How common is this type of damage?

[RxGuy]

Has anybody else with a 27FB, 25FB or similar had damage in this area around the front storage compartment?

[dznf0g]

What hitch are you using? What tow vehicle? I had similar evidence of hitching stress in that area when I was using an equalizer hitch with 1000 lb bars. In my case the problem went away with a hitch change. Also tell us how much WD you are applying.

[HowieE]

Yes we need to know what hitch you are using, how much load is being transferred, and what TV you have.

Without that I would ask if the trailer has ever dropped off the TV or dropped from a block under the jack to a hard surface?

[ROBERT CROSS]

....twist caused by too much weight on the stabilizers.

Bob

[RxGuy]

Originally Posted by HowieE

Yes we need to know what hitch you are using, how much load is being transferred, and what TV you have.

Without that I would ask if the trailer has ever dropped off the TV or dropped from a block under the jack to a hard surface?

Hitch is a Propride, 1200 lb bars, 6" on WD jacks. TV 2015 Silverado 5.3L crew cab. You can see a small picture of the trailer and TV in my avatar pic. Have not taken the rig to the Cat Scale yet. To set it up, I used top of tire to the bottom of wheel well measurements. Can't remember the numbers.

The trailer has never been dropped.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

....twist caused by too much weight on the stabilizers.

Very possible, if stabilizer jacks were misused for leveling purposes, or if stabilizer jacks were left down when tongue jack was raised, thus causing stabilizer jacks to support the entire weight of the tongue as well.

[DaveMc]

I've got a similar area on my front hatch. Our 2005 Safari has squared corners, so the issue manifests as a straightline crack about 3/8" long on both lower corners. I'll get around to drilling & riveting the end of the crack soon. We've had the trailer about a year and haven't noticed the cracks change after 6,000 miles of travel. The issue was noticed on quite a few of our year model (30' bunkhouse with a queen upfront), and talked about 7-8 years ago.

The cause seems to have been pinned on a flexing frame in excess of what the shell could stand, and that the door exacerbated the problem. It's clear from your pictures that the stresses are still there, and they do react to a curved hatch as well. Yours is buckling instead of cracking, but the result is the same. FWIW, I'm a nut on the stabilizer jacks and baby them throughout our stay at a campground, adjusting for tanks filling, etc. This old girl lived a rough life before us, so the cracks origination could most certainly be user-initiated.

Some sealing around the edges would take care of your immediate needs, and I'd keep an eye on them to see if things are continuing. If they do, I'd look for expert options. Good luck!

Dave

[Crackerman]

What is tongue weight of your trailer? Bars should match tongue weight. 1200 is a pretty stiff bar for most trailers. 800 to 1000 is all that is necessary.

A 1000lb bar loaded real tight will be "softer" on the chassis that a 1200 lb bar loaded light.

Do you have overload or helper springs on your tv?

[SteveSueMac]

RxGuy - sorry to see your damage. I have a 27FB and also use the ProPride - I started with the 1000# bars and went up to the 1400# bars (I don't believe they make a 1200#?). No such damage for me. A few posters here have suggested stabilizers. Can you explain how you do your process for stabilizing and leveling the trailer? I think that may be more likely as even with 1400# bars and probably 40,000 miles so far - I've got no similar damage.

Just a guess on my part....

[Ted S.]

I have the same issues although maybe not as pronounced. I have a Propride with 1400lb bars.

I think it is a design issue, there is a lot of flex there and that is where the opening is to the door. I will look at it more closely. I have always babied my trailer although it has been all over the US.

[ROBERT CROSS]

How does your door open & close when your hitched...no slamming needed?

If your all set-up with your stab's down & you have to slam,(push hard)...you have too much weight them. You'll be surprised at how little weight it takes to 'warp' the frame.

Bob

[xrvr]

Have you dropped tbe trailer off the electric jack?

[Ted S.]

Everything is fine. The frame is directly under the areas that are slightly indented. Any flex at all would make this happen. They should have reinforced it rather than put the door where they did, the highest stress is at the least reinforce location. Trailer has ever been dropped or misused...it has been used as intended. Bad design.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Ted S.

Everything is fine. The frame is directly under the areas that are slightly indented. Any flex at all would make this happen. They should have reinforced it rather than put the door where they did, the highest stress is at the least reinforce location. Trailer has ever been dropped or misused...it has been used as intended. Bad design.

And yet no one else with your model/year trailer seems to report the same type of damage. If it really was just bad design, surely you wouldn't be the only one with this problem. Instead, there would have been many others in the past two years to experience the same problem, and there would already be multiple threads here on the AirForums started by other owners with the same problem.

