Breakdown on I90 and Recovery

[JoeSR]

Summary of my breakdown experience:

Coach Net - Positive
Mid Town Towing, Austin, MN - Positive
Expert Truck & RV, Oronoco, MN - Negative
Lichtsinn Motors, Forest City, Iowa - Negative
ABC Bus Company in Faribault, MN – Positive

Details:

Monday we started out on vacation traveling west on I90. At about 80 miles from home the motor home started vibrating. I pulled off the interstate onto an exit ramp. The parking wasn’t anywhere near level, but it was safe.

When I get out of the MH, I see oil leaking from the right front wheel between the steel wheel liner and wheel. Off comes the wheel liner. Wheel bearing oil is coming out of the center of the hub. Apparently, when I get intense my sense of smell goes away. As I cooled down, I caught the odor of cooked brakes. Fortunately, the brain was working again and I did not grab the brake rotor.

We get Coach Net on the phone. Coach Net first asked if we were safe, then the nature of the problem and finally confirmed the size of vehicle that I was driving. Coach Net got Mid Town Towing dispatched and located a repair facility, Expert Truck & RV. I talked to Expert Truck & RV and they confirmed to me that they could handle the repair. By the time we got the jeep disconnected and the stuff we needed transferred over, Mid Town was there.

Mid Town was very professional. He showed up with a truck that could have towed the largest of busses. My drive shaft was disconnected and we were on our way back to a shop about 20 miles from home. Perfect so far.

Tuesday morning when I contacted Expert Truck & RV, they wanted to know if the Workhorse brake recall 51101-C was done. I replied that I was the second owner, but that Lichtsinn Motors, the selling dealer, had assured me that they would have any recalls performed before I picked up the MH. This was in April 2014. I believe that the recall came out in 2010. The Lichtsinn salesman also told me that Lichtsinn had performed all of the services on this MH since new for the original owner.

Tuesday afternoon we went to Expert Truck & RV to see what they had learned. I waited while they removed the right front wheel and caliper. They said that the wheel was free when they started, but that I should replace the rotor, caliper, brake pads and brake hose. Furthermore, they said that the rear brakes looked like that had been overheated at one time and they should also be looked at. I wanted to be on vacation not horsing with this pig. So, I said do what should be done.

Tuesday evening I started feeling uncomfortable. I did not see a dial indicator set to measure rotor run out. I was not shown any cracks in the rotor. All I saw were marks from the brake pads outgassing on the rotor. The rear rotors cannot even be seen with the wheels on. How did Expert Truck & RV know all of this stuff was bad?

Wednesday morning I called Workhorse. I gave the person my last eight VIN digits. She said that Workhorse did not have any record of paying to have the recall done on my MH. What? She read back the entire VIN. The recall had not been done. Thanks Lichtsinn.

The nearest Workhorse shop was ABC Bus in Faribault, MN. ABC Bus had the parts needed for the recall. They had the rotors if needed. They would not be able to start the work until Thursday.

I paid Expert Truck & RV $100 for re-installing the rear drive shaft and inspecting the right front brake and then had a careful drive over to ABC Bus.

ABC Bus completed the recall by Thursday noon. My rotors were fine. My brake hoses were fine. If my brake pads were replaced, no one told me. My bill at ABC Bus was $0.

BTW, ABC Bus has one impressive facility.

[Stealth01]

I think I would be calling my salesman in Iowa... Just for a chat...

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by Stealth01

I think I would be calling my salesman in Iowa... Just for a chat...

The salesman does NOT care, they have their commission. The general sales manager would be the better choice, with whom to have a "chat".

[mwwade]

From what I have experienced with general sales mgrs. They won't give give a rip either!

[timjet]

As a prospective RV buyer, the lesson I've learned here is to verify everything someone tells me. It would be relatively easy to verify any recalls but when the repair shop tells you this and this needs replaced, that's much harder. One way especially if you're not familiar with the work that the shop tells you needs to be done is to get on forums like this and ask away. Many experts here with ton's of good and free info.

Glad that the OP's experience turned out OK and glad he had "second thoughts".

[JoeSR]

Trust but verify is a good position to take when making a purchase. Two years ago, prior to purchasing this motor home, I did verify online that the recall was performed. So what went wrong with that?

- I may have entered the wrong VIN.
- The web site may have had a mistake.
- Lichtsinn could have provided the wrong VIN prior to my purchase.

Take your pick. I do know that if it were not written in the purchase contract, Lichtsinn did not do it. For example, when my wife and I picked up the motor home, we checked the lights in the Lichtsinn parking lot. I learned that I had no tail lights, brake lights or rear turn signals. I had one of the rear tail light assemblies in my hands when my salesman drove by without stopping. The techs were long gone. Only one saleswoman, unrelated to the sale, stopped to help.

[becks]

ABC Bus is indeed a great shop.

[Lt46]

ABC Bus in Central Fl. is also an exceptional shop.