20 May 2024 - First Day of Alliance Repairs

 

We are here in Elkhart IN at the Elkhart Campground ahead of the Alliance National Rally which is held at the Elkhart County 4H Fairgrounds in Goshen IN, not far away. We arrived earlier that normal this year so we could go fishing with our grandson and see our daughter Jennifer and her family.  We also arrive early to spend time with our Alliance friends we have met from all over the United States and Canada since attending out first Alliance Rally in August 2020.  The Elkhart Campground is where the 2020 and 2021 Alliance Rally's were held, and we attended. The first year we only had about 40 RV's here! Since then the Rally attendance has grown to over 400 RV's.  Therefore in 2022 Alliance outgrew the Elkhart Campground and the event was moved to the Fairgrounds in Goshen.  But the Elkhart Campground where we are now still serves as the staging area, or the "pre-rally" location.  There are campfires in the evenings and everyone is encouraged to socialize and make new friends.  

One of the Alliance factory trucks full of repair parts and tools.

Starting back in 2020 at the first Rally, those who register for the Alliance Rally were allowed to submit three items in advance that they wanted to have repaired.  This was exclusive of the status of their warranty and free of charge, so that in itself is a huge incentive to attend the Rally.  That benefit continues today, and I submitted my three items earlier this year after we registered for the Rally.  To be honest I struggled to identify three items.  That is a good thing!  So fast-forward to today.  We have an estimated 100 Alliance coaches here for the pre-rally!  So Alliance sends teams of technicians and truck-loads of parts here to start repairing items on the coaches that arrive early.  That frees up the technicians for repairs once everyone arrives at the fairgrounds.  

Tag-teaming my decal.  It has been on there since Feb 2020, 

so it is baked on pretty good!

This morning Alliance technicians arrived in force and started making their way around the campground.  Shortly after noon they arrived at our campsite to address my issues.  One was a damaged front cap decal, pictured above.  Another set of technicians checked my bedroom slide-out operation and determined it was working good.  They also checked my hydraulic levelers and found the front left jack leaking hydraulic fluid.  This item is being referred to Lippert, the manufacturer of the hydraulic leveling system,  for their repair.

Decal replaced and looking good!

Tomorrow Dexter, the manufacturer of the axles on my coach will be out to analyze some abnormal tire wear on my front axle. Bent axles or bent spindles is fairly common due to the deteriorated condition of our roads and bridges...! 

While all this is going on Ally's are helping Ally's with other repairs and upgrades throughout the campground.  Others are relacing, exercising, socializing and later even a bit of partying!!  So we were sitting around our site tonight with the Walker's from Florida, the Lowther's from Georgia, the Pizzi's from South Carolina and the Jankevicius' crew from Texas. All of a sudden a storm rolled in.  Doreen and I had stepped inside our coach for a few minutes and before I could get my shoes on and get outside, the wind ripped my flagpole down!  The bottom mount broke, but I believe the pole itself is intact.  Unknown the status of the two lights I have on it.  I will order a new mount and check out the lights tomorrow.  It could have been worse.