[TowerTalk] New Universal Aluminimum Tower Damaged During Shipping

[George Clute]

I forgot one thing....Send a copy of the estimate to repair the tower with
all the other paperwork.
Will the shipper standby the carrier he chose to move this tower?  Do they
have any liability for
choosing the wrong carrier that does not treat the shipments with care and
read the warning signs
placed on the shipment as some expense?

George Clute - W7LFD       gclute@home.com
ACS, Inc.
P.O. Box 1551
Mercer Island, WA  98040-1551
----- Original Message -----
From: David Rich <kg0us@swbell.net>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 13, 2000 9:27 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] New Universal Aluminimum Tower Damaged During Shipping


>
> 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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