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Topic ClosedBroken Welds on Floor Joists - Next step
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Joined: 22 Sep 2011
Location: Chapel Hill,NC
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Posts: 1068 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Broken Welds on Floor Joists - Next step
    Posted: 31 Jul 2020 at 12:55pm
sorry, the link above is for the last page of that post-here is the correct link for the entire post
https://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/f217/has-your-fresh-water-tank-grown-a-belly-212330.html
Vann

Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179
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Posts: 1068 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2020 at 12:52pm
Here is an interesting post I found this on another Forest River forum -it may be useful as a method of reinforcing the floor in our 179's.  It is about reinforcing the water tanks, but the same concept could be used for floor reinforcement.
Vann
https://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/f217/has-your-fresh-water-tank-grown-a-belly-212330-2.html

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Posts: 6297 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2020 at 6:19pm
Originally posted by offgrid

[Did you watch the video? As StephenH and John Marucci have said, that was a sagging floor in the 179 kitchen area between the frame rails. What does that have to do with weld breaks at the walls?  Please explain.

As I said, the floor design is not robust, it is as light and low cost as FR could make it. Clearly, it is prone to water damage and to sagging from heavy use, at least in the 179 kitchen area and it sounds like in the 181 as well. Whether it is adequate for in individual owner or not depends on how much use the trailer gets, how heavy the folks using it are, and on keeping it dry. 
I have not experienced a sagging floor. I just pointed out that it was PilotPodder who had that the sagging floor problem. However, putting in an additional brace or two would not be a bad idea.
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2020 at 4:58pm
Originally posted by Olddawgsrule

To me it's a simple thing. Oh ya, back from a Two Scouting run of backroads in New Hampshire and a few new finds. Back to topic...

Wet floor causing a weld break... especially aluminum.. that in the lifespan of a good weld?? Ya, convince yourself it's fine... 

Guys, really, enough has been said about such. Pay attention if you wish to your rig to last! 



Did you watch the video? As StephenH and John Marucci have said, that was a sagging floor in the 179 kitchen area between the frame rails. What does that have to do with weld breaks at the walls?  Please explain.

As I said, the floor design is not robust, it is as light and low cost as FR could make it. Clearly, it is prone to water damage and to sagging from heavy use, at least in the 179 kitchen area and it sounds like in the 181 as well. Whether it is adequate for in individual owner or not depends on how much use the trailer gets, how heavy the folks using it are, and on keeping it dry. 
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Posts: 1014 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2020 at 4:18pm
To me it's a simple thing. Oh ya, back from a Two Scouting run of backroads in New Hampshire and a few new finds. Back to topic...

Wet floor causing a weld break... especially aluminum.. that in the lifespan of a good weld?? Ya, convince yourself it's fine... 

Guys, really, enough has been said about such. Pay attention if you wish to your rig to last! 
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Posts: 305 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2020 at 1:23pm
I have two videos on my 179 sagging floor issue. As Stephen said, this is due to very high use (220+ nights of use) and the fact that there is no in-floor support under the high-traffic kitchen/entry area on the 179. The factory welded two cross-members under the trailer for support. This was completed a year ago. I have just completed two trips with the 179 and the fix has held up very well. If interested, here are the video links:

1st warranty issue video, including floor problem:

2nd warranty issue video dealing with the floor primarily, including detail around the factory fix:
Portage, MI — 2017 RPod 179 - sold / 2017 Toyota Tundra — My RPod YouTube Videos
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Posts: 56 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2020 at 12:42pm
I have been experiencing the same problem as John Marucci.  I saw his YouTube video and am presently taking similar steps to firm up the floor, which is an unsupported area 4 feet by 5 feet just forward of the axle, and is the main floor space in our 181G.  I had a friend weld two steel support rails which I am going to bolt to the frame, with a piece of plywood to distribute the weight evenly over the area. 
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Posts: 349 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jul 2020 at 3:42pm
Correction it's Pilotpodder sorry about that
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Posts: 349 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jul 2020 at 3:35pm
I believe his forum handle is Podpilot
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Joined: 29 Nov 2015
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Posts: 6297 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jul 2020 at 12:14pm
Yes, I saw that also and read that he added additional cross-members under the floor to strengthen it. His was a case of much use and the foam layer starting to break down. This was entirely unrelated to leaks though and was only in the high-traffic area. Nothing there indicated broken welds or sagging around the walls.

Edit: His name is John Marucci and he has a YouTube channel "On the Road." https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDHVRHLcWnqiy-QMWDBj1Ig/featured
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