Purchased 2018 Starcraft Satellite in February and took first trip this past weekend. After returning home Sunday, one of the rear stabilizers got stuck a few inches from the ground (would not go up or down), due to weather, decided to leave it until Tuesday. On Tuesday, after attempting to raise/lower to see what was wrong, the bar that connects tool to the threaded rod snapped - Now there is no way to raise/lower it - it must be removed.Purchasing dealer will replace stabilizer under warranty- but here is my question/concern: (1) I tow TT with stabilizer lowered - i'm not confortable with this option.(2) I can remove the stabilizer myself , take it to dealer and they will swap it out under warranty. I go back home and install it myself - I'm now an RV tech! (Can I submit them a bill? ;) )(3) Starcraft will cover $50 or $125 service call (tech needs to call in to starcraft to get authorization to do any work - part covered, but I'm out $75 for warrrantied part.(4) extended warranty will cover mobile tech, but only if part is covered - stabilizer is not in this case. (5) I call roadside assistance, they tow with stabilizer down - I'm even more concerned about this option than myself towing as I've seen how some tow drivers operate!I was expecting warranty to cover all parts and labor and for them to come to my home to do work since I can't tow unit to dealer. Am I expecting too much?My bigger conern is two fold:(1) What about other 3 stabilizers?(2) If this happened while not at home, I would not have access to tools to remove the stabilizer - and i'd be out money to fix a warrantied part and have no choice but to pay!I am thinking in terms of auto warranties. If my new warrantied autmobile breaks down, manufacturer tows for free and covers all warrantied repairs for both parts and labor.Dan

An RV`er should know how to fix little things. And also carry basic tools with them. I`ll bet you also don't have the right size lug wrench for the lug nuts? you may also not have a way to jack up the trailer to change a flat!take it off and get it fixed, why make it out to be a big problem?

Standard issues with new RV's.Go out in the next couple months and make sure to use and exercise everything as much as possible, so you can find the problems early. Then put a list together and plan not to have the unit for a month or two while they get around to fixing it.You can spend a lot of time and effort carping at them and might get them to send a tech out to fix it but probably less effort just to pull it, go get the new part from them if you feel capable. (you would be in the right to make them come out but is it worth the hassle)This is why I like used. A lot of these little issues are sorted by the previous owner and if I do have to repair something, I saved more than enough to cover it.

I would go with option 2 that you noted above, but don't submit them a bill-LOL! I would just expect to do many repairs on your own and have tools with you when away from home. Make sure to lube the other 3 stabilizers. I have found that it takes too long to get trailers in for any repairs in my area, so, I learn to fix things myself and have stopped buying the extended warranties.

DM6156 wrote:I was expecting warranty to cover all parts and labor and for them to come to my home to do work since I can't tow unit to dealer. Am I expecting too much?I am thinking in terms of auto warranties. If my new warrantied autmobile breaks down, manufacturer tows for free and covers all warrantied repairs for both parts and labor.Absolutely you're expecting too much. You're also making the mistake of relating the RV industry to the automobile industry which are entirely different one from the other. If you want to be an RV owner the reality is you need to be willing to do some DIY repairs yourself from time-to-time, especially with something as simple as a stab repair / replacement.

dodge guy wrote:An RV`er should know how to fix little things. And also carry basic tools with them. I`ll bet you also don't have the right size lug wrench for the lug nuts? you may also not have a way to jack up the trailer to change a flat! you lose the bet. What do I win? An appology?dodge guy wrote: take it off and get it fixed, why make it out to be a big problem? re-read my post for the answer to that.

Broken stabilizer - am i expecting too much? | Good Sam Community

45 Replies

beemerphile1
Explorer
Apr 24, 2018
Sounds like you have this solved but a word about that "extended warranty".

Only the manufacturer can give/sell a warranty. Any product from anyone else is simply an insurance policy with lots of loopholes protecting the company. Also keep in mind that about half of the contract premium goes into the dealers pocket so they are an extremely biased source.
azrving
Explorer
Apr 24, 2018
Oh ok. You have a different style or manufacturer of that junk. :)
DM6156
Explorer
Apr 24, 2018
The end is a 3/4" hex (same size socket fits the tire lugs). That piece is larger diameter than threaded rod that's inserted into it. At the end of the hex is where the threaded rod snapped. After it broke, the arm could be lowered as rod came out of mount that attaches to frame rail. Before it broke, turning the hex end did nothing to the threaded rod - it simply wasn't turning.
azrving
Explorer
Apr 23, 2018
You probably didn't do anything wrong. Is the small end of your shaft hex shaped?

