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Bobbie_Cat's avatar
Bobbie_Cat
Explorer
Apr 08, 2016

Hail Damage

I took my 20 foot North Trail in for it's yearly inspection. Went to a new place that had opened up near by. Had some bad vibes--sort of like walking onto a used car lot. But I left my trailer anyway. What can go wrong with an annual service check? Just got a call that I have hail damage to the roof. Could be. This is Colorado.
But it is housed under cover most of the year. Can't remember any hail while we were out camping but am not certain. When the "salesman" said he could feel the hail damage in the wood under the roof and he would give me discounts on other work to off set the deductible I became suspicious.
How common is hail damage to trailer roofs? He also attempted to charge me $500 for packing the bearings. We had a talk and he reduced it to $415--twice what I paid last spring. I declined the roof replacement. So my question is how worried should I be about my roof? We are leaving on a camping trip April 17.

9 Replies

  • Please do.

    My trailer was damaged in the storm a few years ago. I'll show you some real hail damage, it got the trailer totaled. Neither the insurance or the shop was worried about the roof except it shattered the vent lids.

    $500 to pack a set of bearings? I'm in the wrong business.
  • I think I would contact the BBB and the attorney's general's office and file a complaint.
  • Thanks to all. Trailer will be out of there 1st thing tomorrow morning. This is what happens when you put convenience and a rush to get on the road ahead of good sense. I've had trailers for years and had never heard of hail damage to a roof. I am female and 76 years old--mechanical I am not but I usually have my research done before I take on a service department. Angie's List, Better Business Bureau and USAA will hear from me. Revenge can have its own rewards. Maybe it will help some other RVer.
  • x2 what DutchmenSport said. If you had hail damage on a rubber-covered wood roof, you'd have a LOT of other damage. Those plastic parts up there would be toast.

    Repacking 4 wheel bearings in an equipped shop is a 1 hour job. 2 hours if one rookie was given the job. $415 is a rip.
  • Even if there was bumps in the plywood caused by whatever, so what? I'm not sure that would be a concern. Do they want to replace all the wood and new roof?
  • If your roof had hail damage, you'd see hail damage on the sides of your camper too. He's trying to bilk you. It would have to be some pretty hellish hail, (the size of a baseball) to do damage to the WOOD on your roof, under the rubber! PLUS you most likely, 100% would have had your skylghts and plastic vents broken by he hail too! (I know, we had our plastic covers on the roof of one camper broken by hail (all of them were completely busted up)... but there was absolutely nothing noticeable about the roof, or the wood under the rubber on the roof.

    What that guy is telling you is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! Tell him to take a hike and get that camper out of there!
  • Learn to do your own repairs and inspections, when you take anything to a repair shop for a inspection than you are just looking to get ripped off..
  • Twice what you paid last spring because its a stealership. If there is hail damage it was probably them on your roof with a hammer making dents. Get your trailer out of there fast.