Went In For Alignment Now Feel Being Taken For A Ride

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

We have been having uneven tire wearing issues almost since we bought our Fleetwood Gas 36ft MH with workhorse Chasis some 13 years ago new. We have replaced tyres much more often than is normal for sure.

Two weeks ago we put our RV in to have a basic front and rear alignment, to be told a couple of days later it needed a spacer or a leaf spring and the leaf spring was the recommended course albeit the more expensive. We trusted this advice and signed off to proceed.

We are $1783 into it already and there was like a popping noise but more than just that when we drove it going over any road bumps last Friday so we took it back to them as this wasn't there when we initially took it in. It doesn't just feel its behind the passenger seat wheel but also the rear one moreso to a grinding almost when going over a bump.

Today we are being told they now notice that there is a quarter inch something on the strut and that might be causing the noise.

My stomach is just churning as we are the least mechanical type of folks you could get and feel that we are just being had both financially and the time it's taken to get our RV back to us in a good state. Can anyone shed any insight on any of this for us please on what we should be doing here.

My hubby's going up there tomorrow to let them know that what should have been a straight forward alignment has now turned into this, this and now this.

There was no noise issue before taking it in to them. I'm feeling rather deflated right now as we are due to go on our trip real soon and it looks like it's going to be ruined if we don't get something resolved quickly here.

Thanks in anticipation.

FTW.

[ReneeG]

I'd suggest you print this entire thread out, highlight the work that was done and that diagnosed or suspected, and take it with you too, for reference.

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

Just had a call from the second opinion place and they said basically the work the first place did on the alignment leaf springs passenger side etc all appears good (still shaking their heads why they needed it for over 2 weeks though LOL), but the front passenger side leaf spring they said is now one half inch higher than the drivers side and typically they like to see no more than half inch. He said it's safe to take on our 6 to 8 week trip but when we get back if he were us he'd take it back to the first shop and tell them they need to have it within half inch. He also said the bushings etc all seems good. As far as the now crack at diagonal from the bedroom slide he recommended designer coach works take a look at as again not there expertise and no idea. Like I said before I'm wondering if they twisted at the first shop using the jacks that caused it = how can you prove that is the case or not I don't know?

This second opinion service manager, who doesn't want a dime off us but will be getting $50 for his crew for coffee/donuts/pizza from us for their honesty and kindness without trying to charge us for any further unnecessary work, did say he noticed a whining from the engine and hubby and son in law have concurred they've noticed it and it seems to change with engine speed - the service manager suggested it could possibly be the power steering pump, maybe ac pump or maybe an auxiliary pump of something. (we had a new engine put in back in March 2013!). Again not his area of expertise and he didn't seem to have an excited response on recommending a specific company for checking this out. We called Alberta Auto and Truck as we are limited here in Calgary area on who can handle our size rigs to ask if they would do a complimentary diagnosis and then advise a price based on that of what might be the cause - didn't feel comfortable on the phone as much with them as did with the Standen folks for alignment etc and she said nope we charge $150 for a diagnosis.

We are due to head out of here next Thursday latest to go to Waterton, Glacier, down to Flathead, up to Spokane, Couer D'Alene and into Washington and then down to Oregon and possibly into California depending how long we amble and start and stop.

Do any of you have a recommendation for someone in these areas that you'd trust for getting this addressed? Obviously it's been occurring for a while by the sounds of my boys comments!!!, so wondering if we can't wait to get to somewhere highly recommended by someone here on the forums than end up in a pickle with limited local.

Thanks again to you all.

FTW.

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

Thanks Raist11 - it certainly is hard to argue when in our case we don't know what we don't know, but we have become more and more distrusting of mechanics which is not fair to tar all with the same brush but once, twice, thrice bitten it's hard not to be very sceptical.

A classic example is when our MH was brand new, every time we took her out (on short vacational trips limited time to get back to school and work), she would break down and die, especially in the heat. We were towed from Moscow to Spokane once to be told we had put dirty fuel in her and the filter was filthy, when asked to see the filter they said "you don't wanna go out there,and it's in one of the bins somewhere". They expected us to pay, until I insisted on speaking with the warranty folks, and told them "with less than 3000kms on her and most of it delivery mileage, if there's dirt in the fuel tank it's what they left in there at build time of they put dirty fuel in her". He said, "I tend to agree with you" and there was no charge, but the battle at that time as a brand new RV owner was a joke. We spent the next 18 months breaking down every hot day, limping at night when cooler until finally someone at a basic FORD garage in Milk River said "I think it's your fuel pump". We limped to Great Falls the next morning, broke down at the traffic lights had the fire service help us to park at a gas station during the day's heat, then over night limped to park outside a service area in South Dakota. Next morning guy said "no problem mam we'll change your fuel pump" = in the side of the bay there was a huge pile about 16ft high and 14ft wide of bad fuel pumps against the wall stacked. Surprise surprise, we've never had a problem since. Just frustrates us how much of our back then prized vacation time was spent waiting and being towed and held up at repair bays with no one diagnosing what it was properly.

