Mile High wrote:
rk911 wrote:
thanks lippert’s shoddy workmanship we’ve had problems with:
- bed lift motor (replaced)
- mcd power shades (motor would not hold night shade in retracted position after hitting bumps on roadway. remidied the problem by lightening shade load by removing one of the metal rods in the bottom of the shade).
- two repairs each on both front slides
- broken hydraulic lines and left rear jack
those are just the ones that come to mind.
I'm not sure MCD is an LCI, I think they are AirXcel. I don't think Winnebago used MCD after 2013 either. Perhaps their current shade manufacturer is an LCI version.
I agree with you - the only problems we have had with our coach have been the LCI components - jacks, slides, bed. Unfortunately, as fast as Winnebago tried to get away from the LCI components and go back to what they used to use (PowerGear, etc), LCI has already bought those companies out so it doesn't matter anymore.
the shades in our ‘16 Suncruiser are MCD but it wasn’t the shades themselves that failed, it was the motor and that’s a Lippert product. here’s what happened.
- august of ‘15 we take delivery of our new ‘16 Suncruiser.
- 6-months later on a return home trip we notice that the night shade drops just a bit after crossing rough RR tracks, roadways, etc. not much each time just a fraction of an inch. by the time we get home the night shade is down about an inch and won’t retract any higher. no problem, i just reset the limits.
- a few months later we’re back on the road and the same thing happens and again i mreset the limits.
- 4-months pass, we’re on the road and guess what? so i reset the limits once again. only this time i call Winnebago and am told to contact Lippert. i call them and explain the problem. mr. customer relations glibly tells me that yup, they are well aware of the problem.
good, i think and ask what the fix is.
no problem, he tells me, just send us a check for ~$200 and we’ll send you a new motor.
why do i need a new motor, i ask?
cause when the coach hits a pothole or a rough patch of road the force exerted on the shade exceeds the motor’s capability to hold the shade in place. the new and improved motor corrects this, he says. and of course the warranty is expired.
shame on me for not contacting Lippert immediately. that’s on me. but i’m not about to shell out $200 if i can help it. my shop guy had an idea. there are two metal rods in the the bottom of the shade to help hold it straight in the guides as it travels up and down. we remove one of those rods which lightens the load. sure enough, on the next road trip and every trip since the shade stays put.
it wasn’t the fact that the motor was out of warranty ...that’s on me. no, it was the attitude that Lippert knew about the problem but seemingly were content to keep providing that particular model of motor. i also hold winnebago partially responsible as they must’ve known about this. there’s no way i was the first customer to report this problem.
IMO lippert is emblamatic of what’s wrong with the RV industry today.
Rich
Ham Radio, Sport Pilot, Retired 9-1-1 Call Center Administrator
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2016 Itasca Suncruiser 38Q
'46 Willys CJ2A
'23 Jeep Wrangler JL
'10 Jeep Liberty KK
& MaggieThe Wonder Beagle
