Broke and Going Nowhere: Camper Failure While on the Road 

UPDATE from Slim: GREAT NEWS! AAA has now offered me a FULL REFUND on the entire towing expense, which was quite high! They apologized for not getting a tow truck nor telling me one was not coming after I waited 5 hours. I asked them if the gravel road was an issue, and apparently it was not. I had RV Plus coverage, which as long was I was near a road (which I was) I should have been covered. I also inquired about a better coverage for emergencies. The "Premium" coverage was a little more but includes 320kms or 200 miles (I had 160km or 100 miles) towing PLUS up to 3 nights are covered in a hotel including meals. May be worth it for frequent travelers. So I am now happy with AAA (and CAA) again and will probably use them in the future. Thanks! SP

Mr. Slim, I don't think you will ever have issues with it breaking again. That is a strong repair job.

Had a similar issue with my KZ sportsmen classic up in Dawson Creek. The weld shop also told me a common issue, especially on newer trailers. They are made for the weekend camper and not a long distance, live in life style.

Yours is the third FB trailer I've seen that's had a problem with the aluminum frame. The last one I saw actually broke in half just forward of the axle. You were a little more fortunate. Regardless, it totally sucks.

You are so calm 😯. I’m over here just shaking my head with the close-up of each side. Unbelievable!

Slim there is several Videos on RU-vid about this issue. Lippert gets the blame, but they say they are suppling whatever frame to the company that building on it. And the frame they order is not strong enough. Some are taking their new RVs and having the frames beefed up. I have talked to a former coworker about doing this for me. Writing this before I finished the video hope all goes well for you. Also, nice to know about AAA we use them as well Thanks again.

What an ordeal! I don't think that I could have kept my cool the way you did. I'm glad that it was finally repaired.

Are you going to take it to the manufacturer when you get back and have them inspect the repairs? If nothing else, it should give them some ideas on where and how to reinforce those areas on future models.

Aluminum frame, welds on aluminum are weaker than the metal, so welds break first, lightweight applications. Good fix

Glad you were able to get the trailer fixed but with every trip it is also a good idea to inspect not just your tires but checking wheel bearings & frame lights and safety chains and hitch latches you are not the first and wont be the last to have an unexpected event happen even the big RVs can get cracks as things dont last forever but you got it fixed and thats the main thing as with AAA they can drop the ball but generally its how the people connected to the network facilitate the process especially refunds but they have helped me out a couple of times especially when my wife was broke down nice video though and always inspect your vehicle because it my save your life or the life of another on the road be careful and stay safe my friend God love ya.

I RV'd full time for about 2 years,. I had a 2007 30 foot Keystone Everest 5th wheel towed with a 2007 Dodge Ram 2500 Heavy Duty pick up truck with a Cummins 5.9 diesel engine. Bought both new. I had so many problems with both I sold them in about 2 years. Best designed and worst built vehicles on the road. So glad they are gone. El Mirage, Arizona USA

Be careful about sway loading weight in the back

It's not the weight Slim, it is work hardening in the frame tube. The tube is continually flexing (however minimally) in that area due to frame design which ultimately reduces the tubes ductility and results in the crack. The gusseting and top plate will reduce that flex and distribute it over a wider area but if the problem occurs again it won't be in that particular spot. Think of it like a bread tie where you work it back and forth until it cracks the wire inside the tie. If I was replacing it I would do it in steel, without the step and have it hot dip galvanized for corrosion resistance. That looks like a good repair though hope you have no more issues.

I wonder if the fractures started when you were riding out the hurricane.

Yeah this is the second cracked frame that I have seen on a similar rig. I hope that it pays to buy an off road rated trailer with a beefy frame. I can see how that is a stress point.

Did the manufacturer of the frame reimburse you after all that money you spent having their frame put on

Can I ask you about payload, gcwr, etc.

Fish plate it.. Weld a plate on either side and bottom..

Applause to Kyle at Solid Bloch Machining and Welding in Harvey, MI for saving the day and keeping our Slim Potatohead safe and able to continue on his adventures. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

OMG! That was a brand new trailer frame not too long ago! Thanks goodness that it did not let go on the highway. 😲

Poor Slim, your heart's always in the right place, but like a wayward lover, RV's & Vehicles will break one's heart ~ ! Thanks for sharing Slim & be well & safe in your future travels !

