, everyone else can go pound sand.
Well then let the youtubers be your voice. Help support the message and forward this video to all your RV friends. I'll stand up and take the lead if that's what folks want....
Is there a certain year. Or time period. These frames have problems. ??? I just bought a 2016 g d solitude. 369rl. It’s sagging. 2 inches from one side to the other. My dealer says. They don’t know. Seems fine going down road. But should I be worried about someone getting hurt. I’m having problems with from bedroom slide !!!!!
Its amazing the mass amount of grand design trailers that are complete trash from the factory. RUclips is full of these videos. I would never buy one of these things.
It is a growing trend
11:46 The big weld over your inserted word "The" (near top center of picture) looks cracked to me. This whole situation is disturbing, glad that you took the time to post the video.
Note to self, never buy anything built in Indiana !
That would help avoid issues for all the popular brand RV's
I worked for Sunline decades ago and those frames were lightweight, poorly welded, or missing welds, the paint looked like it was applied by blowing up a paint can. We had a welder set up and touchup paint at the first station to address these issues.
Plus the campers themselves were made from the cheapest materials they could buy. "America's Lightweight Leader" 🤮
Our roads in America are disgraceful just imagine what we could fix if we got all our money back from Ukraine
Just imagine what we could fix it the money from the Infrastructure Bill was actually spent on fixing our infrastructure (Roads) instead of LGBTINEFI+ awareness and bird watching bridges in Pensilvania?
The money is not in Ukraine, it’s in sleepy Joe’s garage!
You need to know that your frame at the Axles breaks regularly . you would notice a very thin horizontal line in the I beam web at the point where the cross braces that holds the main I beams vertical from 3 ft before to 3 ft behind the axles .. The best thing is to park it at a piece of land or a lot at a trailer park for a get away destination.
I'll give a shout out to Arctic Fox and Outdoors RV. They use their own Northwood frame. It is pure beef.
They may not have the fluff on the inside, but I'll take a foundation over fluff any day.
If you read the fine print I think it has a clause in the Warranty about living in or using as a resident. And it does say They are Not designed to live in or use all the time .
if thats the case,then thats the loophole that will get GD out the shit
Thanks for sharing this information! This is happening way to often to many people! The frames and axles are inferior! 😬
Agreed
So my wife and I bought a 2021 grand design momentum 351 ( built in June 2020 but titled 2021 ) still paying for it , now it’s probably worth less ! Well I will keep it no problems yet , I live in Pa been to Florida 3 times, Myrtle beach 3 times !
Whoa.... thanks to you and the many, many other vloggers that have educated us to the failing Grand Design RVs!!! I will not be purchasing a GD RV. So very sorry you are have to go throught this!
Thanks, Yes I would only look at Brinkley for Travel Trailers or 5th wheels. The rest are junk
Do you know if the Brinkley weighs more? With thicker metal more pieces welded in the structure I would think it would, compared to a similar camper. Also would the Brinkley be more expensive?
Thanks your for your time making this and getting the word out. Because of all these videos that have come out, I’ll never buy a GD fifth wheel.
Good then we are helping folks save money and stress. Buy a Brinkley instead, yes, they are a tad more money but well worth the quality.
First thing are you towing with a short bed truck? Because with that pin box stretched out for sliding hitch can turn but it pus so much leverage on the pin box on the 5 th wheel and I always tow with a long bed dullay long bed and they ride better to, don’t know if this is a problem or not just what I’ve seen .
I have a destination trailer with no drop frames. Ive always wondered how these frames hold up over time running up and down these roads. Has to take a toll. And like you say if your on the road all the time. And in my case, Im in Ohio. Indiana to Ohio not that bad to sit in the same spot.
I find it amazing that RVs don’t have to meet strict government safety standards like any other vehicle on the road-semis, passenger cars, fire trucks, etc. Until safety standards are required things won’t improve.
You are correct, no standards... Wish someone would pick up the ball on that one and take it to the endzone.
Most trailers sit in a parking lot/campground/rv park. If you want the structure of a prevost, get ready to pay 20x the cost of this 5th wheel.
It was hard to tell from the video if they grindered (grinded?) the paint from the steel before welding, and then reprimed/painted. Also, curious how much weight all that steel added (that's less beer you can carry).
By adding more metal such as support beams are they not making the rig heavier?
Are there no suspension upgrades that might be able to take the harsh ride/vibrations out of the trailer?
How often do you have frame malfunctions on a vehicle made in the US or anywhere else? Why do so many RVs have this problem and why does government not intervene? Just asking.
My dads 2018 GD had the subframe collapse above the shackles. I replaced the subframe completely with 1/4 x2x2 and reinstalled the suspension.
Just a couple of runs to Texas from Wisconsin.
His 2014 needed the front frame beefed up because the hitch was sagging several inches and hitting the cap.
They offered to pay me for my time and material to repair these defects after I provided documentation.
I run a fab shop so that helped.
Yes, sadly this has been going on for a long time.
I would not feel safe, even with the repairs made. Goodluck moving forward.
I feel confidant that part of the frame is solid, the rest, not sure!
They got to keep the shareholders rich and happy, who cares about the people that spend the money and trust that they will be safe and happy.
@9 min mark, point is made that these frames aren't designed for the high-use, frequent / far travel owner. But @10 min mark, admission that this 5er's frame was cracked during its maiden voyager (delivery). Holy hell...these frames are junk then!
