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Old 05-26-2014, 06:19 PM   #1
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Whitehawk fenders and skirting

So today I did a walk around just to check on the RV. I noticed several of the screws holding the fenders in place show the plastic cracking around them. On one the fender had popped away from the screw as the brittle plastic around it finally gave way. I took all the screws out and added washers to provide a larger area held on the holes for the fenders. However, I suspect in time this fix will also fail. Apparently at some point in the future I'm going to have to buy replacement fenders. That's a bit disappointing.

Then I noticed that the skirting on both sides of the trailer was coming loose too. The top of the skirting seems to be secured by nothing more than caulking. I added sheet metal screws at about 8 inch spacing all across both sides to ensure that these are not going to pull away.

I love my 2013 30DSRE but these two things have me wondering about the quality and durability over the long haul. I'd like to keep this trailer for upwards of 7-10 years but at 1.5 years I am really wondering if it will hold up.
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Old 05-26-2014, 06:24 PM   #2
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I don't think I could have done any harm by adding the screws. They seem to be below the floor level of the interior of the RV.

Anyone else have this happen?

Is the fender deterioration a common problem? Are they costly to replace? I can do the work myself and would just need to buy the fenders themselves. Seems like a simple unscrew off and screw on new.
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Old 05-26-2014, 08:05 PM   #3
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I repaired my fender about a month ago. On the drivers side, the counterbored holes that housed the screws for the fender mounting, cracked on the outside edge. I noticed that while driving the fender would flap in the wind. I had planned on getting it replaced under warranty but decided to repair it myself as it is a 3 hour return trip.
My fenders are white, I removed the fender and filled the cracks from the back with epoxy and smeared a coating around the area making it stronger overall. I also used stainless washers to beef up the surface area under the screw heads. Then I dabbed the screw heads and washers with white paint. I also found that there was a support arm that is supposed to stop the fender from moving into the wheel well, that in my opinion, if it had a screw holding the fender to the arm it would not have flapped in the wind, so I put one in it.
The fender is made up of 2 parts, one on the main part of the trailer and the 2nd on the slide. It was the piece on the main part of the trailer that cracked. I had to remove, trim and re position the part on the slide when I first got the trailer in order to prevent the 2 pieces from touching.
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Old 05-27-2014, 07:34 AM   #4
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i have cracked the hard brittle plastic 2005 grayhawk gs30. i easily found the the ome replacement at a local dealer. mid price $80 you will need the last 8 charaters on you v.i.n. you will be able to get the right one. i am just changing the right side and concerned about the color match with the left side.
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Old 05-27-2014, 07:44 AM   #5
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Under warrantee, for sure get them replaced. Had an older [06] keystone TT and damaged a side skirt and wheel fender cover. Due to age, the replacement was not readily available and I was never able to replace them. Actually removed the skirt and pounded out the damage and repainted. Looked pretty good, and with some other cosmetic issues with this 8 year old TT, the repair was hardly noticable. With a TT still under warrantee I would take it to the dealer and have them replaced. Keep the originals if they will let you have them. They could be useful down the road if you do something dumb like I did and the parts are no longer available.

PS: Pick your stations carefully when you refuel and pay attention when you enter and leave. Those bolsters at the end of the pump islands are there to protect the pumps and they DO NOT BEND! You only make that mistake once, I hope!
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Old 04-06-2015, 06:18 PM   #6
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Fender skirt

I have a 2014 Jayco whitehawk 24rks and lost one of the fender skirts yesterday. I noticed the skirt flapping in the breeze, and by the time I pulled over it ripped off. Upon inspection of other side, I noticed several of the screws had already perforated through the plastic.i called the dealer and sent photos showing damage.
Makes you wonder about design. Plastic is apparently far too weak and brittle. The only way this will not rip off is if you leave it stationary on a seasonal site, but then it is not a travel trailer. Hoping Jayco addresses this problem for it is really an engineering and design issue. Other than that issue am very happy with the unit. Will let you know what Jayco does with this issue.
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Old 04-07-2015, 06:36 PM   #7
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Have replaced a couple of machine screws on fenders, but no problem with stirts
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Old 04-07-2015, 09:14 PM   #8
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I owned a 2013 Whitehawk 28dsbh that had the same issues. Before I took delivery of the trailer, the dealer noticed a problem with the surround bottom skirting and obtained approval from Jayco to apply an authorized fix. Under warranty authorization from Jayco, as I understand it, the dealer removed all the trailer’s lower skirting and reapplied it using a method that was supposed to fix it. All of this repair work was done under warranty. This fixed most of the skirting issues except for one area. When the temperature heated up that area kept separating from the side of the trailer (pulling the clear silicone caulking free and leaving a narrow gap between the skirting and the side of the trailer, but remaining attached by several factory installed screws widely spaced apart). I visited with the dealer about this remaining problem area and the answer was nothing more could be done about it. So, I went home and simply added a few screws (the same size as those in the skirting) through the top area of the skirting and into the trailer in the section I was experience problems. Then I used a good quality clear silicone caulking to close the narrow gap at the top of the skirting between the skirting and the body of the trailer. This seemed to solve the problem where the gap issue was located. The problem did not reappear and the area remained soundly sealed.

