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Sagging floor and outriggers
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Masternav View Drop Down
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Posts: 5 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Masternav Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Sagging floor and outriggers
    Posted: 11 Aug 2022 at 10:35pm
Originally posted by sjesse

The floors /walls of our 2018.5 rpod 190 were sagging to the point the slide side fender was rubbing the tire. Our model trailer only had a pair of outriggers at the very front.  We observed the 2021 rpod model 190 had multiple factory outriggers installed. When we notified FR, they offered to sell us outriggers which we deemed unsatisfactory due to they were not welded at the upper corner and did not extend to the bottom of the frame tube, thus putting too much pressure on the center of the frame tube wall.  We had an independent machine shop (www.innomach.com) manufacture welded and taller outriggers that were powder-coated. The company has the dimensions on file and charge $12@ for the powder-coated steel outriggers that we used, and $24@for stainless steel ones.

We installed seven outriggers on the slide side and six on the other side:

5/16 x 3 stainless steel through-bolts used on the upper hole, with extra thick 5/16 fender washers. We ground two flat sides on the outer washers to fit inside the bracket.  The machine shop will make the outer washers for $3@.

5/16-18 x ¾ machine screw type F self-tapping used on the lower hole applying loctite.

#14 x 1 ¼ stainless steel hex-head sheet metal screws used on the upper outer holes.

We reported a safety problem with the NHTSA https://www.nhtsa.gov/.  We recommend that everyone do this to initiate a forced recall by Forest River.

 


Thank you for the information.  FWIW, the 2021 model change did not solve the floor sagging problem.  The new outriggers are too flimsy and spaced too far apart.  The support toward the front of the slide (just in front of the axle) broke the spot weld and the support toward the back of the slide (behind the axle bent out of shape.  The end result is the same:  Outer edge wall and floor sags, the slide drags on the floor inside, the fender slants down, and the slider doesn't evenly meet the weather seals.

I've currently got the outside floor squared up with a jack, with a jack stand supporting the axle.  If I can obtain these in short order, I hope to be able to keep it that way, with supports every foot or so.

Thanks again!
2021 R-Pod 190, Towed by 2013 Honda Pilot Touring
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Masternav View Drop Down
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Posts: 5 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Masternav Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2022 at 10:33pm

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Posts: 5 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Masternav Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2022 at 10:31pm
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2630 		Post Options Post Options   Quote GlueGuy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar 2022 at 10:14am
+1

Corrosion would be the main concern. The PVC would be pretty much corrosion proof. Steel would rust, and even aluminum (unless anodized) would corrode. PVC has reasonable resistance to compression too.
bp
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar 2022 at 5:10am
should work fine but the PV trim suggested above is probably better long term bc it won't rust.
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Posts: 27 		Post Options Post Options   Quote MitchReef Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2022 at 9:04pm
What does everyone think of getting a piece of 1/4 thick steel and put it under the floor in the gap over outriggers? Further support at the same time.
Mitch and Laurie Carter....
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Mar 2022 at 7:11pm
Well, fabricators aren't engineers and vice versa.

I can tell you with certainty that notching that outrigger would be fine. The purpose of the outrigger is to carry a moment (think torque) load back to the rpod frame. That moment load starts at zero out at the end and increases to it's max where the outigger attached to the frame rail.

It's exactly like when you drive a nail a little into a piece of wood and then push sideways on it. The nail will bend where it enters the wood every time, never out at the end.

I'd be a lot more concerned that the outrigger would pull out of the thin wall frame rail than I would that that little notch would cause a problem.
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1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
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Posts: 2630 		Post Options Post Options   Quote GlueGuy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Mar 2022 at 6:35pm
I emailed Innovative Machine, and they suggested not cutting the rail or the outrigger, but shimming it thusly:

I would suggest the following:
1) purchase some 1/4 PVC board at Home Depot and cut strips to be siliconed on the top of the outriggers to fill the gap with the wood floor
2) Do not cut the rail or notch the outrigger - the gap is approx 1/8 in the alum rail - I would suggest finding some washers and adding 2 on each bolt to fill that gap
bp
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Mar 2022 at 12:11pm
I would notch the outrigger. This won't weaken it significantly, the bending moment (torque) on the outrigger increases toward where it attaches to the frame and is very small out at it's end. As LA says the less you modify/make holes in the trailer itself the better.
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1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
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sjesse View Drop Down
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Posts: 5 		Post Options Post Options   Quote sjesse Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 2022 at 7:14pm
I think either way is ok as long as the weight of the outer 1 1/2" of the wall is on the outrigger since the floor underneath is only 1/8 luan plywood and would not be able to hold much weight.
 So we want the outrigger on the 1 1/2" aluminum floor framing, not mainly on the floor. I opted to put the outrigger over the aluminum channel with a 1/8"x1/2" aluminum shim in the open area of the channel with caulking to seal the 2 screws we put up threw the wall, my thinking was it would help distribute the weight over a little larger area of the wall. Like I said earlier I did put some 1/4" thick PVC on top of the outriggers for a little more support. I cut them from a piece of 1/4"x2'x4' Vernada PVC trim board I got from Home Depot. Our Rpod 190 which had no outriggers originally was sagging 1" ( tire was hitting fender) and after jacking the walls back up over a 2 week with 4 scissor jacks and 4x4 under the walls we put on a total of 13 outriggers from Innovative Machine, 7 on slide side & 6 on door side it seems to be fine now. I do have a list of parts I used if anyone wants them.
PLEASE report a safety problem on the NHTSA web site( upper right of their web page) so as to force Forest River to do a recall, and maybe reimburse us for this.
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