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  1. #1
    Fireside Member
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    Lower Side Molding Warpping

    We are having issues with the black aluminum trim that joins the lower aluminum side panels to the main side walls! There are three areas along the trim that have pulled away from the side wall, specially during the heat of the day! One section, b/t the screws that holds the trim to the sidewall just under the fridge service compartments, will bow out from the sidewall about a half inch or more. Has anyone else had this issue?

    Had it back to the dealership last Thursday and they said the whole bottom trim would need to be replaced and the parts would have to be ordered. Once parts are in, they would need to remove fuel tank, fuel pump switch compartment and fuel hose compartment in order to replace the panel! I don't think the panels are the problem...its the trim at the top of the panels that is the issue. On top of that, the dealership is a 6 hour drive!

    Has anyone else had this issue and if so how was it fixed? We bought this 328m new 3 weeks ago!

    Thomas
    Me, My Wife and our two Boys
    Sophia, our Toller
    2015 Momentum 328m
    2016 Chevy LTZ CC, LB, 3500HD, SRW, Duramax/Allison (Brand NEW)
    B&W Turn-Over Ball with B&W Companion fifth wheel Hitch

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor laffman's Avatar
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    Been there, done that, TWICE. If it's like mine was, it's the lower panel. They need to removed the 1" trim and staple add more staples to hold the top of the panel. The screws are there just to mount the 1" trim piece. And I won't know if it's really fixed until the summer sun hits it. The sun heats the panel and causes it to expand.

    http://www.mygrandrv.com/for...skirt-buckling
    Tim
    2014 Solitude 369RL #1195
    2015 Ford F-350 Lariat Long Bed DRW
    2010 Jeep Wrangler Islander
    1990 Jeep Wrangler Laredo
    1982 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler

  3. #3
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    Thanks Tim. Did you have to talk to Grand Design themselves or just your dealer? You are correct...afternoon sun will make it bow out from the sidewall due to the expanding metal. I really don't see how they are going to stop that from happening!

    Thomas
    Me, My Wife and our two Boys
    Sophia, our Toller
    2015 Momentum 328m
    2016 Chevy LTZ CC, LB, 3500HD, SRW, Duramax/Allison (Brand NEW)
    B&W Turn-Over Ball with B&W Companion fifth wheel Hitch

  4. #4
    Site Sponsor laffman's Avatar
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    I went thru the dealer for the last 2 repairs. If it happens again this summer, I'll be calling GD instead.
    Tim
    2014 Solitude 369RL #1195
    2015 Ford F-350 Lariat Long Bed DRW
    2010 Jeep Wrangler Islander
    1990 Jeep Wrangler Laredo
    1982 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler

  5. #5
    Site Sponsor
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    Hey All,

    Here it is 3 years after this thread started and GD still hasn't fixed this issue. Our 2019 Momentum, bought in December '18, is doing the same thing. Tim, did yours go for round three and did GD do anything for you? What about everyone else? Any luck?

    Thanks,
    Russ

  6. #6
    Setting Up Camp
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    I agree, have a 2019 and the same thing is happening -- 1 screw holding J Wrap skirt every 4 feet is not enough to keep it from bowing out with the heat expansion.. all they need to do is add a couple more screws to hold it in place

  7. #7
    Site Sponsor
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    Hey Sharon,
    How far apart are the screws on the molding where the aluminum meets the fiberglass? On ours they are right at 12 inches. The problem is with the skirt material itself. I am no metallurgist but as a sheet metal worker, and welder/fabricator for a few years, I believe the basic problem is the skirt material itself. Being very thin aluminum, painted black no less, it absorbs and releases heat quickly. It also does so at a far different rate than the white fiberglass panel that it mates to. No matter how many fasteners you put in, if it heats up too much it has to expand, thus warp, somewhere. I'm sure it's all about weight savings, but I think the skirt should be the same fiberglass/gel coat as the rest of the RV. The dealer where we bought ours has been really great to deal with. I'll let you know how it goes after I speak with them.
    Russ & Faith
    2019 Momentum 349M
    2020 Silverado Duramax
    1999 Valkyrie Interstate

  8. #8
    Site Sponsor
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    The engineer in me is thinking here. Can the screw holes on the skirt be elongated? That way the skirt can move and not buckle under the trim.
    2018 Reflection 150 Series 220RK 5th wheel with 6K axle upgrade. B&W 25K OEM Companion, Steadyfast system, 2022 F350 SRW 6.7 King Ranch 8' bed, Trailer reverse lights, rear spare tire holder, storage tube, sumo springs, Victron MultiPlus 12/120/3000, and Solar

  9. #9
    Site Sponsor
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    I thought the same thing with a twist. I can't tell yet where water would go if it got behind the aluminum. So if the aluminum was behind the fiberglass, had elongated holes, made of two panels so they could slip and slide against each other, and the screws not tightened hard, I think it would work. ???
    Russ & Faith
    2019 Momentum 349M
    2020 Silverado Duramax
    1999 Valkyrie Interstate

  10. #10
    Site Sponsor
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    The shorter sections on the slides and other places don't seem to suffer the same thing. This is occurring on the rear panel that starts after the kitchen slide and goes to the very back.
    Russ & Faith
    2019 Momentum 349M
    2020 Silverado Duramax
    1999 Valkyrie Interstate

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