I also had a wheel well fender skirting on one side of the trailer replaced under warranty because several key plastic screw fasteners broke off. The replacement seemed to fix that problem because the new skirting fasteners did not break off.

These were irritations, but they were not big problems for me, because I felt the integrity of most the entire trailer was sound. I had a few other minor problems with the trailer that were easily fixed. Most of these problems I didn’t bother hauling the trailer in for warranty repair, I just fixed them myself. Overall, even with these issues, I found the trailer to have some good qualities. I felt it was a great trailer and we got some wonderful use out of it. I eventually traded the Whitehawk 28dsbh for a 2015 Jay Flight 27RLS, because I wanted a heavier duty unit, which in my experience the 27 RLS accomplishes this objective. For the Whitehawk, I anticipated another 5 to 6 years of quality, trouble free use of the trailer had I kept it.
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Old 04-08-2015, 07:48 AM   #9
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The skirting on my Eagle has been flapping since I brought it home over a year ago. It's attached to some "metal strapping" braces with self-tapping sheet metal screws. I've removed and re-screwed those screws several times, but they keep working loose. So far, I don't have any deterioration of the holes in my plastic fender skirts, but I believe that "flapping in the wind" is what fatigues the holes in the plastic fenders. Just before I left my winter base, I removed the eight screws from the straps & skirting, drilled out the holes a little, and reattached the skirt to the strapping using 3/16" stainless steel bolts with plastic-insert locking stainless steel nuts. Drove from Kerrville (near San Antonia) to the Dallas area two days ago, and all are still secure. I think I've solved the problem . . . at least on my trailer.
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Old 06-11-2015, 06:05 AM   #10
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A follow up on my previous post concerning fender skirts on Jayco Whitehawk 24RKS. Jayco did send 2 fender skirts for replacement. Glad they were under the warranty. They have been installed and all is well. Happy Jayco stands behind their product. Thanks to my dealer, Forrest Marine and RV in Tyngsboro, Mass.
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Old 07-14-2015, 09:30 PM   #11
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14 months later and this fix has continued to hold up for me. Just thought I'd give an update now that it has been a while to see if this was going to really last as a solution.
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Old 07-24-2015, 04:11 AM   #12
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Have a 2015 White Hawk 28DSBH. Because of this forum and thread I have been keeping a close eye on these fenders. Thankfully, we have had no issues in almost 2k miles worth of travel this summer.
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Old 07-09-2016, 10:38 AM   #13
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The fender skirts on our 2011 JayCo are all attached on top with 2 screws each to the plywood floor (I'll be adding more), but the bottom of each skirt is attached to 2 thin arms with a self tapping screw to the skirt. This past trip while driving in a crosswind my wife noticed the skirt flapping in the breeze. The self tapping screws had worked themselves loose over time and the wind ripped the corner on the back of the skirt. We quickly pulled over to the shoulder on a busy interstate and hastily removed the one remaining screw and threw the skirt in the back of the tow vehicle. When we arrived at our destination I found that another screw was missing on the other side of the trailer. I counted and in all there were 13 self tapping screws holding the skirts in place on our 26 foot travel trailer. I went to a local hardware store and purchased 13 sets of bolt, 2 washers and Teflon nut and replaced them all. The replacement skirt was ordered (not under warranty), but it's rough cut and I'll need to spend some time cutting and fitting it correctly.


I commented on this problem to the local dealer who wasn't very interested in hearing my complaint. I went to the lot and the new trailers with skirts have the same self tapping screws holding them in place. Apparently JayCo hasn't addressed this issue yet.
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Old 10-21-2020, 12:23 AM   #14
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Replacing Whitehawk Fender Skirts

Experienced a blow out and it ruined the fender skirt. I also swiped the opposite side skirts against the concrete barrier. I order parts from the dealer but labor cost is very high. He explained that the skirts need to be trimmed and fitted. I am quite handy but understand that working with plastic can be tricky. On the drivers side the skirt comes as one piece but has to be cut into two pieces. A final complication is that I noticed that the screws are actually going into the side wall in a few places. My guess is the wall must be plywood but I am not sure. Anyone changed these skirts before or actually cut them. Suggestions/directions appreciaed.
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Old 08-19-2023, 04:52 PM   #15
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Hit a steel post

I was in a tight spot & was so focused on getting around a tight spot that I hit a steel sign post. It scraped the passenger side just below the stairs & I need to replace a piece of aluminum skirting. I can’t seem to find where to get it. If I go back to the dealer they’ll have it for weeks. It’s the appropriate one foot by I foot piece with a speaker in it on the slide side of the stairs.
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Old 08-19-2023, 05:19 PM   #16
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Depends upon how handy you are. I just ordered the piece from the dealer. The fenders are fastened by screws. I had to replace one full side due to a blowout, took me less then 15 minutes.

If you note my post above, I completed all the repairs myself. I cut the plastic fenders on my radial saw (now have done this twice). In regard to the plastic cracking where the screws are I either used standard washers or cut out custom pieces out of aluminum. 4 years later, no cracking, no issues.
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