This Problem Across All Years
This is a Fifth wheel RV a 2021 Grand Design Reflection 303RLS. The Steel "I" Beam frame is developing cracks in the I Beam in the area of the spring hangers for the axles. This is yet to actually case an accident but may very well lead to one if the cracking worsens and the frame fails. Frame failure at highway speed is an obvious concern. This is something I believe is caused by defective parts made by LCI (Lippert) Corp. and used by Grand Design. This frame failure is not uncommon and based on my continuing research is happening on hundreds if not thousands of these RV's. Raising awareness and requiring Grand Design to recall and repair / replace these defective frames is the ultimate goal. Please zoom in on the pictures to see one of the cracks in the frame.
This is a Fifth wheel RV a 2021 Grand Design Reflection 303RLS. The Steel "I" Beam frame is developing cracks in the I Beam in the area of the spring hangers for the axles. This is yet to actually case an accident but may very well lead to one if the cracking worsens and the frame fails. Frame failure at highway speed is an obvious concern. This is something I believe is caused by defective parts made by LCI (Lippert) Corp. and used by Grand Design. This frame failure is not uncommon and based on my continuing research is happening on hundreds if not thousands of these RV's. Raising awareness and requiring Grand Design to recall and repair / replace these defective frames is the ultimate goal. Please zoom in on the pictures to see one of the cracks in the frame.
I purchased a 2021 Grand Design Reflection 28BH fifth wheel in December 2024. Within the first year, I faced multiple warranty issues, including a $5,000 slide-out repair I had to cover out of pocket. Last summer, Grand Design’s CEO, Don Clark, stated in an email that the frame warranty had been extended to five years. However, my RV soon developed serious structural issues. The pin box and surrounding areas creaked and popped when hitching and unhitching. Stress cracks formed on the fiberglass front cap and above the main slide-out. The upper deck floor became spongy and creaky. The shower made excessive noise when walking near it. Cabinet doors in the bedroom opened while driving, and lag screws in the upper deck stripped out of the wall. Concerned for my safety, I took my RV to Busted Knuckle RV & Trailer Repair, a certified repair center, and filed a warranty claim with Grand Design. Their inspection revealed severe damage, including missing and stripped lag screws, a broken pin box, failing sill plates, broken floor supports, and multiple cracked or missing welds. The repair shop filed a claim, expecting coverage under the five-year frame warranty. To my disappointment, Grand Design denied the claim, stating the issues were “within spec.” They only covered six hours of labor for the inspection and refused repairs. Grand Design issued TSB 24-001 for Solitude and Momentum models but won’t acknowledge the same defects in Reflection models. With my RV unsafe to tow, I had no choice but to pay $5,400 out of pocket for partial repairs. Completing the remaining work is estimated at over $17,000. Despite their claimed five-year frame warranty, Grand Design refuses to cover these failures. Others face similar denials, making this a pattern of neglect. I am extremely disappointed in Grand Design’s failure to honor its commitments. I urge them to take responsibility, stand behind their product, and do the right thing.
I purchased a 2021 Grand Design Reflection 28BH fifth wheel in December 2024. Within the first year, I faced multiple warranty issues, including a $5,000 slide-out repair I had to cover out of pocket. Last summer, Grand Design’s CEO, Don Clark, stated in an email that the frame warranty had been extended to five years. However, my RV soon developed serious structural issues. The pin box and surrounding areas creaked and popped when hitching and unhitching. Stress cracks formed on the fiberglass front cap and above the main slide-out. The upper deck floor became spongy and creaky. The shower made excessive noise when walking near it. Cabinet doors in the bedroom opened while driving, and lag screws in the upper deck stripped out of the wall. Concerned for my safety, I took my RV to Busted Knuckle RV & Trailer Repair, a certified repair center, and filed a warranty claim with Grand Design. Their inspection revealed severe damage, including missing and stripped lag screws, a broken pin box, failing sill plates, broken floor supports, and multiple cracked or missing welds. The repair shop filed a claim, expecting coverage under the five-year frame warranty. To my disappointment, Grand Design denied the claim, stating the issues were “within spec.” They only covered six hours of labor for the inspection and refused repairs. Grand Design issued TSB 24-001 for Solitude and Momentum models but won’t acknowledge the same defects in Reflection models. With my RV unsafe to tow, I had no choice but to pay $5,400 out of pocket for partial repairs. Completing the remaining work is estimated at over $17,000. Despite their claimed five-year frame warranty, Grand Design refuses to cover these failures. Others face similar denials, making this a pattern of neglect. I am extremely disappointed in Grand Design’s failure to honor its commitments. I urge them to take responsibility, stand behind their product, and do the right thing.