Will be sure to advise you folks what they say at the second opinion place, hopefully should know today as dropped off yesterday lunch. Truly do value your kindness and any advisories.

FTW.

[Raist11]

Just remember to still be cautious. That second shop is also in the business of making money. Understand, a free inspection is about business for them. It creates the potential of a new repeat customer (you) and its the opportunity to find a problem to repair.

Earlier this summer I had to take ours in with issues at the rear tire. The next day they called with a quote of $10,000. They wanted to fix everything and anything they could find. For example, they wanted to do a battery service for $150 because they had a lot of trouble even getting it started to drive it into the shop. Really? After the MH sitting all winter in Saskatchewan it started like a brand new car for me. There was nothing wrong with the batteries. Luckily I am mechanically inclined and blew them off and took it home and did the repairs myself (still have not done anything to the batteries and have gone on two trips since then).

My favorite in my story was the technician telling me how incredibly hot the rim was when he brought it into the shop from me driving it there. First, my rim never really heated up due to the tire issue (I had checked before). Secondly, I arrived there an hour before they even opened and it was a cool morning. Then it was probably a half hour or more before they pulled it into the shop. Plus they apparently had problems getting it started as they said with the batteries. So it was probably a good two hours before it was in the shop.. And the rim was so hot he couldn't hold his hand there? I detect some serious BS.

The important thing is to research before you take it in somewhere. About your possible problems and about the place you're taking it. Not being mechanically inclined makes this even more important. Even a shop you think you can trust will not always be completely honest, like I found out.

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

OK, so "finally", the first alignment shop got a new bushing in (no attempt to additional charge surprise surprise!!!), put the springs back in and told us OK to collect at lunchtime today. We have now taken it to another very busy shop in Calgary, that has kindly offered to check it all through for us as an assessment to ensure we are safe and "if" there is any other work needed doing then of course they'll advise and charge us for that. The second opinion assessment is complimentary to give us peace of mind. Hopefully this new place won't just "find" things that don't need doing but genuinely if anything "should" be done. This second shop did confirm that what was done by the other shop appeared to be in the ball park on price, but they were appalled how long they had our RV for.

Thanks again for all your encouragement and sharing of your experiences, it's much appreciated.

FTW.

[Executive45]

To post a photo from your Iphone:

Type the below URL in your phones' browser, pick the photo you want to post and it'll give you a link to put into your post. Easy peasy...thanks to Mod 1492..Be sure to save the link for future reference.. I've also made it a clicky to see if you can simply use that.....Dennis

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/201045551/Forums/PhotoUpload/RV.NET-Photo-Upload.html

Clicky

[Cloud_Dancer]

In normal use, what are the chances of something happening to the front suspension, WITHOUT the driver knowing about it, that would cause weird/irregular wear patterns on the tires?
Heck, of all the vehicles that I've owned in the last 49 years, only two of them came up with funny wear patterns on the front tires. One was a Ford pickup with a split front beam axle,.....which I learned had a history of doing this. I did NOT take it to have the front-end aligned. The other was a Chevelle that my drunk friend borrowed, and 'fessed up much later, that he had hit something pretty hard. I didn't take it to get the front-end aligned either. I jacked it up and checked it for damage. I found a bent steering link, took it off and straighten it, and drove it for about 2 more years.
Of the 6 motorhomes that I've owned, I have never had the front-ends aligned. I've checked for toe-in/toe-out myself, using a scriber and a measuring tape.
I always tell people that if they detect a weird wear pattern on a front tire, just take it to several tire shops and get an opinion from the oldest/most experienced tire person there. Do not let them do any work until you've gotten second opinions on all first opinions. Then, do some Google research, and get educated on the subject.
Sure, it's too late for the OP,.....but at least I got it off my chest....:B

[garry1p]

Sorry to hear about your experience unfortunately there are some shops that take advantage of people once they find out the customer has limited mechanical knowledge.

