Cottrell vs Miller 7 car EZ loader

Not even sure how this broke today, but it did. This is the top mount for the support column on my center top deck lift position. The left side was already repaired by the dealer last year for the same thing, so I'm thinking it has to do with the upper deck being out of square and exerting side load force while pinned in place.
Any one have any other ideas?

 

Are you loading with the posts pinned up a couple pegs? There were some guys in OK a couple years ago having the same issue that were company drivers. But 10 min later watched them run a truck up the back deck pretty fast & that post was pinned up to the 3 rd whole. You could see it stress or bind the post when they hit the rear deck. Mentioned it to them & they looked at me like I was stupid.

 

Good thought but no, I don't have enough clearance to load with the deck anywhere except fully down, otherwise the top deck doesn't meet the lower deck. Since this trailer was new I have had issues with the top deck in this area, it is out of square, you can see the bow outward but Miller says it is within tolerance. If I don't keep the right side post lubed real well it binds and will strip steel off the frame of the trailer. I know there is something out of whack, when using the pto this position lifts well but when using the electric pump it will barely lift unless empty, so there is a lot of stress at that point. The cylinder on this side is also the one that leaks the worst, most likely from the extra stress. I have been debating having a local fabricator cut the deck apart and rebuild it, but shouldn't have to do that much rework on a new trailer.
I do haul a lot of trucks and suv, so I know I put additional stress on the top deck, which is probably why I have deck plates that are cracked, combine that with the sheer volume of vehicles that go across my deck and I do expect some accelerated wear. I just was hoping this trailer would hold up as well as our previous Millers did, no luck this time. Maybe they were too busy and overworked since this one was built during the brief time they owned the rights to Delavan and were trying to relaunch that brand as well as getting into rebuilding older units. I just wish the dealer and factory support was better, my towing friends are having the same support after the sale problems, so I think it is corporate culture not volume of work.

 

My first 2000 Miller was a rust bucket. Broken, beaten & scarred long before I got it. So called Miller asking about buying replacement deck material in 2010 for it. Since they had redesigned the things in 2003/04, they no longer carried that decking. They told me that they ordered their steel out of PA & everything is pre cut. My point to that story is Miller gets the steel as a giant erector set & does the welding. If something is out of alignment, either the pre cuts are off or a new guy is at fault. Going through the factory at Miller, you will see everything fits into a jig to prevent faults like you are having.

Wish I had the answer or the fix for your trailer. Honestly have not seen another Miller with so many issues.
(& mine was built when they had Delavan in house as well).

 

I have toured both the trailer plant as well as the wrecker plant, they do seem to have a decent operation. I really think my top deck is messed up, seems the beam that crosses just behind the lift pistons is just a hair too wide, the deck rails bow outward at that point and that is where most of my stress issues seem to originate. On both of my other Miller trailers the top deck is exactly the same width as the frame below it, but this one the deck is a good 3/4 inch wider but not for the entire length just from the second hinge to the third hinge (between the front flip deck and the tail deck). Their jigs are only one sided, meaning the opposing side is done free handed, so if the cross beam was off a bit and not noticed it could force the out of true condition, although they say there is nothing wrong with mine.

I have never seen another one with as many faults either, like I said before it must have been born on either a Monday or Friday LoL. That said, I still wish I had of given the Cotrell a try, same price point and a better design, especially the bolt on aluminum decking which makes for easier repair and a lighter tare weight. I have a welder/fabricator friend who does work for the Tobyhanna Army Depot, he is willing to take on the project of fixing the out of square as well as some other mods. I am just a little concerned about liability if it were to fail later, or if I sold it and then it failed. I may just put it up for sale and start over with a different trailer.

 

I owned an 07 miller T7 and loved it. Especially the #2 deck that lowered below the side rails. Great feature! Cottrell doesn't do this. The Wally Mo 7 car stack custom has got to be the best pure 7 car on the market. You can choose between straps and chain which seems to work out well. However when loading #1, you have to lift it when tying down otherwise the ratchet wont spin. Also you are probably gonna need a 6' step ladder to tiedown #2 & #3 decks. It is pretty tall in the middle of the trailer