Pin Box wing set issue...

[JIMeRIG]

Hi, new to the forum but looking for some advice from people with experience in dealing with RV dealer/manufacture... and if its worth the battle?


back story, last spring we bought a brand new Northwood Fiver from a local dealer and when we went to go pick it up in our new Ram pickup, it was sitting to high in the front so the dealer and I tried to adjust the pin box up to its highest setting. When doing so we noticed the pin box was very tight and the wing set was bet outward a bit. We were short for time so we ended up making modifications to the truck/hitch so that we could at least go on our trip only weeks away and the dealer said they would fix the problem... The RV towed fine but the nose was still higher then it should have been. After the season ended we dropped off the RV at the dealer for some minor stuff and the pin box issue. After several emails and calls to the dealer I stopped in and asked for a status. After having the RV for 2 months, they said the manufacture has refused to take responsibility because the wing set is defective and that its Lipperts problem even though they welded this to their frame, which they make in house (Northwood). Then the dealer told me they are grinding on the side of the pin box so it will fit and have been "for days".

I dont accept this as a solution to the problem... either the frame was not aligned when welded or they welded a defective part to their frame... Like most fivers, it was not cheap and should not come with non-repairable issues

Is this worth the fight? Should I take it up with the dealer or manufacturer? Or should I just accept that this RV will forever have a messed up wing set and the only pin box that will fit is the one they grinded...?

pictures here

https://drive.google.com/open?id=17BqKUR6rfdXoSA-B5OHkMh0_u3xEfhRh
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1IoQwV9NTdbkrP6yKjFH7KUnp2xB1KvDw
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Sz9rsbEZl-qvnMvswLTu9N1ogwr931Dz
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Cm3JgzV0JrR5SMkmPX8VzvfFuwJHFOiL

[JIMeRIG]

Sport45 wrote:

JIMeRIG wrote:
Northwood them selves have now agreed to fix this at there plant but will not pay me to take the RV there or pay my expenses. instead they will only pay someone else to pick it up and take it there.

Maybe you should just let them pay someone to haul it back to their shop.

that's the plan... but it will have to wait at least until summer because we will be building a shop and house, and this is now going to be our home for a while.

[Sport45]

JIMeRIG wrote:
Northwood them selves have now agreed to fix this at there plant but will not pay me to take the RV there or pay my expenses. instead they will only pay someone else to pick it up and take it there.

Maybe you should just let them pay someone to haul it back to their shop.

[ACZL]

How about getting in touch w/ RV Tailer Life Action line? They seem to get results.

[azrving]

If it ain't one thing it's another. Don't worry the transport drivers would probably do fine when towing it. A guy worked with started hauling RVs after we retired. I remember one time when he got down a narrow road and had to turn around and backed the fifth wheel into a field and ran a T post through the tank and up through the bathroom floor.

[JIMeRIG]

Rv is back... and not fixed... parts never got ordered... when the finally did the place the dealer got to do the welding repair wouldn't do it because the entire front cap needed to be removed and now there is no more time left to do the repair...

now we are 1 week behind schedule for getting the flock out of here but not a huge deal because it was so **** cold last week anyways! had to deal with -37°f temps for days

Northwood them selves have now agreed to fix this at there plant but will not pay me to take the RV there or pay my expenses. instead they will only pay someone else to pick it up and take it there.

[laknox]

JIMeRIG wrote:
No word from the dealer so we checked in with them and they still had not done anything. They said they were having issues finding a certified welder. Told them it needs to be done this week as we need to get ready to move in March. They called back within an hour and said they subcontracted a local trailer sales shop to do the repair on Monday.

we will see how this turns out...

Man, I'd be on the phone, weekly, with Northwoods, to let them know how cr@ppy this situation is. Should have NEVER left their property that way.

Lyle

[JIMeRIG]

No word from the dealer so we checked in with them and they still had not done anything. They said they were having issues finding a certified welder. Told them it needs to be done this week as we need to get ready to move in March. They called back within an hour and said they subcontracted a local trailer sales shop to do the repair on Monday.

we will see how this turns out...