2021 Grand Design Reflection 268bh Slide out opens about 1" - 2" during transport Rear wall separating from back main frame (1"-2") Wall pulling away from roof at the front of RV Outriggers bent in the back of RV (2)
2021 Grand Design Reflection 268bh Slide out opens about 1" - 2" during transport Rear wall separating from back main frame (1"-2") Wall pulling away from roof at the front of RV Outriggers bent in the back of RV (2)
Excessive front nose cap/upper deck movement during travel (bouncing), suspect welds holding the riser wall and upper deck may be broken. Bottom flange of I-beam buckled over two foot span. Both diver and passenger side walls have pulled away from structural support. Floor dropped on both sides (bowing). Living room floor has slope to the back left since I purchased it new. Kingpin or pin box is not centered and shifted to where philon trim hung up on pin box. Passenger side wall appears to have shifted forward during transport. Bedroom doors no longer align with the jam/catch. Decal on passenger wall where the wall meets the front cap are distorted suggesting frame flex. Grand Design Service Response Team welded an 8 foot bead along the upper I-beam to "adjust" camber however when SRT performed measurements to diagnose he found the passenger side camber to be within spec yet he performed the camber adjustment to this side anyway by welding an 8 foot bead as well. Extended floor joists are bent down. In light of all these issues we feel towing this rig would be a danger to my family's lives as well as any other life on the road around us. Currently the pin box alone has excessive movement.
Excessive front nose cap/upper deck movement during travel (bouncing), suspect welds holding the riser wall and upper deck may be broken. Bottom flange of I-beam buckled over two foot span. Both diver and passenger side walls have pulled away from structural support. Floor dropped on both sides (bowing). Living room floor has slope to the back left since I purchased it new. Kingpin or pin box is not centered and shifted to where philon trim hung up on pin box. Passenger side wall appears to have shifted forward during transport. Bedroom doors no longer align with the jam/catch. Decal on passenger wall where the wall meets the front cap are distorted suggesting frame flex. Grand Design Service Response Team welded an 8 foot bead along the upper I-beam to "adjust" camber however when SRT performed measurements to diagnose he found the passenger side camber to be within spec yet he performed the camber adjustment to this side anyway by welding an 8 foot bead as well. Extended floor joists are bent down. In light of all these issues we feel towing this rig would be a danger to my family's lives as well as any other life on the road around us. Currently the pin box alone has excessive movement.
We are experiencing a serious frame issue on our 2021 GD Reflection 367BHS 5th wheel. We normally do not unhitch when overnight boondocking. Last evening we noticed that the floor in front of the bedroom closet seemed to rise up slightly. Didn't think much of it until we noticed at the next campground that the hallway wall by the bedroom door moved up about an inch and the bedroom door was jammed and would not open. Once we unhitched and put the weight on the landing gear the hallway wall moved back into position as did the bedroom floor and the bedroom door was again free to open. After hitching back up, taking the weight off the landing gear, and investigating further, we noticed that the entire frame had separated in the compartment where the propane is on the passenger side of the RV. On a recommendation I was told to check the bolts behind the bedroom dresser that secure the sides to the frame and they were snapped off. Frame flex is a know issue by the manufacture for the past year or so.
