Good RV Service near Gig Harbor, WA?

[drpaddle]

Thanks to other, more alert forum members, I've realized I should have Toto's brakes adjusted now that he's rolled around for a few hundred miles. I'm not the greatest with mechanical things so will have the work done.

So... can anyone in the Kitsap Peninsula or Tacoma areas recommend a good RV service place? There's a Camping World and a couple of RV dealers in/near Tacoma, but I thought I'd seek out a recommendation from any happy campers out there. Thanks!

[Brian B-P]

If the work is just adjusting the brakes, you don't specifically need an RV service business, you need a trailer service business. Yes, RV shops work on travel trailers, but there are also lots of places that work on all kinds of trailers (such as cargo, livestock, etc) and would be very familiar with the brakes, even if they don't do general RV work. All of the Escape running gear (axles, suspension, wheels, tires, coupler) are common trailer components used on all sorts of trailers.

If I were calling business to ask whether they do this sort of work, I would ask if they do brake work on Dexter 3500 pound trailer axles.

As for the vicinity of Gig Harbor... sorry, I don't know anything businesses in that area.

[RickM]

Doug, after I packed the bearings (on my former 19) I had Les Schwab adjust the brakes. I just made sure that they were aware of where to place the jack. Drum brakes are universal, no reason to venture to Fife (and all the RV dealers there).

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by RickM

... I had Les Schwab adjust the brakes. I just made sure that they were aware of where to place the jack. Drum brakes are universal...

Sure, it doesn't even really need to be anyone who has seen trailer brakes before for this purpose, but familiarity might aid productivity... and the chance that the work will be done right. If you have a trusted automotive service provider who is not limited to working on one brand (i.e. a new car dealer) - as it appears Les Schwab is for Rick - then they are a good candidate, too.

I guess one caution is that automotive drum brakes are self-adjusting, so an auto mechanic typically won't worry about getting them set very precisely, but standard trailer brakes (without the optional self-adjusting feature) must be manually set.