Trailer Skirting/fenders flapping in the wind......

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Wayno

Member
We have a 2011 NT30RLSS TT. Noticed on a trip to the coast that the skirting/fenders were really flapping in a strong cross wind. Upon arrival at the camp ground, 3 screws had pulled through above the wheels. This skirting is very flimmsey and not secured to the trailer very well. I got some L Brackets and bolted them to the flange of the skirting and screwed to the bottom of the floor. Sealed up everything. Now it won't move at all. It took a couple of hours and under $20. The screws that pulled through, I just got some fender washers, painted them white and re-screwed them. Everything seems much more secure now. Heartland QC really dropped the ball on this. This was a no-brainer......
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Yes and no on the "no brainer". Our Horn was that way also. I made some brackets to stiffen up the fender flairs and installed longer screws. If you check most RV's are made that way. Might be a reason....I don't know. Never had one blow off but does make ya kinda nervious.
 

irvin56

Well-known member
Mine on the door side is missing. It cracked and last 3/4 of it. It's along some highway south of Calgary. need to order a new one and will be putting brackets like you both mentioned on them also. Yes that is a bad design, with no reason they can not attach a bracket on the production line.
 

TXBobcat

Fulltime
I have had a similar problem with my fender skirts. No mater what I have done can I keep them from cracking.

I saw a 5th wheel that had metal fender skirts. Only I don't know where to find ones that would fit my Bighorn.

If Heartland knows where I can find a set for my trailer I would buy them and then paint them.

BC

P.S.. I found something about a Copper Canyon that stated it had painted metal skirting called "Tough guard painted skirt metal".
I also see that Keystone has this on a lot of their trailers.....
 
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Birchwood

Well-known member
My Landmark had the brackets but Heartland never bothered attaching them to the fenders.There
were a few cracks around the screw holes and I gooped behind them and have been ok since.
Wonder what it would cost to manufacture an RV that is fully assembled??
 

TeJay

Well-known member
I noticed our 24-RBS doing the same thing on our way home from the dealership. The entire plastic skirt all along the bottom but especially over the wheels is very flimsy. I took some 1/2" insulating foam board that had a backing on both sides (which helps to stiffen the foam), cut them to fit and used silicone and small clamps to apply pressure until the silicone hardened. It really helps because you can cut and file the foam to fit very close to all the curves. I also sealed the edges with silicone to add additional sticking power. I did not have to drill any additional holes in the skirt for screws. If one wanted additional support at the weakest areas you could attach a bracket to the foam board using large thin washers, small bolts and sink them into the foam. Then attach the other end to the coach. The skirts are much stiffer and they do not flap in the breeze which they did before.
 

caissiel

Senior Member
We pay the full price to manufacture a good RV, its the complaining we don't do enough and workers are not responsible for a quality product. If it looks good its suppose to be good, well its not what I look for in my products that I make, it has to be well made and attractive to the customer.
No wonder everything is done in China now.
We need to put care and pride in the everyday assembly line worker that is the front line of a good product.
My brother-in-law use to work for Ford and they took all the inspecters off the line and told every employer to inspect the previous work done and stop the line if there was a mistake. Well they said that the line would never run, well the plant became the most efficient and best quality plant Ford had, because no one wanted to be the reason to stop the line.
 

TeJay

Well-known member
If you are a retired teacher you will probably understand this. The current grading system A,B,C,D,F condones and encourages below average work. In a perfect society where all families supported education it would work and did for many years but it fails now. The top 5-10% will do well but they would do well under most systems. They have support from home and will succeed. The kids of today for the most part are encouraged to do below average work by the system. They do what they have to to get credit. They are not concerned about doing the best that they can. They work for the grade. I saw it for my 35 years as a teacher. Society operates differently. Meet the bosses expectations or loose your job. There are no grades. Factory workers do as little as they can to get by. If you hire me to change your four tires will you be happy if I get 90% of the lug nuts back on and torqued or do you want 100%???? I think you get my point. Complete the assignments to meet an acceptable guideline. If not do it over until it does.
Why do we keep grades???????? For two reasons to explain to parents why Johnny failed and for colleges. The general public does not understand that since 1950 only 20% of all jobs require a college education and that is still true today.
I know I'm off the thread a bit but QC is a problem and so is getting quality workers who care.
 
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