I agree with rickieblue you don't start an alignment until you check and fix everything that would cause an out of alignment condition.

Sounds like you are now on the right track getting another opinion.

Best of luck in sorting this out.

[mpierce]

Rickieblue wrote:
The very first thing a technician is going to do before performing a front end alignment is to check for worn parts. Most alignments have some sort of warranty and the only way that a front end can be aligned is with all parts being tight. Any shop that now finds worn parts after the fact are not in the mechanical field to perform proper repairs. Find someone that is a certified mechanic, or has certified mechanics in their shop. My 2 cents worth!!

Exactly....

[Canadian_Rainbi]

No one has answered your question on how to post a photo so I'll give it a shot:

As you have found out you cannot post a photo from your files. The photo needs to be on a photo site such as photo-bucket, picasa etc.

Here is a link to the help topic in Forum Technical Support.

[Rickieblue]

The very first thing a technician is going to do before performing a front end alignment is to check for worn parts. Most alignments have some sort of warranty and the only way that a front end can be aligned is with all parts being tight. Any shop that now finds worn parts after the fact are not in the mechanical field to perform proper repairs. Find someone that is a certified mechanic, or has certified mechanics in their shop. My 2 cents worth!!

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

Hi Everyone, thanks for the thoughts we'd had already ourselves. I've taken some photos but no idea how to upload them here from my iPhone, it's asking for a URL or a height and width for the photo??? Nothing like browse on computer and select..

Another day almost gone and just before 2.30pm plus after umpteen phone calls to them asking what's happening, the guy that was supposed to be sourcing the part and confirming to us a cost, earlier on said can get it from Chicago will take a week and about $600 for the part. Anyway, finally felt we were getting nowhere on the phone our contact had already gone home we were told before 3.30pm, so went and spoke for the second time today face to face with the head guy in the workshop who said, we got a bushing and showed us, and assures us he'll have it all put back together and he'll test drive it again before Noon tomorrow but it gets worse.

When we got there, bay was open our RV was in so we slipped in down the side and now all of a sudden there's an exterior crack down from the corner of where the bedroom slide comes out on the non moving wall diagonally - I'm feeling sick to my stomach as of course they say it wasn't them or the way they lifted etc, but I know without a shadow of a doubt it wasn't there when we dropped it off, as whenever we put the slide in or out we always check it's sealed from the outside and walk around our RV always checking things when moving, locking up or otherwise. I personally think that it's something to do with the way they jacked it up maybe but of course possibly I'm wrong, but something has caused it. Of course they'll never admit to it so I guess there's nothing we can do.

We also went today to visit another recommended by a couple of tire places alignment shop that does the city of calgary ones, student buses and is extremely busy - one of the service guys felt so very bad for what we've gone through - told us they would have had the alignment done in a day and possibly the leaf spring input same day if available and that they automatically during the alignment should have realized the bushing needed replacing, and it is atrocious that they have had our rig over 2 weeks now for what little has been done. He is going to have a word with his service manager tomorrow to see if we bring it by when we collect it tomorrow (hopefully!) they'd do a courtesy once over to check if all's good or not = second opinion. At worst if we have to pay they are telling us $240 for 2 hours at $120/hr. They'll also have a look at the crack I showed them from the photos we took (if anyone can tell me how to upload from my iPhone to hear would be happy to) and if unable to ascertain might refer us to a coach and design body work place.

The worst thing is we've now caught them out in some blatant lies = pretending not to know the company we have been advised to take it to for a second opinion, then slipping up and acknowledging they got the actual bushing from that company, but trying to back track "oh I'm not sure where they got it". As you can imagine any and all trust and credibility has now totally diminished with us.

How the heck can these folks get away with treating us like this is beyond me. Thanks for being there to vent, and hopefully if nothing else this might help another poor unsuspecting soul, but I'm not sure how other than looking for reviews and otherwise where available the average RVing Joe on the street can know who's who to use for everything.

[Kidoo]

You have to be very carefull everytime you get near a garage. Many places see the RV business as infinite cash. The best way I see it is to get there with the following attitude "Never trust any garage or anyone to start with". Then ask "Why, show me and How much" and if possible, show me the worn part once you remove it. The next attitude "prove to me it is/was worn". If the answer are not satisfying, I walk away.

Good luck and hope you get this solved.

[Gjac]

Does the WH chassis have ball joints? I would have your husband take pictures of what you are trying to describe if you want further help. I just went through a series of problems with my front end with ball joints so I no how sickening this can be.