We are experiencing a serious frame issue on our 2021 GD Reflection 367BHS 5th wheel. We normally do not unhitch when overnight boondocking. Last evening we noticed that the floor in front of the bedroom closet seemed to rise up slightly. Didn't think much of it until we noticed at the next campground that the hallway wall by the bedroom door moved up about an inch and the bedroom door was jammed and would not open. Once we unhitched and put the weight on the landing gear the hallway wall moved back into position as did the bedroom floor and the bedroom door was again free to open. After hitching back up, taking the weight off the landing gear, and investigating further, we noticed that the entire frame had separated in the compartment where the propane is on the passenger side of the RV. On a recommendation I was told to check the bolts behind the bedroom dresser that secure the sides to the frame and they were snapped off. Frame flex is a know issue by the manufacture for the past year or so.
In 2021, we began noticing wall movement in the interior of the RV, fasteners, paneling and interior walls getting loose and moving. After more trips we noticed scratches in the flooring and wood chips laying on the interior floor when we would push the main slide out. We also began noticing the large slide didn’t seem to be closing tight to the outside wall on one end. After more inspection we noticed large roller marks appearing on the underside of the main slide. We scheduled our unit into the dealership for review. The Dealership identified bent frame rails, twisted spring hangers, frames cracks, bent outriggers on the frame supporting the outside walls. The dealership contacted the manufacturer and the manufacturer sent one of their service repair technicians (SRT) to my dealership for an inspection. Because we have heard and seen issues with broken springs, spring hangers and the risk they create from losing springs, wheels and axles etc. the dealership advised that using the RV was not an option until the manufacturer approved it for use. As a result, several trips were cancelled for potential safety reasons. The SRT and the dealership believed that the unit had to go back to the factory for inspection and proper repairs. The unit has gone back to the manufacturer and the frame manufacturer where major frame work has been completed. Now we have a reworked, modified, weak frame and based on the report I’ve seen from the frame manufacturer I’m concerned that they didn’t go far enough and only worked on adding support to 4 of the 6 spring hangers and the related frame areas. It appears that the work done to fix the frame has raised the overall height of the unit 2 -3 inches and added weight to the unit which affects the weight sticker on my RV. I have asked but still haven’t received an engineering specification that dictated the work done to the frame to help build confidence and make this a safe and reliable RV.
In 2021, we began noticing wall movement in the interior of the RV, fasteners, paneling and interior walls getting loose and moving. After more trips we noticed scratches in the flooring and wood chips laying on the interior floor when we would push the main slide out. We also began noticing the large slide didn’t seem to be closing tight to the outside wall on one end. After more inspection we noticed large roller marks appearing on the underside of the main slide. We scheduled our unit into the dealership for review. The Dealership identified bent frame rails, twisted spring hangers, frames cracks, bent outriggers on the frame supporting the outside walls. The dealership contacted the manufacturer and the manufacturer sent one of their service repair technicians (SRT) to my dealership for an inspection. Because we have heard and seen issues with broken springs, spring hangers and the risk they create from losing springs, wheels and axles etc. the dealership advised that using the RV was not an option until the manufacturer approved it for use. As a result, several trips were cancelled for potential safety reasons. The SRT and the dealership believed that the unit had to go back to the factory for inspection and proper repairs. The unit has gone back to the manufacturer and the frame manufacturer where major frame work has been completed. Now we have a reworked, modified, weak frame and based on the report I’ve seen from the frame manufacturer I’m concerned that they didn’t go far enough and only worked on adding support to 4 of the 6 spring hangers and the related frame areas. It appears that the work done to fix the frame has raised the overall height of the unit 2 -3 inches and added weight to the unit which affects the weight sticker on my RV. I have asked but still haven’t received an engineering specification that dictated the work done to the frame to help build confidence and make this a safe and reliable RV.
Cracks in the frame of RV above the spring-shackle hangers. Did have them repaired, but it should not have happined
Cracks in the frame of RV above the spring-shackle hangers. Did have them repaired, but it should not have happined