[TowerTalk] New Universal Aluminimum Tower Damaged During Shipping

[David Rich]

Hello Everyone,

My new Universal 21-40 aluminum tower arrived at Watkins Motor Lines in
Kansas City last Friday.  A friend and I drove over there to pick it up
since it was nearby and also to avoid the residential drop off fee.  The
tower has four sections and was shipped by the manufacturer with each
smaller sections slid inside the larger sections with the smallest top
section in the middle.  The outside section of the tower was wrapped
length wise with clear plastic except for a band of cardboard on each
end.  The trust bearing and bag of bolts was taped to the z-bracing
along the outside section. There was a tag on the tower and a note on
the invoice that said "Do Not Use Fork Lift".  The whole tower only
weighs about 124 pounds.

I thought I had done a good job of thoroughly inspecting the tower
before I left so I then signed it off and drove it home and placed it in
my home garage.  The next day I unwrapped the plastic and noticed that
behind the cardboard was a small bend in the smallest most inside
sections horizontal z-brace.  I thought no big deal,  I can just bend
that back straight.  Shortly afterwards a little further up the end of
the tower I cut away the paper bag, containing the nuts and bolts, that
was taped to the outer section of the tower only to find a piece of
z-bracing severely bent and the weld cracked at the main tube.  There is
also some distortion in the diagonal portion of the z-bracing after the
horizontal z-brace with the bend and cracked weld.  It should be noted
that when I refer to the horizontal z-brace I am referencing the bracing
when the tower section is in an upright position.  The horizontal
z-brace is also cracked in the bend as though hit by a sharp object.
All of this damage is on the most inside or top section of the tower and
was concealed by the paper bag and cardboard inside the plastic
wrapper.  There is strong evidence that someone during shipment
disregarded the note on the invoice and the tag and shoved a fork lift
inside the tower sections to move it during transfers.

Do you think I am basically out of luck or can I file a damage claim to
replace the top section of the tower since the damage was concealed?

I know a professional welder who specializes in aluminum welding and he
has a heliarc welder. He might be able to straighten the bent z-brace
and repair the cracked weld.  I could even have him weld another
aluminum rod below the z-brace damaged for added strength.  There is a
supplier of 6061 in my area.  I hate to resort to this after spending
good money for the tower only to have it damaged during shipment.

Sincerely,
Dave Rich
kg0us@swbell.net




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