Really Need some input.

[TriMoot]

Originally Posted by AL_MIKE

I have a few things I would like to talk about and would really need to know some of your opinions.



Last fall I bought a 1999 forest river windsong, with a GM chassis. I bought it knowing there was a few mechanical problems that would have to be fixed. I took it to an RV shop and they did the repairs and I thought it was very reasonable in cost. But there were some repairs they said they could not do, mainly chassis repairs.



So I too the RV to a truck shop that says they do Chassis repairs, they completely reworked the Auto-Park system, to a cost of 2600.00 dollars. I asked for the shop to check all the brakes, this is a GM chassis with a tag axle, they truck didn't stop like I thought it should, but then again I've never owned anything this big with hydraulic brakes.



When I picked the RV up I asked the shop foremen about the brakes and he said they could not find any problems with the brakes. So at that point me and the wife went on a 800 mile trip. on the way home about 50 miles out, we had a blow out, the tire man came out and replaced the tire and He said the tire blew do to excessive heat, the rear brakes were metal on metal, it had chewed up a rotor, we limp the RV home and I took it back to the shop.



After hearing my complaint they pulled the work order and seems the brakes were never checked, The owner told me there were only human and they made a mistake, yet the shop foremen specifically told me they found nothing wrong. It really got to me that they basically sent out a dangerous vehicle back on the road.



Now my thinking would be they should at a minimum cover the cost of the tire, because if the brakes had been checked in the 1st place it probably would have never blew out. But my question is what other actions should I take at this point? better business bureau complaint? I understand human error, but human error on a system that can get someone killed, that bothers me.



Basically if your were in my shoes, what would you do?



THanks, Mike

Mike, I would do what Tireman asked as he has lots of experience with these kinds of issues and THEN you might have some ammunition to present to the shop or even small claims court.

Good luck.

[AL_MIKE]

Originally Posted by Crasher

I also question whether the worn out brake pads contributed to the tire failure. Were you riding the brakes on that long downhill grade. If you were, that's a big NO NO for controlling your speed. Do you have TPMS? The tire failure might have been from an undetected slow leak that eventually heated it up. Hard to say at this point what the cause was. Good luck with your dilemma and hope you get some satisfaction.

Well I am going by what the tire repairman told me at the time of repair, he said he had seen it numerous times, and I only assume that he knew what he was talking about. My RV is a 1999 and it does not have a TPMS, and I guess it is possible that the tire might have had a slow leak that caused the problem. I'm simply relying on what was told to me but someone who is certainly more of an expert than me.

[AL_MIKE]

Originally Posted by Tireman9

Can you post the pictures of the failed tire? Full sun with the area of interest in full frame and sharp focus is best. If the claim for the tire failure is from brakes overheating then the bead area of the tires should show the heat.

I will pull the tire and rim out of the basement and try to get you a picture up tomorrow.

[AL_MIKE]

Originally Posted by Gshelton777

Curious whether any other wheels were also metal to metal or close. The reason I ask is while towing a travel trailer a few years ago, my front right caliper froze which caused it to constantly apply the brake to the wheel. Ended up wearing the pads completely away to metal to metal. The other wheels were fine.

The shop told me that both calipers on the drive axle was "locked out", a mechanic friend of mine says that it only happens on a GM brake system when the pads have worn to a point that the caliper come out so far that the caliper cup cocks slightly at an angle. at that point they won't collapse as they should. I did get the old parts back, two pads were into the rivits and two pads were chewed up badly.

[AL_MIKE]

Originally Posted by winniman

Situations like this post are a good reason to carry a laser heat temperature gun. I use mine for checking tires and hubs at rest stops. You just point it at the tires and rims. If one or more is higher than the rest, it can show you a potential problem in the making. Might save a blow out in a bad spot. It would have shown the OP one was high in this situation. That rim and tire would have been much hotter than the rest.

another good idea, I'll be checking on ebay tonight to see what I can find.

[edge68474]

Who was this repair shop??
My brother lives in Defuniak Springs, and I may be there with my MH and possibly need some work. I do NOT want to go there!!
Name and place please?? I looked in previous posts but did not see the name.
Thank you.

[rhodesaz]

I'd like a shop name also (so I don't go there)

[MSGDLD]

Originally Posted by AL_MIKE

when I 1st explained myself to the shop owner, he told me he would "make it right", The 1st work order was pulled, and it stated on the work order to check all brakes, the owner said the tech, didn't do it because he would have had to put time on the work order if he did. the RV sat 2 weeks before they got it into the shop, the shop foreman calls 1st and says the shoes on the tag axle need replaced, I asked about the drive axle and he said they haven't pulled it down, I then asked to pull it down that is where the problem is. so they pulled the drive axle down and found the issue, had to replace 1 rotor and both rear calipers and pads. I had to call to find out it was ready, and when I called they say its common practice when replacing calipers that they replace them all, so they wanted to replace the front calipers as well. To this point the RV had been at their shop 5 weeks so I decline having the front calipers replaced, I feel I can probably do them myself here at home. The only reason I took it back to them is because the owner said he would make it right. When I did go pick it up there was only work done on the drive axle, no mention of the tag axle the shop foreman called me about, and when I asked about it, the man behind the desk (not the owner) said there must have been some type "miscommunication? I bought up about what the owner said about making it right and was told the owner wasn't there and the owner didn't want to speak with me, and that they feel they wasn't at fault and they would not reduce the bill or buy a tire. I did check tire dates when I purchased the unit, the front tires were 1 year old the rear 6 (it has the tag axle) were 3 years old. at this point I have filed a complaint with the BBB.