Kyle we can’t thank you enough for helping our friend Slim. 🌴👍👍😎🌴

The world needs more men like Kyle not afraid to take on a big project like this. And keeping American and our Northern friends moving. God bless that man and so glad Slims angel was watching over him 🍻

Scary! So good you brought both jacks. Wonderful welder you found, too! I like those reinforcements.

I ran into a similar frame issue in Utah with mine also breaking in the exact same spot. I sat for two days listening to excuses from tow companies and from welding shops. I eventually went and rented a Uhaul flatbed trailer and used a come a long to drag it up on the flatbed. I took it to a tool rental company and rented a welder and repaired it myself in their parking lot. Wow, what similar stories, good luck :)

That repair looks bomb proof! Way more reinforcement than I was imagining. Good job Kyle!

This was a lessoned learned for all of us who take our trailers (me: Chalet A-frame) of the beaten path. Just got back from a 1800 mi trip with lots of camping off pavement and immediately after watching this went out and inspected every part of my frame. Over the years I can't tell you enough how important your channel has been for all us RV'ers, regardless of the type of rig we have. Thanks Slim.

Thank you Kyle, and thank you Joe (the tow guy)! I'm glad you found the issue when you did. It's scary to think what could've been if you were on the interstate. Take care and happy & safe travels!

That was a stressful episode for you! I felt anxious just watching. So glad you finally found a good shop to do the repairs. Lots of lessons for all of us. I agree with your disappointment with AAA.

As someone who does fab work, you found the right guy to help you. Well done

I love this guys content so much, it has inspired me to get outdoors and camping. I turned my Prius into a small camper and its been an amazing experience.

I encountered the very same problem with AAA. Like you, I had to call an alternative towing company. AAA could not come to me on the day of the breakdown and couldn’t say when they might arrive the next day. In fact, they said they may not make it out the following day. I was on I-95, on an exit ramp for Savannah, Georgia. If they don’t have adequate affiliate cover for such a huge city…what’s the use? I’m happy you got all fixed up and I hope you get some reimbursement.

Talk about an adventure! You keep it real and show all sides of camping....what goes right and what can go wrong. Thanks for sharing your wonderful videos.🙂

It’s a good thing you saw the cracks, it looks like the one side was barely holding the trailer together, while the other side was completely cracked through. It looks like the manufacturer might have to add extra bracing at those points when they make more of those trailers. 😵‍💫✌️🇺🇸🇨🇦✌️

Those guys did a fantastic job on reinforcement and welding. Nice one Kyle

my heart sank at the beginning! thank goodness you were able to work through this and get back on the road!!

Sorry this happened. ❤ You did a great job handling your stress. 👏🏼

I’m a pilot that why you should always pre-flight or deep inspection, lesson learned , praise GOD you didn’t fail on Highway !

Kyle did a great gob it’s nice to see a young man that takes pride in his work and is willing to help others

Same thing happened to Bex Cat Herder a few years ago. She was in Cali hills on a curvy, tree lined road with no signal . She was saved by the kindness of strangers and a mobile welder .

It’s crazy that you would have this happen to you when you’re so diligent in how you maintain your equipment. It did make for a good video so hopefully you do well on that. Good luck Slim from Alberta.

You found a real treasure with that fabricator. Be care putting too much of your weight behind the axle. Ask me how I know this.

Wow, what a stressful few days for you! It gives me chills to think what COULD have happened! I don’t even want to KNOW what that cost. But as I’m currently traveling to FL to pick up my own brand new small camper, I’m grateful for this cautionary tale. I’ll be buying those bottle jacks you have, and be super mindful of the tongue weight. But also... the manufacturer owes you on this one. I hope you get something back from them. A camper frame should last more than 2 years of use.

Thank goodness you were safe in a campsite when you saw the issue, and I'm sure glad you're okay. 😊 Hope you get some reimbursements too! 👍 Be safe SP. 😎

Dumped AAA in the 90s when they left my family and I stranded in our broken down car in the San Luis Valley, Colorado. The dispatch kept telling us someone was coming but they never did. This was before cell phones so we called from a little general store that closed at 5 pm. Weirdly, a car with two older ladies came rolling up right after us because their car was breaking down! We all waited and waited and no help ever came. We were 50 miles from Alamosa, where our guy was supposed to come from, so when they left six people (including my two little ones) stranded like that, I cancelled them and told everyone what a bunch of road bandits they were (take your money and leave you where you are). NEVER AGAIN!

