Frame Failure

[Reng8d]

Over the Labor Day weekend, we traveled to Colorado and when we arrived at our site and was setting up, my DW went to move the living area slide out and we heard this awful pop, I looked at how we were parked and thought we may be twisted a bit due to the pad being totally unlevel so I hooked back up an adjusted our level. She went to let the slide out and there was that awful pop and jerking of the slide. I looked underneath again and saw our frame was totally tweaked. Our 2015 FR WIldcat 344QB is at the dealership now (yes we made it home and to the dealer), so we are waiting to see what the next step is. The frame on this FR is a NXG from BAL (Nordic Manufacturing I believe).

[Reng8d]

Thanks for the good advice...I did take some pictures but most of the repair is under the belly cover...I do need to reinspect the shackles for cracks and the frame where it did crack around one of the bolts...

[plock40]

just to add to this problem, check your shackles also, my rear shackle on rear axle broke completely off, checked rest of them and they all were cracked, 300 miles into start of trip to east coast. yes I've jackknife and turn sharp in camp ground, what can you do. 2005 cardinal 29ft.

[GottaRunGottaCa]

I would suggest getting under your camper and inspecting the repaired work, then take a lot of pictures, and then more pictures, then take it out for a 30 mile loop, bring it back and make sure you put under some kind of stress (close to jack knife while backing in your drive way), then get back under the camper and re-inspect.
Good luck and I hope every thing works out!

[Reng8d]

Our Wildcat is supposedly repaired and is parked in the RV pad at home....problem is I am afraid to take it out for fear of the frame failing again and hurting the family....good thing is, it isn't the season nor do we have the time...

[laknox]

Me Again wrote:

WeBeFulltimers wrote:

Reng8d wrote:

mayo30 wrote:
Look at the axle and u bolts.Better prepare a reply for "severe jack knifing is the cause".How is the tire wear?The tire looks to be touching also or very close to it,probably hit you with overloading comments too.

I hear you...have to get to a real close 90 to get it parked on the pad at home, but definetly no jack knifing and most definelty no overloading, we keep to the bare essentials for weekend trips. I don't even carry any water in the holding tank, can't see carrying the extra weight...

Although "a real close 90" is technically not a "jack knife" it does put a severe twist on your axles the same as a jack knife. As a retired trucker of 20 years I have seen the damage that can be done even to commercial trailer suspensions if loaded and put under such stress. I avoid at all cost going over a 45 when backing mine. There is always another way of getting in that spot or find another more suitable spot.

Wetting the surface or a little sand thrown down will help the tires skid around.

I've seen a couple guys that had a 5 gal bucket of sand in the back of their truck for just this purpose.

Lyle

[Me_Again]

WeBeFulltimers wrote:

Reng8d wrote:

mayo30 wrote:
Look at the axle and u bolts.Better prepare a reply for "severe jack knifing is the cause".How is the tire wear?The tire looks to be touching also or very close to it,probably hit you with overloading comments too.

I hear you...have to get to a real close 90 to get it parked on the pad at home, but definetly no jack knifing and most definelty no overloading, we keep to the bare essentials for weekend trips. I don't even carry any water in the holding tank, can't see carrying the extra weight...

Although "a real close 90" is technically not a "jack knife" it does put a severe twist on your axles the same as a jack knife. As a retired trucker of 20 years I have seen the damage that can be done even to commercial trailer suspensions if loaded and put under such stress. I avoid at all cost going over a 45 when backing mine. There is always another way of getting in that spot or find another more suitable spot.

Wetting the surface or a little sand thrown down will help the tires skid around.

[WeBeFulltimers]

Reng8d wrote:

mayo30 wrote:
Look at the axle and u bolts.Better prepare a reply for "severe jack knifing is the cause".How is the tire wear?The tire looks to be touching also or very close to it,probably hit you with overloading comments too.

I hear you...have to get to a real close 90 to get it parked on the pad at home, but definetly no jack knifing and most definelty no overloading, we keep to the bare essentials for weekend trips. I don't even carry any water in the holding tank, can't see carrying the extra weight...

Although "a real close 90" is technically not a "jack knife" it does put a severe twist on your axles the same as a jack knife. As a retired trucker of 20 years I have seen the damage that can be done even to commercial trailer suspensions if loaded and put under such stress. I avoid at all cost going over a 45 when backing mine. There is always another way of getting in that spot or find another more suitable spot.

[shadows4]

Also don't forget to get some pics of the repair in progress if you can. Again thanks for the update and I hope the on site repair will be successful for you. Good luck, John

[minnow]

Thanks for keeping your saga updated. I'll be interested to hear if the technicians are able to fix this on site.

[Reng8d]

Update on the failed frame. I spoke with a NORCO Rep and they are ordering new rails and will send two technicians out to NM early November and try and fix the frame on site. If they can't fix it on site, then they plan to make it "road worthy" and pull it back to Elkhart,

[greende]

minnow wrote:
Very interested in the Mor Ryde X-Factor. Would I need to add two of these for a dual axle ?

Ideally you should have three. 1) Front Shackle 2) Rear Shackle and 3) Center equalizer Shackle. Minimum Front & Rear.

[minnow]

Very interested in the Mor Ryde X-Factor. Would I need to add two of these for a dual axle ?

[Reng8d]

I was contacted by our service rep and he said a NORCO rep and a transport are coming to look at the frame....transport is in case he can't fix it on site...my best guess it is being transported...

[talonhead]

WNYBob wrote:
This is an example of bad or non-existent engineering!
Putting a suspension on spacers is asking for issues like this, what is needed is a suspension sub-frame.

t

I was thinking the same thing!