I know you will anyway, but since they told you it’s practice to replace the front calipers with the rear, I’d tell you to find another shop.

As for the mechanic not doing it because he would’ve had to add time to the ticket, I’m inclined to think they pay a set time for an inspection, and he didn’t want to remove the duals to check the brakes.

Also, a scenario that I haven’t seen mentioned is that the rear brakes were serviceable when the Tech checked, perhaps ⅓ pad left, and while on the trip your caliper locked up. Wouldn’t be all that uncommon on a vehicle that’s not driven much.

Without going to Small Claims, it sounds like you’ve done about all you’re going to be able to do.

[sam-3]

You could report them to the Attorney General in your state. Do a write up for Trailer Life and or Motor Home magazine. They both have action lines.

[Eastham]

Does your 99 have drum brakes if so how did the tire guy even see the brave shoes without pulling the drums? And some full floating axles you have to pull the axle to get to the brakes so there would of been some labor charges to just check the brakes that's probably why it wasn't just checked.

[AL_MIKE]

Originally Posted by edge68474

Who was this repair shop??
My brother lives in Defuniak Springs, and I may be there with my MH and possibly need some work. I do NOT want to go there!!
Name and place please?? I looked in previous posts but did not see the name.
Thank you.

there maybe some confusion the shop in defunick springs is not the shop I am currently having problem with. the shop I am having all the problem with is this one C & M Truck and Trailer Repair - Cullman, Alabama it is located in Cullman alabama.

[AL_MIKE]

Originally Posted by Eastham

Does your 99 have drum brakes if so how did the tire guy even see the brave shoes without pulling the drums? And some full floating axles you have to pull the axle to get to the brakes so there would of been some labor charges to just check the brakes that's probably why it wasn't just checked.

My unit has disc on the front and drive axles and drum on the tag axle. after i took the RV back to the shop in question the acting shop foreman told me no wheels were pulled and that they checked the brakes were checked using a mirror to look into the caliper to see pad thickness, but then that makes me wonder that with the tag axle having drum brakes, and drum brakes have backing plates, just how do you get a mirror in there to look at anything? as to a labor charge to pull the wheels, I would have happily paid i,t that way I would have known for sure just what shape the brakes were in. And I guess that is the biggest complaint I have. I feel I requested a service that wasn't completed, or if in fact they could see the pads with a mirror then the service wasn't competed all the way, there is no way to check the tag axle without pulling the wheels.

and on the 2nd trip up there the acting foreman called me and said the Tag axle shoes would have to be replace, at that point I asked about the drive axles, he couldn't answer because they had not pulled the wheels at that point, I then said maybe his call was premature till ALL the brakes were checked. when I went and picked up the RV they had replaced the calipers, pads and one rotor on the drive axle, when I asked about the tag axle they told me there wasn't a problem with it and that it must have been a miscommunication. so now I'll pull the tag axle wheels here at home to see for myself, because during this whole issue I have lost all trust in this shop. further more the shop foreman told me the tag axle is only an emergency brake, and has no other use. now from what I have read about the system online I'm not thinking that is right.

[AL_MIKE]

Originally Posted by MSGDLD

Also, a scenario that I haven’t seen mentioned is that the rear brakes were serviceable when the Tech checked, perhaps ⅓ pad left, and while on the trip your caliper locked up. Wouldn’t be all that uncommon on a vehicle that’s not driven much.

Without going to Small Claims, it sounds like you’ve done about all you’re going to be able to do.

my thinking would be if 1 caliper had locked up them I would honestly believe it was a fluke, it would have been something I would chalk up to a vehicle that wasn't used much and it would be "just one of those things" But both calipers on the drive axle were locked out, the pads on the right side of the of the drive axle were chewed up, the pads on the left side still had material but you could see where the brass rivits that was holding the material in place had been making contact with the rotor.

At this point I'm not sure the hassle of small claims court is worth it, I know I will not get anything out of them, but I can put my experience up in various places stating my issue with them and let other make a decision to use them or not. personally I'll never go back.

[Polyian]

This is a classic example of why you should have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System, a TPMS will also monitor tire heat. An alarm will go off if the pressure drops or the temp increases beyond acceptable thresholds on any wheel You would have heard an alarm before the tire blew and been able to stop and examine what's going on with the wheel that set off the alarm.