mosseater
Dillsburg, PA
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Joined: 10/19/2007
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Well, I can't say you guys didn't warn me. After an afternoon carefully measuring and several hours taking and printing pictures and filling out forms, I mailed my 25 page packet of info for a warranty claim against Lippert for my tire wear issue. Today the rep called and gave me the news that my wear (he DID admit there was wear!) is typically caused by under-inflation. The fact that I maintained my pressures accurately and consistantly at 64-66 psi cold only makes me a liar or stupid or incompetent, not sure which.
Asked about the accumulated error in mounting axles to hangers that were welded 1/2" out of square, I was told that wasn't enough to create a problem. I was told that even if the ball was out of perpendicular with the frame it would only put the truck out of track with the trailer, it wouldn't cause dogtracking and wear. I was questioned about my information regarding the mounting specs of Dexters axle, and dispite my including the page printed right from their site and further telling him I spoke to a rep at Dexter in person, he still doubted the spec was accurate.
Lippert's only solution, my dealer's only solution, is to buy better tires. That's it, simple! I don't know what I could have been thinking. When asked what happens when I buy better tires and they wear off too, he said "we'll address that when it happens." Nice!
Personally, IMO, these guys are right up there with any number of low-lifes and schiesters that crawl this planet, preying on consumers who buy their products in good faith, believing they will live up to claims. True, I have no proof that buying new tires would not fix my problem. I only have a tape measure and common sense in my corner. Looks like it's off to the alignment shop for a spankin'. Those of you buying a new trailer better measure the frame first. It's hit or miss, and that's as good as it gets.
Ok, rant "off".
"It`s not important that you know all the answers, it`s only important to know where to get all the answers" Arone Kleamyck
"...An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it." Col. Jeff Cooper
Sunset Creek 298 BH
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Gunship Guy
Florida
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Joined: 08/09/2003
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Based solely on your side of the story, it sounds like they're just going to wait you out and wear you down. Unfortunate situation for sure. Hope you can find the solution for this.
PICS OF STUFF
I like chicks with nice tents.
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Center Pin
Fort Langley, BC
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Joined: 04/15/2009
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If I were you I would keep very detailed records and initate legal action.
Trailer: 07 Tango 299BHS
TV: 2004.5 Dodge 610 CTD 3500 QC 48RE 2wd Laramie SRW, FP Gauge, FASS 95/95, Rhino Lining, Hensley Arrow, Reese Signature Series 5er Hitch, Air Bags & Compressor, Canopy, AL Boat Rack.
Been running B100 home brew June 2008!
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targaboat
sulphur springs, tx, usa
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Joined: 09/20/2004
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Axles as they are manufactured are not very precise. I think your best solution is get all the tires on the trailer aligned with each other as the first priority. Alignment to the ball is secondary and if not too much work that should also be aligned. However, that will not cause tire wear. If they find and axles that is bent out of alignment then you case with manufacturer will better. However, basically, you get what you pay for, plus and minus a little. Just move on, the results will be better and you will have less stress. And find a better shop to work with.
Fly Boy
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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The GOOD news is that the alignment probebly won't be as expensive as you may think. A friend had his Hitchhiker aligned (both axles had to be moved) at a local machine shop and the cost was under 300.00 making it cheaper than tires. I certainly agree that you SHOULDN'T have to go through those hoops to get a serviceable tow.
2004 F-250 SCREW Long Bed (new)
OR 2004 F-150 HD (85,000 towing miles)
Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
We have enough YOUTH...how about a fountain of SMART
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mosseater
Dillsburg, PA
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Joined: 10/19/2007
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Have any of you actually seen their operation in person? I just can't imagine how inaccurate their jig to weld the frames up must be. Obviously if you have a decent welder and some clamps and a tape measure, you could get it right on. But they're set up to do this. They build frames, for pete's sake! How hard is it to get hangers on in the right position (That's rhetorical, I know the answer). It just frosts my pipes, that's all. Thirty years in industrial maintenance and I can't run a tire gage?! Yeah, got it. They must think I bought a trailer so I can waste a bunch of time and effort only to complain. That's my hobby, huh? Gimme a break. I didn't even mention anyone buying me new tires this whole time. I just want my trailer to tow without eating the rubber. Must be too much to ask. I am soooooo unreasonable.