I'm sure these issues are not just limited to GD
I had an issue over a different RV manufacturer. where our RV body separated from the trailer frame... we happened to be on I70 when we noticed a cloud of smoke and the tire burst caused by the body of the RV was rubbing against the tire.
they told me that our RV slipped through a recall to have these fixtures replaced.
Soon as i mentioned possibly involving an attorney they stopped communicating with me
They probably won't let just anyone one the factory without them watching over you.. limit where you go.. see what they want you to see
cause you may see something that may open them up for litigation!
Met people in SD that we’re heading there for their appointment as well. Said they would have theirs for a month and were full time so had to rent a place to live. How horrible of an experience!
Yes, they I;m sure when through the same thing. Had to rent a hotel for a month.
The same thing happened to my Arctic fox truck camper 1x2" is the size of the pine wood support for the 3' that are not supported by the truck bed.
WOW!!! Incredible story, thanks for sharing it. It's all about the foundation. A weak foundation, makes everything above it weak, and you don't need an engineering degree to figure that out. The cheapest way to do things is always the most expensive way to do things, not only from a monetary stand point, in this case and may others like it, it is costing G.D. their reputation. They are not a reputable company to put the lives of their customers and the public at risk to save a few dollars. Shame on them. Shame on Lippert for putting a product out they knew was inadequate for the intended purpose to make a few dollars. In their case the customer isn't always right! Good luck with you "Re-Design"
The picture I see it don’t look like the paint was cleaned before the welding . That burning paint will weakening the weld .
have seen frame issues on Grand Design 5th wheels on so many channels that it is insane. And they are just the ones we hear about!
I have heard that alot lately
There needs to be a recall and inspection on this issue
Agree on the recall.
My 2010 Heartland Cyclone 3950 did the same thing.
Lippert fixed it when I brought it back to Indiana.
Gave me a life time warranty
They would not let me take pictures also
Is this problem only with momentum’s?
Wow, seen more and more videos of people having these problems. So glad we have an older coach built when they built them like a tank.
Yes, your lucky...
So do you think that your frame issues started about the time that your slides failed?
Wow great video ….thanks for this info!!!!!
Glad it was helpful!
Excelent video. Thanks for publishing. And a big thank you for pointing out that Brinckley is the sole exception - many would not give that information. One request- I had to turn the volume up very high to be able
To hear you
As to the volume, You were watching on your TV through ROKU or Firestick??
No, it is cable direct to smart TV on youtube. Just seemed strange that your volume was lower- still could hear it.
I’m not taking up for any company but right beside the entry door that says, the camper is designed for occasional use. Iknow that’s ridiculous but none were ever designed to live in, leave outside, go through desert heat, 30 below zero, etc. Brinkley can be used full time because they cost as much as a house, lol. There has to be something in between this high end and crappy, lol, thanks
What a nightmare! You should get all your money back!
Worked for my family’s RV business in the 90’s. It was awful being stuck between manufacturer’s shoddy workmanship and customer expectations. Ironically, an older man who was a welder in his younger days worked there when I was there. He used to always say, “If you don’t have time to do it right the first time, when are you going to have time to fix it?” R.I.P. Jackie Ned! Miss you! 👍🏼 Edit: And for the record, worked there almost a decade and can only remember a handful of customers whose expectations were unreasonable, IMO.
I'd love to sit around the fire with you drinking a beer and listening to all the stories...
I am a retired pressure vessel welder with over forty years of welding experience ranging from machine shop, factory , construction and nuclear power plant work and I've worked under virtually every condition imaginable. Admittedly, the pictures you showed are not the best, but they are good enough to see that the weld repairs they have made are VERY substandard! The smartest thing you can do is sell that time bomb for whatever you can get for it, get a lawyer and contact the federal government about the safety issues that you and possibly thousands of others have been subjected to. Hopefully you have some way to prove what the company people told you about the frame design flaws and something can be done to get these off of the road before someone is killed, all in the name of saving a few dollars. The government would be the best route for forcing a recall on these RV's and a class action lawsuit would definitely be in order! Good luck, I'm afraid you're going to need a lot of it!
well i can say is a big fat WTF
So sorry this happened to you. What year is your rig?
Looks like my list of possible RVs just got smaller. This is a unit that I was very interested in buying. I guess I'll be looking at Brinkley a bit more now.
My suggestion is only consider the Brinkley
I have a 2020 Forest River Impression that has the same issue as well as a frame camber issue. Getting nothing but a run around from Lippert and Prime Time Industries. Was told not to pull it by a local repair company. Dangerous indeed
I'm so amazed at how many are coming forward with all these issues.
If the RV Manufacturers are over loading the frames then those GVWR numbers must be bogus? Who comes up with those numbers? Lippert should be assigning the gvwr of the chassis based on how they built it. Or maybe they do but it assumes a perfectly distributed load which is never going to happen in an RV, maybe it's not total weight but where the weight is located.
I noticed you have supports under your slides. From what I heard that causes problems because your RV wobbles around on suspension constantly somewhat and supporting slides stops them from shifting with the RV causing issues. I heard the only situation it has any relevance is that if you where doing a remodel to an old RV making it a permanent structure sealing the slide to the RV and adding foundation for RV. I am not sure if they are considered to be legit and I was curious if anybody has had them suggested by or just purchased them sold at a dealer
Actually not sure.
WOW, crazy. There should be a recall and if no recall, class action lawsuit.
I'm so glad that I got rid of my fifth wheel but scared to death traveling down the same roads with these timebombs.