Big Problem with new 264BH

pawpaw · 08-05-2013, 05:42 AM

Hi everyone! My wife and I just purchased a 2014 264BH and took it out for a test overnight camping trip before we leave for our 2 week trip to the Black Hills area of South Dakota. Thank goodness we did!

Everything was fine for the first 50 miles or so from home, and then I thought I heard a scraping noise coming from outside my vehicle. What the heck? I pulled off the highway and looked around and under the trailer. To my surprise, one of the rear bolts for fresh water tank supports had fallen out causing the support to be dragging on the road. The tank was drooping and was hanging just inches above the road. I was totally caught off guard and more than a little upset! When I gathered my senses, I drained the fresh water tank and was able to lift the tank back into position and secure it by reattaching the tank support with a bungee cord. Not the ideal fix, but I really didn't have a lot of choice. I had tools with me, but I don't usually carry an assortment of nuts and bolts with me. Lesson learned!

I returned to the house, jacked the tank back up into position, and reattached the tank support with a bolt and nut. While I was under there, I decided to check the other bolts holding the other tank supports. To my surprise I found that the factory does not use bolts and nuts, but instead they took the cheap, quick method of self tapping bolts. I found another one that had backed out about 1/4", another one was stripped, and the other 3 (there were 6 bolts total holding the three supports) were not really very tight. I replaced the other 5 with a bolts and nuts.

After a short cool down (physical and mental), we left again for our weekend test. Thankfully, all went well!

My advise to all, is to check the tank support strap hardware and replace those self tapping bolts with real hardware.

Best of luck!

Pawpaw

**norty1** · 08-05-2013, 05:54 AM

Please don't let that go by without notifying Jayco or the dealer.

grayco · 08-05-2013, 06:52 AM

I went by a Jayco dealer just yesterday to check how the tanks (all ) are attached since mine has an enclosed underbelly.

What I found was a bit disturbing. The fresh tank had the self tapping screws as the OP stated, so changing to bolts and nuts will make it much more secure. Now for something more scary..... The black and gray tanks. Unless I missed something they were held in place with some aluminum L shaped brackets that were screwed to the bottom of the floor with a handful of screws each.

Bottom line I will never tow with anything in those tanks!!!

Marty

**norty1** · 08-05-2013, 08:28 AM

I always thought they were sitting on a angle iron lip and the straps were for stabilizing them. If yours is enclosed, what did you see at the dealers that was exposed? Just wondering.

BubbaJBI · 08-05-2013, 03:25 PM

WOW! I know what I'm doing this weekend. Thanks for the heads-up!

pawpaw · 08-05-2013, 04:50 PM

I did notify my dealer about the problem today, and he was shocked! I think he thought I was full of bull, so he went out to check other units he had in stock and found that they all had the same issue. He is going to contact Jayco about the problem. He was very apologetic and said that they are going to start checking these screws on all of their units. I said why not replace them with a bolt and nut to avoid the problem all together? Not rocket science!

**Crabman** · 08-05-2013, 05:14 PM

I just looked and my 2010 28BHS fresh water tank (53 gallons) has four brackets each with 2 self tapping screws on each end. I have hauled the trailer several times with a full tank of water and the screws and tank are tight and snug. Perhaps yours were drilled out too big and did not grab properly, but all that being said I too would prefer bolts with lockwashers and nuts and may do the changeover....

exjay1 · 08-06-2013, 07:21 AM

self tappers here too. no issues so far but will re-check for snugness. thanks for the reminder and sorry for the road side scare.

baltimorebear · 08-08-2013, 09:26 AM

I had the same problem with my new 26 RLS, only it was the self tapping screw that holds the bracket for the black/gray discharge pipe. I've since drilled a bigger hole and replaced them with bolts, lock washers and nuts. They probably use self tappers on the assembly line to save time without giving any consideration to road vibration.

Flyrotor · 08-09-2013, 12:55 AM

Self tapping screws are actually very stable and well tested and proven. Occasionally they can be over torqued when inserted causing it to be stripped out. When properly installed, they work well. Under normal conditions they do not tend to loosen like a nut and bolt can do.

However, nuts and bolts with lock washers are well proven too, I just caution those of you who are "checking" the self tapping screws, do not try to tighten them, check them and if by chance they are loose, then either tighten or replace, however if you over torque them you may in fact cause them to fail where they were previously doing just fine.

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