The well-hidden Secret

[Mcburt]

I wanted to reframe from putting that dreaded word in the title. You’re welcome Jayco. If you don’t know what I’m talking about go to YouTube and search for Frame Problems and you’ll get enough viewing material for a couple of months or more.
I am here to tell something is wrong with RV manufacturing. I get it, RV’s have problems. The ones that you can see and fix are doable. It is the nature of the beast. But when they hide problems to the point where you should be pulling your walls and frame apart to inspect periodically, something is wrong with that manufacturing process. Or that engineering design.
Sorry, I Have a Jayco 28.5 RLS 2022 Fifth wheel. MSRP $70,000. Purchased new and have put 15,000 miles on it. Still on the original tires from manufacture. Warranty 2/3. Purchased January 2021
We all like to upgrade things on our RV’s. I was working on an upgrade to my side marker lights installing camera’s. It was one of those Furrion deal where you only had to pull the blank off plate from the marker light and install the new camera. At this point I noticed the marker light was a little loose. So, I opt to pull the marker light and replace with new marker light assembly with camera provided in kit. After pulling the maker light a couple problems in the wall were revealed. First the ground wire for the marker light was partially severed by one of the mounting screws that hold the light on. The screw holes were eaten out past the point the screws were not holding any longer. All but one problem solved. And it is this problem I would need some suggestions.
If you have watched any of the videos with the frame problems, you might have picked up on how the side walls are attached to the trailer frame. Especially in the area of the overhang of your fifth wheel. They have an undetermined number and size of horizontal lag bolts located about floor level in the upper deck of the fifth wheel. They are usually located behind that box that runs along the wall in the upper deck. There is also an undetermined number and size of vertical lag bolts that go upward through the aluminum wall frame and screws into something possible the trailer frame. These are located and hidden inside the wall along the outer edge of passenger and driver side of fifth wheel. The problem that was identified in the videos was that these lag bolt either work loose or it was also found that some were missing. Holes that did not have bolt in them at all.
My problem, My Fifth wheel manufacture warranty ran out January 2024. When I pulled the marker light from driver side, I noticed a vertical lag bolt had worked its way out. Through the small wire hole in the side of the RV this was the only lag bolt I could see with my eyes. A special camera could be snaked down the channel to check the other bolts. I don’t have such a camera. My many questions to the forum.
Has anyone else experienced this issue? What did you do?
I know Jayco monitors these forums. What is your suggestion?
Is this a safety concern to anyone? Would you feel safe traveling down the road beside a fifth wheel knowing it could explode due to a catastrophic failure at any time.
When was the last time you ripped apart your bedroom interior and ripped all the molding and under pin off your over hang to inspect these lag bolts? I’m thinking required maintenance every 5000 miles. $$$$
The Well-Hidden Safety Concern. Thanks for the discussion in advance.

 

[Russc25]

Jayco does NOT monitor these forums and you should NOT expect any action on their part based on your posts here.

The only exception would be if you start talking about pending legal action some lawyer may come across it as part of a general google search and shut it down (which is why the forum rules and mods disallow that subject).

This is not the first I've heard of frame problems on campers of any brand (there are only a couple frame manufacturers providing for most brands) or this problem on 5th wheels. If you want Jayco to do anything about it, you need to contact them. Your frame is also likely a Lippert so you might try calling them. Otherwise, if you want it fixed in a timely manner, you will probably have to reach out to an independent repair shop.

 

[Kevin Cooper]

Many many years ago I used to be a structural detailer. My opinion, and just an opinion is that the tiny piece of wood that is slid inside the tube aluminum is not a good design. Lag bolts are not good design either. A 3/8” lag bolt is installed into the aluminum tube and splits the wood. Once split, the bolts have very little resistance to coming loose. A better solution would be slide in a 1/4” aluminum strip, set the wall in place, drill and thread the bar, and put in 1/2” 20 bolts.
As I said, just an opinion.

 

[Mcburt]

Thank you Russc25 and Kevin for you knowable Comments. The replacement of wood strips for an aluminum replacement sound more reliable. I will probably talk with Jayco to see what they are willing to do.

 

[gunafulltime]

Jayco does NOT monitor these forums . . .

How do you know this?

 

[Mcburt]

Gunafulltime, what is it that you are questioning how we know it. Sorry, about the Harris sentence.

 

[Taftcoach]

How do you know this?

Because it isn't an official Jayco platform?

 

[gunafulltime]

Because it isn't an official Jayco platform?

The fact that the JOF is not an official Jayco platform does not preclude Jayco from observing this platform. The truth is we don't know how, if, when, what, or who from Jayco may observe this platform.

 

[Jayhawk 29]

It is my belief that even if Jayco monitors this site, even on occasions, the brand is just one brand in the long list of brands that's owned by the same parent company. There are a lot of problems throughout the sticks and staple industry stemming from similar construction methods , similar materials and similar equipment.

