mmare
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 13
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Post by mmare on Aug 23, 2022 7:55:21 GMT -5
I have a 2021 Connect that after a trip I noticed the inside tread of the rear tires were worn down to almost bald. I immediately made an appointment for service at the dealership we bought it at and found out that somehow after less than 2 years of ownership the rig needs all new leaf springs, new tires and according to the service tech new axles. So the service department contacted KZ to get the approvals. The supposed 2 year “bumper to hitch” warranty is still valid and yet KZ refused to honor that warranty. They instead passed the buck onto Lippert, who is replacing the leaf springs but doesn’t want to cover the axles or tires. So now if only the leaf springs are fixed, we most likely will have the same problem again. I find it unbelievable that KZ would market this wonderful warranty and yet not honor that warranty when something big goes wrong. They did replace my table and sink cover when they both delaminated because they’re made of cheap crappy material, so I guess that’s something to applaud. 😏 We bought this trailer because our first KZ trailer was great. This one however, not so much. I’m very disappointed in KZ for not standing by their product and making it right. Next trailer I seriously doubt will be a KZ.
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Post by jetzen on Aug 23, 2022 8:46:40 GMT -5
I have not experienced anything that the original poster has described as far as KZ not honoring their warranties. KZ has been more than generous with me when it comes to warranty repairs, far after the warranty was over. My experience with KZ is that they will bend over backwards (within reason) to keep you happy.
I have however noticed a pattern that is all to frequent, either
A) you have a poor dealer service department that is not going to bat for you and taking the easy way out, or
B) the readers of this post are not being told the whole story as to the actual cause of the failures and warranty denial.
I have been dealing with KZ far too long and know that they will always try to rectify a reasonable request.
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mmare
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 13
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Post by mmare on Aug 23, 2022 8:51:38 GMT -5
I have not experienced anything that the original poster has described as far as KZ not honoring their warranties. KZ has been more than generous with me when it comes to warranty repairs, far after the warranty was over. My experience with KZ is that they will bend over backwards (within reason) to keep you happy. I have however noticed a pattern that is all to frequent, either A) you have a poor dealer service department that is not going to bat for you and taking the easy way out, or B) the readers of this post are not being told the whole story as to the actual cause of the failures and warranty denial. I have been dealing with KZ far too long and know that they will always try to rectify a reasonable request. |
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mmare
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 13
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Post by mmare on Aug 23, 2022 9:18:19 GMT -5
I have not experienced anything that the original poster has described as far as KZ not honoring their warranties. KZ has been more than generous with me when it comes to warranty repairs, far after the warranty was over. My experience with KZ is that they will bend over backwards (within reason) to keep you happy. I have however noticed a pattern that is all to frequent, either A) you have a poor dealer service department that is not going to bat for you and taking the easy way out, or B) the readers of this post are not being told the whole story as to the actual cause of the failures and warranty denial. I have been dealing with KZ far too long and know that they will always try to rectify a reasonable request. |
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mmare
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 13
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Post by mmare on Aug 23, 2022 9:24:36 GMT -5
Jetzen, let me start off by saying if you’ve had good experiences with KZ then that’s great and good for you. That being said I will reply with
A. My dealer/service dept. has gone above and beyond to try and help me out with this situation.
B. There’s nothing else for me to disclose on the cause other than I towed it and it broke.
KZ should honor the”bumper to hitch” warranty period.
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Post by jetzen on Aug 23, 2022 10:44:57 GMT -5
Jetzen, let me start off by saying if you’ve had good experiences with KZ then that’s great and good for you. That being said I will reply with A. My dealer/service dept. has gone above and beyond to try and help me out with this situation. B. There’s nothing else for me to disclose on the cause other than I towed it and it broke. KZ should honor the”bumper to hitch” warranty period. Like I stated I have been dealing with KZ far too long and know better. Judging by your reply, I'll go with B. |
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mmare
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 13
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Post by mmare on Aug 23, 2022 11:12:56 GMT -5
KZ should cover the warranty period. And like I said good for you, no need to try and insult me like I’m an idiot. I stated what happened , I towed it and it broke. I didn’t do anything to cause that damage so it should fall on KZ to fix it, all of it and not pass the buck onto Lippert.
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Post by lynnmor on Aug 23, 2022 19:56:53 GMT -5
KZ should cover the warranty period. And like I said good for you, no need to try and insult me like I’m an idiot. I stated what happened , I towed it and it broke. I didn’t do anything to cause that damage so it should fall on KZ to fix it, all of it and not pass the buck onto Lippert. When I had serious problems I got the same nonsense from the peanut gallery. |
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Post by nvguy on Aug 23, 2022 21:14:00 GMT -5
OK, I have to call the dealer out on this. They are saying everything is either bent or broken. To me a shotgun approach. What exactly is wrong with the springs?
