No right side frame rail extension on later Winnies

Rickf1985 · May 29, 2014, 08:31 PM

OK, So that looks exactly the same as mine. I notice you say that the back to back angle "only holds up the compartment". Are you saying the main rail comes through the interior of your compartment? Mine does not, it ends at the front and starts again at the back.

pvoth1111 · May 29, 2014, 08:42 PM

its over the compartment

Rickf1985 · May 29, 2014, 08:55 PM

I will look again and I hope you are right but I am pretty sure I was looking at the end of the rail at both sides of the compartment I will measure from the bottom outside of the compartments up to the top of the rail and then measure the inside. Can't do it til tomorrow evening.

pvoth1111 · May 29, 2014, 08:59 PM

the top of the channel that runs up from the "back to back" angle......see the pic for pass side....up at the top is where it welded to the frame

Rickf1985 · May 29, 2014, 09:04 PM

In my pics, 4th post, second pic. You are looking straight up the channel that the back to back angles are welded to. At the top is the main frame rail going towards the front and above that is the shiney aluminum of the floor of the coach. You notice that is above the frame rail and also above the compartment. The rail ends right there at the compartment. That shiny aluminum is the top of the compartment where the rail would be. Inside of compartment, nothing but a floor support.

pvoth1111 · May 29, 2014, 09:14 PM

don't over think it.....tomorrow I can take some other pics....or this weekend......and even a video.....my hitch is HEAVY duty and wouldn't have ANY issue towing anything I wanted.....

Rickf1985 · May 30, 2014, 07:10 AM

If the weather allows I am going to look it over real good this weekend. Don't go by the hitch, go by the frame. Even the left side frame rail. In your pictures, look at the bottom of the rail where it is added on, no weld because the added on section is a different size. On top of that the weld that is there is a straight weld right up to and over the top. That is not the correct way to weld a frame. It is strong in tension but not in torsion.

Rickf1985 · June 02, 2014, 06:36 PM

I spent some time under there on Saturday but I was busy greasing things up front and did not get as much time in the back as I wanted. I did verify that the main rail does NOT go through, just the drop downs and the back to back angles. There is a bolted in brace that holds the floor that runs through the compartment, about 1x1 1/2" but I did not get a chance to empty the compartment to get a better look at how it is tied into the rest of the structure. I am still looking, I have not given up yet but I still think the only safe way to tow a trailer is with a Trailer Toad and they are rather pricey! About half the price of a 10,000 lb. enclosed trailer! And that is the lighter of the two models.

Wbago · June 03, 2014, 04:29 PM

Getting confused with all these weird-angled photos lol . .. mines a 22rc, but the hitch is on a heavy frame, which is bolted to the chassis itself i think . .nothing you guys have photo'd looks anything like mine, ill grab some photos for ya if this rain stops sometime

Rickf1985 · June 04, 2014, 07:10 AM

Remember, Ours are ten feet longer than yours. I'm sorry, 3.3 meters longer. W% There is an added section of frame welded on to ours that you most likely don't have. Your hitch and bumper are probably mounted in the factory original holes in the frame.

Rick

Wbago · June 04, 2014, 07:12 AM

that'll be why then

Oz · June 04, 2014, 01:29 PM

When you go to take pictures, it would be really great if you flipped it on it's roof and took them by standing on the underside of the frame. You made have to get help getting it back on its wheels though; I hear motor homes can't right themselves when flipped on their backs...

M & J · June 04, 2014, 06:22 PM

If you do it on a hillside they roll back over alot easier.

Rickf1985 · June 04, 2014, 07:53 PM

That is kind of funny and kind of not. I used to work for a heavy wrecker service towing anything big that broke down or crashed. I was called to an accident where a Winnebago rolled. No idea what model, there was nothing left but the frame and shattered wood. Luckily no fatalities although the family of five were all beat up pretty bad. I have no idea how anyone survived. I literally towed a frame back to the shop, we had a crew put the rest in a dump truck and brought it back and dumped it next to the frame in the yard. That is kind of why I am so anal about the rear frame bit. That was the only serious accident I had to tow as far as R/V's were concerned but I still think about it.

TommyM · June 05, 2014, 05:19 PM

Hi, sorry I'm a few days late, but I'm just catching up on this thread.

