Bent Coupler on 21RBS

[david]

I agree with Charlie. Two bolts should make that coupler handle the bending load just fine and comes close to doing what welding would do on a steel frame.

The use of a WDH is indicated by tow vehicle capabilities vs tongue weight. When the TV rear end sags more than about 1-1/2" when hitched up, then you need a WDH no matter what LL may say.

Whether a mild WDH would affect the aluminum frame is subject to some debate. If we had purchased a 21RBS instead of the lighter 16TBS that we did, I would have had aluminum plates welded to the front frame members to take the additional stresses of a WDH. But I don't think anyone has gone that far and so far they seem to be working fine.

David

[swbc150]

The LL QS VRV's come with those side bolts.
I was surprised my Bearcat Toyhauler didn't already have the side bolts as my unloaded toy hitch weight is 625 lbs, way over the 500 lb limit for my F150 with no WDH.
If LL claims half-ton towable then w/o a WDH and no toys loaded then you are pushing the safety limits of your TV and your Life.
I went with the WDH.

[billmoore]

Our Bearcat came with the side bolts already. There is no way I'd tow our BC7X20 without a WDH, way too much tongue weight. There is no way LL can say this thing is half ton towable and then not allow a WDH. There isn't any half ton truck that allows a tongue weight over 500 lbs without one...

[ammobob]

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Added the side bolts while camping in Yellowstone. Have not weighed yet and had concerns about tongue weight so did the mod a soon as I could.

[ammobob]

Made a correction base on an observation by Charlie. My original coupler bolts were in the wrong position. Miss-interpreted the front of the frame to the back of the coupler (still have not for figured out how I did that unless Jimmie B was working on me) and put 2 bolts in the wrong position. Added 2 more bolts in the correct position and have decided that keeping all 4 bolts will not hurt anything. The coupler is flush with the frame so no additional washers were needed between the coupler and frame. All 4 bolts torqued to 90 lbs. thanks CharlieM for the info on error and correction.

[swbc150]

Nothing wrong with 4 bolts instead of 2.
I'm happy to see you added the additional front side bolts.

[fasteddieb]

Nothing wrong with 4 bolts instead of 2.
I'm happy to see you added the additional front side bolts.

I suppose. 

Still, I would personally want to minimize the size and number of holes drilled in the frame. 

[swbc150]

[p]Mine was a completely different fix. After receiving the new 2-5/16th coupler from LL and finding the serious damage under the 2" Coupler, mine is now with a Steel Channel coupler mount, with reinforce welded Aluminum plate, Flat steel plate and steel channel.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Don was Great to work with at LL.[/p][p]
[/p][p]
[/p][p][a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/user/SWBF750/media/2015%20Livin-Lite%20Bearcat%20BC16FK%20ToyHauler/Coupler%20Mount%20primed_zpswkxtm9e4.jpg.html"]
[img style="max-width:100%;" src="http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy25/SWBF750/2015%20Livin-Lite%20Bearcat%20BC16FK%20ToyHauler/Coupler%20Mount%20primed_zpswkxtm9e4.jpg"][/a][/p]

[charliem]

[font size="3"]THAT is a coupler mod! Did you have frame damage? Bending or failure of the frame tubes? Did LL help with this mod or did you do it with a local welding shop?
[/font]

[swbc150]

[p]charliem, 1st let me say "Thank You" to you for the side bolt Mod, if I hadn't done that I may not have this Bearcat toyhauler right now as I may have lost the trailer due to a complete failed coupler.

My problem was a incorrect install of the top 4-bolt Coupler, not sure if it was install at the LL Factory or a Dealer install.
The 4 top mounting holes were not drilled straight through the Aluminum Frame causing the grade 8 bolts not being able to stay tight resulting in rounding out the mounting holes both on the top and bottom of the aluminum frame. Additional someone drilled two more holes on the rear lower aluminum frame in trying to align the bolts but they were still not a straight drill mount. I found this after I decided to install the heavier built 2-5/16th coupler, I then reached out to LL with Don N for a warranty claim.
Don sent out the parts to fix the problem and instructed me to find a Certified Aluminum Welder. I then contacted 5 Local Welders, 2-refused to even look at the problem, they said the job was too small and didn't want it. The other 3 all came to the same conclusion, they refused to repair it after closer inspection of my problem with the supplied parts that LL sent. I went back to the 1st Welder I contacted and they took the repair to the next level.

