Wheel well skirts

We have a 2011 Heartland Bighorn Model 3070RL. The wheel fender skirts on the slide outs are terrible design. The area where the screws go to hold the skirt in place on slide outs is thin plastic which easily breaks or cracks. We have had to replace 3 on door side and now have to replace our 3rd on drivers side with the door side showing signed of needing to be replaced again. We've also had two recent blowouts and wonder if this could be related to the skirts. Is there a fix to keep this from happening or another type of replacement/aftermarket skirt that does not break? We just cannot keep paying to replace them. We're looking at new RV's but this is a big issue with the Heartlands because all these fender skirts look just like the ones we currently have. Thoughts please?
 

boatto5er

Founding VA Chap Ldr (Ret)
You can put small washers under the screw heads to help stop cracking. I doubt the skirts have anything to do with blowouts. What brand tire are you running?


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Gary521

Well-known member
In most cases, the reason for cracking is that the support pieces that attach the skirt to the trailer are non-existent or poorly designed. These supports keep the skirt from moving in the wind. May need to do some fab work.
 
Tires are Maxxis M8008 LT 265/70R/18 but my problem is the skirts. Using washers, rubber and stainless, just broke off larger pieces of plastic. I'm getting ready to purchase my 8th skirt in 5 years. Just looking to see if anyone knew of an alternative skirt that will work. This terrible design is costing owners a bundle. According to service manages I'm not the only one with this problem.
 

aRAYwego

Well-known member
I took both my fenders off the trailer and flipped them over. Used a fiberglass repair kit (fiber cloth and resin) to reinforce all the screw holes. No problems since.
 

ksucats

Well-known member
Resurrecting this thread -- My coach is currently in the shop for new fender skirts to be painted and installed -- second time under warranty. I saw in the postings that someone had noted the lack of anything behind them to provide support, another removed theirs and strengthened them up using a fiber glass repair kit. So,my question - does anyone know if the new ones been improved any?
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
Resurrecting this thread -- My coach is currently in the shop for new fender skirts to be painted and installed -- second time under warranty. I saw in the postings that someone had noted the lack of anything behind them to provide support, another removed theirs and strengthened them up using a fiber glass repair kit. So,my question - does anyone know if the new ones been improved any?

Short answer, no.

I just received new skirts under warranty for our Big Country, they are identical to the one that cracked and broke. However, that skirt (off door) did not have support to keep it from flopping in the wind. (Door side has support, no cracking.)

A few Heartland members made a quick support out of a piece of scrap aluminum at the Sweetheart rally, and replaced the skirt while DH was at work. I rode behind him home in the car, and that fender didn't budge!

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dlw930

Well-known member
Loose screws and flopping fenders were a constant problem on our Landmark. Last September, I made a support bracket from a piece of aluminum strap for the DS fender since one had never been installed. I also removed all the screws and put clear silicone caulk on the threads (Gorilla glue would also work) and reinstalled. To finish the job, I ran a bead of clear silicone around the top of the fenders where they contacted the side of the rig. We've travelled 5 or 6 thousand miles since and not a single screw has loosened, and no more visible fender flexing.


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sengli

Well-known member
I did the fiberglass repair routine on mine. Seems to have stiffened hem up quite a lot. These are pretty thin plastic.
 

rockerdude

Member
We have a 2011 Heartland Bighorn Model 3070RL. The wheel fender skirts on the slide outs are terrible design. The area where the screws go to hold the skirt in place on slide outs is thin plastic which easily breaks or cracks. We have had to replace 3 on door side and now have to replace our 3rd on drivers side with the door side showing signed of needing to be replaced again. We've also had two recent blowouts and wonder if this could be related to the skirts. Is there a fix to keep this from happening or another type of replacement/aftermarket skirt that does not break? We just cannot keep paying to replace them. We're looking at new RV's but this is a big issue with the Heartlands because all these fender skirts look just like the ones we currently have. Thoughts please?


Hi there, You say you had the wheel well skirts replaced 3 times? I was wondering where you found the replacements? Both of mine have cracked in a few spots around a few screws, but now the paint has chipped and coming off one of them. So I was wondering how much they were, if the extended warranty would cover them or just try and fix them myself. Thanks
 

violinini1

Active Member
Loose screws and flopping fenders were a constant problem on our Landmark. Last September, I made a support bracket from a piece of aluminum strap for the DS fender since one had never been installed. I also removed all the screws and put clear silicone caulk on the threads (Gorilla glue would also work) and reinstalled. To finish the job, I ran a bead of clear silicone around the top of the fenders where they contacted the side of the rig. We've travelled 5 or 6 thousand miles since and not a single screw has loosened, and no more visible fender flexing.


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David,
Do you have pictures of your repair to the fenders. I am interested in doing the same thing.
Thank you,
 

rhodies1

Well-known member
We have a 2011 Heartland Bighorn Model 3070RL. The wheel fender skirts on the slide outs are terrible design. The area where the screws go to hold the skirt in place on slide outs is thin plastic which easily breaks or cracks. We have had to replace 3 on door side and now have to replace our 3rd on drivers side with the door side showing signed of needing to be replaced again. We've also had two recent blowouts and wonder if this could be related to the skirts. Is there a fix to keep this from happening or another type of replacement/aftermarket skirt that does not break? We just cannot keep paying to replace them. We're looking at new RV's but this is a big issue with the Heartlands because all these fender skirts look just like the ones we currently have. Thoughts please?


Go to your local hardware store and purchase a spray can of the expandable window sealant used in homes,spray the back side of the skirts,any excess can be trimmed with a knife.This stiffens them up greatly.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
I've added a think layer of JB Weld epoxy on the back of the fender by each screw hole - about 2.5-3" wide. Covered the epoxy with Gorilla Tape. While the epoxy is still setting, I poke the screw through the hole.

The epoxy spreads the load across the wider area. On the last set of fenders where the cracks were getting pretty long, I arrested the cracking with that technique. Over 2 or 3 years I had no additional cracks and no widening of the existing cracks.

Last fall I replaced the fenders and applied the epoxy and tape before mounting them. Since then I've put about 5,000 miles on the rig, much of it at 70 mph. No issues. I also have braces installed.
 

travelin2

Pennsylvania Chapter Leaders-retired
I reinforced the existing one and added another to each side
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