My contribution is that I did some crash-testing you can check out in the photo area. We hit (rear-ended) a parked sheriff's deputy truck stopped in the middle of the highway. I figure we were going about 25 mph when we actually hit it. Anyway, check out the pics.

Tommy

bluebird · June 06, 2014, 10:50 AM

When I had my 80 Itasca, I used it to pull a race car and trailer. The frame work by Winnebago was pathetic. I removed the fuel tank and reworked the frame from the original chassis back. Seen lots of MH with wagging rear frames not just Winnebagos pulling race cars. I broke a rear frame on a 79 GMC GIMMY mini home before I bought the Itasca, so that was the first thing I did on it. I even removed the tank and rebuilt the rear frame on my challenger before I pulled with it. It did have much better construction than the previous coachs I've owned. I had to cut holes in the floor in the Gimmy to fix it. The welds I've seen on these coachs is terrible, most just a spot here and a spot there. I use a mig welder now and they are much easier to do the job with. Good luck.

Rickf1985 · June 29, 2014, 03:00 PM

Whoops, see next post.

Rickf1985 · June 29, 2014, 03:17 PM

OK, To get back to this. I was under there today and I had a nice clean white piece of cardboard reflecting the light up so I could see around. I found that in the front of the compartment where the frame is sectioned and dropped down they made some half hearted attempts at reinforcing the drop from the main rail down to the double angles that go to the rear. This would not have been bad if it were fitted correctly and then fully welded but since it was not fitted they did not weld the bottom half. I can fishplate and weld that. That makes me feel a little better, that and some extra gussets. The trailer hitch on the other hand is a total joke! I thought it was at least a cheap class three hitch. Nope, two 7/16 bolts up through the frame on either side and that is it!!! Any of you guys with one of these and you are towing stuff you might want to look at the hitch and see how it is mounted. Now I see why it is rated at 3500 towing and 200 hitch weight. I would even question those figures. I will most likely get a universal weld on kit, that way I can mount it at the right height and also build in torsional strength for the rear of the frame. I will still be limited as far as tongue weight but I will not have to worry as much when turning with the weight of the trailer twisting the rear end of the RV.

eXodus · August 21, 2014, 06:56 AM

Grey just discovered the same bad workmens hip under my mh. They just fitted metal in that was laying around my best guess.
Will reinforce the frame extension. I read something about that Winnebago ordered different hitches and installed whatever was handy at the time of construction. My hitch has 3 3/4 inch bolts on each side and a 6 inch square tube. Which looks more like a 7500 hitch then a 5k. I will add at least two bolts and weld some reenforcements to the hitch receiver. Could you get a picture of your hitch online ? I wouldn't get a weld on hitch. Etrailer.com has nice bolt on 15k hitches for the p30 for under 300 which are hight adjustable.

Rickf1985 · August 21, 2014, 09:47 AM

I will be under there this weekend welding in gussets and upgrading the bolts on the hitch. Did not have time to get a new hitch so this it it. I will try to get pictures if I have time but I am leaving next week so time is short.

Rickf1985 · August 25, 2014, 08:24 AM

Here are the pic's of the hitch. They are of the two sides where they bolt to the frame, the whole underneath looking from the passengers side and from the back. Sorry for the angled photos but not much room to maneuver under there.

Rickf1985 · August 25, 2014, 08:25 AM

I upgraded the bolts to 5/8 grade eight and straightened out the one skid as best I could.

Rickf1985 · August 25, 2014, 08:34 AM

Here are some pictures of the gusset that was added from the factory but never welded in. Yes my welding is rough, NO room to work and my machine was cranky that morning. Plus it was impossible to get the area between the gusset and the frame cleaned up to bare metal.

You can see the gap from the top on down, next pick you will see my finger behind it to show the space.
You can also see the one picture of the frame extension on the drivers side. That is butt welded on the side and top but this is the bottom!

eXodus · August 26, 2014, 02:06 PM

the good thing about this hitch - it doesn't drop a lot and is mounted in a good position angle to the frame.

The bad thing: - only two bolts on each side and the length which is touching the frame is not a lot. I wouldn't tow more then 5k and 350 tong weight with this. When I got it right in mind one of these bolts holds around 1200-1500lbs under repeated stress.

You could upgrade to 3 or more bolts on each side. Gives you more safety space.