It’s been covered before, it’s not the range of motion that is the problem. It’s an engineering issue with the design coupled with inadequate material choice. All my own opinion or whatever. But, maybe your limit strap skidoo saves your hinges, good on ya.
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You’re probably right about the cause. I just know that both my side panels got opened about the same number of times. The one that opened fully failed, the one that opened 80% didn’t.
I thought about this. Have you considered a small gauge chain to ensure that both sides are equal length? Its easy to count links… That’s what I’m considering. I have been wondering about limiting the strut travel as a hinge solution. I’m no engineer and the potential theories for hinge failure are all over the map.
Peace.
According to pretty much all the core concepts of fatigue the angle has a lot to do with wear. Take a paper clip for example and bend it from 0-80* and then do it again from 0-100*; 0-100* will break faster. Although I’m sure any slight deviation from nominal and clamping methods are larger contributors to the issue in this case. But that said I limit my rear cause I carry my kayak out the back while driving. I haven’t had issues…yet. Sides are not limited, so far nothing to speak of. But I don’t DD anymore and rarely open the sides. It sits outside in sun, rain, snow all year as well.
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Whether developing a kit “blows” or not is irrelevant. Everyone wants this problem to go away, and having a self-service option would be the quickest way forward.
Shite. #244 blew a hinge. Has GFC confirmed that this has the new process/sealant/pixie dust?
GFC is definitely treating me right. But, this is bad news if one of the hinges that’s not supposed to fail - failed.
My attempt to get that hurricane hinge has slowed down because the guy with it is ‘really busy right now’. I’ll poke him again.
I’m waiting on my delivery of GFC nuts so I can put support hinges in place. Just as a reminder - 2 of my hinges are cracked and I’ve got extra support by using piles of gorilla tape. Not sure if it’s really helping but it’s there…
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I have build 125. My pickup date was delayed because I was told I was one of the first campers to get the new sealant. I’ve sent pics to Mike and he confirmed that I do have the new sealant.
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I’m in the 270’s and was told when I picked it up that I have all the newest hinge materials via their revamped process. The new hinges are also not safe since mine went two weeks ago. Black Gorilla tape is holding it to the frame currently.
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@86pnthr - thanks for the info. this is very helpful as it unambiguously shows that even the later builds are having the same problem.
this is not good news.
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It seems it’s a materials issue with the hinge for the given application. The design is asking too much of the material, thus the fragility. I think most agree rigid hinges would be ideal. Given the robotics and design capacity GFC has I feel this could be addressed even with a descent retrofit for existing campers. Unfortunately there will be more I feel.
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So that is two reports of hinges on build numbers >200 with failures?
What’s the story this time?
I am going to get some hinges linked earlier in this thread and install. I just don’t want to spend $80 on t-nuts to patch a design flaw.
I preface this thread with the absolute fact that I’m no engineer. I’m not even smart, really. I hope GFC knows that our hinges are solid, but I am worried about hinge failure in the middle of nowhere during a hailstorm… If there is a problem with the hinges, I worry that an admission of substandard or mis-specified hinges would prompt a complete replacement of all hinges on existing campers. I worry that may be catastrophic to GFC. I hope there isn’t an effort to continue with a substandard design and hope for the best. My camper is new so my hinges are fine, so far. I will continue to be careful with my hinges and hope that they do not fail. I trust GFC when they told me at my install that the new hinge construction is a solid and only a very few have had problems. I really don’t know. I hope that the failures do not increase. I’m thinking about carrying some hinges and extra extrusion nuts to install in a pinch. Not sure how to do that exactly, as I don’t generally carry a drill.
Whatever… I’m rambling.
I’m going to use my camper and hope for no failures. I am going to try the 303 aerospace UV protectant on the hinges, though.
Peace.
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A little bummed with GFC on this replacement process.
-$45 for a replacement hinge as it’s ‘temporary’ and ‘optional’ until the PIT can fire back up.
-Get the damn thing in the mail. Surely there’s a hinge around the shop that you can send off. At this point it’s not looking good to get my camper fixed and out for the holiday weekend.
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Good grief, I don’t check in for a couple of days and find this demoralizing thread exploded.
I don’t let my daughter open the doors. I try to anticipate logistics so that I open the doors as little as possible. I keep things in the cab to minimize opening the doors.
Neurotic living stinks.
The bad news just keeps dropping this year.
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I sold my flippac for a beefier GFC camper. Sad to hear of these hinge failures. I have #296 and have had it on the truck for almost a year now. I use the driver side door everyday but there’s a kinsmen awning on that side so it doesn’t open the whole way. I don’t see any cracks and hope the camper lives as long as the truck. Fingers crossed.
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So because they can’t come fix it themselves they are charging you money for replacement parts for a known issue? If so, that’s ridiculous.
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In their defense, I was scheduled for the PIT before it was delayed, and they did say it was looking like August for it to happen again, but it feels pretty shitty to be told I need to pay for that. Driving around a camper in the middle of prime camping season with 2/3 doors doesn’t seem to make it very ‘optional’ to me.
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one would think that would fall under the warranty due to failure of materials/workmanship? Maybe im wrong.
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I have a Ezzi-Awn Manta on passenger side mounted with GFC awning mounts at the highest possible height. Still, a part of the awning contacts the door at the rear and is lower than the front. The result is that the front door fully extends and the rear of the door extends about a .5” less which creates a twist of sorts of uneven pressure. Camper is #651. Hope I don’t have hinge failure in the future… might have to play with a limiter strap on one side.
For those that have added the metal hinges after the fact, do you see any issues with alignment? Does the rubber gasket still contact the space frame effectively? Any binding of the either the original hinge or new hinge? thanks.
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