FIELD KIT
Vermeer MV Solutions, Inc.
Trenchless
Piedmont, South Carolina 29673 USA

FIELD CAMPAIGN KIT #:

VMV000088 Rev. 1

DATE: 2025 April 25

For Dealer Reference: Service Bulletin #: SMV2024-015 Rev. 1
Frame Inspection, Frame Repair, Frame Replacement

CAMPAIGN
TYPE:

Mandatory – Product Safety
DEALER INSTALLATION ONLY

CAMPAIGN
CATEGORY:

Kit and Bulletin

MACHINE/
ATTACHMENT
MODEL(S):

SERIAL NUMBERS:
Included

Excluded

Kit version

LPSDT

50453, 50458, 50465-50468, 50473 - 50476,
50478

50465, 50466, 50468

LPSDT

Included population will be determined on
the basis of dealer inspection results.

None

LPSDT

Included population will be determined on
the basis of dealer inspection results.

None

LPSDT

50465, 50466, 50468
Included population will be determined on
the basis of dealer inspection results.

50465, 50466, 50468

Vermeer, the Vermeer logo and Vermeer MV Solutions are trademarks of Vermeer
Manufacturing Company in the U.S and/or other countries. © 2025 Vermeer Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.

Page 1 of 21

VMV01
Inspection
only
VMV02
Missing Stiffener
and no cracks are
present. Frame is
not deformed.
VMV03
Cracks are present
and are not through
I-beam transition.
Frame is not
deformed
VMV04
Cracks are present
and are through Ibeam transition
and/or frame is
deformed.

PRODUCT
SAFETY
RECALL
Purpose:
Revision:
•

The kit instructions are being revised to update VMV040088 part number from W2-LP08-T-S5 to
135017633.

TRAILER FRAME FAILURE MAY OCCUR. During manufacturing, frame stiffener may not have been placed
correctly, resulting in reduced frame strength, increasing risk of a crack to develop. If a crack develops in the frame
it can result in severe damage to the vacuum excavator. If a crack(s) develops and is not identified during the
maintenance interval inspections, the frame can bend and/or distort resulting in loss of stability while towing.
DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY POSSIBLE. When towing the vacuum excavator on public roadways, death or
serious injury may result due to the loss of control of the vacuum excavator and towing vehicle. A frame failure may
increase the risk of a crash. Property or equipment damage may also occur.
VMV000088 has been created to provide the necessary parts and instructions to inspect frame for stiffener welding
and presence of crack, add the stiffener plate if missing, repair cracks or replace frame if required. The kit must be
installed as soon as possible.
Special tools and conditions:
• Welding Machine
Shutdown Procedure:
WARNING: Use the following shutdown procedure before attempting to do any of the work
described in this kit.

Make sure end of vacuum hose is clear of all
spoils, debris and other materials.
Turn Water Pump Switch to off.
Push Throttle Switch (1) down or turn the
Throttle Knob (2) right to slow the engine to idle.
Note: Throttle style depends upon the
machine model.
Idle engine five minutes to allow vacuum pump
to cool down. This helps to prevent the buildup
of condensation.
Turn Keyswitch to off to shutdown engine and
remove key.
Pull trigger on high pressure lines to relieve line
pressure.

VMV000088 Rev. 1

2025 April 25

page 2 of 21

 Unless indicated, new parts from kit have callouts with numbers. Callouts with letters
indicate existing parts or general items.

WARNING: Pressurized fluid can penetrate body tissue and result in death or
serious injury. Leaks can be invisible. Keep away from any suspected leak.
Relieve pressure in the hydraulic system before searching for leaks,
disconnecting hoses, or performing any other work on the system. If you must
pressurize the system to find a suspected leak, use an object such as a piece of
wood or cardboard rather than your hands. When loosening a fitting where some
residual pressure may exist, slowly loosen the fitting until oil begins to leak. Wait
for leaking to stop before disconnecting the fitting. Fluid injected under the skin
must be removed immediately by a surgeon familiar with this type of injury.

Procedure 1: Inspection Procedure – VMV010088
1.

Inspect machines for stiffener plates on both sides. Examples shown below.

Potential missing stiffener plate location on left side.

VMV000088 Rev. 1

2025 April 25

page 3 of 21

Potential missing stiffener plate location on right side.
2.

If both stiffener plates are present, continue using the machine.

3.

Report back findings to Vermeer. No further action needed.

4.

If a stiffener plate is missing.
a.

Inspect for cracks.
1) Inspect around the area where the plate would be under the fender. Inspect in front of the
fender as well. Example areas of concern shown below.

Potential cracking location left side.

VMV000088 Rev. 1

2025 April 25

page 4 of 21

Potential cracking location right side.
2) If no cracks present, proceed to 4b.
3) If cracks present, identify if the cracking is through the transition sections of the I-beam
cross-section.
This cross-section image shows the transition portions of the I-beam circled in red, the
areas where the center web meets each outer flange.

VMV000088 Rev. 1

2025 April 25

Page 5 of 21

This example is less severe and shows cracking in only the web of the I-beam.

These examples are more severe and show cracking through the transition of the I-beam
that includes the web and the flange. This is a failure in the I-beam and the frame is often
deformed.

b.

Inspect to see if the frame is deformed.
1) Inspect for obvious bending/warping in the I-beam in the area that the plate is missing.
Use a straight edge over the I-beam in this area to confirm.

5.

