West End Motors

From: West End Motors [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, August 04, 12:PMTo: Complaints Subject: complaint # [redacted] response West End Motors Inchas been in business since I have worked here for the last years & my son Eric has worked here for years West End Motors Inchas been repairing trailer bearings for over years Sometimes bearings fail without noticeWhen you have to submerge your boat trailer completely under water to load and unload your boat, no matter the condition of the seals the heat will draw in the corrosive salt water The owner should grease the trailer bearings every trip because of the possibility of water being drawn in The owner told us he never greased his bearings after any trip The owner reported that he talked to other mechanics that said the castle nut was installed improperly We have done thousands of trailer bearings and we know how to install them correctly The condition of the trailer axle after the bearing failed was damaged badly and wheel, tire, & hub was lost It would be impossible to determine what failed exactly, especially if you’re not familiar with boat trailers The axle assembly was replaced with a 3500lb axle, the same size axle that was in it The described bow in the axle is manufactured into the axle for weight capacity Dan A [redacted] -owner West End Motors Inc Hwy Forks, WA Office 360-374- Fax 360-374- Complaint# [redacted]

Complaint: ***I am rejecting this response because:
Well for starters, I want to say that Dan's statement saying I never greased my bearings is falseI did say I didn't grease them after launch, which they recommended, and I usually get them after I return from a tripI agree that bearing can fail w/o noticeBut just because they've done something for years doesn't make them immune from errorI have fished for over years and tied thousands of knots99% of them hold, but occasionally one will fail, most likely to my error in tyingMy point is this...how can they be certain beyond a doubt that they couldn't possibly be at fault? To error is human, to say you never error is, well, arrogantNot to mention unrealisticI can provide several written and signed testimonies from West End Motors customers that have had less than satisfactory service thereLike the one where the wheel fell off less than 1/mile from their shop, or the ones with stripped wheel studs, loose wheels, wrong oil filters, loose oil filters and so onThe more people I talk to, the more reports I here of poorly done work.
Which leads me to the other issueThe new axleYes axles are designed to bend upward to accommadate the load, then be for the most part straight after being loadedThey should not bend down after being loaded unless it was installed upside down, or not the right axle for the jobI took my trailer to two different repair shops yesterday and they were amazed that my trailer was returned to me as fixedThey both said the axle that had been installed, regardless of weight rating, was not the proper axle for the applicationThe other axle on the trailer isn't bowed, neither was the one they replacedMy tires on this new axle have a distinct negative camber, which will surely lead to a rapidly accelerated rate of tire wear and require me to constantly replace those tires prematurelySo that being said, I have this to sayI am willing to let the bearing failure slide, but want a new and proper axle installed at no expense to meI may be a small fish in a small pond, but I refuse to let them roll over me like they are trying to do
Sincerely,*** ***

From: West End Motors [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2016 12:53 PMTo: Complaints <[email protected]>Subject: complaint #[redacted] response
 
West End Motors Inc. has been in business since 1940.  I have worked here for the last 41 years & my son Eric...

has worked here for 15 years.  West End Motors Inc. has been repairing trailer bearings for over 40 years.  Sometimes bearings fail without notice. When you have to submerge your boat trailer completely under water to load and unload your boat, no matter the condition of the seals the heat will draw in the corrosive salt water.  The owner should grease the trailer bearings every trip because of the possibility of water being drawn in.  The owner told us he never greased his bearings after any trip.  The owner reported that he talked to other mechanics that said the castle nut was installed improperly.  We have done thousands of trailer bearings and we know how to install them correctly.  The condition of the trailer axle after the bearing failed was damaged badly and wheel, tire, & hub was lost.  It would be impossible to determine what failed exactly, especially if you’re not familiar with boat trailers.  The axle assembly was replaced with a 3500lb axle, the same size axle that was in it.  The described bow in the axle is manufactured into the axle for weight capacity.
 
Dan A[redacted]-owner
West End Motors Inc.
192681 Hwy 101
Forks, WA 98331
Office 360-374-5452
Fax 360-374-5855
Complaint#[redacted]