Tire

[drcook]

Back in 2005 we bought a Salem from a particular dealer in NE Ohio. It subsequently had that same issue. The morons in the service department tried to blame it on me curbing it (sound familiar) so I said if I did, it was an accident, let's turn it into insurance.

So I had Nationwide come out and they gave them a quote. Back then it was $1200.00 for the axle and labor.

Well knowing how they were and how dealerships operate, I made some phone calls. A place that deals in horse trailers (country folk, more honest), quoted me a little over $300.00 out the door for a new axle and labor.

So I called Nationwide, told them I was yanking the trailer, explained how they were so over priced.

Fast forward a couple years and I found out that the axles on the 2005 Salem had been recalled. The factory (I don't remember which one, but a major player), had an issue with a welding fixture.

They were welding the hub on at an angle. The axle itself was bad from before it was stuck under the trailer.

Moral of story. Don't believe RV dealership mechanics. (if you can call them that). They come and go. My former, now deceased brother in law, the world's biggest drunk, worked as a mechanic at RV dealerships and boat shops. More than half the time he was loaded working on people's equipment. For a time he also worked on planes. Let that sink in.

We have had service people come outside and say one thing, and then another service person come out a few minutes later and say something completely 180 degrees. Same with car dealerships. I have had them have to refund money because their "mechanic" wasn't and I had to take it back and tell them how to fix it AND it turned out to be a warranty issue after all.

Do your due diligence. Call around. Call horse trailer places out in the country.

BTW, putting axles in is no big deal. I found that out.

I have put spring dampers in, replaced spring eye bushings, all in the driveway. You just have to purchase the right tools and practice safety. The right tools will cost you less than paying someone else to do it.

If you go out on Amazon you can see what an axle without hardware really costs. There is no need to replace springs, brakes etc if they are not damaged, but so many places will just order the whole thing or whatever and try to soak you for as much as they can.

[Papa-T]

Thanks for sharing!