Ken Peachey Caravan Repairs review
As part of our Lap of Australia preparations, we needed to get the wheel bearings serviced or replaced, and a wheel alignment done. After owning our Hybrid camper for nearly 3 years and never touching them, I figured it was cheap insurance. I’d previously tried to book our camper into Ken Peachey and ran out of time with huge wait times there, so was surprised when they said it could be done a week later.
This post is purely to share our positive experience with Ken Peachey Caravan Repairs; we paid in full with zero discount, and I’m only writing it because good service like this is so unusual today. On the flipside, if they’d given shocking service we’d have mentioned this just as freely too.
Ken Peachey Caravan Repairs are the Cruisemaster suspension agent here in Perth, and given that was all they’d be working on, I was pretty happy to book it in with them. My folks have had their van worked on by Ken Peachey not too long ago either, and were really happy with the service (as a pose to other repairs done by different Perth Caravan Repair places; another story!).
From the get go, I was quietly impressed with Ken Peachey. The initial phone call was helpful and friendly, the booking and dropping of the van off was easy and they let me know a day and a half later when it was ready.
I asked a number of questions about the alignment, and left feeling really happy with the work done. They re-packed the bearings, rotated the tyres, checked the wheel alignment (which was fine), and left everything nice and clean, and ready to go.
We paid $300 for the wheel bearings, and $90 for the wheel alignment, plus GST, walking out with a bill of just under $450, which is fair.
Wheel alignment figures
Our camper came in at 2 – 3mm toe in, which is correct for the single axles, and about 0.5 degrees negative camber, which is also correct. I was surprised as I found a nut loose up at Pender Bay, and was expecting the alignment to be out.
Looking online when I got home, you can do the alignment yourself on flat ground if you have a couple of big rules and a digital spirit level. The toe in is done by running a rule along the edge of a tyre (avoiding any bumps), and measuring back to the chassis. The front measurement should be 2 – 3mm smaller than the rear, and if it isn’t, you just undo the nut, twist the adjuster until its right and lock it all up.
The camber is done on flat ground using a digital spirit level off the wheels, and you are aiming for around – 0.5 degrees of camber. Again, if its out, move the other adjuster and you’ll be right.
Now, I will point out that in terms of the toe in figures, you are relying on the chassis being straight, and correct to the tow ball, which it may not be. When we had a mobile truck wheel aligner out, he set up mirrors and a laser and did it off the tow ball. Doing it off the chassis can ensure its toe in correct to the chassis, but maybe not to the tow bar.
I’d go back to Ken Peachey in a heartbeat
The short of it is simple; we received some of the best, most friendly service that I have had in a long time, and it makes me want to share it with you. Maybe its just the sceptism in me, but I reckon a lot of caravan repair mobs are a bit sketchy, and I was really impressed by how I saw Ken Peachey Caravan Repairs treating other customers, dealing with each other and the work they did.
If you are looking for a family owned, helpful business to work on your caravan or camper, Ken Peachey is well worth a look.