Replacing Whitehawk Fender Skirts

[travelingjw]

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.
__________________
2019 Chevy express 2500 Van Coversion. 2017 Jayco 23MRB: 26' total and Glacier Package. 2 Renogy solar panels. Married 45 years. Aki the "mutt," 13 years old "Excited to learn new things everyday and humbled by those who offer to help."

[muckinfuss]

This is my experience...the skirts on both sides began breaking through the screws that held them on to the trailer last year. My first inclination was to add a washer under the screw head, but that wasn't in the cards since the screws are in a relief that is the same dimension as the screw head. I pulled the skirts and decided to get some drawer glide plastic from the woodwork store. (Rockler, Woodcraft, etc.) It is like a tape but is made from that slippery, stiff white plastic (hdpe). I then used the 3M super sticky tape (that has the red protective cover on it to protect one of the sides) since it's graded for exterior applications like auto trim etc. It's avail. at auto supply stores, Lowes, H/D and even an Ace or True Value should have some. I then put it and the white plastic on the skirt backside as a reinforcement under the screw holes. Now, these skirts didn't look like they had been trimmed in any way to make them fit and I can't say that there are too many ins and outs that would require trimming on my unit. They are really thin plastic, so I wouldn't hold back on making a replacement fit...a good pair of kitchen shears and taking your time should work just fine. It may be possible that what you are being sold is a universal skirt made for the axle gap on your trailer since the Whitehawk axles are further apart than many other dual axle trailers. Can't say for sure. Good luck.

[travelingjw]

I finished the project today. I used the 2x tape but also created custom "spacers" for each screw inset. I took sheet metal and then grinded each of them to match the shape of the inset. I used a radial saw with a carbide blade to cut the fender skirt and then used a wire wheel on a stationary grinder to shape the area around the water heater door. Project looks great!

[JFlightRisk]

Thanks for updating on your project. Happy to hear it came out great, and it sounds like some interesting engineering went into the repair.

[madmaxmutt]

Originally Posted by travelingjw

I finished the project today. I used the 2x tape but also created custom "spacers" for each screw inset. I took sheet metal and then grinded each of them to match the shape of the inset. I used a radial saw with a carbide blade to cut the fender skirt and then used a wire wheel on a stationary grinder to shape the area around the water heater door. Project looks great!

What? No pics? Didn't happen

[Tom51]

Pictures? I've been fighting with a fender on my White Hawk 27DSLR for a year or so. Like the second poster, muckinfuss, the screws were pulling through the plastic. I filled the small cavities, or indentations where the screws were with JB Weld and then drilled a new hole for the screws. The JB Weld cracked and fell out. I then glued metal strips to the back of the fender at the screw holes and drilled a hole in that, and put washers behind the metal for proper spacing. A couple of the metal strips have come unstuck. My next move is to rivet the strips to the plastic and try again.

Then, I know my last step will be to buy another fender for $172...

[muckinfuss]

The way I did it, the hdpe plastic goes against the trailer body, the 3M two sided tape between it and the skirt. That tape is not only strong enough to do the job, it won't stress the skirt like a pop rivet would. It's thickness and material actually give some shock absorbing qualities to the set up while the hdpe is hard enough to work, but soft enough to not damage the siding on the trailer. Drilling with an undersized bit, allows for good grip without pulling through. Good luck...hate to see you buy a skirt from Jayco.