[garyp4951]

Looks like the wings were welded on out of line, and measurement spec. Needs to go back to whoever did that, or to a very good welding shop.

[JIMeRIG]

Deserthorse wrote:
I had a 2006 Arctic Fox travel trailer. Bought it used, probably the best trailer we ever owned, should have never sold it. When we were ready for another trailer we only looked at Northwood. Ended up with a 2015 Snowriver. It was my wifes dream to finally buy a new trailer. The trailer was a disaster from the day we picked it up. Fit and finish issues, low voltage wiring was a mess and they forgot to put the roof ladder on. In hindsight I should have just walked away at delivery, but I couldn't do that to her. After 2 years she finally agreed and we sold it. We would like to get another trailer but the last one left such a bad taste I don't know if it will happen.

Customer service has followed their quality issues in step, miserable. I actually got better assistance with my 2006 Northwood that I bought used then the new 2015.

Northwood quality pretty much went down hill quickly with the loss of Ron Nash at the helm. The guy spent his life building a brand on his reputation of quality and overnight it went form being the Cadillac of the industry to being at the bottom of the heap with the rest.

We did have other minor issues with our RV, but they were fixed at the same time they started grinding on the pinbox. Over all the RV seems well built. But I do think Northwood is behind the times in what they offer for the price. Even in their high end Silver Fox edition seem to be lacking some of the modern options.

The lower end models like Nash and desert fox didnt seem any better then a keystone Laredo or Puma but much more expensive.

One thing Northwood does do right is put good USA Made tires and oversized axels on their trailers. No worry about overloading the trailers.

[JIMeRIG]

ScottG wrote:
Please update us when the repair is done. I'd really like to hear how it comes out.

Certainly will do!

[Deserthorse]

I had a 2006 Arctic Fox travel trailer. Bought it used, probably the best trailer we ever owned, should have never sold it. When we were ready for another trailer we only looked at Northwood. Ended up with a 2015 Snowriver. It was my wifes dream to finally buy a new trailer. The trailer was a disaster from the day we picked it up. Fit and finish issues, low voltage wiring was a mess and they forgot to put the roof ladder on. In hindsight I should have just walked away at delivery, but I couldn't do that to her. After 2 years she finally agreed and we sold it. We would like to get another trailer but the last one left such a bad taste I don't know if it will happen.

Customer service has followed their quality issues in step, miserable. I actually got better assistance with my 2006 Northwood that I bought used then the new 2015.

Northwood quality pretty much went down hill quickly with the loss of Ron Nash at the helm. The guy spent his life building a brand on his reputation of quality and overnight it went form being the Cadillac of the industry to being at the bottom of the heap with the rest.

[ScottG]

Please update us when the repair is done. I'd really like to hear how it comes out.

[donn0128]

To do it right, they should remove the overhand under belly, cut off the old mounting pads, weld on the new ones and replace the underbelly. Likely they will only need to cut one pad off and replace it with the new one. A compentent shop and welder should be able to do it in less than two days. Maybe 30 minutes of welding. The rest R&R of everything else.

[JIMeRIG]

ScottG wrote:


I opted for the 50A/second AC option option when I ordered. The day after I picked it up I realized the roof and ceiling in the bedroom weren't built to accept an AC.
I called NW and they gave me a song and dance about how I bought 50A but not "second AC prep" (no such thing). This was a bald face lie and my dealer went to bat and set them straight. (the ordering form makes it very clear that 50A/second AC is the option. Besides, I even had wiring and a breaker for second AC).
So they took the rig back and re-structured the roof. That meant they had to replace the rubber membrane.
When they replaced the roof, rather than pull the end caps and tuck it under them (as they told me they would do), they simply sliced the roof at the ends, layed new rubber and added another trim strip and gobs of goop to cover it all up. They replaced the roof in one day.
I learned that talking directly to NW customer support will get you someone who will tell you anything to get you off the phone.
This was their chance to shine and they totally failed.

That is just to bad... I hope the repair on my rig is satisfactory... after all, its my life on the line when traveling down the road.