Help, please!!!

[DeeBee]

Earlier this year we took a 5 day trip in our fairly new 2016 Jay Flight (bought last fall). We stayed at 2 different campgrounds and when we returned we found the following damage on our trailer! (I will attach pictures.) So I have two questions...
1. Does anyone know how hard it is to remove this piece and install a new one? I have contacted our dealer and was hoping I could order it and have my handy husband install it. They have not gotten back to me...
2. We have no idea how this happened! We thought maybe a riding lawn mower at the last campground ran into it...since the damage seems to have come from under and pushed up. The campground, of course, says no way!
Has anyone ever seen this kind of damage? Any ideas?
We are not new to towing a trailer...have been doing it for 15 years. Had no problems on that trip so we really can't figure it out.
Any help or insights are appreciated!!! (Hope this was the right place to post this...wasn't sure.)

[norty1]

Looks like something came in contact with it. Could have been anything, a post a hedge mower, etc. If you don't recall seeing it, it's hard for anyone to guess.

It is not hard to replace, I have not done it but have seen it done and it is just a matter of getting the parts. A Jayco dealer should be able to take your vin# and order any part needed, including the metal and any trim. Shipping is a bear on that large stuff but it's the way it's done!

We always walk around the rig before leaving a site.

Don't know how that could be missed? You may have a claim on insurance if you have a comprehensive policy.

[DeeBee]

Thanks so much...you can bet we will now ALWAYS walk around the trailer before we leave a campsite...I will just add it to our "departure list" of things we always check and do before leaving! Great idea!!

[mohok1]

Just wrote a detailed reply that didn't post as it said I didn't log in and I'm sure I did. Short reply. You can replace it easily. Remove any staples and screws. Just ordered thru my dealer from Jayco 3 pieces of metal @ $5.00 per foot plus tax & shipping cost. Is being dropped shipped to my home. Preformed and will only require me to trim it on one end of each piece. 2 of the ends I have to trim will be hid behind the plastic fender skirt. It is beer can thin metal so it will not be a problem. Not sure if it is painted to match but makes no difference to me as I have to change the paint color anyway. Any questions you can PM me and
we can talk.

[BuddyRay]

I saw a kid, about 8, lose control of his bicycle coming down a campground road. He slammed into an RV and popped a tire sized hole in the fiberglass. He jumped on his bike and rode off like nothing happened.

Yes, I waited till the owner came back, told him what happened and together we went to see the kids parents.


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[DeeBee]

Thanks Everyone...Since we were gone all day sightseeing at the last campground we were at (for 2 days), can't help but wondered if something happened there...will never know. But we will be doing a walk around when we arrive and when we leave from now on!!! Just finally talked to the dealer...they told me Jayco is changing distributors of the metal piece I need and it will be 4 to 6 weeks before I hear anything. (Just hope they can match it!!) Thank goodness it's something we can still travel without! Have several trips planned so the "fun and adventure" will go on! Will get it fixed later!

[mohok1]

Update on my previous reply. Got my metal today, it was dropped ship to my house. Total cost for 24' of metal (3 ea 8' sections) including shipping and handling & dealer mark up was $201.00. Was shipped UPS Ground and I got it in less than 2 weeks. It was well packed in a wooden crate with 2 by 4 sides and ends. The color matched so all I have to do is make 1 cut to length for each section and put it in place. Really a piece of cake. Jayco's change over to the new supplier must be complete. I got the same story of 4 to 6 weeks, however, mine came in less than 2 weeks. My insurance deductable is $500.00 so I saved $300.00 and don't have to worry about my policy cost increasing.

[BigJohnD]

The skirting is not secured by much. It's tucked up in the channel you see with some sealer, you have a few screws here and there that are visible sometimes, then you have the strap bracing going to the frame. That's it. It's not too bad to remove.

[DeeBee]

Thanks so much...that info is very helpful! Will call my dealer tomorrow!

[DeeBee]

Also, thanks for the info on how the skirting is secured. I am sure my husband can handle that. He will be happy to hear how easy it should be to change out...once we are able to obtain it!

[us71na]

I had to replace a similar piece on my Skylark and it was easier than I thought. In my case the damage was caused by a tire on my trailer losing the tread. In your case, I would bet that you ran over a road alligator (Truck tire retread) that was laying on the highway.

[Fire_Instructor]

Could it have been "alligator" damage? Truckers refer to retread carcasses on the highway as "alligators". Had someone we were traveling with hit one while pulling a PUB, and he did $1500 in damage to the PUP........