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Old 04-23-2015, 11:15 AM   #1
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2014 aspen trail

Hey guys, i need some help with mt TT. This will only be my second summer I've had my TT. Bought my TT last june. Used it 3 times then stored it. Which was 5 months later. During second time pulling it..noticed bad pulsation during braking rite bfore comming to a full stop. I didn't quite kno what to think. Have never owned a camper or trailer in my life. After the third time of use (local camping within 1-2 hour trips), decided to take to dealer to winterize and look at brakes. So dealer looked at brakes. Tech chkd out my truck n its good. I have a 2013 silverado crew cab 1500. Tech went for a ride..he drove. Felt pulsation after some drving around. Dealer said it was all rusty n they cleaned them n cleaned the drums. On trip home to storage place...same problem. So told dealer will bring back in spring. Brought back this week. At first,dealer wanted 120 to even look at it. I said no, still covered under warranty. Called manufacturer of axles n they ok'd 1 hour tear down of brakes. Then next day, dealer calls. Said i need to pay them almost 600 dollars cuz all 4 of my drums are so egg shaped that even if we wanted to, we couldn't even turn them. I came unglued. Dealer didnt want to help me at all. So i called manufacturer again. Finally bitched enough they said they would goodwill 4 new drums but i have to pay labor. Dealer said they would pay half of that leaving me to pay 150 bucks.
My question is...and i asked 4 other rv service places around here...why would all parts n labor not be covered under warranty? Brand new camper and in less than 5 months. .2 uses and need all new drums. I looked and inspected the drums.took videos and pictures of drums. Every other dealer service said they have never seen a new camper needing 4 new drums in less than 5 months and 3 uses locall. Here in michigan, we don't have mountains im pulling TT over. Im so frustrated. Ive been a mechanic for dealer for going on 12 yrs. Independent shop bfore that for 3 yrs. Been around brakes...hydraulic and electric. I kno brakes. Only way drums are gonna warp is from excessive heat. My drums off the TT had no heat damage. U can see rust spots from the high points of the drum being egg shape.
So my question is...have anyone had this problem? Thinking bout selling camper and going back to tents at this rate.
Sorry so long....just frustrated to hell. Any opinions would help....or information on if this is right or am i getting the shaft.
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Old 04-23-2015, 11:32 AM   #2
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I apologize if i have this post in the wrong place.
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Old 04-23-2015, 12:00 PM   #3
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There is little to no QC on RV's. The drums are made by the lowest bidder and are quite often junk. Unfortunately bad batches quite often appear, looks like you got a bad batch. They are not checked, balanced or anything else prior to be installed on the trailer. I had one unit where the drum was so bad we could not balance the wheel on the trailer, had to buy a replacement drum. I understand your trailer was barely still in warranty. Suggest you start doing your own work, that way you know it is done right and usually at a much lower cost. I get irritated at the dealers charging $80+ and hour, many of the techs have little experience, add in the fact that the RV manufacturers are constantly changing things and much of your shop bill is to pay for them to try and figure out HOW to fix something. I can do that on my own thank-you very much.

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Old 04-23-2015, 01:59 PM   #4
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Wow...did not kno that TT have such poor quality. I understand there are different levels of TT...but u would think spending 21 grand on a TT...itd be better quality and the dealer u bought it from would wanna work with u especially with issues this soon after buying it.
Thanku for input on drums. I will keep that in mind next time i need something done.
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Old 04-23-2015, 02:04 PM   #5
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I work for a large car dealership....and the way the rv dealer treated me about this whole ordeal was just messed up. Im sorry...just ranting my frustration. I think i will be taking my TT to a different dealer after i get mines back. Anyone have any good recommendations on a knowledgeable and good TT service in my area?? In Grand Rapids, michigan.
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Old 04-23-2015, 11:19 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bowtech251 View Post
I work for a large car dealership....and the way the rv dealer treated me about this whole ordeal was just messed up. Im sorry...just ranting my frustration. I think i will be taking my TT to a different dealer after i get mines back. Anyone have any good recommendations on a knowledgeable and good TT service in my area?? In Grand Rapids, michigan.
Here's a rant from a very unhappy Class A owner, Thor made, a related company of Dutchman. It's ok to be pissed about your TT but I sure wouldn't want to be in this guy's shoes, brakes or otherwise.

