Update:
I thought that everyone should know how poorly Lippert is handling this problem of a broken spring and a fried brand new Goodyear 614 tire that we endured this summer in Tllamook, OR, while driving at 20mph through town.
I followed M. Locke's (Lippert's warranty Represntative) instructions and sent Lippert a copy of all my invoices in late July, when we arrived home that are still unpaid. This included $225 in labor and and $315 paid by my credit card to replace my fried new Goodyear tire that was destroyed when their faulty spring shattered and the frame rested on while driving through Tillamook.
Michael informed me the reason they haven't reimbursed me is that they are waiting for me to send them the broken spring so they can determine if it is covered under warranty. WHOA! Les Scwab sent them pictures of all the broken parts when it occured and I was told they accepted these pics as proof as well as Lippert kindly one day shipping a whole new set of $506 springs and 2 shocks and U bolts. We have been home over a month, I had faxed them all invoices as instructed, and now after not receiving reimbursement, and me contacting them, I am told to send everything broken to them for examination. In fact, they want to make sure I wasn't overloaded, which I wasn't as I posted my weights on the forum last year from Las Vegas Rally, showing I was 2,000 lbs under full capacity GSWR . I had to call these people, and they just now sent me shipping labels. As some of you know, I am recovering from severe back surgery and cannot lift these heavy parts that are still in my storage compartment of my rig at the local tow yard. I had to hire someone to retrieve them, bring them to my house, and next week send their faulty, warrantied underweighted springs made in China for their inspectiona and hopeful reimbursement.
What really upset me was I was just informed that since Lippert doesn't cover the ruined new tire, which was melted by the frame riding on that tire due to the broken springs, they will only send me $69 towards the receipted $315 I paid for the new replacement Goodyear tire as a sign of good faith. That is if they determine it was a faulty factory spring. What gall!
When I responded that the ruined tire was due to their shattered faulty spring, Mr. Locke told me I had no recourse to pay for that new tire that had less than 1000 miles on it, as this is Lippert's policy, and he personally had the final say.
Soooooooooo......... I was flabbergasted. My wife and I could have been killed if this accident had happened 5 minutes earlier in the mountains approaching Tillamook, we had to spend 2 sleepless nights camping behind the Les Schwab's, our trip plans were upside down, and the cost of the tire exceeded the cost of labor for replacing our under warrantied defective springs and shocks. Meanwhile, it occurred to me that these 6K springs should have been 7K, I was 2,000 lbs under maximum weight capacity, and I was going to have to fight them for reimbursement for a valid claim.
They should have apologized for putting me in this predicament with their lousy equipment, paid my claim promptly and fully, and replaced my underweight axles with a stronger set of new 7K axles, springs and new tires. What a bunch of hooey.
Anyone have any ideas on how to proceed? Does the big company push around the little guy, and I have no recourse? Understandably I am incredibly upset not just for the costs, but for the principles of this behaviour and the fact we could have gone over the side of the mountain, been killed if this had happened just moments before. Thank you in advance.
