Hi everyone,
I am sorry I haven't been able to respond to some of the negative comments from Jim Gratz and Bob TXCat regarding my initial Lippert safety thread but I have spent the last 4 days in a cardiac intensive care unit getting some medical issues resolved.
I want to thank the majority of the respondents of this thread, including Geekrus, and
iwncquir "who after reading these posts saved him from a potential problem regarding tires and springs. We wound up changing axles to get 8K rating and Trail Air. It was money well spent but would just as soon have paid more and not had to upgrade."
I respect anyone who had told their story of some legitimate gripes about Lippert's product or their lack of responsibility to rectify their poor mistakes by improving their product, and/or repairing, replacing at no costs under weight suspension packages of Lippert RV frames and suspensions and spring leafs.
Jim G, respectfully, why would you be so insensitive and condemn people (Go buy a boat) afraid to travel in their rigs, when it is a well known fact that your fellow Heartlander compatriots are traveling in inferior Lippert suspension packages documented many times in the forum and other locations that prove they are not safe as I personally experienced? Are you saying that we should automatically excuse them for not upgrading our rigs various components so that we will be feel and be safe? Excuse me sir, but when I buy an expensive on-the-road vehicle, that we all expect it to perform to basic safety regulations at the least. I shouldn't be forced to upgrade my rig, just because you consider it accepted practice, that RV 5th wheels are inherently unsafe. Fyi, I have received many PM's and comments that have the completely opposite opinions. So you are saying as an anology that if you happen to buy a Ford or Chevy, it should be forced upon us to upgrade because it's an unsafe vehicle if there is an inherent problem. I don't think so and am offended you would carelessly tell us to go find another hobby outside RVing, because of your off handed comment, that we should be prepared to abandon our love because you say so, because we can't afford it. I feel incredibly justified to feel nervous, when my 3 leaf springs break so badly that my rig rode on my rear tire, and we could have had a much worse accident, causing bodily damage. Maybe the solution would have been for Lippert to replace the 3 leaf springs with 4 leafs, and 7,000 axles replacing the 6K, do you think so?
And Box TxBobCat, I think it's great that you buy RV's knowing that you aren't satisfied with your purchase and you make a conscious effort to upgrade your rig and make expensive purchases. Some peole just require a rig that will perform safely and efficiently and will deal with a lesser expensive system the first time around. Is that a crime?
And if you guys want to take a rich man's attitude and tell frugal people to take your stance that one must upgrade to be safe, try listening to the numerous people who have posted comments otherwise. In fact, both of you seemed to have problems with your rigs in the past, so I am surprised that you don't have empathy for others enduring the same type problems.
I think we should leave this thread open for 2 weeks and at the end of that time, I will copy some of these comments and send them on to Lippert, to see if we can get any positive reactions from them to improve their products and address some of the safety issues brought up in this thread (free would be nice).
Feel free to voice your comments, and Jim and Bob, please take my criticisms as constructive criticisms, and if you have any more reflections, please feel free to voice them to be heard by all. My comments are only IMHO. Please keep your comments civil and on point.