I was just told by a dealership that they "DO NOT WANT OUR 2013 THOR PALAZZO AS A TRADE IN"!!!! Thor's reputation has screwed us AGAIN!!!!! Thor might be a "Million Dollar Company" but I wouldn't give you a DIME for another THOR product!!!!!
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Old 04-24-2015, 12:26 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by bowtech251 View Post
I work for a large car dealership....and the way the rv dealer treated me about this whole ordeal was just messed up. Im sorry...just ranting my frustration. I think i will be taking my TT to a different dealer after i get mines back. Anyone have any good recommendations on a knowledgeable and good TT service in my area?? In Grand Rapids, michigan.
Can't help you with and suggestions for RV dealers in that area, but when you find a good one stick with them. Many people make the mistaken assumption that RV dealers operate like automotive dealers, nothing could be further from the truth. FWIW I just dumped a long term relationship (18 years) with my local Ford dealer after they royally screwed up two service visits back to back on our vehicles. We now are driving 40 minutes to a different dealer. Unfortunately in many parts of the country RV dealers are few and far between.

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Old 04-24-2015, 10:44 AM   #8
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Well, this is pretty much the last time this dealer will ever get any buisness from me again. And i will never buy another product from Lippert. Lippert who manufactured the axle and brakes on my TT. Think im gonna try General RV in wayland, which is bout 35 minutes away.
Thanks guys for the info. Being a noob still to this RVing thing..i really appreciate any help. YouTube has been a great help. As none of my friends or family own any type of RV. I have stepped out of my culture persay by doing this type of recreation. Not that race has anything to do with it....but im asian, and you just dont see many asians doing this type of camping. Ive driven through many campgrounds being on the road to chk them out, and the ones ive been to around here, well....i dont see or run into many asians. So it seems i have stepped outside my culture quite a bit. Haahaaa. Prolly cuz my wife is white....and my kids are all mutts...
thanks again...
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Old 04-24-2015, 09:51 PM   #9
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I think you might find that Lippert supplies all the axles and associated parts to most RV manufacturers. That's like saying you won't buy an RV that has an Atwood stove or water heater in it or a Suburban furnace or a Norcold or Dometic refrigerator. There's only so many accesory manufacturers for all the RVs you see on the road.

It's not like the auto industry and its parts, you have many choices for spark plugs and oil filters.
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Old 04-24-2015, 09:58 PM   #10
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Damn huh.....
Well....that may be....i guess. But that just tells me that that company is crap. I had to fight tooth n nail just to get 4 drums....but no labor coverage from them. Even tho they knew all 4 drums were defective from the assembly line. Id like to see how many people needed 4 new drums after 3 local use of their brand new TT and in less than 5 months. Well...thanks for the info. Im learning alot here. Its like....the more i find out about TT's...the more it scares me.
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Old 04-24-2015, 10:10 PM   #11
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Buying a new RV is like buying a basket case engine. It's all in the basket but you know something will be screwed up.

You have tha advantage of being a wrench so you can handle most of the problems. Like many of us, you'll end up doing it yourself instead of relying on a dealer and biting the bullet so it will be repaired correctly.

Rvs are all nuts and bolts, just strange because it's new to you. The members here have a ton of answers and are willing to help out when needed.
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Old 04-24-2015, 10:14 PM   #12
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Thanku sundancer87. Im sure i will b askin a ton of questions. Ive been chking this site out every now and then seems like this site is full of very awesome people.
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Old 05-07-2015, 01:59 AM   #13
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2014 aspen trail

Ok....so heres an update on what happened with my TT. I called dutchmen and talked to dutchmen. They were very friendly and covered the cost of my labor portion which was 150 bucks. So after fighting tooth and nail with dealer and lipper lci....got 4 new drums all paid for with no cost to me. Great right??
Well...picked up camper this monday night. Dealer winterized it last fall so they dewinterized it for free. Got home and parked it. Tuesday cleaned the inside and getting ready for this weekend to use camper. There was poop stain in my toilet bowl. Dry pee stain on my toilet seat. Still had pink anti freeze comming from my faucets. So had to go through and get all antifreeze out from lines. No big deal. Then tonite, went to wash my camper....and dang it....found a new large dent on the side of my camper which wasnt there when i dropped it off. I specifically went around the outside of my TT before dropping it off. There was no dents. Dent is hard to miss it cuz its almost eye level. Im so furious with this dealer!!! You can clearly see that this was a fresh dent by the way the paint is scraped. And the shiny aluminium showing. And you can see the dirty fingerprint from someone rubbing it trying to cover it up. Btw...this dealer is vuerinks rv in grand rapids, michigan. Ill keep yall posted on what happens. I already kno the dealer is gonna claim it was there. So i didnt tell them where the dent was and i also contacted manufacturer. We'll see what the future brings.
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