Based on the findings from the previous step follow the following steps:
a. Complete Dealer Inspection Results Report and submit with photos. Reference the below
actions and kit numbers based on findings:

VMV000088 Rev. 1

2025 April 25

Page 6 of 21

b. If both stiffener plates are present, continue using the machine. Report back findings to
Vermeer. No further action needed.
c. VMV020088 – Procedure 2. No cracks are present. Frame is not deformed.
d. VMV030088 – Procedure 3. Cracks are present and are not through I-beam transition.
Frame is not deformed.
e. VMV040088 – Procedure 4. Cracks are present and are through I-beam transition and/or
frame is deformed.

Procedure 02: VMV020088 - Stiffener plates are missing. No cracks present. Frame is not deformed.
1. Qualified/certified welder must prep area and weld in the plate per the Vermeer Corporation weld
repair procedure on pages 8-18. Refer to the section ‘Welding of stiffener plates’ for detailed
instructions on placement of stiffener plates and welds.
Procedure 03: VMV030088 - Stiffener plates are missing. Cracks are present and are not through I-beam
transition. Frame is not deformed.
1. Qualified/certified welder must repair cracks by drilling a hole in the end of each crack, gouging out
the crack from the origin to the drilled hole, and then weld per the Vermeer Corporation weld repair
procedure on pages 8-18. Refer to the sections ‘Prepping the crack(s) for repair’ and ‘Welding of
crack(s)’ for detailed repair guidance.
2. Qualified/certified welder must prep area and weld in the plate per the Vermeer Corporation weld
repair procedure on pages 8-18. Refer to the section ‘Welding of stiffener plates’ for detailed
instructions on placement of stiffener plates and welds.
Procedure 04: VMV040088 - Stiffener plates are missing. Cracks are present and are through I-beam
transition and/or frame is deformed.
1. Complete Dealer Inspection Results Report and submit with photos.
2. Trailer frame needs to be replaced. Call service/factory for guidance.

VMV000088 Rev. 1

2025 April 25

Page 7 of 21

Vermeer Corporation Welding Instructions:
Scope:
These field welding instructions are intended for use of weld repairs and addition of stiffener
plates on the LP 873 SDT Heavy trailer frame, drawing W2-LP08-T-S5.
Limitations:
These welding instructions are intended for use only with Vermeer Corporation supplied or
approved components and as directed by Vermeer Corporation.
Certifications:
All welding shall be performed by a welder qualified in the position and process used to AWS
D14.3/D14.3M, Specification for Welding Earthmoving, Construction, and Agriculture
Equipment or one of the following: AWS D1.1, ASME Section IX, ISO 9606-1.
Work Area Preparation & Safety:
The company performing the welding is responsible for supplying the appropriate protective
equipment, complying with the appropriate safety regulations (e.g. ANSI Z49.1), and taking
appropriate measures to protect their personnel in the welding environment. Further, they are
responsible for protecting sensitive equipment and components from the hazards of welding
(e.g. shielding electronics, paint, plastics, etc. from the heat, light, and sparks of arc welding).
Follow the battery and/or controller disconnection specifications in the machine service
manual. Disassemble the machine as necessary to provide adequate access to repair areas.
The area where work will be performed is emphasized in figure 1. This figure shows the left
side, but the emphasized area is also reflected on the right side.
Directions:
Set weldment on jacks or blocks:
1) Only necessary if weld access requires it.
Prepping the crack(s) for repair:
1) Determine overall crack length by visual inspection and/or preferably by magnetic
particle or dye penetrate. Appropriately clean area before performing test. Mark the
extent of the cracks to guide cutting/gouging them out.
2) Once end of crack location is determined, drill a 1/8” diameter hole thru the beam
where the crack tip ends (reference figure 2 for I-beam flanges and figure 9 for Ibeam web). If end location of crack is difficult to determine, then drill the hole ¼” away
from where the crack is believed to end to be safe.

VMV000088 Rev. 1

2025 April 25

page 8 of 21

3) se a cut-off wheel or other appropriate tool to grind out the crack along its length. Cut
out any cracked welds in the area too. Go from the origin of the crack to the OD of the
hole that was drilled. Then widen root opening to 1/8” along the entire length of the
crack area. The resultant should be a 1/8” wide cut in the beam that starts at the edge
and goes to the drilled hole (reference figure 3) for flanges. For the web, the crack
should be gouged out until no cracks are visible, which may or may not be through
the entire web (reference figure 10).
4) Reinspect to ensure the entirety of the crack(s) has been removed. Use the same
inspection process selected in step 1. If any remaining crack is found, repeat steps 14.
5) At this time, clean all weld surfaces with a grinder. Surfaces within ½ inch [12 mm] of
weld locations shall be free from any material that will prevent proper welding. This
includes moisture, loose or thick mill scale, paint, slag, heavy rust, grease, dirt, or any
other foreign material that will adversely affect the quality or strength of the weld.
Welding of crack(s):
1) Follow the weld parameters and guidelines that are later in the document during this
procedure
2) Verify straightness of beam is still proper before welding.
3) For web cracks, weld the area that was gouged (reference 11). Weld does not need
to be ground flat as nothing is welded to this face. If cracks were through the beam,
back gouge through the opposite side and weld the area on this face as well.
4) For flange cracks, start by using a run-on tab(s) (small piece of scrap metal) and tack
to the inside edge of the beam frame so you can start the weld here and not the
frame (reference figure 4). This will increase the chance of a good quality edge tie-in.