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targaboat
sulphur springs, tx, usa
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Yes I have seen at least similar shops and they can be pretty crude. You have to go to really big shops like Winnebago to get fixtures. They may or probably do not even do the work in the USA. No telling where they get the fabs done. They are just another part to the purchasing department. And they probably do not have any inspections. I worked for a major household name company and we found out one of our satelite plants did not have an inspector and we raised a real ruckus. A few months later a major recall was started as a results of no inspectors. The new system of just time in time and the supplier being total responsibility for quality needed some tweaking.
As I eluded to before, stop feeling sorry for yourself and get on with life. Get your current unit fixed or buy a new one that is better researched. Your blood pressure will be better and after a couple hundred dollars you will be lots happier. Or just park it and take up another hobby.
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mosseater
Dillsburg, PA
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Joined: 10/19/2007
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Thanks for the therapy, however, I think you mis-diagnosed my malady. I'm not "feeling sorry" for myself, I have righteous indignation. Slight difference. If you think it's ok that this******goes on, fine. Keep accepting it and I'm sure the huckesters of the world will be more than happy to oblige by fleecing you. I, for one, would like to register a formal complaint and get the word out about stuff like this. That's how things get changed. If you've never been to a warranty meeting at a company that has lots of customer complaints, you can trust me, if they want to keep their customers, they tend to get panicky about fixing the problem. Squeaky wheel and all that rot.
Make no mistake, I will get it fixed. And I may even pay the piper to do it, but I will be heard. If we all did it, things would change. As we say down home, 'It ain't right'. I don't go around looking for things to complain about. They seem to come and find me. I am just trying to right a wrong done to thousands of RV'ers who spent hard-earned money. You are perfectly entitled to take all of life's little injustices lying down if you wish. Maybe you are one of the lucky ones who gets 30k or more miles out of a set of tires. Many have not. Who are you to disparage me for trying to get my money's worth?
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JBarca
Dublin, Ohio, USA
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Joined: 12/16/2004
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Hi Moss
Well I can see how far you made it... not good.
I know you looked at my post earlier this yearTT axle alignment & install - Detailed (long lot's of pics)
And this much I can tell you, if you follow the Dexter spec dead on in the middle of the spec, you can get the tire wear you want.
I have not posted back there just yet but will soon, I have been tracking wear since I myself in my own yard installed and aligned my TT to the Dexter spec. This much I can report, in 2,500 miles of towing, 9,200# of TT, running Denman ST express radials, at max cold wall pressure, brand new this spring, I have 0.007" tire wear total. And it is an even pattern on all 4 tires. I was shocked!!! 0.007" for those not into machine shop is the thickness of a piece of paper. I have 1,500 more miles on it now to go out and measure.
I had messed up welded on hangers and major messed up toe out on all 4 wheels. 1 tire had good even wear, 2 tires had medium wear and 1 tire had a scrub angle bad against the road it was burning up rubber like crazy. Oh and they where Maxxis tires always run at max cold side wall pressure.
While the word precision is not to be used in describing TT suspension... if you put it in the Dexter spec, it works.
OK now off my rant... did you get to measuring any, wheel toe, camber and axle alignment? If you have a post on your findings, link me. I'll take a look and throw my 2 cents in.
Let me know if I can help
Good luck
John
John & Cindy
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10
CC, SB, Lariat & FX4 package
21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR
Ford Tow Command
1,700# Reese HP hitch & HP Dual Cam
2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver
2004 Sunline Solaris T310SR
(I wish we where camping!)
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mosseater
Dillsburg, PA
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Thanks, John. I'll post my pics and findings tonight.
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