Frame cracks where tongue bolts to frame

Leeh22

I’ve heard back a couple of times from NuCamp.   No final solution yet but they were very quick to respond and promise to work to help get it resolved.   As we have all come to appreciate they are a great company!

ScottG

@tomanni, I've added you to the list (which now totals thirteen).

I don't see the typical sticker on the passenger side of your frame. The following info would be helpful if you have it:

- Frame build date and S/N (from the previously mentioned sticker).

- Camper build date (from the sticker on the driver's side of the tongue).

Thanks!

dsatwork

Dalehelman said:

Looks almost identical to all of the others. Where are you located?

It's crazy how similar they all look.

Fergie

I did receive a response from Nu-Camp warranty on our T@B cracked frame and missing bolts/rivets problem. Since returning to Ohio from Alaska is not practical, they recommend to “—weld a steel plate over that area.” Also since the trailer is out of warranty (purchased in 2015), and is “— a component defect and not a manufacture defect Norco has offered to supply parts at no cost but no labor for this..”

I would like to know more about the “welding a steel plate over that area” before I do anything so I will be contacting Norco directly. My trailer guy has already put two 3/8 inch bolts in the missing places for a temporary fix on that side and ultimately I will trust his judgement as to how to weld it as he does these kinds of repairs all the time.

Fergie

atlasb

Just wondering if some one with close ties to NU Camp could provide us with a picture of a naked frame for a  400.  I have been following this thread and just checked our 400 frame.  We have a belly pan covering most of the tongue mount area and while I don't expect any problem, I do like to know how things are assembled.  This allows me to monitor any problem areas and also allows me to be able to do mods etc. A simple picture of the frame complete before any floor assembly would be great!  Thanks for any help!  atlasb 

jgram2

Relieved neither passenger nor driver side shows any cracks, manufactured 1/06/2015. (Although unhappy I apparently laid in an anthill to investigate the darned thing.)

Flydude

Got them on both sides of 2015 s Maxx with a frame manufacture date of 10/07/2014. In addition, there is an oblique line immediately in front of the rear two fasteners on the passenger side. This looks like it runs from the top to the bottom and best I can tell is present on only the outside of the frame member.  The paint appears to be missing along this line however no rust is present. Almost looks like a scratch mark. Surely this does not represent a crack as well? Comments or suggestions? 

ScottG

Thanks for the info, @Flydude. Judging from the photo, I agree with you that the oblique line looks more like a scratch than a crack.

Dalehelman

In the last photo if there is no rust it is likely not a crack.

RollingBnB

What if it is the beginning of a new crack. Won't it take some time and moisture for the rust to form?

Dalehelman

RollingBnB said:

What if it is the beginning of a new crack. Won't it take some time and moisture for the rust to form?

IMHO no they will rust almost immediately. It  would have a start point and then travel.

Flydude

@Dalehelman, Thanks guys. Sanded a portion of oblique line, no crack. 

Dalehelman

@Flydude
thanks for the clarification. A crack like that would have been a departure from the others there by widening the scope of the issue.

RollingBnB

Good call @Dalehelman

PMoloney

Hello, this is the first time I’ve posted on here, we just, a few months ago bought our first tab, the forum has been great with helping us learn what we need to know about the T@b.
The T@b is a 2015 and as you can see( if I posted the photos correctly) it has cracks!!

PMoloney

Hello, this is my first time posting on the forum, well it’s my second time really, I think  the first time I may have posted in the wrong place.
we very recently bought out T@b, it’s a 2015 and unfortunately it has those same cracks!

PMoloney

I’m worried now  that it isn’t safe to tow?

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: NO frame cracks where tongue bolts to frame.

Dalehelman

@PMoloney take time to read this thread from the beginning. According to the Norcold the frame manufacturer. The remaining three mounting bolts are more than sufficient to safely carry the load. Regular inspections would be advised.  

Fergie

Update:

So far I did not get any additional information from Norco and I made the decision to have my trailer guy use his best judgement.

