Fender Skirts

Third year of ownership of our 2013 Big Country and third year that we have needed a new fender skirt. This year it is on the door side which is different but still, what do I need to do to keep from having to replace one every spring?
And who do I need to contact at the factory about this? I know I spoke to someone last year but I'll be darned if I can remember who...
Thanks

We have a 2015 big country both of ours are cracked and split down one of them.

The most likely cause is they flex and shake going down the road. I know mine did............so I made some brackets that bolted to some place solid to keep them from flexing. So far so good for many years.

Had similar issues with our 2011 and resolved it with rivets instead of cheap sheet metal screws. I used original brackets but larger steel (1/4") rivets. No problems since.

I've done the rivets on the brackets and all is good during the season. It's over the winter while it sits that they break. So, every spring it's time for another one. Obviously if they were made a little thicker than the average onion skin they would probably last a little longer.

Bob,

Do you happen to have any pictures of the brackets. I have just ordered new skirts for ours and we are pretty sure it is a flexing issue.

Thanks,

John

Ours started to crack around a center screw head on the right side. Looked at the left side and discovered it had brackets where the right side did not. I made a metal bracket out of a piece of metal I had. The crack extends about a third of an inch from each side of the screw head. Once the bracket was installed the crack has stabilized. A lot of traveling down America's best roads and it is stable. The plastic braces are not stiff enough, but mine was not installed at all. I checked this by looking at my friends Big Country. The rigs are almost twins.

mudmaker said:

I've done the rivets on the brackets and all is good during the season. It's over the winter while it sits that they break. So, every spring it's time for another one. Obviously if they were made a little thicker than the average onion skin they would probably last a little longer.

Click to expand...

Never had to replace one so maybe this idea is out the window. Could you take them off when you put it in storage and put them on after winter storage?
Don

I have had to replace the skirts 3 times. They have broken while setting out in the winter, never while traveling. Talked to dealer and they said they had them crack while setting on the lot. They think that water gets behind the skirts, especially at the screws, freezes and then thaws, meaning contracts and expands causing the plastic to crack. From the appearance of mine and the timing of the cracks I have had, it makes sense.

I have also thought that when the replacement skirts were put back on, if the holes didn't align with the previous holes, that pressure from the screws on the plastic might be the issue. I have a new skirt to put on right now, but have held off on doing it as it is getting expensive to replace them. I am going to look at the alignment of screws and then thinking of caulking to try and keep water out.

I wonder if spraying the backside of the skirts with some of that "as seen on TV" rubberized sealant might seal out the water from the wrong places and give the plastic some more bulk and hold it together? I haven't heard of that problem here out West, and wonder if it might indeed be a water/freeze problem.

Here's an interesting twist. Called my dealer to order another fender skirt. They have all my info as I bought it new there and I figured they and the factory would know what I needed. Ya know, because the unit has a vin number issued from the factory that corresponds with the trailer. Apparently not as the factory requested a picture of the item being ordered. Seems they don't have any record of the model and parts on it according to a vin number on the unit without a picture.
So the only way to order a factory part from the factory in which the camper was built is by providing a picture of said part.
What good is a vin if it can't even tell the factory reps what the camper is and what parts are on it?
Really makes me wonder what's going on here.

mudmaker said:

Here's an interesting twist. Called my dealer to order another fender skirt. They have all my info as I bought it new there and I figured they and the factory would know what I needed. Ya know, because the unit has a vin number issued from the factory that corresponds with the trailer. Apparently not as the factory requested a picture of the item being ordered. Seems they don't have any record of the model and parts on it according to a vin number on the unit without a picture.
So the only way to order a factory part from the factory in which the camper was built is by providing a picture of said part.
What good is a vin if it can't even tell the factory reps what the camper is and what parts are on it?
Really makes me wonder what's going on here.

Click to expand...

mudmaker,

Based on my experience with our Vin # and parts ordering, I think Heartland has pretty detailed records. But, they've also learned that the records aren't always a perfect match for what was installed. Changes are made throughout each model year and I'd guess that the database changes aren't perfectly synced with activity on the manufacturing floor. Also, things can get changed after the trailer leaves manufacturing - perhaps before you buy the unit.

