Lippert Warranty Doesn't Care about safety!

[westxsrt10]

Re: Broken leaf spring on Cyclone... need some advice

I would install 7K springs all around. Wet bolts while you are at it. Consider CP suspension if you want to spend a bit more. The 6K (3000# springs) is just to light. About the weight/size that is on my ATV trailer.

I have to agree.... I'd spend $300-$400 and get all new 7000# springs.
Sometimes its not worth the grief dealing with dealers.

 

[breid]

Copied and pasted as requested

Yesterday I was towing my cyclone back to the storage lot when I heard an unusual dragging/scraping sound. I pulled over to discover my right rear axle's leaf spring in pieces and the noise was coming from part of the spring dragging on the asphalt. By the time I stopped I was about 500 yds from the storage lot. I was able to pull the right rear wheel and support the axle with some straps. I also pulled the left wheel to keep the axle from shifting around while turning. I then limped into the lot and put it in the spot. Later I ran home to get some jack stands and help support the axle and to try to get some weight off the other two axles. It did some minor damage to the wheel well and fender skirt. I figure once I turned off the main road the tire managed to shift enough to rub on the front face of the rear stairs.

This is not the way I was planning on starting my summer, but thankfully it happened close to town and not down the road. I can't help to think what could have happened if I had been going 60 mph not aware of the situation. As it was, the only reason I heard anything was because my window was rolled down.

I was able to get the unit over to get repaired through my insurance policy towing clause. They need to assess the damage and get the work underway. Naturally I am questioning the integrity of the remaining suspension. I want it all replaced with American steel and with a stronger rating. I am also looking to upgrade my wheels/tires to a G rating at the same time. For now I will keep the 6K axles unless they find something wrong.

I emailed Lippert's warranty dept a narrative and pictures 3 or 4 days ago and have not heard a word back. The unit was purchased new in Aug 2008. I might have 1500 miles on it since then. I wish this was discovered last fall instead of spending valuable spring and early summer time making it road worthy again.

Wish me luck

​

 

[tmcran]

Sorry to see the mess you have. Glad no one was injured. My question is why are you waiting for Lippert to reply to an email. They don't want to reply to you. CALL NOW!!! Good luck.

 

[breid]

I would like to discuss it with them. But to be honest, at this point I'd rather pay out of pocket than get replacement parts from Lippert.

 

[caissiel]

I was taulking to my neighbour when I got home from my long trip back home. I told him the spring problem I had and he told me that the truckers in the woods trailers had to torque their springs a few time before they set in permentently. So When I do check them it will be the 3rd time I will have retorqued them. I am not roling under the trailer till it warms up here. Surely was spoiled in Florida.

 

[racefan]

Copied and pasted as requested

Yesterday I was towing my cyclone back to the storage lot when I heard an unusual dragging/scraping sound. I pulled over to discover my right rear axle's leaf spring in pieces and the noise was coming from part of the spring dragging on the asphalt. By the time I stopped I was about 500 yds from the storage lot. I was able to pull the right rear wheel and support the axle with some straps. I also pulled the left wheel to keep the axle from shifting around while turning. I then limped into the lot and put it in the spot. Later I ran home to get some jack stands and help support the axle and to try to get some weight off the other two axles. It did some minor damage to the wheel well and fender skirt. I figure once I turned off the main road the tire managed to shift enough to rub on the front face of the rear stairs.

This is not the way I was planning on starting my summer, but thankfully it happened close to town and not down the road. I can't help to think what could have happened if I had been going 60 mph not aware of the situation. As it was, the only reason I heard anything was because my window was rolled down.

I was able to get the unit over to get repaired through my insurance policy towing clause. They need to assess the damage and get the work underway. Naturally I am questioning the integrity of the remaining suspension. I want it all replaced with American steel and with a stronger rating. I am also looking to upgrade my wheels/tires to a G rating at the same time. For now I will keep the 6K axles unless they find something wrong.

I emailed Lippert's warranty dept a narrative and pictures 3 or 4 days ago and have not heard a word back. The unit was purchased new in Aug 2008. I might have 1500 miles on it since then. I wish this was discovered last fall instead of spending valuable spring and early summer time making it road worthy again.

Wish me luck

​

This exact thing happened to me, same spring, same side, same everything.
I was driving down the road and heard the spring leaf dragging, pulled over and had to chain the axel to get the trailer home.
<5K miles on a 2008 Cyclone trailer.
No love from Heartland.
I replace all 6 spings with 3K lb springs.
So far it rides great!

Check the tires also, they are D rated which I feel should be E rated tires.
One more example of under engineering of the Heartland Cyclone.

Get luck and keep us posted on the outcome.

-Brad

 

[breid]

Sounds very familiar eh? No more info on the repairs from the shop yet. I have however ordered G rated wheels and tires to upgrade my E rated setup. My shop has assured me that it will be better than new once it gets some TLC. As more develops I'll post here. BTW I did email Lippert a second time today, first being May 9th, in hopes of speaking to someone about all of this.

 

[Larryheadhunter]

Breid, I understand your dismay, and you have put so much time and effort into this, I have no clue why you are only emailing your info? Pick up the phone like tmcran suggested, so that you can make an immediate connection. Ask for Andrew VonShoink, the VP of Lippert Warranty, and I am sure you will at least know where you really stand on this issue. I have found him to be a very nice guy, who will do whatever he can to eliminate your suspension problems. 1800 miles and a breakage is unacceptable in my book. Do you have an idea who you emailed your pics and info to? He is the best person to get to the heart of the matter with, and try to solve your problems. I believe you can find their warranty phone number on the portal in this forum.

