Denver, CO Fleetwood Service / Survey Recommendation

[Semtenn]

Considering purchase of a used DP Class A FW in the Denver area.

Any recommendations on location to do a Pre-Purchase Inspection / Survey?

What is a reasonable price for a PPI - Survey?

Install complete set of tires and remedy any critical issues?

Will have full hookups so mechanicals can be fully evaluated?

It's new home will be 1600 miles from purchase location.

Thanks in advance!

PJ

[wildirishman]

Transwest Freightliner or Rocky Mountain Cummins. Both are a bit expensive but do good work. Not sure which chasis and engine your looking at

[OB-One]

Transwest just north of Denver on I-25 does excellent work. They have the people to checkout both the chassis and the coach. Don't know what they charge for this service.

[Semtenn]

The chassis is a Freightliner and a 350 hp Caterpillar motor.

[wildirishman]

Transwest freightliner would be a good choice.

[Semtenn]

Follow up on Transwest of Frederick, Colorado.

Had a chassis and coach inspection done at their facility, pricing was around $600 for both.

The chassis report indicated the kingpin bushings were both bad and bad bearings for the front end as well. Vehicle had no shimmy, no shake, no gyrations of any sort (from the test drive). Held the road well, during all speeds and different road conditions.

Asked for the tolerance measurements on the kingpins to indicate the amount of movement. Was told this was not measured even though they put it on their road shaker/simulator machine. (The service manager stated his chassis technician found more kingpin problems than any shop around). Spoke to the technician who examined the chassis. He determined the kingpin's were bad by utilizing wheel manipulation with a bar. Asked for the amount the king pins were out of tolerance. Could not produce a number.

Asked him how bad. Initially, they are about to fail. I would not drive this vehicle without having them (and the front wheel bearings) along with cutting the frame and doing an alignment.

I asked him how these king pin and bearing issues manifested during the test drive. Silence. How was the test drive? We didn't do one. Go do a test drive and then tell me how this manifests.

Back pedaling after the test drive, unwilling to commit to shimmy, shake, vibration, alignment issues. Then stated would consider getting the king pins both redone and the bearings at another point.

Thanked him and paid the bill.

Took the coach to A & E Tire of Denver for 6 new Michelin tires. #1, asked the manager to have the king pins and bearings inspected first. Received the call from the manager. Both king pins and wheel bearings are fine, showing very little wear and are tight. They area also fully serviced, but did need lube.

Transwest must have been slow and trying to generate several thousand in billable maintenance hours.