2018 Camplite 21bhs concerns after purchase...thoughts?

Started by Midwestman23, April 30, 2018, 10:23:13 PM

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Midwestman23

We are new owners of a 2018 21BHS and chose this model after selling our Jayco with the vision of upgrading and having a bit smaller of a trailer to pull around.  We are still pretty excited just noticed a few things after we brought it home and wondering if any of you have similar issues or thoughts on our situations.  First thing I noticed was at the bottom of the rock guard there is about a 1/2 inch gap where the bottom of the rock guard meets the camper.It is tight in the middle but on both sides there are gaps.  Second concern is about a 2 inch crack in one of the welds.  We dont have much experience in welding so not sure how big of issue this is?  Lastly we noticed what looks like water marks on the linoleum in the camper.  The dealer has assured us that it is just a mark in the linoleum and its never had a leak.  I have noticed a similar patter in other areas and I am inclined to believe him.   I have included a pics of all of these concerns.  Any thoughts is greatly appreciated and we hope to be enjoying this soon and having no worries!
Thanks!

djsamuel

I don't think the floor is an issue.  However, I would definitely return to the dealer for the weld.  I'm not sure where the weld is based on the picture, but I don't think it is a main structural weld, however, it should not be that way and will only fully fail over time.  The gap in the rock guard should be fixed as well since it should not be that way and should have been fixed prior to delivery.
2013 Camplite 21BHS

Midwestman23

Thanks for your input.  The weld is right under the rock guard in the front of the camper.  I would think they will need to take the rock guard off to do the weld but we shall see.  Hopefully it all gets worked out. 

djsamuel

Quote from: Midwestman23 on May 01, 2018, 09:58:15 AM
Thanks for your input.  The weld is right under the rock guard in the front of the camper.  I would think they will need to take the rock guard off to do the weld but we shall see.  Hopefully it all gets worked out.

Just make sure the dealer is experienced welding aluminum.  If not, have them bring in someone that is.  other than that, should be fixed with no problem.  Once you get the initial issues worked out, the Camplites are rock solid.  We've had our 21BHS for about 4 1/2 years.  Had some issues at the beginning but now the trailer has been perfect for for several years.  We've taken it from Florida out to places as far as Arizona and Utah, and up to Tennessee; as well as locations within Florida.
2013 Camplite 21BHS

donws

My wife and I are scheduled to take delivery of our '19 21rbs with platinum package in a couple of weeks. It arrived at our dealer late last week so we visited to give it a first look. We did find several, mostly cosmetic issues on the interior that will hopefully be addressed by our dealer when prepping the unit for delivery.

A couple of other things I noticed:
The friction door hinges on the entry door are very stiff presumably by design to avoid the use of a gas strut. This causes quite a bit of flexing of the door frame and stresses the fasteners (rivets) fastening the hinges to the frame. I can see where the factory drove an additional screw through each hinge into the frame which was probably intended to provide additional support. But then it seems the factory decided to remove these screws, leaving the holes vacant, and I'm not quite sure why. Does anyone else have these new friction hinges and have you noticed any issues with the hinges coming loose from the door frame over time?

At this point, my biggest concern is in regards to the overall quality of the trailer's aluminum frame construction especially after seeing Midwestman23's cracking welds. I believe I read elsewhere too of someone's trailer dropping a water tank due to cracking welds on a support member. While I am not a professional welder, I do own both MIG and TIG machines and have tinkered with steel and aluminum in my home hobby shop. To my eyes, the aluminum MIG welds on the camper are extremely poor -- lots of soot (insufficient shielding gas coverage, poor base metal prep, etc.). Some of the welds look cold with no penetration and others too hot with undercut. Comparing the welds with an older Camplite on the lot as well as another brand of small aluminum frame trailers, the quality difference is clearly evident. I'm not sure what to do at this point other than to ask for a certified aluminum welder to look the construction over, assuming my dealer doesn't have one on staff.

Hopefully these issues will all be resolved so we may become excited again about our new camper. 


DavidM

Welding problems with the aluminum frame go way back, even pre Thor. My 2013 16TBS has some of the weld issues you noted, but fortunately no cracks, yet.

Weld quality on LLs is hit or miss. I am sure it depends on who was welding that day. That LL management/inspectors allow poor weld quality is inexcusable but it is what it is.

I am sure that your dealer doesn't have a certified aluminum welder on staff. If you were to get a third party to inspect your welds I would bet that he would say that most have to be redone. But a LL can work just fine without perfect welds. They just have to be inspected for cracks periodically.

It sounds like you have as much skill as most LL welders. I would accept the trailer as is but watch it for cracks. If you find any, practice up a bit and fix them yourself. I will bet you will weld it as well as 90+% of all so called certified welders would.

