Cracked Frame

[Bill]

Since you have a swing tongue, be sure to take a look at the discussion of C-channel vs L-channel in

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ad.php?t=16081

Bill

[tentcamper]

I'm wondering if some of these cracks are not from people trying to swing the hitch on the wheel with all the weight on it?

I jack up the tongue and set it on a jack stand and then unload the swing hitch and swing it. Not sure what the instructions are??

Thanks for this post, we did inspect the hitch before we bought our current trailmanor and all was good.

[DanSTL]

Originally Posted by Bill

Ray makes a really good point here - one that I hadn't even considered. I haven't talked to the factory about it, but after some reflection it seems obvious that no weight should be put on the tongue (as, for example, with the tongue jack) when the tongue is unlatched and swung open. Not only does ALL of the tongue weight (rather than half) come down on one side of the frame. But it twists the frame member sideways, in a direction that it is not designed to resist.

I have to admit I have done this myself, without even thinking. Pull the pin on the swing tongue and swing it around to the side. Then put the bogey wheel on the jackstem, crank the jack down to take the weight off the stabilizers, and move the trailer with the entire tongue weight on this out-of-position support. BAD BAD BOY! I won't do it again.

New rule, folks! If you have a swing tongue, NO WEIGHT ON IT unless the tongue is swung closed and pinned in travelling position! I just reviewed the Owners Manual, and it doesn't seem to say anything about this. But I bet it will ...

Having said all that, I have no idea whether this was the cause of PopBeaver's failure.

Bill

Reading through this , are people using the scissor jacks to hold the weight? I thought they weren’t made for holding weight?

Also once you swing hitch over without weight I’m reading it’s still not a good idea to put the weight back down on electric hitch . So how do I utilize the swing hitch safely, think answer is hydraulic jacks under the frame the whole time (or some other way to prop up), do I have it right?

[DanSTL]

Reading through this , are people using the scissor jacks to hold the weight? I thought they weren’t made for holding weight?

Also once you swing hitch over without weight I’m reading it’s still not a good idea to put the weight back down on electric hitch . So how do I utilize the swing hitch safely, think answer is hydraulic jacks under the frame the whole time (or some other way to prop up), do I have it right?

[Bill]

Originally Posted by DanSTL

Reading through this , are people using the scissor jacks to hold the weight? I thought they weren’t made for holding weight?

This is an urban legend that refuses to die. If you check the specs on the jacks (please do), you will find that they are rated to hold 5000 pounds each, and a TM has four of them. Since the entire TM weighs about 4000 pounds, packed and ready for camp, it's hard to see how you could overload them. However, although they can certainly hold the weight, I recommend that you do not use them to lift the camper up off the ground. It is OK to use them to raise the corners of the camper a couple inches as part of leveling, but if you need to change a tire, for example, use a bottle jack to raise the tire off the ground, then use the scissors jacks to hold it there.

Also once you swing hitch over without weight I’m reading it’s still not a good idea to put the weight back down on electric hitch.

As noted in the previous post, once the swing tongue is unlatched, do not put any weight on it.

So to summarize, DON'T LOAD THE TONGUE JACK AT ALL WHILE THE SWING HITCH IS OPEN.

While the swing hitch is closed, you can use the tongue jack to raise the tongue as high as you want it. Once you have it up where you want it, drop the front scissor jacks to hold it there. With weight supported on the scissors jacks, pull the tongue jack up off the ground. Once the tongue jack has no weight on it, you can open the swing hitch,and swing it over. This leaves the trailer supported on four points - the two wheels and the two front scissors jacks. Perfectly safe. If you want more stability, you can drop the two rear scissors jacks, too.

Takes longer to tell it than to do it, especially if you get a battery-powered drill to raise and lower the scissors jacks.

Bill

[DanSTL]

Thank you Bill! Much appreciated!

[Wavery]

I have a 2010 TrailManor Elkmont but the frame, axle and construction techniques are the same as all TrailManor products.

I was doing some work on my black tank and brakes when I found these cracks on both sides of my frame, just behind the axle mounting brackets. It may be that the previous owner used the stabilizer jacks to lift the trailer off the ground. Regardless, the frame should not break like this.

It might be worthwhile for all TM owners to have a look at this area on your frame as well.

[ShrimpBurrito]

Wow. Thanks for the heads up, and you're right, it definitely should not break like that, even if it was raised with the stabilizing jacks. What's your plan for a repair?

Dave

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito

Wow. Thanks for the heads up, and you're right, it definitely should not break like that, even if it was raised with the stabilizing jacks. What's your plan for a repair?

Dave

Simply drill a hole in each end of the crack, grind a notch in the crack and fill it with weld.

I think that the problem was caused by poor welds from an inexperienced welder. Hopefully TM has long since identified this problem and is doing a better job of hiring and training welders.

[Shane826]

Must be a Lippert frame with the frame flex issue seen in the new Grand Design fifth wheels.