3" Frame Recall on 15', 17' & 19' Escape Trailers

[Jim Bennett]

Ron, it is as posted two posts up. There is a mending plate welded across the inside of the joint overlapping each way by about 4 inches.

[Ron in BC]

Thanks, but I'm curious as to how one gets some sort of overlap on a miter joint.

Ron

[Parker]

I agree. I am regretting not taking a couple of photos! It felt smooth behind the joint, which may be the piece that smac2 is describing. I'll stop by the Escape (in storage) tomorrow and take a couple of photos.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Thanks, but I'm curious as to how one gets some sort of overlap on a miter joint.

Ron

I am a bit confused with your curiosity. There is a miter joint that is welded, and then a mending plate is welded on the inside, overlapping 4 inches to each side

[Parker]

There you have it. I bet my pictures will show exactly that!

[Jubal]

I wonder if this problem was a result of the addition of the storage box, 2 batteries, and 2LP tank options on the 3" frame designed for 15 and 17 trailers.

[Jim Bennett]

The frame was actually designed for the 19, there was no 15 at the time. The frame on the 17 before that was built different, thus no recall on them.

[Greggo]

I'm a little late to the party as I've been out cheating death on a camping trip and just got dialed into the recall.

Question, I'm looking at the posted pictures of welded A-frames and am wondering if all 3" frames are created equal. Mine is bent, not welded, at the point in question and already has a 1/4" plate welded behind it. Seems to differ from others and looks pretty solid to me.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I am a bit confused with your curiosity. There is a miter joint that is welded, and then a mending plate is welded on the inside, overlapping 4 inches to each side

Curiosity may have killed the cat but it often stands me in good stead for problem solving. One post mentioned the interior mending plate and the other mentioned a overlapping miter. I asked whether there was any chance that they both had the same situation because, yes, I'm not afraid to say it, I don't know how to make an overlapping miter.

Ron

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Greggo

Mine is bent, not welded, at the point in question and already has a 1/4" plate welded behind it. .

I might be wrong, but looking at the photo as best I can, I think that's a weld, not a bend. I'm not a 100% sure of that. But the backing plate is a question mark. So, maybe there's more than one version. Certainly the existing backing plate plus the new mending plate would make a pretty bomb proof frame.

Ron

[Greggo]

Maybe it is but it looks to my untrained eye like a notch was cut, the frame was bended, the cuts were welded then a backing plate welded.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Greggo

, at the point in question and already has a 1/4" plate welded behind it. Seems to differ from others and looks pretty solid to me.

OK, that darn curiosity got the best of me again. I looked under mine (Apr. 2014, 4" frame) to see what the current situation was.

So, even the 4" frame has the interior backing plate as well as the bracket with the bolt. Somewhere along the way this started to be the standard way to make the frame.

My photos show I should be sanding down the frame and painted after the sandblasting it got from the Alaska hwy. But I'm still going with my opinion that it's a weld, not a bend.

Ron

[gbaglo]

See post #43 in this thread for pix of bend and welded frames.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Greggo

Mine is bent, not welded, at the point in question and already has a 1/4" plate welded behind it.

That would be a nicely cleaned up weld.

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

...., yes, I'm not afraid to say it, I don't know how to make an overlapping miter.

Me neither, it sounds like some kind of Japanese wood joinery.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

That would be a nicely cleaned up weld.

I've seen some pretty smooth MIG welds. When I lightly grind my frame to clean up the minor rust I'll know for sure if it's a bend or weld. Not that it matters of course, just a curiosity thing. If I'm wrong I might even admit it.

When I was young, didn't trust my welding and was using channel for a travel trailer and a boat trailer I did the notch and bend routine. Ugh, brings back memories of hacking away with a hack saw.

Ron

[NuthatchBC]

So, just to be clear, the FIX that is being proposed by ETI has the mending plate welded to the OUTSIDE of the frame at the bend. Correct? All this talk of inside and outside has me totally confused.
Doug

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by NuthatchBC

So, just to be clear, the FIX that is being proposed by ETI has the mending plate welded to the OUTSIDE of the frame at the bend. Correct? All this talk of inside and outside has me totally confused.
Doug

Doug, just follow Reace's guidelines. Add the new plate (to the outside) and mounting brackets, and all will be good.

[skogan]

What Greggo is describing is exactly what our 2013 15a has. The tube was notched, bent, the 3 cut sides welded back together and a 1/4 inch plate welded on the back. There is definitely no weld on the outside of this bend/joint on our trailer. I am a journeyman welder, trust me, I know what I'm looking at.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by skogan

What Greggo is describing is exactly what our 2013 15a has. The tube was notched, bent, the 3 cut sides welded back together and a 1/4 inch plate welded on the back. There is definitely no weld on the outside of this bend/joint on our trailer. I am a journeyman welder, trust me, I know what I'm looking at.

It that is the case, I would wonder if the mending plate is needed.

[jamman]

See post #43. Bent = no recall.