I suggest that you not take offense at suggestions of user error from well-meaning people who are just trying to help, and continue looking for the root cause of the damage. Because if only a single owner out of many is experiencing that problem, user error really is the most likely cause. Unless of course you're happy to just let the damage go as-is and run the risk of making it worse in the months and years to come by continuing to do whatever it was that caused the damage in the first place.

[Ted S.]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

And yet no one else with your model/year trailer seems to report the same type of damage. If it really was just bad design, surely you wouldn't be the only one with this problem.

I have no evidence but I doubt that very much. I bet if you survey 100 of my model you would find the same slight deformation. You have to look close. But I may be wrong, I don't know.

Don't worry, I'm not taking offense. Maybe I am using the trailer wrong, I don't know. Its never been dropped or raise on the stabs. That's all I know. Propride w/ 1400 lb bars, miles and miles on bad American Interstates. Ironically same hitch as OP.

[Ted S.]

Originally Posted by DaveMc

I've got a similar area on my front hatch. Our 2005 Safari has squared corners, so the issue manifests as a straightline crack about 3/8" long on both lower corners. I'll get around to drilling & riveting the end of the crack soon. We've had the trailer about a year and haven't noticed the cracks change after 6,000 miles of travel. The issue was noticed on quite a few of our year model (30' bunkhouse with a queen upfront), and talked about 7-8 years ago.

The cause seems to have been pinned on a flexing frame in excess of what the shell could stand, and that the door exacerbated the problem. It's clear from your pictures that the stresses are still there, and they do react to a curved hatch as well. Yours is buckling instead of cracking, but the result is the same. FWIW, I'm a nut on the stabilizer jacks and baby them throughout our stay at a campground, adjusting for tanks filling, etc. This old girl lived a rough life before us, so the cracks origination could most certainly be user-initiated.

Some sealing around the edges would take care of your immediate needs, and I'd keep an eye on them to see if things are continuing. If they do, I'd look for expert options. Good luck!

Dave

I missed your post Dave. So this is an issue that has been experienced before.

I went over to my trailer this afternoon. Not only did I notice the damage, but I noticed a popped rivet next to it. Then I looked at the other side, I had already replaced a rivet on that side and it popped as well.

There is absolutely no question there is a weak spot in the shell here. The wide opening on the storage compartment has a lot of trailer directly over it, and the stresses are concentrated in the corners which are right over the frame. Because that's all that is left.

The question is the fix. Somehow that has to be reinforced. Do you have any reference or link to posts on the issue 7-8 years back? Thanks

[cliffcharb]

The previous original owner of my 05 Safari Bunk had a full width compartment door installed upon purchase. I see no signs of stresses after 10 years of travel. Sorry photo just taken at night.

[cliffcharb]

I've learned over the years that a well used trailer is going to get dings, buckles, beauty marks etc. In all reality the only thing holding up the perimeter of the trailer is plywood and some outriggers. Things move and twist over the years. In the corners it's only plywood holding up your shell. Hell on my 81 most of the perimeter is about an inch lower than the frame. The shell and frame have taken on a new shape, but you'd never know from the outside.

[RxGuy]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

RxGuy - sorry to see your damage. I have a 27FB and also use the ProPride - I started with the 1000# bars and went up to the 1400# bars (I don't believe they make a 1200#?). No such damage for me. A few posters here have suggested stabilizers. Can you explain how you do your process for stabilizing and leveling the trailer? I think that may be more likely as even with 1400# bars and probably 40,000 miles so far - I've got no similar damage.

Just a guess on my part....

I will double check the WD bars, it is in storage about 20 miles from home. Might be awhile before I get down there again. I could have sworn they were 1200# LOL

Process for stabilizing/leveling:

1. level trailer side to side on site, place wheel chocks
2. disconnect TV
3. use tongue jack to level front to back.
4. deploy stabilizers until they just contact ground/pad, then no more than 1
additional turn to put slight pressure to stabilize. If there is settling
during our stay I adjust as needed.

Thanks for the feedback.

[RxGuy]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

How does your door open & close when your hitched...no slamming needed?

If your all set-up with your stab's down & you have to slam,(push hard)...you have too much weight them. You'll be surprised at how little weight it takes to 'warp' the frame.

Bob

No slamming, and yes I have noticed how much the frame will flex. Especially when you use the "jacking points" indicated on the underside for tire maintenance and inspection of brakes/axles. It really flexes a lot.

Thanks Bob..