With the bulk of the problems being similar by nature on all brands, anyone reading this forum from any brand name is probably just taken in stride to just blowing the issues off and just move along. All of the manufacturers hear most of the problems that may get written here many times over during the course of any given day. Just another day, hohum

 

[Taftcoach]

The fact that the JOF is not an official Jayco platform does not preclude Jayco from observing this platform. The truth is we don't know how, if, when, what, or who from Jayco may observe this platform.

Sure. They may have an entire office of people checking every RV forum. Then they could register and contact those people directly to resolve issues. It doesn't seem efficient but you are right, it is possible.

In eight years I've been here no one has ever posted that they had contact from Jayco through this forum. Posting anything here or any of the dozens and dozens of RV forums in the hope the manufacturer will see it is optimistic.

But sure, they may be paying someone to read Internet posts all day. I want that job.

 

[gunafulltime]

Yes. That would be a sweet job!

I would not suggest that it's someone's fulltime job. It could be an occasional observation, or they could use technology. IDK. If they do, I don't think they would advertise that they do and contact people through this forum.

 

[Mcburt]

I don't know if Jayco is monitoring these channels. But I do know that company's like Jayco or the parent company do hire what they call Cyber Monitor's. It was a job I was looking into as a RV traveling job. I didn't get hired so not real sure how the gig plays out.

 

[pconroy]

While I don't know either, I too doubt that Jayco would monitor this forum. I can think of one or two reasons why they should and two dozen why they should not.

That said - Jayco will eventually figure out social media (if they haven't already) and have people (or a 3rd party) out monitoring FB, Instagram, X/Twitter etc.

 

[Glamper64]

My view is why wouldn't Jayco check in here from time to time (probably every morning) to read about the product they produce and sell...basically it's like the surveys companies asked you to fill out about their product/service to better themselves only they're getting the real deal/survey here for free Problem is why haven't the RV companies perfected the building process/materials by now! For example Keystone used this sponge like crap material on their floors for years that went soft immediately when wet and turned to mush. Also things like water penetration thru screw holes. Imo quality control during the building process, proper materials, proper building techniques, proper design, surveys would contribute to a much better product in the end...that reminds me to post soon about my pet peeves regarding basic things like practical design, applying silicon and cabinet edging

 

[Taftcoach]

Most estimates of Jayco revenue I've read are between $1 billion to $1.5 billion annually. Let's assume everyone here bought a new Jayco within the past five years. What percentage of Jayco's $5 to $7.5 billion in sales during that period did we contribute?

200 posters at $100,000 average sale price is $20 million. That would be 0.4% of their total sales for the five years. I suspect the average price is actually lower.

How many problems would they discover here that they wouldn't have discovered by analyzing warranty claims and answering their phone and emails?

I'm certain they receive an aggregate of date from some AI generating firm that confirms that what they are hearing from official channels matches what is being said in unofficial channels. But a constant monitoring? I don't believe so. Plus there are other platforms that would also need monitoring. And someone to watch all the YouTube channels, sub Reddits, etc.

 

[Slippy-JAY]

If Jayco did monitor forums in any official capacity, that could leave them open for lawsuits for failure to act. I would bet they avoid official monitoring like the plague.

Plausible deniability.

 

[cariboocreek]

If Jayco did monitor forums in any official capacity, that could leave them open for lawsuits for failure to act. I would bet they avoid official monitoring like the plague.

Plausible deniability.

If that was the case, Customer Service would never answer the phone.

 

[Jayhawk 29]

If that was the case, Customer Service would never answer the phone.

Among my latest communications with Service , there was a big "But" included in the conversation that of course was being recorded, " for quality training purposes " of course. The lady behind the desk said that " now I can't tell you that you can do that", the simple question was of course about weight and adding an additional battery to the hitch frame.


They only tack weld the cross member that's an L shaped piece of iron and I ask what the factory considered to be the maximum rated load on the frame. So I consider this to be lawyer trained communications, probably giving them an out if the frame and battery fell down from broken welds.

 

[Mcburt]

I think they have figured it out. Facts are that Grand Design and Lippert both were caught monitoring their sites during the brunt of the Frame Flex Issues. So yea why wouldn't Jayco do the same. I wish they would. Then maybe I wouldn't have to wait so long for them to answer the phone. And just maybe a real person would answer me back. I didn't think that the subject of monitoring the Jayco owner site would generate so much talk. Cool. I was just looking for ideas on maybe someone else has experience my same issues. I have ordered an endoscope. I want to know what the rest of those vertical siding screws are doing and then I plan to get Jayco involve.

 

[Glamper64]

Jayco would never participate in this forum but I'm pretty sure they read it. It's a Jayco forum about Jayco trailers, do they not care about what people buying there products have to say about them? We're the customers who spend the thousands of dollars....wouldn't it be great and seems reasonable/smart business wise to have some Jayco involvement here? It's called good old customer service and standing by your product which seems to be lost in the billion dollar profit game these days...nobody cares once they have the money! I went thru it recently with Keystone and the dealer...nobody cared that I spent 30 grand on a trailer and sold it for less than half of that 6 years later because of a history of leaks, repairs and soft floors all caused by very poor building practices and very poor material choices! Ok rant over for now