Damaged Camper and Landing Gear-- Repaired--

[Nabo]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

Bones - it upsets me that you are having the issues that you are with your insurance company and it makes me think or re-think who I have my 5th wheel covered with. Can you send me a private message with just your insurance company name that is supposedly covering your camper? I know my homeowner/vehicle company would not go has high as I paid for my new camper so we had to go to an independent company to cover just the camper.
Thanks

 

[JohnD]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

That sounds pretty cool. Too bad I'm no where near there (factory).

At this point my Rig will have spent it's whole life in the shop.

That doesn't matter . . .

It can always be shipped back to the factory!

Who better to have repair it than those who made it?

Especially with the major damage that your trailer has . . .

Do you trust your dealer to repair it?

 

[Jim.Allison]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

I think you are on to something, I would not cast aspersions on your insurance company over the comment that they don't use adjusters for this kind of thing. I would take that as reason to take it to the factory who can properly evaluate the entire damage and put a price tag on it so the insurance company can decide if they want you to repair or total. The question here is how much is it insured for? Mine is insured for way more than what I paid. So if they totaled it, I would have more than enough to pay it off and buy another one. A 2015 cannot be that depreciated. I would seriously look at this.

 

[Bones]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

Has anyone here used an inspector from NRVIA? I found this to be the only type of inspector that might not have an ulterior motive to repair or bias to have the RV taken to their facility. The area where the RV is located only shows 1 person near. The area I am shows a couple. Thoughts? I'm looking to keep my interest protected as best as I can. As stated earlier on here an independent inspector would be advisable.

 

[TravelTiger]

Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

I have used this company, Blue Moon Mobile Repair in the Dallas area: http://bluemoonrv.com/about/

when I needed to find the source of some delamination. Heartland wanted us to have a window removed and inspected before they would offer assistance, and Blue Moon did a great job with detailed pics and explanations. They also did a great job with the repairs. (I took it to their facility, it was not a mobile service call).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[porthole]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

I truly believe that they didn't know about it.

Whoever was responsible for the damage - knew about it when it happened. Unless, the trailer fell off a sky hook overnight.

 

[Jim.Allison]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

As a former government employee, I learned a great saying "he who has the most paperwork wins." So if you have someone who 1) is professional, 2) is in the business, 3 can write a document......Then you should get that document. If the damage is minimal then you will feel more comfortable and if this comes to a problem then you will have a timely document also called a contemporaneous document to show as evidence. If this is not moving in a direction that seems reasonable to you, you should invest in that inspection.

Has anyone here used an inspector from NRVIA? I found this to be the only type of inspector that might not have an ulterior motive to repair or bias to have the RV taken to their facility. The area where the RV is located only shows 1 person near. The area I am shows a couple. Thoughts? I'm looking to keep my interest protected as best as I can. As stated earlier on here an independent inspector would be advisable.

 

[Bob&Patty]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

My question to the dealer would be. Was it connected to a "truck" when this happened? Every dealer I have been to has a plate on a fork lift that has a hole in it for the "PIN". I have never had them raise the landing to move the Horn. They only lift it enough to move it. In fact, when I pick it up, it's ready to hook up...no raising or lowering the Horn to go on the hitch. Bones, was there any damage under the bedroom over hang....like it hit/landed on something. Maybe some paint color or rubbed on black plastic?? It's really "fishy" to me how it was dropped 3' max (measured mine retracted) to shove the landing gear up and bend all the mounts on the frame. This thing had to be dropped a LONG way to bend all this stuff and buckle the floor......and I mean a LOOOOONG way. The person that did this knows they did it and when. How could you not see or hear it hit the ground. How did you get it back on the fork lift with out damaging the front cap??

 

[wdk450]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

My question to the dealer would be. Was it connected to a "truck" when this happened? Every dealer I have been to has a plate on a fork lift that has a hole in it for the "PIN". . . . .

Bob:
I wonder if the adapter plate on the forklift with the pin hole could have slid off of the smooth forklift forks while pulling on the trailer? I would bet that the dealer uses the forklift for moving pallets of supplies also, so the pin adapter comes on and off. I think there is a bolt in the plate you are supposed to friction tighten with the fork, but maybe an employee was forgetful/lazy.

 

[Bones]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

My question to the dealer would be. Was it connected to a "truck" when this happened? Every dealer I have been to has a plate on a fork lift that has a hole in it for the "PIN". I have never had them raise the landing to move the Horn. They only lift it enough to move it. In fact, when I pick it up, it's ready to hook up...no raising or lowering the Horn to go on the hitch. Bones, was there any damage under the bedroom over hang....like it hit/landed on something. Maybe some paint color or rubbed on black plastic?? It's really "fishy" to me how it was dropped 3' max (measured mine retracted) to shove the landing gear up and bend all the mounts on the frame. This thing had to be dropped a LONG way to bend all this stuff and buckle the floor......and I mean a LOOOOONG way. The person that did this knows they did it and when. How could you not see or hear it hit the ground. How did you get it back on the fork lift with out damaging the front cap??

The jockey truck they use is an old tractor with a double set up. The forks on the front have a ball and there is a 5th wheel on the back of it on hydraulics to raise the trailer. They have it set up so when under it all they have to do is lift it up. I think I know what happened. My unit is set up with a Reese sidewinder and it has a wedge behind the pin. I don't think they removed that wedge and their fifth wheel never locked. When they pulled out it fell straight to the ground. The camper did not have any damage that I know of to the bedroom floor only a dent in the kitchen floor. I think the landing gear took the brunt of the forces which is evident and only in one direction. If the unit was in motion I think we would have another story on our hands here. I do have paper work that they dropped the trailer and as far as I know they are fixing the unit and performing an inspection on it. I also have a tire mounted underneath the unit which I inspected for damage and found none. This also tells me that it did not go straight to the ground and collapse the landing gear.