Stuck in the yoop! You don't make it look so bad, but this must have been a stressful one.

Sorry to hear you have all these problems. I think you also need a talk with the manufacturer about the frame design. Aluminium is not as strong as steel. If it basically was the same design, they potentially set you up for failure assuming you didn't overload the trailer and the weight on the hitch. The nice repair basically tells the story of what it probably should have looked liked.

Slim I am so sorry this happened to you. This issue has become more popular than you may know and not just with your small style traylor it has affected large towable RV's as well but most causes to those were because the materials use in the frames were not rated for the body of the RV.

Slim, I’m so sorry that happened to you. Please do more research on your repair type. The fabricator did an outstanding job with the repair. It looks good, better than new…but here’s the rub. The overall frame was obviously made to light duty to start with or this would have never happened. Especially after just a couple of years. The extent of use you get out of one, isn’t excessive. It should have been engineered to out last everything else on a New trailer, let alone a used one. I said all of this to say… it will break again, and soon. Right where the old meets the new (repair weld). Why? Because all of the original frame has already been flexed ten thousand times like the part that broke at 10,000 flex’s… and now it’s been weakened by the heat, (of 😮the weld) next to where it’s about to crack again. The solution is to double the frame all of the way to the tow ball. Or replace the entire frame with double the strength to start with… or go back to a new properly galvanized steel frame.

Sorry to see that happening Slim. You showed the qualities all us road warriors need: resourcefulness, patience, preparedness, and good humor. Most importantly, we need an adequate emergency fund. That can't be stressed enough. Thanks Slim for the entertainment and wisdom you've brought me over the years. Best wishes in all your adventures to come. Alan Monteath (TRALHED)

Get your rig weighed. We all tend to guess what our real-world RV weights are, and many of us have historically underestimated. Once you know, you can evaluate your rig as to tires, axles, tow vehicle GVWR.

These insurance companies play games . Casey Ladelle "A towing channel out of Oregon", was saying how these insurance companies will try to really low ball what they will pay. They will leave motorist stranded for days and they simply do not care. Also a lot of them will not go off from a paved road for recoveries , so that is another trick that they use to not pay for towing. I am glad that you did not have a complete failure Slim , it looks like the frame was holding on by a thread! Thank you Kyle for helping Slim out! Staying tuned for your next video Slim! 👍

Glad to see your still on the road! Happy I was able to help and its still going strong for you! Cheers!

You found yourself a great welder! Just be careful taking too much weight off of the hitch...if you take too much off the hitch and place it behind the tires, the trailer will sway like crazy, even on straight hwy driving, but especially in a reactive maneuver. You should have 10 - 15% of the total loaded weight of the trailer (only applies to travel trailers as 5th wheels should have 18 - 20%) on the hitch for safest driving.

I moved away from AAA and just added Roadside to my regular insurance, its literally about $15 extra a year...

Glad you're ok & it didn't crack through at a bad time. I think that it was sort of the nature of the beast for that aluminum frame to crack at that spot because of torsion from off roading more than any tongue overloading. Nice that Kyle got you fixed. Sorry it ate your travel budget.

Good heads up for all of us RVers. Unfortunately whatever modifications we make to our RV’s may have unforeseen problems afterwards. We’re so sorry you went through that. Keep staying safe!

Great video !!! Hopefully, your RV Company will reimburse you for the entire repair and maybe even the towing. Fingers crossed for you!!

Glad you got her fixed. Outback should be ashamed and covering every penny of your expenses.

It's always a pleasure to watch someone at work who knows what they are doing.

Look after yourself slim, especially your anxiety and stress levels

Glad your back up and running at full strength. I look forward to your videos, and was worried when I initially read the title. Happier trails, and safe travels Slim.

Slim, keep your eye on the rear end of where the front bar frame is welded to the rear section, as that is now where the stresses will occur.

HEY! Good morning Slim and thumbs UP!! Love the opening!

Love nature! Oh no ! To bad such a gorgeous place...glad you got it fixed...you can always come back...From Michigan my self ,15 miles from the ohio line...Michigan is a Beautiful place...Have agreat week slim!!

Glad you got your little camper fixed. That had to have been pretty stressful tho. Take care.