Is the axle bent or what? A few reasons for axle issue, it was manufactured with materials that are to light, it was overloaded or ran into something bending it.
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Post by jetzen on Aug 23, 2022 21:30:13 GMT -5
OK, I have to call the dealer out on this. They are saying everything is either bent or broken. To me a shotgun approach. What exactly is wrong with the springs? Is the axle bent or what? A few reasons for axle issue, it was manufactured with materials that are to light, it was overloaded or ran into something bending it. My thoughts exactly...the whole story is not being told |
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Post by 660catman on Aug 24, 2022 6:37:46 GMT -5
Back in 2019 on a trip to Yellowstone I noticed my back tires wearing out on my 2913 CR brand camper. The 3500 lb axles on it were weak. I didn’t hit anything that I could remember but some of the roads were rough. However the rear axle bent. I ended up replacing just the axle without any springs or hardware. It was a Lippert axle from a trailer supply store. Not just RV’s. I see no reason that yours needs springs or hardware.
I chalked it up to the lead axle hit a bump at speed therefore adding pressure to rear springs. At that moment the rear axle hit the bump and bent. Every bent axle I read about in the other forum was a rear one.
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Post by capemayal on Aug 24, 2022 11:15:44 GMT -5
so, bit of advice if you will: NEVER BELIEVE ANYTHING LIPPER SAYS! I've been rv'g for over 20 years. After several invcidents, even going to their factory, at best absymal.
As far as K-Z. They're really like most manufacturers, but I can say that they are on the upper end. They've taken care of most of my problems, and the ones they didn't - appliances - were outside of the warranty and I was referred to a manufacturer and I was satisfied with the end results.
BTW, if you have an extended warranty, or are thinking of one - forget it. 100% wast of money - too many exclusions until you need them.
Al
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mmare
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 13
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Post by mmare on Aug 25, 2022 9:50:39 GMT -5
Ok so for those of you who want the entire story:
We did a trip and upon return home I noticed that the inside tread of the rear tires were worn down. I didn’t hit anything and my rig is absolutely not overloaded. I made a call to KZ and they took my info and they never called me back. So a few days later I called the dealer and made an appointment. As soon as I brought it in they immediately saw how bad it was. The leaf springs were all flattened out (especially the rear) and said that they’d contact KZ to start the warranty process after doing a full inspection. A few days after that I got a call from the dealer who told me what needed to be replaced including axles, leaf springs and of course the tires. After waiting for about 3 weeks the dealer was still waiting on the approval from KZ. Fast forward another week or 2 and I was told now KZ passed the buck onto Lippert. When I found this out I called Lippert myself to make sure it was approved. I asked how that kind of damage could happen and the rep said “probably defective materials”. So Lippert approved the leaf spring work but not the axles or tires. The dealer is fighting this to get everything replaced because in their opinion the axles need to be replaced also and of course it’s not safe to use those tires. My complaint in this whole mess is that KZ offers a “bumper to hitch” warranty but yet washed their hands of the entire thing. They should at least be part of the process and approve the work, then they should deal with Lippert. The dealer shouldn’t have to be told it’s not our problem, call Lippert. If you don’t want to believe my story then that’s up to you. This is what happened and is still continuing more than 3 months after dropping the rig off. It’s not a supply chain issue, it’s not a backed up service dept. issue. It’s a KZ/Lippert dragging their feet issue. The dealer has been great keeping me informed and doing what they can to get this done.
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Post by 660catman on Aug 25, 2022 10:18:34 GMT -5
I believe your story and I just shared my experience with my issue. I’m sure I didn’t hit anything and yet I bent an axle. Mine had two 3500 lb axles and exact scaled axle weight was 6400 lbs. It’s stupid the springs are covered but not the axle. Worn springs do not wear out tires, bent axles do. It’s one of the biggest complaints I read about where the axles are too light duty. 4400 lb axles should be used. I replaced with a 3500 lbs as 4400 take 6 bolt rims. Too much money to buy 2 axles and 4 rims/tires.
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Post by capemayal on Aug 25, 2022 10:21:39 GMT -5
Call lippert back and ask to speak with Jason. Although not the best service, he's the guy that can get things moving. I believe he is the CEO now, but the company isn't that big.
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mmare
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 13
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Post by mmare on Sept 4, 2022 8:46:59 GMT -5
Ok so latest update from the dealer is that after filing more paperwork and sending more pictures to Lippert they finally approved all the work to be done. This includes rear axle, all 4 leaf springs and $65 credit for each tire, which I have to mail in to Lippert after the purchase of new tires. This has been a long process and I’m still very disappointed in KZ for doing absolutely nothing to help. Excited to hopefully get the camper back soon and finally get another trip in this year.
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Post by Chuck on Sept 8, 2022 2:21:30 GMT -5
I can say for the 1st 3 years Kz was very good to me, I got to know many of the Kz folks at the factory, the four year not so good ... I can tell you when you attend the Kz rallies they will bend over backwards to help you, you do get things done beyond the norm in some but not all case's ... It also helps when you are face to face with the folks at the top of Kz ...