 

[Bones]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

Just an update. Been over a week now since last word on the camper and nothing so far. No status updates what so ever from the dealer.

 

[NWILSON]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

Just an update. Been over a week now since last word on the camper and nothing so far. No status updates what so ever from the dealer.

You'll get old waiting on the dealer to get back to you! You're going to have to be the aggressor to get this resolved!

 

[donr827]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

I would drive over to the dealer and have a face to face update. If you have to visit them every few days until the situation is resolved do it. JMO
Don

 

[DocFather]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

I am reposting my comment from page 2. I stand by my suggestion to lawyer-up and have someone stand up for you. The longer you try to be Mr. Nice guy the longer you will be even more frustrated. And contrary to another poster, you DO have the right to not accept this rig until you lose in court. Hopefully you will be successful. I doubt it would ever reach a courtroom.

I pray this works out for you, and sooner than later.

//heartlandowners.org/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by Bones //heartlandowners.org/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png
I agree I need to wait until I hear from them. I just not sure if I am out of line by wanting the whole rig inspected, by pulling coverings from the under carriage and possibly pulling the slides out that I have mentioned could have been damaged. I believe that the rig saw a tremendous amount of stress from that fall to jamb and bend the landing gear like it did.



Absolutely not! In fact, if it was me, I am not sure that I would even settle to take the same rig home, EVER.**** Demand that in-depth inspection and then a 5-year warranty on the soundness of the structure. If this was an airplane, and it was damaged in the exact same way, the FAA would not even issue an airworthiness certificate without certified inspections.

(Edit): The more I think about it, it is quite possible that the NTSB should be notified just as if it were in a collision on a highway. It is quite possible that they would even "total" it as being unsafe for operation.

 

[cookie]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

Okay gang, we need to stop the legal action advice in this thread.
The OP asked if anyone had any experience in this type of situation, as well as advice.
Has anyone had personal experience like this? If so your advice would be most helpful.
We would hate to close this thread as the outcome may be helpful to someone else down the road.

Peace
Dave

 

[Jim.Allison]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

Legal practitioners are rarely involved in suits, but rather are advisors in negotiating solutions to difficult situations, especially for those that do not understand where they stand in the process.

Anyone who has filed a comprehensive insurance claim for damages has experience with this.

DIY negotiations only work if the victim knows who the players are. Here are the players.

1) YOU
2) Mortgage Company
3) Your insurance Company
4) Entity that caused the damage.

At this point you should be finished talking with the people who caused the damage. You should be to the point of submitting the estimates to your insurance company. for payment.

Someone suggested that Heartland had a new service center, I would take it there if I could.

You need to get moving, "He who has the most (contemporaneous) paperwork wins", start generating paperwork. Pics, e-mails, letters, claim numbers etc.

Okay gang, we need to stop the legal action advice in this thread.
The OP asked if anyone had any experience in this type of situation, as well as advice.
Has anyone had personal experience like this? If so your advice would be most helpful.
We would hate to close this thread as the outcome may be helpful to someone else down the road.

Peace
Dave

 

[branson4020]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

Okay gang, we need to stop the legal action advice in this thread.
The OP asked if anyone had any experience in this type of situation, as well as advice.
Has anyone had personal experience like this? If so your advice would be most helpful.
We would hate to close this thread as the outcome may be helpful to someone else down the road.

Peace
Dave

Point taken. I had a somewhat similar experience recently with the Dodge dealer where I take my truck for service. Truck suffered body damage in the service bay. The service manager called me on my cell phone before I even returned to pick up my truck to let me know there was a problem. Arrangements were made to have the truck into the body shop of MY CHOICE within 24 hrs. I'm not a strong negotiator, so if the thing hadn't been handled right up front, and I was made to wait a week, I would have had an attorney.

 

[Bones]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

I would drive over to the dealer and have a face to face update. If you have to visit them every few days until the situation is resolved do it. JMO
Don

If I was close to them I would just stop in a visit

 

[NWILSON]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

This is where being the aggressor comes in. Insist to the insurance company that since the damage is so extensive that the rig needs to be professionally transported back to the manufacturer for proper assessment and repair

 

[AKDallBH]

Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear

Our Bighorn 3670 in September had its landing gear fail and dropped 6-8" before the pins stopped the fall. We were not there at the time. We contacted the insurance company for a claim. They told us to take it to any repair facility and have them do an estimate. The insurance company (Safeco) did not have adjusters for TV's.

The damage was substantial. Welds to the wall framing were broke, as were cracks in the walls and outer skin. The room was also affected due to the wall framing being pushed up.

To determine the extent of the damage, they needed to take off the skin. When they told the insurance company this, the insurance company contracted with an adjustor to go look at the unit. There was concern about the welds holding the hitch, which would have totaled the unit. They eventually gave them the go ahead to strip the skin and do a detailed estimate. All of the wall wells in the front 15 feet were broke and needed to be redone. Total repair bill came to over $22,000. Insurance paid it all, less my deductible. It took over a month to get to the point that they whAt exactly was wrong and get the go ahead to fix it.

My advice is to find a reputable repair facility to take it to and have it trailerd over there if necessary. I would pick a straight repair facility rather than a dealer. The dealer that broke it has an interest in minimizing the damage, and it it has been there for three months already prior to problems, does not have a good track record.

I did contact heartland and they said that they would not do anything if insurance is involved. They will do warranty issues, but not damage due to any sort of accident.

When your insurance company finds out it maybe tens of thousands of dollars they may pay, they fill find an adjustor to look at it.

We are very happy with our repair, and feel that the rig is actually better than new.

Hope this helps,

Scott