Lippert Components - Not our friends.

[Freightguy]

Very disappointed in Lippert Components. I have a dual air/hydraulic leveling system on my motor home made by Lippert for Valid Systems. One morning we woke up and went to leave our site. We were only there one night so I leveled on the air system. When I put the leveling system into travel mode the pump motor starting a high pitch and very loud whine and quickly failed. When we reached our destination and I could start to look at things better I took apart the pump assembly from the manifold and then removed it from the jug and found that a small plastic piece that looks very much like a straw had broken off from where it was inserted into the pump. This plastic piece was about 1 inch long and 1/2 inch in diameter. The pick up tube connected to it and therefore the pump and motor were running dry right before it failed.

I started dealing with Lippert and was told that they would not sell this plastic piece to me and that I would have to buy their part # 359354 @ $2176.95. This part number is for the entire pump assembly. How nice of them. The little plastic piece could not cost more than a few pennies and I would have been happy to pay a premium for it, but not thousands of dollars. I know I am smarter than the pump so I drilled out the area the plastic part clipped into and threaded it and screwed in a brass hose barb that will never break. Then I bought a new motor from Ebay for $165.00. Put the whole thing back together and it works great. But it still eats at me just how bad they would have ripper me off. My end cost was just under $200 to make the repairs.

I wanted to share this for two reasons. 1st because of how disgusted I am with Lippert. and 2nd so that others may find this and be able to help themselves not be taken advantage of.

Photos of what I did are here in no order. https://imgur.com/a/mzWmbkk

[covered_wagon]

I have a friend that is so smart about having new parts and pieces that are made very high quality. Having been in design and manufacturing for years, he can tell you who to call every time you have a bad part on anything and is approaching 90 yrs old. He owns over ten patents from yrs in his company. We often sit down together to get going on new projects.

He says the challenge keeps him going and sometimes asks if I have any ideas for new projects he can do. He is an amazing gentleman and has a nice DP I have helped him with..

[wa8yxm]

I just had to replace a slide out motor (Mechanical slide) 1000 dollars for motor and tranny combined.... I will have the original motor rebuilt for around 100-200 but they do nto sell "parts" just assemblies. Same with Tri-Mark on doors.. They dont' sell JUST The el-cheapo Striker bolt (The part that latches) you got to buy a 100 dollar "Assembly"

I've had striker bolts built for 25 bucks with varing success but Seneca Machine in Seneca SC carves them out of a single piece of STEEL for 45 bucks. less than half the price of a new latch (This is for my basement doors. the doors open UP) Very happy with 'em.

[WTP-GC]

Lippert not your friend? Your RV is more than likely a rolling advertisement for LCI Components due to the number of parts/pieces they supply.

But at the end of the day, thanks in part to LCI, you can get into an RV for a price you can afford. That's what centralized manufacturing and sourcing and mass production does for an industry. Without LCI, you may literally pay twice as much for that rolling home. I'm not defending them, but no one should expect otherwise.

[Blazing_Zippers]

What ever subject this belongs in----Lippert does NOT care about the RV customer. After spending many $$$$$ due to a fifth wheel frame issue, I lost faith in the brand. So disappointed when we bought a new trailer with Lippert windows and steps.
Whirlpool is also a loser.

[BarneyS]

Freightguy wrote:
Surprising since DIY means do it yourself and thats what I did.

BarneyS wrote:
I fail to see how this discussion fits into this forum. Moving to General RVing Issues forum from DIY.
Barney

Sent you a PM but for the others out there, the DIY forum is for Modifications and Upgrades and is not for DIY repairs. Those types of threads belong in the Tech Issues forum. Since this thread morphed into a different type of discussion, I felt you would have better response and exposure in the General forum rather the the Tech Issues forum where it really belonged.
Barney

[Freightguy]

Surprising since DIY means do it yourself and thats what I did.

BarneyS wrote:
I fail to see how this discussion fits into this forum. Moving to General RVing Issues forum from DIY.
Barney

[goducks10]

ScottG wrote:
For the heck of it, I sent LCI a link to this discussion. Would be interesting to see how they feel about the subject matter.

Good idea, but. I doubt Lippert gives a rats arse about what we (RV'ers) think. Lippert is so integrated into RV manufacturing that if you took Lippert out of the market, the RV industry would collapse or be so hampered that it would be impossible to buy an RV for months or longer.

[colliehauler]

A plastic gear stripped it's teeth in a lightly used Kenmore washer that was only 8 years old. You had to purchase a complete transmission for two thirds the price of a new washer or purchase a new washer, I opted for the later. I believe the washer was made by Whirlpool as well.

[BarneyS]

I fail to see how this discussion fits into this forum. Moving to General RVing Issues forum from DIY.
Barney

[Freightguy]

NICE!

ScottG wrote:
For the heck of it, I sent LCI a link to this discussion. Would be interesting to see how they feel about the subject matter.

[jjrbus]

All too common today with just about everything sold! Icemaker on Whirlpool fridge broke, $90 replacement component for $3 plastic part.

about an hour to fabricate little plastic part and replace. I'll work for $90 hour anytime.

Whirlpoop knows this is a problem as it happened to the last one I had and is common question on DIY forums.

I am upset things are like this, grateful I know how to do the things I do and always wonder what people who don't know how to do anything survive.

[prichardson]

Unfortunately it is not just a Lippert situation. Very few things today are repaired by replacing small parts. It is replace the offending component.

[edbehnke]

lipeprt has always been helpful with my issues.

As for the original issue on this thread they were helpful, you just chose not to buy the replacement part. There are lots of products out there that require one to purchase a complete part...that is just the way it is.

[ScottG]

For the heck of it, I sent LCI a link to this discussion. Would be interesting to see how they feel about the subject matter.