3650BH Structural Design change - Additional Reinforcement Required!!

[kevinjordan]

Additional reinforcement needs to be added on the passenger side, immediately below the bedroom slide front corner. It appears they thought that a little bit of fiberglass would support the trailer. Nice try with the expansion joint, but it failed miserably. This lack of reinforcement had caused a stress crack to form from the front corner of the bedroom slide on the trailer I have owned for a little over 1 year.
Quit trying to cut corners & weight. Needs to be structurally sound!!
BTW, I expect to be contacted by you as to how you are going to fix my 5th wheel.

Kevin Jordan
API 510/570 Inspector
225-931-2260
kevinjordan.510@gmail.com
//heartlandowners.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=38029&stc=1

 

[jmgratz]

Additional reinforcement needs to be added on the passenger side, immediately below the bedroom slide front corner. It appears they thought that a little bit of fiberglass would support the trailer. Nice try with the expansion joint, but it failed miserably. This lack of reinforcement had caused a stress crack to form from the front corner of the bedroom slide on the trailer I have owned for a little over 1 year.
Quit trying to cut corners & weight. Needs to be structurally sound!!
BTW, I expect to be contacted by you as to how you are going to fix my 5th wheel.

Kevin Jordan
API 510/570 Inspector
225-931-2260
kevinjordan.510@gmail.com
//heartlandowners.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=38029&stc=1

I think the best thing you can do is contact Heartland Customer Service. Have the last 6 of your vin ready and photos of the issue. Be nice and if you need to ask to speak to a supervisor. BTW Heartland has just opened up a new customer service facility at the factory which can handle issues like you are showing. Looks to me like you could have a frame flexing issue but again I am not an expert. Good luck.

 

[Realist]

I believe that your inspection analysis is incorrect.
No that piece of fiberglass is not intended to support any weight.
The expansion joint is not meant to be effective when something breaks.
Like jmgratz mentioned it sounds like frame flex. That's a fancy term for broken welds on the frame.
Don't expect a call, make the call to Heartland Customer Service and explain the situation. Have your VIN handy and be prepared to submit some pictures.
A good attitude will go a long way in getting this resolved.
realist

 

[danemayer]

As Jim said, call Heartland Customer Service at 877-262-8032 / 574-262-8030. Have your VIN # ready. Be prepared to email the photo. Customer Service will advise you on next steps.

 

[Onthegojoe]

I was wondering what ever came about with this issue. My gateway 3700 ptb has a crack in the same place. Mine is much smaller but just wondering how it was resolved. Thanks in advance.

 

[Bones]

Yeah. I'm curious about this too

 

[cookie]

I was wondering what ever came about with this issue. My gateway 3700 ptb has a crack in the same place. Mine is much smaller but just wondering how it was resolved. Thanks in advance.

I recommend that you follow the advice given to the OP (Original Poster), contact Heartland Customer Service. 877-262-8032 / 574-262-8030
It seems that HL will, if evidenced by pictures and information, repair the problem.
As far as if the OP's problem was resolved, he/she has not visited this forum since making the post on 6/29/2015. We may never know.

Peace
Dave

 

[GWRam]

Yeah. I'm curious about this too

Bones, Onthegojoe,

I believe if your having the cracked fiberglass problem the best thing you can do is what has been previously suggested call heartland with vin number and having a few photos ready to email will really help.

Our Story,
My wife noticed our crack by the master slide out as we were setting up at the Goshen rally last summer. At that point it was about 3/4" long. The rally service desk sent a team of 4 over to inspect. (They had us hitch and unhitch while watching the change in the crack).
They said we were safe to continue but we should get on the schedule at the new Heartland service center to have repairs made. They sealed over the crack to keep water out till repairs could be done. As we continued our travels we kept adding to the sealant as the crack grew longer and longer. Ended up about 3" long by time repairs were done. We took the unit to Heartland in Sept as scheduled and two weeks later picked up unit, no more cracks.

Heartland was fantastic in helping us.
Hope that info helps.

Dave

 

[Bones]

I recommend that you follow the advice given to the OP (Original Poster), contact Heartland Customer Service. 877-262-8032 / 574-262-8030
It seems that HL will, if evidenced by pictures and information, repair the problem.
As far as if the OP's problem was resolved, he/she has not visited this forum since making the post on 6/29/2015. We may never know.

Peace
Dave

Thanks Dave