Need thoughts/opinions - Problem with a dealer

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

My wife ordered a ramp for our horse trailer. The ramp was to have been flush with the floor of the trailer and been sturdy enough for animals. What was installed is several inches below the level of the trailer floor, is sturdy enough, but leaves our trailer illegal for using after dusk as the license is not illuminated. The dealer told us "tough", if we want it flush now we can cut a 4/4 to create a ramp.

The ramp is aluminum and welded to the rear frame of our aluminum trailer. In my opinion, the welds are VERY poor, but I would appreciate other's opinions. There are release mounts welded up high that are too hard for us to push up with our own hands, we used a hammer. The dealer personnel could not open them either. The rest position for the ramp holders places them in position to hurt one of our horses when they would enter the trailer.

We are MAD!!!!! Special order ramp, installed before we had a chance to look at it.

Thoughts, opinions, ideas? The dealer is in Pasadena, Texas.

[Joeaksa]

Weld does not look that good on the door. Ramp is not flush and thats that.

Do you have anything in writing asking for the ramp to be flush? If so I would take this to small claims court. They go up to $2500 in most places and easy to use.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Unfortunately, the damage is to a $14-15K trailer. If I remember correctly, you cannot unweld the aluminum and easily end up with a nice finish.

Small claims court. In Texas we have to sue in his county, we are moving a couple of states away. I'm thinking of suing, maybe for value of trailer but that is because I'm mad. I'm trying to calm down and look for reasonable options. Hmmm, treble damages allowed in Texas, limits are a bit higher...

[Scott R]

Welds are terrible, to much build up, speed was too low and penetration was not great. I don't think it's going to hold up for very long before you get cracks from the weight of the animals. I weld in drive lines and body panels, and I would re-do a weld like the one in the picture. I hope they resolve this for you.

[wrecktech]

That weld is terrible, looks like an failure waiting to happen. An experienced aluminum welder can probably fix it but the metal will be weaker no matter what.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Thanks all! I'm still hoping for more input, but I'm giving the owner of the store one more chance to make good. Maybe going to a lawyer in Harris County to see if they want to take this one on. So much fun...

[HardDrive]

WTF? Did they send it out to the local high school for welding? I can lay a better weld than that, and I'm a lowly computer geek. Aluminum is admittedly more difficult.....

[David]

I deal with some trailer shops in Pasadena, which one was it? Unfortunately I don't do enough business to have any pull with them. I'd offer to have one of the guys in our shop fix it, but that's a little too much work for a free job and it's not a big enough job to warrent charging for it. Let me know if you need the name of a good welder in town and I'll ask the guys back in the weld shop.

[tabs]

I hate Lawsuits, but if the guy says, "Tough" what choich do U have to get satisfaction?

It just seems U weren't clear with what the guy was going to do for you, and more importantly for U the guy didn't MAKE it clear to you either, what the finished product was going to look like.

I would probably get 125Shifter to turn U onto somone out your way who can fix the problem the right way.

[ChrisBennet]

Perhaps a letter to a "horsie" magazine would a least steer others clear of this place.
-Chris

[red-beard]

You need to call Jim Adler, the Texas Hammer, the tough smart lawyer.

Or call one of the local TV news programs. they have consumer help agents and will put you on TV.