Lost or loose fender skirt hardware.

[Rustycoach]

A few of us have found our fender skirts flapping in the wind. At issue is cheap and poorly installed self tapping screws used to secure the lower ends. They are screwed into a light angle iron support that is welded to the coach frame. Some are welded at the right dimension to catch the skirt and some are an inch too high leaving a gap that will not allow a screw to maintain its torque. I came up with a better plan using 1/4 inch machine screws with washers and flanged locking nuts to act as positive stand offs. These will stay on for sure. Just drill out the hole a bit and install as pictured when you find a loose or missing one. I will be doing the whole coach this way so I don’t ever have to worry about them any more.

 

[No Plan]

I have experienced the same issue on my 2022 Ventana 3407. After having one fall out which I replaced, and a couple of others become very loose and ready to fall out, I went around and torqued them all again. I now check them as part of my routine inspection and since torquing them again all has been good. If it does happen again the remedy you did is the fix I will end up doing. In my opinion that should have been the way to secure the fender skirts at the factory. Just sayin...

 

[Neal]

Good thought - need to inspect! Not something I typically look at.

 

[Rustycoach]

A dab of red lock tite would help too if one does not want to bother with the bolts.

 

[team bradfield]

Happened to me in the middle of Nebraska, zip ties got me home for a more permanent solution, I used longer self tappers to fix it

 

[lostinfla]

Front drivers side came loose somewhere out west a few years ago. Heard flapping and saw it in the mirror. Stopped and used gaffers tape to hold it till we got to the site where I hit a hardware store to pick up enough parts to repair correctly with through bolts and locking nuts. Did all the others when I got home. If one of those screws come out in front of the tire, it could lead to serious consequences.

 

[Stuart W]

Nice fix, in addition I always put a large dab of silicone on the threads directly above the nut

 

[Oregon Camper]

A few of us have found our fender skirts flapping in the wind. At issue is cheap and poorly installed self tapping screws used to secure the lower ends. They are screwed into a light angle iron support that is welded to the coach frame. Some are welded at the right dimension to catch the skirt and some are an inch too high leaving a gap that will not allow a screw to maintain its torque. I came up with a better plan using 1/4 inch machine screws with washers and flanged locking nuts to act as positive stand offs. These will stay on for sure. Just drill out the hole a bit and install as pictured when you find a loose or missing one. I will be doing the whole coach this way so I don’t ever have to worry about them any more.View attachment 19918

A trip to the hardware store for a bag of small flat speed nuts is your answer. 1000's of miles and no more loose fenders.

 

[Oregon Camper]

A few of us have found our fender skirts flapping in the wind. At issue is cheap and poorly installed self tapping screws used to secure the lower ends. They are screwed into a light angle iron support that is welded to the coach frame. Some are welded at the right dimension to catch the skirt and some are an inch too high leaving a gap that will not allow a screw to maintain its torque. I came up with a better plan using 1/4 inch machine screws with washers and flanged locking nuts to act as positive stand offs. These will stay on for sure. Just drill out the hole a bit and install as pictured when you find a loose or missing one. I will be doing the whole coach this way so I don’t ever have to worry about them any more.View attachment 19918

A handful of tinerman fasteners and no more loose screws. 1000's of miles tested.

Mark