We installed a couple stabilizers from etrailer and one of the ends fell off right away. I had only lowered them one time and when we tried to lower the next time after travel the hex was gone.

When the large hex comes off the end of the shaft has about a half inch or so hex that the larger hex was pinned to. The pin holds the large hex on the small hex. The pin either fell out because the ends are just smeared over or because of the slop in the large hex riding on the small hex it does have enough play to put all the force on the pin and break it. It's not a shear pin otherwise they would mount the large hex on a round shaft end and when it did sheared you would know it right away because it would just spin.

If the pin breaks while using the Jack you don't really have any way of knowing it, it will then just vibrate off going down the road.

It's just more cheap junk that needs the nut welded to the shaft. Next time we back this into his driveway I'll be able to mig weld it.

Junk! Just junk after junk after junk.
DM6156
Explorer
Apr 23, 2018
Huntindog wrote:
Out of curiosity.... Do you have shear pins, or were they actually a press fit?

Is there an easy way to tell? Would there be what appears to be weld spots on it? The end that broke off, still has the end of the rod inside - it's not sliding out.

As some seems to suggest, I didn't attempt to raise/level the TT with the stabilizers. Keep in mind, it broke when I was back home and lowering the stabilizer - it was a few inches (i'd estimate 2-3" from the ground) when it stopped lowering.
Huntindog
Explorer
Apr 23, 2018
Out of curiosity.... Do you have shear pins, or were they actually a press fit?
DM6156
Explorer
Apr 21, 2018
Dealer ordered new stabilizer, waiting on it to arrive. Three self tapping screws.

Required extension to get socket up into it to remove 3rd screw which i didn't have in my tool box, but will before next trip.

I do not need to tow trailer across town to replace it, just bring in old as pick up new.

Thanks for the input on items to add to my tool box.
drsteve
Explorer
Apr 21, 2018
DM6156 wrote:
Huntindog wrote:
What happened to the stabilizer to make it inoperable?
They are pretty simple devices. It should be obvious what is wrong. You have 3 working ones to compare it to.

The most likely thing to have happened is you put too much pressure on it and over loaded it.

Being as you seem to be new at this.... That is my guess.

That would make it a non warranty repair. It is important to know this for two reasons.

1. to keep it from happening again.
2. If it was your fault, the dealer will likely deny coverage upon inspection... Meaning that all the trouble of getting the unit to him, or the part etc. was a waste of time.

Don't get offended about this. Many Many people misunderstand how to properly use stabilizers (and many other RV systems) if this is the case, then it is a small mistake, easily fixed, and you are now on a board where you can learn a lot to keep from making other mistakes.

Two fold issue
(1) end of the jack where the tool attaches (turn it, turns threaded rod which raises and lowers jack) became loose (it appears to be pressed in) so turning the end didn't turn threaded rod.
(2) threaded rod that was pressed into the end broke so the end came off completely. No way to attach tool.

Keep in mind that stabilizers are not meant to be used to level your RV, only to keep it from bouncing. You level side to side by driving the low side tires up on boards, and front to back with the tongue jack.
drsteve
Explorer
Apr 21, 2018
Deleted
Huntindog
Explorer
Apr 20, 2018
DM6156 wrote:
Huntindog wrote:
What happened to the stabilizer to make it inoperable?
They are pretty simple devices. It should be obvious what is wrong. You have 3 working ones to compare it to.

The most likely thing to have happened is you put too much pressure on it and over loaded it.

Being as you seem to be new at this.... That is my guess.

That would make it a non warranty repair. It is important to know this for two reasons.

1. to keep it from happening again.
2. If it was your fault, the dealer will likely deny coverage upon inspection... Meaning that all the trouble of getting the unit to him, or the part etc. was a waste of time.

Don't get offended about this. Many Many people misunderstand how to properly use stabilizers (and many other RV systems) if this is the case, then it is a small mistake, easily fixed, and you are now on a board where you can learn a lot to keep from making other mistakes.

Two fold issue
(1) end of the jack where the tool attaches (turn it, turns threaded rod which raises and lowers jack) became loose (it appears to be pressed in) so turning the end didn't turn threaded rod.
(2) threaded rod that was pressed into the end broke so the end came off completely. No way to attach tool.
Take a close look at your good jacks.
The ones I have had use a pin to hold the end on the threaded rod, in this case a shear pin that is designed to shear off when overloaded.
When it breaks the pieces can fall away, so you would think they were pressed in.

Your good jacks should have them.

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Broken stabilizer - am i expecting too much?

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