One more note, tongue weight probably isn't your problem. I've seen this damage on our ranch trailers. It's more likely to be an engineering limitation. The trailer frame was probably designed for road use, not off-road. So, the dynamic load strength wasn't considered. Simply put, when the trailer bounces it puts stress on joints and union points. This bouncing happens less on pavement. Reinforcement, like your repair may mitigate your risk of another event, but be ready in case another weak point gives way in the future.

Even I was feeling the anxiety Slim. Glad you’re truckin again. Safe travels. Cheers to Kyle. He’s the man. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

I think the manufacture that installed that frame should replace the frame and be responsible for your cost. Just because you’re on back roads with the camper doesn’t mean it has reason to fail. That aluminum frame is too soft. It was a design and engineering failure. I would think the trailer manufacturer would be willing to make these repairs and cover your cost just to avoid the liability problems that this is going to create

Love seeing people help each other out with willingness and smiles on their faces. Gives me hope bc In NJ , it seems like everyone it out for themselves.

Any kind of emergency pack should have a significant amount of cash in it as well. When things go badly wrong is often when other systems are down, too. A few hundred dollars could be the difference between eating and...a pack of M&M's. It needs to be local currency - don't assume US dollars will work in Mexico or New Brunswick. 😊

Slim, sorry about your troubles, but it looks like you struck gold with the fabricator. You might check with your auto insurance carrier to help cover the towing costs. I recently discovered that I had coverage for towing through my auto insurance that I never knew I had. Worth a check, anyway. Still a great video. Safe travels!

The manufacturer should have reinforced that more than they did, from the beginning. Just a bottom triangle plate would’ve prevented all of that. They should give you some kind of compensation.

Glad you were sorted in the end Slim. Those fabricators are sterling folk, glad you gave them a good mention.

You've mentioned how lucky you were. Slim, only real good people have such luck. Keep yourself safe 😊

My goodness that's terrible. That should never happen. The manufacturer who built and sold you the frame should be liable to pay for all those expenses or at least offer to pay for them since they didn't provide you with a worthy product

You are blessed to have caught that before it became catastophic, glad you are safe. Seeing the way Kyle fixed/reinforced it I think you have nothing to worry about for sometime, I have welding experience and Kyle did it right.

Generally, steel can flex more without breaking than aluminum. Your beefed up frame should be OK, at least at the point where it broke. Sometimes repairs like that transfer stress to other parts of the structure.

A couple years ago, another YT person living in her Casita had a similar calamity - broken frame. She was able to find a guy who did welding and had a portable rig. Got it welded with reenforcing straps welded on. And, aluminum does corrode, but it happens on the inside of the metal where it isn't visible.

Wow, that really could have been bad. So glad you pay attention, and are prepared. I would have been anxious too. Thank heavens for the shop that repaired it, and it's holding up. 🙂👍

Wow! I’ve got an ancient Scamp that also needs an axel. Might never fix it but here’s an idea. Pickup. I’m familiar with GM so here goes. I’ve pulled my Scamp at 65 mph with a 2013 Z71 1500 that gets horrible fuel mileage at 75. However at 65 I’m close to matching your mileage with the Scamp in tow. Need a cheaper ride? The new Colorado series of pickups in 4x4 with the 4cy turbo has excellent power and is easily $14000 less than the 1500. Point isn’t the brand. It is that you can load the dickens out of either pickup with stuff not suitable for inside to relieve some weight from the trailer hitch. Anyway, I don’t think Ive ever given advice here so you can ignore it if you want, ha ha. Love your videos! Take care and good luck!

So glad this didn't end up worse than what it did. You seem to have a knack for finding good quality shops! Glad you're back on the road, Slim👍

Well you had a great repair and as far as the cosmetics, just take some paint and paint the bottom frame to match the bottom part of the trailer. I've had AAA and I still use them, but they DON'T cover everything, and I have a Class A, so I have COACH NET, the BEST and they cover everything!!

