2017 The RV Factory Weekend Warrior

TRAILER CONSTRUCTED BY THE RV FACTORY LATE 2016. LIPPERT PROVIDED ROLLING FRAME. TRAILER HAS BEEN TOWED APPROXIMATELY 3,600 MILES SINCE NEW 8 MONTHS AGO. MINOR GREASE SHOWED ON EXTERIOR OF WHEELS ON DRIVERS SIDE OF TRAILER. SCHEDULED TO HAVE ALL BEARINGS AND SEALS REPLACED. REMOVED WHEELS AND HUBS ON PASSENGER SIDE OF TRAILER (WHICH SHOWED NO VISUAL EVIDENCE OF PROBLEMS) AND HEAVY AMOUNTS OF GREASE WERE FOUND INSIDE HUB AND COATING BRAKING COMPONENTS. LIPPERT KNOWS CONSUMERS HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH LIPPERT BEARINGS/SEALS/GREASE AND AN RV PUBLICATION RAN AN ARTICLE IN FEBRUARY 2017 ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM IN WHICH THEY MINIMIZE THE FREQUENCY AND PUSH THE RESPONSIBILITY OFF ON TO THE OWNERS. THIS IS A PROBLEM AT THE FACTORY. LIPPERT IS PUTTING DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS ON THE ROAD WHICH ARE A SAFETY PROBLEM. THE ATTACHED PHOTOS HAVE BEEN SENT TO BOTH LIPPERT AND THE RV MANUFACTURER THE RV FACTORY.

BOUGHT A NEW TRIPLE AXLE FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER DIRECT FROM THE FACTORY. THIS UNIT IS EQUIPPED WITH LIPPERT COMPONENTS INCLUDING AXLES, WHEEL BEARINGS, BRAKES, ETC. WHEN MY UNIT HAD APPROXIMATELY 3,300 MILES ON IT, GREASE SHOWED ON THE CENTER AND REARMOST WHEELS ON ONE SIDE OF THE UNIT. UPON CONSULT WITH A MOBILE MECHANIC, I CLEANED OFF THE GREASE FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE WHEEL INTENDING TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE ISSUE. AT APPROXIMATELY 3,600 MILES GREASE SHOWED UP ON THE CENTER WHEEL AGAIN AND NOW THE FORWARD MOST WHEEL ON THE SAME SIDE. THIS TIME, GREASE DID NOT SHOW UP ON THE REARMOST WHEEL. I SPOKE TO A MOBILE MECHANIC ABOUT MY OBSERVATIONS. HE PERFORMED A PRELIMINARY INSPECTION, THEN PULLED THE REARMOST WHEEL AND HUB OFF. THERE WAS A MODERATE AMOUNT OF GREASE ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE HUB AND THE INSIDE OF THE HUB WAS COATED IN GREASE AND BRAKING COMPONENTS HAD BECOME CONTAMINATED IN GREASE. IT APPEARS THAT GREASE HAD DISCHARGED FROM THE REAR SEAL. THE MECHANIC THOUGHT THE GREASE WAS THINNER THAN IT SHOULD BE. I NOTIFIED LIPPERT AND THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TRAILER, HOWEVER, GIVEN THE DOCUMENTED PROBLEMS LIPPERT HAS HAD WITH THIS SITUATION AND ABSENCE OF REMEDY TO DATE, I AM REPLACING BEARINGS, SEALS AND GREASE OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY WITH LIPPERT. I READ AN ARTICLE FROM FEBRUARY 2017 WHERE LIPPERT DEFLECTS THIS PROBLEM ON TO THE RV OWNER BUT THAT IS SIMPLY NOT THE CASE.