[VAC] Parts and more parts

[Terry Tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi again,

For the last two days, I've been searching for an exact U-bolt to replace
the one I snapped off while making a minor alignment adjustment on my dual
cam sway control arms. Sometimes I break things before I fix them. Nobody
else does that, right?

Anyhow, after making my bench mark of 12 phone calls to RV dealers within a
20 mile radius and coming up empty, I changed strategy.

This time, I took the broken U-Bolt in hand and tracked down businesses that
sold and repaired boat , cargo,  utility and custom trailers.  If a dealer
for horse trailers has been available, I would have gone there too.

Bottom line, I found the exact U-bolt at two places.

Affordable Trailer Sales - Parts and Service (228.868.2990) is located on
Creosote Road in Gulfport, Mississippi. <www.affordabletrailers.com> at Exit
34 off I-10. Their specialty is generic hardware parts for all kinds of
trailers and hitches. The big old wood building in the industrial district
is located on the inside of a right turnl. There were half a dozen utility
and custom trailers in their small parking lot.

Auto parking is limited. If we ever came to this store from I-10 with our
Airstream, we'd park around the corner in someone else's parking lot and
walk back. The dog inside the fence was friendly and liked the "kitty
treats" I had in my pocket. The parts inventory was well organized. The
owner has an overwhelming knowledge of  details about trailer parts. She's a
walking encyclopedia of trailer knowledge and does much of her business with
local RV dealers and an increasing amount by email.

Ken's Marine (228.864.5545) on 30th Avenue in Gulfport, Mississippi was very
different from the place described above. Ken has a  massive amount of
marine parts for boat trailers and generic trailers. Ken's old building is
on a main thoroughfare and parking is convenient.

His parts inventory was laid out on shelves supermarket style with aisles
and aisles that went on and on. It reminded me of a 1950s warehouse style
hardware store. Some of the parts may have been on the shelves for decades.
If I wanted original parts for a very old trailer, I'd poke around in here.

Terry 

mailto:tylerbears@airstream.net