Frame Rail Cracks

[JohnB]

Joan,

Glad the tank leak fix if going well. Yes, a zip tie, (aka tie wrap, chicken bands) would be a good short term fix.

I also noticed this in your one picture. Seems these things just jump out at me. This is not good. The red circled area is a camper frame rail crack. It has been there a good while by the looks of the rust witness lines/color.


I would suggest you take some more pics of this area, inside and out n he frame and create a new post if you want us to take a look at it. You will need to create a get well plan for that crack.

Also in that post, tell us which side of the back of the camper is the spare tire mounted on or do you carry the spare in the truck?

Hope this helps

John

[Tod Osier]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Joan,

Glad the tank leak fix if going well. Yes, a zip tie, (aka tie wrap, chicken bands) would be a good short term fix.

I also noticed this in your one picture. Seems these things just jump out at me. This is not good. The red circled area is a camper frame rail crack. It has been there a good while by the looks of the rust witness lines/color.


I would suggest you take some more pics of this area, inside and out n he frame and create a new post if you want us to take a look at it. You will need to create a get well plan for that crack.

Also in that post, tell us which side of the back of the camper is the spare tire mounted on or do you carry the spare in the truck?

Hope this helps

John

Yep, same crack as on ours, even same shape. Looks like the crosswise c channel might have some bend, but ours did not.

We put ours through some pretty punishing conditions this year, a cursory look suggests the repairs held, but I haven't looked carefully.

[Sunline Fan]

Is this the frame step on the left rear that we're looking at?

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Sunline Fan

Is this the frame step on the left rear that we're looking at?

Yes Jon, Left side, rear by the dump valves. On the 2004's, the main frame is 4" Channel and the frame step over the dump valves is 3" channel. On the 2005's - 2007's The main frame is 6" I beam (I think its 6"?) with the 3" channel jog over the dump valve.

[apackoftwo]

John B will be adding the photos

I found a crack on the street side by the tank valves and several on the street side by the fresh water drain

[JohnB]

Joan, I moved the comments about your frame rail cracks out of your grey tank leaking post to this post so the comments are all together. It appears the forum software puts all moved posts in chronological order so your post ended up being moved down.

I will post your pictures here shortly.

[JohnB]

Helping Joan out with some pictures of her frame cracks. Her campground phone signal is not strong enough for uploading pics.

This is the left side of the camper at the rear dump valve area.







These are on the right side of the camper at the end of the 3" cross wise C channel support. The frame is cracking from what appears to be the 3" channel iron twisting over time. A fatigue crack.


This is the right hand side of the camper looking at the outside, side of the main frame rail. There is a angle gusset (out rigger) at this location


This picture I am not sure where it lines up with. Joan will need to help tell us which direction she took it from.


There are 2 pics of the left rear bumper area mount. This bumper mount is welded to the 3" channel iron that goes over the top of the dump valve area and joins up with the cracked frame. The spare tires mounts near this area on the back bumper.




A close up of an area that needs closer inspection. Need more pics from under the camper looking at the back side of this mounting plate.


Joan, the red circle I added is suspect of having a crack starting in this area. I cannot tell from this picture, but the rust witness lines seem to indicate to look further.


Close up of the potential start of a crack. At the weld and the far side of the plate at the weld area.

[JohnB]

Helping to add to this discussion with extra pictures,

Something to note. In the 2005 model year, the steel frames on the T1950 were changed:

The 2004 and some older years (not sure how old this 2004 frame goes back to) , used a 4" C- channel main frame rails with a 3" C channel iron jog over the dump valve area.

The 2005 - 2007 campers, used 6" I beam main frame rails with a 3" C channel iron jog over the dump valve area.

This is Tod's post on his 2006 T1950 with the frame cracks.
https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f...ded-19648.html

This is my post with my 2004 T1950 rear bumper mount cracks and something I did to reinforce the flexing area of the 3" channel iron attachment.

The bumper area
https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f...tml#post150990

The reinforced area
https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f...tml#post151090

Note: The T1950 is a very popular model and with a large number of them made over the years, with revisions along the way. This frame crack problem has only been reported 2 times on our forum that I know of, Joan's 2005 and Tod's 2006. And one 2004 T1950 (mine) on the spare tire mount cracks. Members with a T1950 should look at their camper and see if the problems exist at the frame crack area and bumper mount. And please post about it.

Something Tod and Joan both have in common, a good quantity of long distance towing across the county many times over. My 2004 T1950 project camper with only the bumper mount cracks, I know was towed 2 times from Ohio to AZ by the prior owner. My 2004 camper has much lower miles Joan or Tod have put on their campers. Point being, towing mileage may be a common factor when higher miles are accumulated.

[apackoftwo]

I just got back from Up North
I will post some pics of the red circled area by the bumper soon

[apackoftwo]

Good News! I found a local business that got good reviews when I searched
He came out to take a look. You could see daylight through the crack by the dump valves 😳

However, he can fix it and he also took a look at the bumper. The fixture holding the spare wheel was bend causing vibration when traveling and that eventually caused the separation on the bumper on that side
He will try to unbend it but also said he could replace and weld the bend part and he will clamp the bumper and the frame on that side too

All for $200! He said he could come out but the charge would be $150 more so the bummer is I have to break camp and take it in but only for a day!

I will post “After” photos once the repairs are done and I am set up again at my “moochcamp” at my friends

[JohnB]

Joan,

That is great news!!! Good for you.

[Tod Osier]

That seems like a very fair price.

Check all the outrigger supports that are welded outside the frame, all the "Z" shaped cross members inside the the frame and the frame where the cross members and outriggers lie. I ended up finding, beyond what you found: 1) an additional outrigger torn loose with the frame cracked where it tore forward of the wheels on the driver side, 2) the cross member inside the frame above the front wheels on both sides was loose from the frame and 3) the frame had lengthwise stress cracks in the middle where that crossmember punched/pulled at the frame rail and 4) the top rears of the REAR suspension hangers BOTH had small cracks beginning at the rear where they were welded to the frame.

These cracks were all very faint until I cleaned them up with a wire wheel, faint enough that John asked and I looked and said that I couldn't find any. Once I got an eye for them, I found plenty. Look for the physical crack, but also the powdery red rust in a faint line marking the crack.

I have pics, but I need to get them organized and put up.

[mainah]

Good welder wil fish plate it.