I spent the last three weeks in Tishomingo for other repairs but observed Danny’s new adjusted repair for Frame flex. Previously both Tiffin and Tish had been pulling back the glass and welding in tubing supports between the vertical uprights and often covering the expansion area with a metal plate secured by epoxy / screws. This has held on some units however there has been a large number of folks returning for another attempt at correction.
Danny adjusted his procedure and is now pulling off the glass, cap and welding in gussets in multiple areas at the bottom and top uprights. He then welds in a large plate across the the uprights and the entire bottom and stuffs the channels with wood if not already present.
During my visit at Tish there were several units arriving for flex repairs (one day three showed up) and others that had moved over to Tish from Redbay for the repair.
I know Tish is a long drive for some of us to make but I think he is getting a handle on those repairs.
Thanks for that update. I got the previous version of the repair last April and hope it holds up since I’m out of warranty now. If it doesn’t though, I’d head back to Tishomingo for the improved version.
Ryan, Thank You for this update.
Has it been determined which years and models are more likely to suffer from this issue?
I do not suspect the manufacturer will tell those model owners.
Regards,
Eric
I started tracking model year / model of Vanleigh units on a spreadsheet after I experienced it in April of 2022. I stopped tracking in 2023 when it seemed it was almost inevitable that all units 21 and later were susceptible and would experience it at sometime with the exception of the Beacon 41LKB or the Vilano 390LK. Again I was only tracking Vanleigh models and I received my data from Facebook groups, extended stays at Tish and Tiffin service centers where the units would arrive and conversations with impacted owners.
I had not seen any 18s, a few 19s, 2020 picked up a bit and 21,22,23 it was all over. It is obviously more prevalent in units that have a slide opening up around the gooseneck allowing for more movement to happen and likely why I haven’t see it in the 41LKB or 390LK. The folks at Tiffin and Tish had validated what I was seeing.
Vanleigh had stated in January 2023 that they changed their design and started placing additional supports and gussets on units for that month forward however I have since seen several past that date with the issue including two at Tish last week.
Good Morning, reading this post about frame flex has me worried I have a 2020 beacon manufactured in 2019, it seems to me looking at all the stuff on U-tube this really is a fault from the manufacturing process and really should be a recall, my question is how did you realize that you are having this problem and being out of warranty how much is the estimate for fixing the problem Thanks Spud
That’s a good question as a lot of folks don’t realize they have the problem. Two people that pulled into Tish this last week both did not know they had it. I was speaking with one owner and he said he is lucky that he hasn’t experienced the flex that everybody had been having - I thought he was there for flex as it was very noticeable.
On most units you will start to see separation of the trim that secures the sweep under the gooseneck when you are hooked up. If a Vilano you might notice decals being pressed but either you can see the sealant line is broken. That is an indicator but doesn’t mean you have flex as the screws (especially in a 2019) might be backing out of the aluminum channels. Vanleigh started stuffing the aluminum channels with wood in December 2020 and using longer screws to prevent that issue.
The larger indicator is a bulge in one side of the wall either side of the expansion joint usually right under a front slide. This bulge will move when weight is placed or removed from the unit when hitching up or dropping. As the bulge worsens it will often start to push the shwintech column away from the unit. I have seen a few owners have to manually press the slides in due to the shwintech being separated from the unit from the bulge in the wall.
When I had mine repaired it was $5500 at Affinity RV however their current rate is around $8k for a painted unit. Tish is still working out their costs for the modified repair they have been performing but I know for two sides it is over $5k. If you experience this issue I would only take to a service center with extensive experience making the repairs. I know one Vanleigh owner that has had his repaired five times.
I will attach a few pictures of my bulge, some trim separation and the area in which to monitor.
Just to add my 2 cents I have the airbag trailer saver hitch in my truck. Was told by Danny that he never had one come in with frame trouble that had an airbag hitch. Expensive hitch but less than the repair hassle.
Hey guys just reading this thread and I have a 2022 Beacon 41LKB. I don’t know if I have the problem but it seems from what I’ve read that my model is less likely to have the problem. I think we will be at our current location for quite sometime so it want have the same stress as travel. I am sure glad to have read this and hope that you guys can it repaired. I will be following up on this thread as it updates. Good luck to us all.
I agree the trailer saver is a great hitch and the way to go. I have been eyeballing the BD5 for a few years but have been thinking about moving from a 5th wheel so haven’t pulled that trigger.
I do know somebody with a trailer saver and a 39GBB that has stress cracks where the flex normally occurs. At this point though he has had the cracks for over a year without the other symptoms so may be over tightened shwintek screws.
The would have been an interesting data point during the point of tracking - what kind of hitch. Missed out. I may have to create a poll for that.
Thanks to RyanB for the all the work you put into your reply, very informative, so far fingers crossed we do not have any of the telltale signs. We have airbags on the truck which i pump up every moving day so hopefully that might work like the air trailer saver hitch, I know it rides a lot smoother after installing them. Sure hope they get this problem taken care, and to the benefit of the consumer. Thanks for all the comeback.
To add to what Ryan mentioned, it can be hard to see if you’re not looking too close. Ours is a 2020 Beacon 39FBB (built 12/2019) and this started around June 2022 for us and we were able to get it repaired April 2023.
I noticed a slight change when hooking up and noticed the sealant seemed to be cracked on the passenger side right where the overhang starts right by the vanity slide. When unhooked it looked normal but as soon as I was hooked up a gap was starting to appear and it started to get bigger.
A few pics of the location where the problem occurred. The guys at Tishomingo did a good job repairing and it’s been good since. I use a B&W Companion hitch (Ford puck system model) with the standard Lippert RotaFlex pin box.
So, how long are they warrantying the frame for this issue?
Thank you for all the information; just got home from several trips over the winter and sure enough, I think I have the same problem.
If you still have 3 year structural the work is covered. If you have the work completed at the Tiffin Service Center in Redbay Alabama then the work is covered up until the expiration of the 3 year structural warranty or 90 days whichever is first.
If you elect another repair facility and still covered under the 3 year structural then the onus is on that facility going forward. My repair at Affinity RV was covered for 1 year.
Redbay has had a troubled record for a long lasting repair. As I stated in a previous comment I know an owner that is on his 5th repair at their facility and while in Tish I saw units that had been repaired a month ago in Redbay now giving Tish a try.
I am sorry to hear you have it. I am confident in Affinity’s repair as I am on 14 months and over 25k miles with it. It looks like the repairs at Tish will be good as well. I am certain Redbay has and will continue to adjust their method for better success.
For me I noticed the issue while still under warranty and brought it up to Jamie Myrick at a Vanleigh rally. He stated it would be covered even if I couldn’t get in for repairs before the 3 years was up.
They were good to their word as I was able to get it all covered under warranty in Tishomingo 3 months after the warranty officially ended. Plus I have confidence in the work that they did at Tishomingo that the repairs should hold up. We don’t travel as much as others, but it’s been a year and all is still good.