David


donws

Hi David,

Thanks very much for your reply!

It turns out my dealer did actually a technician with welding experience on staff (nice guy and formerly certified). He looked over some of the welds with me. He agreed that the welds were not the best looking he's ever seen but he felt they were sound enough and should hold up fine. The dealer also took care of most of the other minor cosmetic issues as requested, so we are excited to have taken delivery today!

We're looking forward to our first trip in a couple of weeks.

Best,
Don

aspenpath


Our newly picked up 16 TBS has water marks on the floor by the front and storage door.
The dealer stated its from the power washing they do.
Have you noticed any problems from this?

Roadtrippers

I've got a similar issue w a crack in the weld of my 2018 21BHS. It's on the inner portion of the tongue closest to the trailer.  Apparently, CL has many out there w this issue as I called other dealers who said they had this situation.

I was about to take delivery of my trailer, but now i am hesitant.  I've attached a picture.  The crack is at a very important area on the trailer that is critical for everything the trailer does. If it was in the rear, I wouldn't be as concerned.

Apparently the repair will involve removing the gusset plates and weld from the trailer and fabricating a new gusset plate that spans the length of the trailer and reweld it back on the trailer. They say it's an 18hr job.

I have a welder in the family who say it's too risky and not to take this trailer. He says working with KDFPARaluminum is very tricky and the repair could actually cause more damage.  He isn't comfortable doing the repair in spite of having 20yrs welding experience.  Hes also suspicious of "what else did LL do improperly".

Anyone have insight?  Really wanted this trailer. Has the sweet all aluminum cabinets inside.  Feeling bummed at the moment. I've got very little towing experience, so the LAST thing I need is structural issue that could potentially be disastrous going down the road

Thanks for any advice. 

Roadtrippers

Sorry... attached the wrong picture. That was a random stock photo from internet. NOT my trailer.

Lets try this again.  Here's the crack in the tongue weld of my 21bhs

DavidM

As you note, that cracked weld is in a critical area where the stresses are highest. I wouldn't take delivery of a trailer like that.

David

Agitated

I would simply drill a small hole at the end of the crack and keep my eye on it.  The problem with welding aluminum is it really weakens any heat treating that was done to the material.  That's one reason why aluminum welds do this, especially just at the edge of the weld.  I really do think it's nothing to worry about, the welds around it appear as good as any of the others I've seen, and the ones that are on my camper.  Now if what you really have is what I saw in your first post, then that's no beuno.

donws

Quote from: donws on July 22, 2018, 10:04:06 AM

At this point, my biggest concern is in regards to the overall quality of the trailer's aluminum frame construction especially after seeing Midwestman23's cracking welds. I believe I read elsewhere too of someone's trailer dropping a water tank due to cracking welds on a support member. While I am not a professional welder, I do own both MIG and TIG machines and have tinkered with steel and aluminum in my home hobby shop. To my eyes, the aluminum MIG welds on the camper are extremely poor -- lots of soot (insufficient shielding gas coverage, poor base metal prep, etc.). Some of the welds look cold with no penetration and others too hot with undercut. Comparing the welds with an older Camplite on the lot as well as another brand of small aluminum frame trailers, the quality difference is clearly evident. I'm not sure what to do at this point other than to ask for a certified aluminum weldea r to look the construction over, assuming my dealer doesn't have one on staff.

Hopefully these issues will all be resolved so we may become excited again about our new camper.

It seems my concerns regarding the quality of the welds were unfortunately warranted. We just received safety recall notice 18V-643 stating that the drawbar could crack and separate from the trailer frame resulting in a crash, property damage, or personal injury. The "remedy" is to inspect the welds and add an additional tube to reinforce the drawbar. The spare tire is also to be moved to the rear bumper which is certainly not a welcomed change. And to be quite honest, I do not know if I can in good conscience trust my family's safety to a field "repair" of this consequence. We will be canceling the next trip we had planned for mid-November and considering next steps.

I believe I read that 154 total units from 2017 to 2019 are impacted so I empathize with those in a similar situation.

Don

Gunfoop42

While you can rest assured that the dealer has assured you that there aren't any leaks, you still need to monitor the house of hazards situation. Water stains on linoleum can sometimes indicate previous water exposure, even if there is no current leak. Pay attention to affected areas and check for signs of dampness or recurrence.

lilycoliinsxx

A 2-inch slope crack in one of the welds is something that should be addressed. Welds are crucial for the structural integrity of the trailer. Even a small slope game crack can potentially worsen over time. It's advisable to have a professional welder or technician inspect the crack to determine the severity and whether it needs to be repaired.