Photo: Liz Amazing | YouTube Screenshot
We've heard a lot about the downsides of owning an RV and how the industry can seem uninterested in the products they sell. But there is still hope. Take Patrick and Bee's story as a perfect example of the ups and downs that the RV industry can throw at you.
Let's face it: whenever you buy a new camper or caravan, regardless of size or make, the last thing you want is to end up with all the problems that come with such machines, and even a few that might surprise you: actual broken frames.
Well, that’s exactly what happened to Patrick and Bee after they purchased and used a Grand Design Momentum. You’ve probably heard me mention this case in other articles I’ve written about Liz Amazing’s work with her YouTube channel, and this time she’s back with some great news for this owner’s unit.
But let’s see how we got here. Patrick and Bee’s story begins, like most others, with the dream of owning a mobile habitat and freely roaming the United States at will. After doing some research and watching channel after channel on YouTube, they finally decided to buy a Grand Design RV because of the company’s prestige and history. So, in June 2021, they grabbed their fifth wheel, loaded up a Razor side-by-side, and took off.
Photo: Liz Amazing | YouTube Screenshot
Now, Patrick says we are well aware that RVs have problems, but nothing seems to have prepared them for the subsequent problems that would follow. First, an inverter broke, which Grand Design repaired, and shortly after, “things started to fall apart.” At first it was just bits and pieces, but then the cabinets wouldn't close anymore and more importantly the back patio/garage doors just slid open and nearly crushed Bee in the process; her quick reactions and instincts saved her.
Later on, other issues popped up that Patrick thought were normal but were signs of a major underlying problem. These included doors that wouldn’t close, creaking floors, and more. So, Patrick and Bee did a little more research and found out that it could be a chassis issue; it was the dealer’s turn again.
Here's where things really went haywire. Upon initial inspection, all measurements indicated that the unit was within spec, but the engineers at Grand Design decided to remove the bottom of the pinbox just to be safe. And lo and behold, a “broken frame!” There were missing and broken screws, walls that were peeling away from the aluminum frame, and more. What would you do at this point when you own your own RV? Feel free to comment below.
Photo: Liz Amazing | YouTube Screenshot
So over the next few weeks, these owners were in and out of the shop, getting these issues resolved. But the problem is the level of communication between Grand Design and the shop where Patrick and Bee dropped off their unit for service; the repair shop had no idea how to fix the unit since Grand Design had not provided a required report, and things were left hanging at that point.
Well, at this point, Liz’s channel followers and fellow RVers have been the deciding factor in helping Grand Design wake up a bit. Liz’s most recent video upload reveals that Grand Design has taken the Momentum back and even repaired it. Since then, Patrick and Bee have managed to rack up 2,000 miles on their Momentum and everything is running smoothly, but Bee is still scared and tired of the pieces falling off.
However, these repairs come at a price, and the first is added weight. Judging by the shots in one of the videos below and an image I added to the gallery, the reinforcements used to give this Momentum the “Right“The rigidity and strength are quite high; huge sheets of metal have been welded together and the screws and bolts have been improved.
The question is: how does a fifth-wheel chassis end up like this? And that's where another name in the industry comes in: none other than Lippert, a team whose chassis have been in the news more than once, and almost always for bad news.
Photo: Liz Amazing | YouTube Screenshot
According to Patrick, the real problem here is the Lippert frame design, and even though this RV OEM has washed their hands of it, they should still stand up and take some of the blame; they also seem to dictate the bolt sizes RV manufacturers should use when building a new unit. That’s a story for another day, but we’ve covered it before, so feel free to check it out.
As for the rest of the video, Patrick and Bee issue a call to action for all RV brands: update your warranties, update your parts, and update your build processes so these kinds of stories don’t happen. If they do, they should be in the minority. Oh, Patrick also swapped out their fifth wheel suspension for an independent one to help reduce any bumps and bouncing the road might send through the chassis; “It's like a tank.”
The moral of the story is that all's well that ends well, but not all cases have a happy ending. Feel free to leave your comments below on the current state of the RV industry, including where it's going.