You can read my posts in the Durango folder of my nightmare that I encountered not only with the dealer but some of the people at Kz regarding a 2017 G384RLT with de-lamination in the walls an floor replacement for a trailer who set for two years an never moved closed up in my driveway ... Which I was told by not only Kz but my Dealer that my slide seals were ok an inspected my roof both at Kz Rally's an my dealer an stated everything was ok ... I will say that Kz make a solid trailer, ours held together three trips back an forth across the United States, but I change out to MorRyde SRE4000 an wet bolt kit when seeing that the plastic shims in the springs an smaller spring hangers weren't the best ... I also put in the MorRyde "X" factor cross bars to stiffen up the frame from cracking an popping ... Also right off the bat changed out the pin box for a 18K MorRyde even before it left the lot ... Safe Travels  Chuck |
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mmare
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 13
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Post by mmare on Sept 22, 2022 9:14:42 GMT -5
Chuck, thank you for your input on this matter. I’m very happy that KZ treated you well and I’m sure they are very nice people. I’m sorry that you had those issues with your Durango in the 4th year. My issue as I’ve said is that I don’t understand passing the buck onto someone else when they offer a 2 year bumper to hitch warranty. In my opinion the right way to do things is the dealer should contact KZ, then KZ should approve the work, no matter who made the component. KZ should then contact that manufacturer ( in this case Lippert) and deal with them directly, not tell the dealer to do it. The entire process has taken more than 4 months and the work is still not completed all due to the back and forth between dealer, KZ and Lippert. It’s ridiculous and not efficient at all! Our first KZ TT was a 2012 Sportsmen Classic. We drove that thing all over the eastern United States without a single issue. But, we needed a bigger camper due to the kids getting bigger and the dog. So we opted for the 2021 Connect, which was really manufactured in 2020 before the pandemic hit but listed as a 2021. I believe that this trailer was just not made with the right axles or leaf springs for the weight of the trailer. If it was specced out by KZ then they really are at fault if they installed too small of an axle for the overall weight. If it was inferior quality from Lippert then yes it’s Lipperts fault. Either way KZ should honor the warranty and this should’ve been done weeks if not months ago.
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Post by laknox on Oct 11, 2022 14:06:09 GMT -5
Chuck, thank you for your input on this matter. I’m very happy that KZ treated you well and I’m sure they are very nice people. I’m sorry that you had those issues with your Durango in the 4th year. My issue as I’ve said is that I don’t understand passing the buck onto someone else when they offer a 2 year bumper to hitch warranty. In my opinion the right way to do things is the dealer should contact KZ, then KZ should approve the work, no matter who made the component. KZ should then contact that manufacturer ( in this case Lippert) and deal with them directly, not tell the dealer to do it. The entire process has taken more than 4 months and the work is still not completed all due to the back and forth between dealer, KZ and Lippert. It’s ridiculous and not efficient at all! Our first KZ TT was a 2012 Sportsmen Classic. We drove that thing all over the eastern United States without a single issue. But, we needed a bigger camper due to the kids getting bigger and the dog. So we opted for the 2021 Connect, which was really manufactured in 2020 before the pandemic hit but listed as a 2021. I believe that this trailer was just not made with the right axles or leaf springs for the weight of the trailer. If it was specced out by KZ then they really are at fault if they installed too small of an axle for the overall weight. If it was inferior quality from Lippert then yes it’s Lipperts fault. Either way KZ should honor the warranty and this should’ve been done weeks if not months ago. I think a lot of times that the mfrs, not just KZ, will run out of "proper" stock, then just slap in something "close" and send it out. I look at the guy here a couple years ago that ended up with a 45 gal fresh water tank instead of the advertised 60 gal tank. Yes, I know that the brochures and web site says "specs may change at any time without notice", which is laywerese CYA b.s. when this type of situation happens. Supe says, "out of 60's? Drop in a 45, placard it (maybe) and send it out." This is exactly why I've been telling my friends to go over the spec sheet and the yellow weight sticker, which is supposed to tell you the weight of a full load of water. I can understand that happening in the past couple years due to supply chain issues, but this crap's been going on well before the pandemic. Lyle |
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offgridalways
Newbie RV’er
Two dogs and campgrounds don’t mix so we off grid camp.
Posts: 24
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Post by offgridalways on Nov 6, 2022 10:57:38 GMT -5
Well I have to say after reading this thread I’m a bit nervous about taking ours in for warranty service this coming week. The rear walks of our slide out has separated from the bottom of the slide out box. From what I have seen it was put together with staples. I guess we will find out how well KZ warranty is soon and I can answer the pole in the coming weeks. This will be the first warranty stop we have made since purchasing our 261rb in February of this year. Crossing fingers it goes well.
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