I guess adding a visual inspection of the frame to your daily pre trip inspection would be a good idea. Glad your safe. Happy travels

Thank goodness for Kyle and his expertise. Wake up call for all of us. Hopefully you got to enjoy Upper Michigan. 🙏🙏🙏❤️✌️☕

Great video, SP! Your mishap is a lesson we can all learn from. Being a BC resident and having BCAA, which is the BC section of AAA, we have used it many times for keys left in vehicles and tows. We travel quite a bit it northern BC and the Yukon and have utilized it for getting towed out of the mud in the spring melt, the snow in the winter and jump starts when the battery sat too long in the freezing temperatures. BCAA has come through without fail. In those far north areas, they don't have tow companies that are on their call list, so we have either had to find one ourselves and make the arrangements, or have had to wait til they can locate one. It's usually faster to do it ourselves. In both cases, we send in the receipts and after a several weeks (it takes longer than you think it should) we get a reimbursement for the full amount. RV traveling in the US we have yet to need to use our BCAA (touch wood!), but we do have the RV plus membership. I once locked my keys in my little Toyota motorhome, with the motor running and my kitten inside, while I walked the dogs. It was the RV door that had a faulty door latch that caused that. My cell phone was also locked inside!! I had to ask someone leaving the Walmart I was parked at if I could borrow their cell phone as I couldn't even go into the store with 2 dogs in tow! Thank goodness for kind people! At that time my husband's was the BCAA RV plus, while mine was the basic one. I just needed a door unlock and they were hesitant to do it as it was for an RV. But, thankfully, they did and I was saved. Needless to say, I changed my membership to the RV Plus as well immediately after. Another incident happened last winter while on the Alaska Highway in December. My car hit ice avoiding a collision with a moose and ended up in the snowbank. No damage to the car, thankfully, but it was stuck good. My husband was ahead in our truck, so I was not alone. It was dark, remote and miles from anywhere. We left the car and headed to Fort Nelson and a hotel. We contacted BCAA. They did not have a tow company there, so we arranged ourselves. The next day, when they delivered the car to us, the bill was almost $2000 cdn! But BCAA reimbursed it in full. Took a couple of months, but we got the money. Just got my renewal notice in the mail and happily paid it for another year.

Ur camper is called Wilson off of case away if u going through hell keep going song thank you so much 👍👍👍👍 Bonnie Dozier calera al

Wow Slim, what an experience! Sorry you had to go through all that anxiety, but still, happy you were safe and it got taken care of. Continue with your adventures, safely! and enjoy yourself!

Triple A is horrible. I live in NJ and Triple A will not tow on the NJ Turnpike, the NJ Parkway. A lot of tow places don't take Triple A because Triple A does not want to pay tow companies.

Good morning Slim!!!! Great to see you again!!!

It was a structural failure, so Trillium should be paying for something .... either towing, repairs or both! Especially since you are their biggest promoter on RU-vid!

Wow! Glad you were able to get that fixed relatively quickly. Get an amateur “ham” radio license to supplement your cell phone. It’s well worth it.

Excellent workmanship by Kyle you’re safe too. I’d be really taking up the matter with your trailer manufacturers since it’s a fail on their structure. That’s down to understanding how you travel and general tow weight including tires and suspension. Seemed like those two area were a weak spot on their fabrication. Even Kyle mentioned they see this fairly often says to me it’s problem with trailer fabricators not understanding a traveler’s needs and fabricating accordingly. Hope all continues to go well.

WOW... now you have me really worried too Slim... 🤔 I have the very same aluminum frame... I am going to start inspecting it every trip... I do have CAA and I did purchase their extended RV coverage.... but I am now going to read the fine print, thanks for the heads up 🙂

That aluminum frame is obviously under designed for its purpose as that should never have happened. I would prefer steel and keeping it rust free by regular sanding and painting. An anxious and nervous personality is not well tuned for solo travel in remote areas-maybe have a friend along for moral support when traveling in the boonies or limit travel to the more civilized portions of our great country. At age 78 I no longer ride my motorcycle solo on long trips or on seldom used back roads where a breakdown or medical emergency could be a real problem, or worse. We can never have enough "Plan B's" to cover all bad situations so " A word to the wise is sufficient."

Slim you really dodged a bullet there. The expense is better than what type of accident it would have caused.. Glad it all worked out for you.

Good Sam club is my favorite RV insurance... reasonable price and outstanding tow coverage

Good moning Slim! Edit: Your poor trailer 😞

Sorry that happened..... But it seems like you couldn't have found a better place to get it fixed/improved

As a Michigander, welcome! Sorry you had so many issues while here. Hope you're able to get stuff fixed and get back to enjoying nature!