Trailair Tri-Glide hitch failure

[donzinger]

Ordered my replacement lower jaw today - not taking any chances...

Anyone looking for a good (open to interpretation), used TriGlide lower jaw? LOL!!!

[Pirate]

Did you talk to lci1.com customer service? I talked to Dan Collins and he sent me a replacement lower jaw and pin "goodwill".

Pirate

[donzinger]

I spoke to Dan. No goodwill offered. We have a long trip coming up next month and I can't take the chance. Mine is making some noise but no clunking yet

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[Pirate]

Don,

I think I read you are going ahead and getting a new, non-tri-glide jaw.

Before you install it, make sure the new pin will go through both holes in the jaw. After several attempts to get it in, with no luck, took it to the shop and sanded all the powder coat and other junk out of the holes.

Also had to use a grinder to remove some material off the surfaces where the jaw sets on the upper half

Then the holes finally lined up and I could get the pin in!

Pirate

[donzinger]

Originally Posted by Pirate

Don,

I think I read you are going ahead and getting a new, non-tri-glide jaw.

Before you install it, make sure the new pin will go through both holes in the jaw. After several attempts to get it in, with no luck, took it to the shop and sanded all the powder coat and other junk out of the holes.

Also had to use a grinder to remove some material off the surfaces where the jaw sets on the upper half

Then the holes finally lined up and I could get the pin in!

Pirate

Thanks for the tip!

[calewjohnson]

Think I know why we are having failures with these pin boxes. Repair facility called and told me that the replacement number for the tri-glide on my unit was the 18k lb Flexair pin box. Well, I asked him to get the 21k, as the trailer is "rated" for more and as the trailer is sitting on their lot, it weighs an easy 19.5k... Go figure.

Cale

[donzinger]

Yeah, that was brought up awhile back. I called with my serial number to verify rating. Probably just threw whatever they had on the shelf on our units

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[calewjohnson]

Which begs to question...could extended warranty deny me service since I've been exceeding the weight limit?

Also read that the pin box hardware is all grade 5....I will probably swap all out to grade 8 bolts after I get her back.

And I will be adding the extra shocks when I get this unit back.

Cale

[donzinger]

I can't imagine they world since you didn't install it

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[azdryheat]

So if I understand this, my Trailair was stamped 21,000# but the lower Tri-Glide portion might have only been rated for 18,000#?

[Thom]

Originally Posted by calewjohnson

Think I know why we are having failures with these pin boxes. Repair facility called and told me that the replacement number for the tri-glide on my unit was the 18k lb Flexair pin box. Well, I asked him to get the 21k, as the trailer is "rated" for more and as the trailer is sitting on their lot, it weighs an easy 19.5k... Go figure.

Cale

Cale,
I ran into this issue last summer when my airbag won't hold air more than 2 hours. Took it to dealer and they tried to order entire hitch using part number on hitch. They received an 18k hitch. I filed a complaint with NTSB that Dutchmen was using under rated hitch. The next business day, I had 3 phone calls from Dutchmen, all the way up to a VP requesting photos. By the close of business that day, they determined it is infact a 21K hitch that LCI had put wrong part number on. Ditchmen sent the parts to fix the issue next day express.
The Triglide web page catalog even shows the 18k part number listed as a 21K hitch.
File a complaint with NTSB and I bet you won't even have to use your extended warentee. I never say Dutchmen react so fast when I did it.

(Edit: I cant remember the correct goverment agency but its not NTSB, you know who I am talking about because you mentioned them before)

[calewjohnson]

Filed with the NHTSA. Even stated that it is to be replaced this week and the contact info of the shop.

Cale

[splash]

My Tri-glide broke coming home from Moab this year underweight tanks empty. Two of the three steel glides busted, Had I not felt it, the trailer would've gone off the road in the direction it was facing on the next turn. Total crap that products can make it to market without proper testing. Replaced with non-glide lower, bolted right in. I was fortunate that the dealership in Montrose had one that I can cannibalize. Sent the bill to Lippertwho first denied it, after thoughtful email threatening legal action we received the check in the mail.

[donzinger]

But there have been no reports of failures, according to Dan Collins

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[azdryheat]

Originally Posted by donzinger

But there have been no reports of failures, according to Dan Collins

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I guess he considers it a failure when the trailer goes down the road on its own. But if they haven't had any failures, how are they classifying the replacement hitches they've been paying for?

[ATCguy]

Just a general question, although it's been alluded to before:

Am I correct in that, all of the rigs that have had these "failures" �� are triple axle rigs?

Or, in other words, has anyone with a Voltage 3200 or any other tandem axle rig had one to break?

Just going with the theory that the units aren't correctly rated for the heavier rigs.

[calewjohnson]

Originally Posted by ATCguy

Just a general question, although it's been alluded to before:

Am I correct in that, all of the rigs that have had these "failures" �� are triple axle rigs?

Or, in other words, has anyone with a Voltage 3200 or any other tandem axle rig had one to break?

Just going with the theory that the units aren't correctly rated for the heavier rigs.

Yep, so far we have all Ben triple axles. When Lippert's cross reference of my part number was an 18k Flexair hitch, that is when the lightbulb went off. I was lucky I called the repair shop as they were ordering it, they were ready to put the cross referenced part on.

Now, an observation for the guys who have replaced their lower jaws. If that was in fact an 18k tri-glide, it is probably still rated for 18k with the lower jaw on. I think problems are still going to occur in the future...

Cale

[boostme]

http://rvdailyreport.com/industry/ke...pin-box-hitch/

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[donzinger]

Though not a Voltage, my father in laws is a dual axle and his failed

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[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by boostme

Keystone RVs built with incorrect pin box hitch | RV Daily Report

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That is just for 2017 models...

Bet they have a bunch more from earlier years but either don't have the records or are trying to hide them.

Aaron