So getting pictures/measurements/etc. helps to avoid sending the wrong parts.

mudmaker said:

Here's an interesting twist. Called my dealer to order another fender skirt. They have all my info as I bought it new there and I figured they and the factory would know what I needed. Ya know, because the unit has a vin number issued from the factory that corresponds with the trailer. Apparently not as the factory requested a picture of the item being ordered. Seems they don't have any record of the model and parts on it according to a vin number on the unit without a picture.
So the only way to order a factory part from the factory in which the camper was built is by providing a picture of said part.
What good is a vin if it can't even tell the factory reps what the camper is and what parts are on it?
Really makes me wonder what's going on here.

Click to expand...

My Big Horn is an early 2014. I had to replace some of the graphics. Three shipments to get the correct graphics. Turns out that the 2014 has two sets of graphics. After the second one a picture fixed the problem. It was so early it has one of the 2013 graphic sets. So from now on a picture always.

mlpeloquin said:

My Big Horn is an early 2014. I had to replace some of the graphics. Three shipments to get the correct graphics. Turns out that the 2014 has two sets of graphics. After the second one a picture fixed the problem. It was so early it has one of the 2013 graphic sets. So from now on a picture always.

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Again, the vin number should show that it has an early or late set of graphics on it. Any changes made to a new trailer before it even gets off the dealer lot should have noted information on record. Shouldn't be any different than the automobile industry or anything else for that matter with a model and vin number.
Quite possibly it's the same across the board. That consumers are complacent and accept the industry for what it is. Unfortunately the consumer is the one losing by not holding the industry to higher standards. I read and hear of so many who justify problems with components in an rv as the rv manufacturer didn't build those parts. So what. Takata built millions of faulty airbags in cars but the manufacturer who bought those is still held as a responsible party. But if someone has problems with a power converter or fridge and has a gripe with their camper company, many shrug it off as its not their fault simply because they only bought it already assembled out of the box and install in the camper. This is bunk imo. If the industry holds their supplier in higher regard then a better product will result. But we as owners of the end result are the ones who need to do the pushing back up line to make this happen. Until then we will be stuck paying tens of thousands for a camper worth tens of hundreds.
Imo.

I installed a modification today that I am hoping will help or solve this issue. I had tried using a 2 part epoxy to fix the cracks but a 50 MPH cross wind in Wyoming broke that idea. I got some angle brackets from Home Depot and used those to strengthen the Skirt. It seems to be doing the job but we will know for sure after the next trip.

New Skirts are on order but will not get here before we go. Hopefully we will know if this works or if I want a longer bracket that goes down the skirt more and gives it better support. Parts were $10, new skirts were $120, Hope this works so I do nit have to replace them again.

John

Mudmaker,

If you were to ask buyers how they ranked accuracy of an RV company's manufacturing analysis, planning and information control systems as a buying criteria, I think you'd find out why RV manufacturers don't put as much focus on this as you'd like.

danemayer said:

Mudmaker,

If you were to ask buyers how they ranked accuracy of an RV company's manufacturing analysis, planning and information control systems as a buying criteria, I think you'd find out why RV manufacturers don't put as much focus on this as you'd like.

Click to expand...

But in the long term things like this is what will make the end product better.

Good idea John. I think I'll get some 3M double sided tape and lay in on the back side of mine so it will help hold on and hold together as well.

We had to replace both fender skirts. HL sent new ones under warranty. I found our problem to be complex: The screws were over tightened on a piece of plastic (fender skirt). The fender skirt was caught on a lip of the trailer so they did not sit against the trailer wall. There were metal brackets used for stiffening which were missing or the screw heads were snapped off. When we replace the fender skirt, care full attention to placement and not over tightening the screws, adding or repairing the brackets seemed to have done the trick. Three longs trips and no cracks or looseness. We get harsh sun and cold here in Colorado winters and have seen no cracking.

Finally got the part I needed today. Factory had to special order two different ones and send them out to my dealer. I took the old one in and we matched up the right shade of brown. Wasn't that much difference really. Anyway, the right one didn't have the invoice with it so dealer said just take it and we'll figure it out later.
A long time waiting...

This Alpha Systems product is one of the best inexpensive tandem fender skirts I've seen. It will not be severely damaged or discolored even after months of exposure to the sun. It's mostly due to its effective UV-resistant coating.