The front fell off.

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I am reminded of Clarke and Dawe when I say this is not very typical, I just want to make that perfectly clear.I offered to repair the aluminum wall frame at home which has been done and is seen above completed. There was just a small matter of some steel fatigue to be handled.Normally not unsafe at all..., that is, speaking of those coaches which haven't had the front fall off, of course.  "Well wasn't this built so the front wouldn't fall off?" City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Was it just the front facia and wall that fell off or did the whole front end come off?
Reply:Brings new meaning to "pop up campers", and "slide out livingrooms""Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by SandyWas it just the front facia and wall that fell off or did the whole front end come off?
Reply:Originally Posted by tanglediverThe story is not clear, but the fifth wheel hitch was cradled inbetween 2 rectangular tubes which became twisted and torn. We don't know how!
Reply:Either that or they drug the trailer over Moab UT rock trails.  Helldorado comes to mind............MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Hey, wasn't this the trailer on the back of that Blazer a couple of threads ago..............?Hmmmmm........... hinge that front end - that'd make one hell of a pop-up trailer!
Reply:Looking back at this one, it turned out well. I cut out the pin box cradle, and the damaged frame sections. The heat from cutting only got a bit iffy when the cuts were so close to the interior panels. Just kept them damp with a spray bottle and some flashing to guard against sparks. I got it cleaned up as best as possible and then set up for the rebuild. Attached ImagesCity of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:One of the crew taking pics with a cellphone there. I tried to catch the smoke rising after the cut on video...  Attached ImagesCity of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Hi Danny Ya Have your work cut there with that repair job Best of luck hope it goes ok for ya bud JOHNNY
Reply:I saw an SUV flipped upside down once while the RV in tow stayed upright and relatively undamaged, except for the tongue was twisted about 90 degrees and the drawbar/receiver was twisted 90 degrees. I have no Idea how this happened but it did. I know the RV in tow was to big for the ford explorer pulling it.That does not explain this one though being a fifth wheel.
Reply:Looks like it was on a hitch that didn't allow it to tilt on uneven ground to me.HH 187Miller Bluestar1EAHP AlphaTig 200X
Reply:The dynamics of balance, weight and momentum can be scary when control is lost, for sure. Pulling with short wheelbased tow vehicles is not ideal, to say the least. Attached ImagesCity of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:I worked at a trailer factory in the late 70's / early 80's that built travel trailer frames for another company. I always thought the frames were extremly light for a trailer. If I remember right they were 2x3x11ga tube with 14ga Z shape crossmemberson up to 18 or20' bumper pull and 2x4x11ga on the longer trailers and 5th wheels. The travel trailer company said they were strong enough after they screwed the floor to it. Maybe it's changed now, I don't think people pulled them as much back then.
Reply:Have you seen this picture of the guy in his white Chevy as he dangles over the cliff from his trailer boat? I want to be able to trust a hitch that much. Although, I really don't want to test it that way!!   Attached ImagesCity of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:The last couple of pics were vertical/uphill along the outside edge of the (king)pinbox cradle, with the last inch or two just going overhead. I did run downhill on the next bead because it was right on the edge, a mistake here and reworking the metal against wood panels was not my idea of fun. Attached ImagesCity of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:A snug fit will keep it there while I tack it!   Attached ImagesCity of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:From reading some rv forums in years past it seems that certain brands with frames from certain supplier had major issues with hitch boxes on fifthwheels.Ranger 250 GXTSmith Gas Axe
Reply:Originally Posted by MrLeadManFrom reading some rv forums in years past it seems that certain brands with frames from certain supplier had major issues with hitch boxes on fifthwheels.
Reply:By golly you did alright on those tight axxed corners. Is that a 3/8ths nozzle ?? You musta been just dragging it up through there and rocking it a bit eh?  You've added enough strength for them to pull that front end off before it bends again.
Reply:It's NOT going to fall off again!
Reply:Ththth, ththth, thththat's all folks!  Attached ImagesCity of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Originally Posted by SandyBy golly you did alright on those tight axxed corners. Is that a 3/8ths nozzle ?? You musta been just dragging it up through there and rocking it a bit eh?  You've added enough strength for them to pull that front end off before it bends again.
Reply:Originally Posted by tanglediverYep, stock nozzle, maybe 3/8" I am not sure. I was swirling that gun like crazy, but travel speed was dead slow! It made the most aweful sound you could imagine.  I was praying through four of those tight beads!
Reply:Jamming the nozzle into the gap on that tight corner kept the stick-out consistent, eh?    Why the vertical joint for the box-frame welds instead of some sort of scarf joint?  Even with a fish-plate, the seam is just plain vertical.And yeah, I recall seeing a pic of a vehicle hanging over the edge and just the hitch holding it there.  It is -good- to have the materials and workmanship able to do that, but I fully agree that the pucker-factor in actually being in that situation is WAAAAY more than I ever want to experience.    The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...This is the picture. http://chenzhen.files.wordpress.com/...-off-cliff.jpgScarf joint, you got me wondering what that looks like now. Is it a diagonal cut, [\\] or a [<<] or what?City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Originally Posted by tanglediverThis is the picture. http://chenzhen.files.wordpress.com/...-off-cliff.jpgScarf joint, you got me wondering what that looks like now. Is it a diagonal cut, [\\] or a [<<] or what?
Reply:Originally Posted by MoonRiseHorizontal structural member/beam with vertical loads lined up with a vertical seam in the 'middle' of the beam is not so good for stresses.  Either in the beam or the people
Reply:Are you in RV repair or something? Do you get a lot of jobs like this?
Reply:Originally Posted by pyroracing85Are you in RV repair or something? Do you get a lot of jobs like this?
Reply:Lippert is the name of the company that makes sucky RV frames.  Too  thin of metal for the weight, crappy welds, poor design, altogether a crappy company, but they are still one of the biggest RV frame manufacturers around and many brands use them.  American manufacturing at it's worst, for sure.Good job on the repair, by the way. MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op