Yesterday I took my T@B with the crack on the driver's side and the missing bolts on the passenger side to him. He had previously put 3/8 inch bolts in the missing positions as I have previously reported. I picked it up today after he welded both sides. 

He removed the "P" trap guard from the driver's side and found that there was no hidden additional cracks. He welded a brace over the cracked area and replaced and sealed the trap guard as shown below.

Also here is a closeup of the weld.
On the passenger side where he had previously installed the bolts in the missing positions, he added a weld to the joint for security as shown below.



He feels this will sufficiently strengthen these joints, therefore I am satisfied that this weekend I can take the camper to Valdez, AK 300 miles away over the Glenn and Richardson highways for use by my other half's daughter this summer.

To those with the same situation (i.e. can't return to Ohio to fix) I recommend finding a good trailer repair facility with welding capabilities as they run into similar repair problems all the time.

I consider this issue closed for my case.

Fergie

tabiphile

Fergie...congrats on the repair..that should hold the frame and give you piece of mind.
For anyone else considering welding as a repair, make sure that welder is an experienced and skilled welder. Welds with gaps and blobs are not indications of welding skill..the welds will hold, but no as well as a "good" weld. A skilled welder leaves no voids...the weld moves in the direction of weld smoothly with consistent rod deposition. The bottom right section of weld on the plate is a good weld.

jrslad

First time seeing a welding job, helpful information. Thanks for posting. I was fortunate to be within a few hours of Elkhart, Indiana and had the frame replaced at Norco. If that fails welding is next. I am leaving on a 5000 mile road trip on Saturday. That should be a sufficient test of the new frame. Here are pics of the new frame. Thanks to Ryan Immel of Norco, excellent replacement job.

ScottG

Has anyone considered replacing the offending frame rails as a DIY project? If Norco was willing to provide the parts, what would be involved in swapping them out?

I know it seems like a big project, but I was inspired by the recent discussion of a Dutchman owner who replace their entire floor after carefully lifting the camper body completely off or it.

Dalehelman

I feel it is entirely doable. Depending on your mechanical skill. I would do it.

Dalehelman

Just rechecked driver side crack. No change since I first spotted it. Passenger side still known cracks. IMHO I think cracks were caused when the frame rails dimple was formed. Not caused by stress under towing conditions.

JustJohn

Dalehelman said:

Just rechecked driver side crack. No change since I first spotted it. Passenger side still known cracks. IMHO I think cracks were caused when the frame rails dimple was formed. Not caused by stress under towing conditions.

That's an interesting possibility.

tabiphile

The continued absence of a definitive analysis from the frame manufacturer or NuCamp is really glaring. This thread is populated with second and third hand information and speculation about cause and fixes. NuCamp has replaced defective frames..by now there should have been a thorough review of the damage and their assessment of cause............

Sharon_is_SAM

@tabiphile, I thought they decided it was a bad batch of metal for a certain run of the frame production - that's why this is so limited.  Norco and nuCamp are working together on the repairs. 

Dalehelman

To date there have been no catastrophe failures. The cracks have not caused any need for immediate attention. At this point I intend to make no repairs. I will monitor regularly looking for any additional signs of weakening or additional cracks.

tabiphile

@SAM...There was this back in March...

Here is the latest from Marvin Raber, Director of Warranty and Repair.
What is the cause frame cracks? (the steal that was used was too hard causing it to become brittle when they formed the dimples where the rivets are.)

That does not sound like a very robust conclusion...hard steel does not become brittle...if it's too hard it might be brittle and forming the rivets (especially if the tools used are not set correctly) could create stresses that cause cracks....but Marvin's statement is not an accurate one. It may be what he knows, but it is not stated in a way that it makes sense.

If Norco made the frames, they should have received samples of the defective frames and done a hardness test and probably verified the metallurgy. They should have verified the rivets and the calibration of the tools used to set them and then summarized the failure...that information (verified cause) seems to be missing. Obviously preventative measures would be based upon those findings...do they now verify metal hardness, calibrate their tools etc..