What was the main concerns the three Welders had?
1.- They all felt this section of the frame had been over-stressed and compromised with possibility of complete failure in the very near future resulting in a towing disaster.
2.- They all refused to try the repair with the supplied parts from LL, they felt it would still be a problem down the road and this section of the frame was too weak for the suggested LL repair.

Here are some more Pic's of the problem and the fix.[/p][p]
[/p][p]The reason I am pointing this out is all of us with the bolted on Couplers need to check these 4 bolts to be sure they are tight just like checking your Trailer lug nuts before you tow. If the 4 bolts are loose, then a closer look needs to be checked and see why they are not staying tight.[/p][p]I'll post the pic's over the next few postings.

Living Lite has been great to deal with and For Standing Behind their Products.
Livin-lite warranty paid the Bill in Full, a Big Thanks Goes to Don Neufelder for his outstanding support with this repair.[/p][p]
[/p][p][a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/user/SWBF750/media/2015%20Livin-Lite%20Bearcat%20BC16FK%20ToyHauler/Black%20line%20marks%20cut%20off_zps40hsqy5a.jpg.html"]
[img style="max-width:100%;" src="http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy25/SWBF750/2015%20Livin-Lite%20Bearcat%20BC16FK%20ToyHauler/Black%20line%20marks%20cut%20off_zps40hsqy5a.jpg"][/a][/p][p]The Black line shows where the cut-off is, this section to the front was cut-off.[/p][p]
[/p][p][a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/user/SWBF750/media/2015%20Livin-Lite%20Bearcat%20BC16FK%20ToyHauler/Multi%20Holes%20Drilled_zpsiddku9vf.jpg.html"]


[img style="max-width:100%;" src="http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy25/SWBF750/2015%20Livin-Lite%20Bearcat%20BC16FK%20ToyHauler/New%20welded%20Aluminum%20Plate_zpskomt9hi7.jpg"][/a][/p][p]
[/p][p]Thick Steel Plate Bolted to the New Welded in Aluminum Plate with 4 Grade 8 Bolts.[/p][p][a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/user/SWBF750/media/2015%20Livin-Lite%20Bearcat%20BC16FK%20ToyHauler/Steel%20Plate%20location_zps3jelc8my.jpg.html"]

[swbc150]

[p]Side view of the steel channel, next step weld on the 2-5/16th Coupler.

[a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/user/SWBF750/media/2015%20Livin-Lite%20Bearcat%20BC16FK%20ToyHauler/Steel%20Channel%20side%20view_zpsc5d01je9.jpg.html"]

[david]

Wow!!! You had a failure of the main frame tubing (see the cracks in the first picture) which resulted in cutting off the front of the A and welding a heavy aluminum plate to it and then bolting a steel coupling mounting. Wow!!

There were huge forces in play that resulted in that aluminum tubing failing. It makes Charlie's coupler bending problem look trivial by comparison'

LL definitely needs to work on their coupler mounting procedure.

christianm, are you paying attention. This is a &*%$ disaster.

David

[swbc150]

david, those aren't cracks in the 1st pic, that is a painted line showing where the cut-off was going to be. There were two cracks starting but none shown in these pic's. One was at a weld on the inside A and the other was starting on the inside the right aluminum tubing right at the upper drilled 1/2" hole.

I believe the two side added coupler drilled mounts saved my Bearcat Trailer from breaking loose by not loosening up the 4 top bolts too much but still allot of extra force was applied on all 6 bolts during towing do to the poor 4 drilled mounting holes for the coupler mount.

[daplumbr]

I hope those little wiggly black lines in the first photo are marks for cutting, not cracks. But still, seeing the original coupler mounting hole problem is awful. I sure hope mine isn't like that. I check the bolts occasionally, but I do use a WDH and now I wonder if I should worry about the stress on a potentially weak joint. The fix in the photos is a massive new joint. Is there a concern about galvanic corrosion where bare steel meets bare aluminum? 

[swbc150]

The welder said no to the concerns of Metal to Aluminum surfaces, they have been doing these types of repairs for years with other aluminum frames failures.