As a very sage man once told me, why go to the butt when you can go to the head, and Andrew is your man. I am sorry if you think Lippert's products are deficient, but as long as you can accept them for however long they last, I am confident that they will step to the plate. Obviously you got a defective spring set from them that they need to help you out with. Good luck.

 

[breid]

I did re-send the email but this time also included Andrew VanSchoick from Lippert. I was pleasantly woken up early this morning by a phone call from Lippert. I spoke with Gary Marvel at Lippert and I'm here to tell you, he has assured me they will take care of business. He has already offered to send 6 new 7K springs and new hardware to my dealer as an act of good faith. All he needed was some information and serial numbers from the axle(s) and springs. Once I passed this on to my repair center, my mechanics response was that 'Gary is a great guy, I have dealt with him before'.

I do feel a lot better about this now. I'll be up and running in no time and with more peace of mind. Thanks for all the help through this thread and the PM's

 

[Paul & Nan]

Re: Broken leaf spring on Cyclone... need some advice

We are, thank God, safe tonight, no thanks to Lippert. We have an 09 BH 3670-got just north of Salt Lake City when we pulled in to Flying J because our fuel was going to fast for conditions. Found rear ODS tire shredding and DS front tire going bald. Cause, you ask. We had lost two leaves from DS rear spring because center bolt sheared, putting everything else out of kilter. Called Lippert while we were waiting for road service, "sorry, out of warranty". Well, sorry, you created a significant danger to life and limb, not only to us, but others on the road. The other three sets of springs are bent downward, rather than upward. We have 7000# axels, will wait for the spring shop to tell us what the springs are.

Mostly, we are thankful to have a nice CG just behind the Flying J and for GS road service. Nan and Paul

 

[Bob&Patty]

Re: Broken leaf spring on Cyclone... need some advice

Paul and Nan, get on the phone to Lippert ASAP. I'm sorry, but there is still too many of these suspension failures going on.

 

[Paul & Nan]

Re: Broken leaf spring on Cyclone... need some advice

I plan to be on the phone in the AM. No excuse for springs to be so weak. We only started using the rig this winter. And I fully agree, to many failures to be reasonable. Above all it is a safety issue, for all. Nan

 

[JohnDar]

Re: Broken leaf spring on Cyclone... need some advice

And here we were entertaining ideas of hauling ours out to Yellowstone next year. Might be better just to leave it where it is and put it up on blocks. It's great that some folks can get Lippert to get off their butts on a onesy- twosie basis. What they need to do is a full scale failure analysis and quarantine of defective lots. Recall and replace with certified springs before someone gets killed or a hot-shot product liability lawyer takes them AND Heartland behind the wood shed and cleans their financial clocks.

 

[Paul & Nan]

Re: Broken leaf spring on Cyclone... need some advice

Jon-Dar-I agree, because this will, no doubt become lethal. We are just so thankful that we were in a safe place. Will have a heart to heart with appropriate folks tomorrow, and I am not to be messed with. We love our Heartland, not so much Lippert at the moment as it is fairly clear that they supplied defective/inadequate equipment. We have photos, and the rest of the folks with problems to back us.

 

[breid]

Re: Broken leaf spring on Cyclone... need some advice

I have six new 7k springs and hardware on the way from Lippert (Thanks Lippert!). I'm curious if anyone has experienced a second failure once they have upgraded with Lippert replacement parts?

 

[Bob&Patty]

Re: Broken leaf spring on Cyclone... need some advice

They did send 4 new 7K springs to me and there service man installed them. No sagging springs or broken ones yet. Fingers crossed.

 

[breid]

Re: Broken leaf spring on Cyclone... need some advice

They did send 4 new 7K springs to me and there service man installed them. No sagging springs or broken ones yet. Fingers crossed.

Did these replace existing 7k springs or was it an upgrade from 6k's?

 

[Bob&Patty]

Re: Broken leaf spring on Cyclone... need some advice

Up grade from 6K. Trailer does set a little higher and that might be good for a TH'er.

 

[Paul & Nan]

Re: Broken leaf spring on Cyclone... need some advice

We have replaced with, at our expense, 4 sets of 3500# springs to go with our 7000# axels. Plus $1200 in new tires for the ruined ones. Heartland says it is a Lippert problem. We passed one of their plants on I84 in Oregon today, I wanted to jump out and scream at them, as they are the ones who supplied the crap we were saddeled with. I doubt anyone who can do anything about it cares, but we will tell everyone we see about it. Word of mouth is the ultimate cure to many problems. Unfortunately it is Heartland who will suffer, and they do not give a flying flip, as we found today, after a return call. I am very sad about the whole thing-and thank God that we, or anyone else, were not physically harmed, and that we had the money to fix their massive screw up.

Our rig sets a bit higher, but rides better. Things inside ride better, no DUH-------springs are absorbing the shock from the road. The idiots at Lippert ought to suffer the trials we all have, and heavy on IDIOTS. A sorry lot, at best, in my not so humble opinion. My advice to anyone will be if you have Lippert suspension watch out--they do not give a ---------------. We called Lippert, a Gary, who could not have cared less unless someone was injured. Now what does that say--

 

[Tankie]

Re: Broken leaf spring on Cyclone... need some advice

I 2nd all of that. My next coach will never have a lippert frame under it. Someone is going to get hurt. For all u that have got something out of them good for u.