Forum Discussion
SidecarFlip
Jan 08, 2018Explorer III
Couple things.. I to am a AWS certified welder (TIG-MIG-SMAW and gas and Lippert builds sub standard frames today, I've seen more than one.
At some point, Lippert went from SMAW to MIG, don't know when, but the skill level and competence level also went south. When you have welders that one day were working at the local fast food place and the next day welding frames, it's hard to expect any consistency in welds even though a MIG (glue gun) eliminates most of the weld skill factor. However, the welder still needs to lay a bead and fuse the materials together. I've seen Lippert frames where the welds are missing entirely, or cold welded or just a tiny amount of applied weld.
You get what you pay for and Lippert is on the low end of the pay scale (just above a burger joint I would assume). I'd work there but I really don't believe they would pay me the prevailing wage for a skilled and certified welder.
The last place any buyer looks at is the frame... until it fails. If I was buying a unit with a frame, I'd dang sure be under it examining it propr to a purchase, but that is me an I know what to look at. Would only take maybe 30 seconds max.
At some point, Lippert went from SMAW to MIG, don't know when, but the skill level and competence level also went south. When you have welders that one day were working at the local fast food place and the next day welding frames, it's hard to expect any consistency in welds even though a MIG (glue gun) eliminates most of the weld skill factor. However, the welder still needs to lay a bead and fuse the materials together. I've seen Lippert frames where the welds are missing entirely, or cold welded or just a tiny amount of applied weld.
You get what you pay for and Lippert is on the low end of the pay scale (just above a burger joint I would assume). I'd work there but I really don't believe they would pay me the prevailing wage for a skilled and certified welder.
The last place any buyer looks at is the frame... until it fails. If I was buying a unit with a frame, I'd dang sure be under it examining it propr to a purchase, but that is me an I know what to look at. Would only take maybe 30 seconds max.
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