Lippert Bought Dexter ?? Is this true

[RBellah]

I saw on another site that Lippert Bought out Dexter Axle and was wondering if this is true?

 

[Grizzly]

I sure hope not. That would sure pi__ off Harvey.



... and me and many other TDR Members.

 

[HBarlow]

I subscribe to RV Daily News, an internet news blog that sends out an email news report every day. The owner/editor is a savvy reporter and knows the RV industry. He has not mentioned it.

IMO that is just as bogus as Furd owns Cummins. Garbage posted by some ignoramus.

Lippert is a subsidiary company wholly owned by Drew Industries. If any company bought Dexter there might be a possibility that Drew Industries could buy Dexter but not Lippert.

 

[RustyJC]

In 2005, Dexter bought LE Technologies which included Leland Engineering (the frame builder for Jayco, perhaps others that I'm not aware of). It is now named Dexter Chassis Group, Inc.



HERE is the article.



Does someone perhaps have Lippert and Leland confused as well as who bought whom??



Rusty

 

[RBellah]

Here is the link to the news article Lippert Components acquires assets of RV chassis business - Automotive Business Review

 

[HBarlow]

Lippert Components, a subsidiary of Drew Industries (DW), a supplier of components for recreational vehicles (RV), has acquired the towable RV chassis and slide-out mechanism operation previously owned by Dexter Chassis Group from EA Technologies for $13. 5m.

That doesn't say anything about buying Dexter, only the RV chassis plant formerly owned by Dexter. It was or was part of the company sold/purchased reported by Rusty above.

 

[RBellah]

Lets hope they don't keep buying out all the good ones that are still out there.

 

[HBarlow]

Yeah, I certainly agree with that. It would be sad to see them buy a good old company like Dexter that has made excellent products for a very long time and reduce the quality to the level of Lippert products.

 

[Wertles]

:-lafActually, let's hope they use the experience and techniques and improve their quality to that of Dexter. Then we can all be happy!

 

[Grizzly]

:-lafActually, let's hope they use the experience and techniques and improve their quality to that of Dexter. Then we can all be happy!

That will never happen. If anything it would be the other way around.

 

[Slow Six]

I have used a lot of Dexter axles over the last 20+ years. One thing I have noticed a lot of the Dexter stuff is made in China plus all their bearings seem to be China as well. I have also had problems with the axle tubes bending as they are quite thin in the sidewalls. I am not trying to knock Dexter but I do not think they are the only axle out there. I hope the Lippert axles are not as bad as everyone says they are as our new Mobile Suites has all Lippert suspension. So far we have had no problems and the suspension and all components seem to be well built. I guess time will tell. It also seems that most of the complaints against Lippert are on lower end units. Is the problem with Lippert or are they building to specs set out by the companies they are building for?

 

[mhsmith57]

You only hear about negative Lippert issues, never the ones that don't ever have problems. There are lemons in any industry, especially Furds. Even Dodge/Cummins isn't exempt from putting out a lemon now and then. Lippert is the largest RV frame manufacturer, they must be doing something right.

Mark

 

[HBarlow]

Yes, they are. Lippert manufactures and sells a lot of cheap junk that looks okay when new and works okay until the warranty has expired.

 

[RustyJC]

... . our new Mobile Suites has all Lippert suspension.....

See signature - I am truly sorry to hear that. Ours is all Dexter and hasn't given any problems in 7 years.



So, yours doesn't have Nev-R-Lube wheel bearings???



Rusty

 

[Slow Six]

As far as I know it is Lippert. Our trailer has 8000 lb. axles which is a good feature as 7000 lb. axles would be maxed out. I also think it has the traditional bearings that need periodic service which I don't mind as I at least know they are good. This unit is still quite new to us so I have things to learn yet. One thing I do know is that there is no knowledge to be gained from the dealership. I will need to spend some time with the trailer later this fall and than hopefully get answers from DRV.

 

[dcoffman]

Well , Harvey, that's what it sounds like to me. I got a new Starcraft ,made by Jayco , last year. I rolled under it and it has Dexter stamped on the frame and axles,but all the other stuff has Lippert components stamped all over them. Then I look up LCI web site and read the same thing you reposted. My 2002 Jayco had Leland frame and when I saw Dexter I was happy, now I'm disapointed.

 

[HBarlow]

Actually I like Jayco products. They were generally lower end products but not junk last time I looked at them which was in '06.

 

[RustyJC]

Actually I like Jayco products. They were generally lower end products but not junk last time I looked at them which was in '06.

We owned three Jaycos, a Cardinal pop-up (our first RV) and two Designer 5th wheels. Although their market coverage starts with entry level products, they span a fairly broad segment of the market. The Designers and their current Pinnacle successors certainly aren't "lower end products" - they target the mid-line markets and currently have MSRPs of ~$50K and up - info HERE. Unfortunately, they didn't (and don't) market a product to compete with our current 5th wheel when we were shopping back in 2004. In the motorhome market, Jayco purchased the intellectual and production assets of Travel Supreme when it folded and currently market the Entegra motorhome line - they compete with Newmar and Tiffin, and are getting rave reviews as providing a lot of content and quality for the money (Jayco is able to use their size to achieve economies of scale and control their costs).



The Jaycos we've owned have been solid, reliable RVs that did everything we asked of them at their respective price points.



It will be interesting to see what they do regarding frame sources in light of this development. Our Designers utilized Leland Engineering frames and Dexter suspension, and we never had any problems with either.



Rusty

 

[Jim W]

OK guys my wife and I took a tour of Jayco in Middelberry IN this last July.

We went to the 5th wheel plant that makes the entire Jayco 5er line.



As an engineer I was not impress, to me the manufacturing practices are no different than Keystone products or any other RV manufacture. The cabinet shop was a joke, air gun and staples were every where. The workers are paid for piece work and they must complete 7 to 8 units a day.



Jayco uses Dexter frames and running gear but the weld conditions were no different than Lippert welds on there frames.



Just my $0. 02

Jim W

 

[HBarlow]

Jim,

Yes, you are correct about the air guns and staples. The Jaycos I pulled and looked over were all built that way. They were definitely stick built units but I don't remember the wiring looking like balls of scrap and stick frame members that were cut too short to meet and attach to other framing members. I have seen some that were built that way.