Newbie needs help- FAST

[ashworth82]

Hello I recently bought a 1972 25' Landyacht Tradewind. I took it to a dealer here in Milwaukee to make sure its road worthy. I received a call yesterday from them telling me what needs to be done with the trailer. Needs the following.

New breaks
Drums turned
4 new tires
4 new shocks
bearings packed
New break away switch
And new break wiring

Totaling 3500.00 w/labor

I'm not an expert but it seems to me any trailer service co. could do this work. Any opinions please. I need to know by tomorrow.

John
jw_ashworth@yahoo.com

[TShepherd]

You need to come South or start doing some of the work yourself.
TShep

[Jaxon]

Do you have a favorite mechanic? Most of what you have can be done by him. Make sure and have the manuals with coach specification available (or do the research tonight), so he won't use the spare brake pads for the Honda Accord he just finished...

Brake wiring... the whole enchilada or what? Unless you have to get all this done by tomorrow at 5pm, I'd say go and get some bids elsewhere. Look around and ask folks who they recommend. Very good chance you'll save at least a grand and probably 2K.

These guys are charging you premium. You're paying for their expensive overhead and executive salaries...

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by ashworth82

Hello I recently bought a 1972 25' Landyacht Tradewind. I took it to a dealer here in Milwaukee to make sure its road worthy. I received a call yesterday from them telling me what needs to be done with the trailer. Needs the following.

New breaks
Drums turned
4 new tires
4 new shocks
bearings packed
New break away switch
And new break wiring

Totaling 3500.00 w/labor

I'm not an expert but it seems to me any trailer service co. could do this work. Any opinions please. I need to know by tomorrow.

John
jw_ashworth@yahoo.com

The quote is about $1000.00 too high.

It would be a good idea for you to check out the axles. Reading the following article will teach you how.

Dura Torque Axle

If you need new axles, new brakes, bearings and hub and drums can come with them. Installing new axles on a tandem trailer is very easy, and does not even require a jack.

The shocks you can easily install as well.

The breakaway switch is held in place with one bolt.

Why the brake wiring needs to be replaced, is a mystery.

Tires can be mounted and purchased at a tire shop.

New complete axles, shocks and a breakaway switch, cost less than $1700.00

Andy

[Darol Ingalls]

Looks like the only things you'd need done by someone else is having the brake drums turned which any good auto parts store can do, and mounting the tires. Otherwise, you can do the rest yourself. If you're pressed for time, that may not be an option, but $3500 seems pretty high. Darol

[HiHoAgRV]

for about 1/2 of that you could have new axles, brakes, hubs and shocks installed.
Jump on the Search Function

[ashworth82]

Thank you all for your insight, has been very helpful and cost effective.

John

[campngirl]

Hi John and Welcome from just down the road.

You took you trailer to South 27th Street didn't you!???

He may be the only game in town, but he is primarily an auto dealership and his service/ parts dept doesn't know much about airstreams. He first started selling airstreams a few years ago.
I would try to find someone else. ... or as others have mentioned, do some of the work yourself.

Karol

[NevadaGeo]

Listen to Andy at Inland RV. Check those axles, if they are too shot, it will be way more efficient to put on new axles, with all new other parts come on the axles.
The arm the wheel attaches to needs to be pointing in a downward direction from the axle. If it points upward from the axle, your axles have relaxed too much, and you aren't getting the suspension support your baby needs. Shocks don't do that much for airstreams, its the torsion arms in the axle that does the suspension. A 1972 good chance the axles have relaxed.
Good luck. Axles aren't that hard to change out, I did mine myself, alone.
NevadaGeo
Perry

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by ashworth82

Totaling 3500.00 w/labor

I'm not an expert but it seems to me any trailer service co. could do this work. Any opinions please. I need to know by tomorrow.

John
jw_ashworth@yahoo.com

Welcome to Wally World.

Shop around, or take your time, do some research and tackle the job

yourself. Most NAPA stores could help with the drums. It just seems a

little too much.

In 1989 we paid the same for our first A/S a 22' 63 Safari.



It ain't all that hard, and can be very satisfying, good luck!!