NHTSA Complaint #10139729 — 1992 CHEVROLET C/K PICKUPS

I BOUGHT A USED RV FROM A PRIVATE PARTY. RV IS A '92 TIGER CX BY PROVAN INDUSTRIES. I DROVE HOME AND NOTICED REAR END SWERVING WHEN DRIVING ON FREE WAY RUTS. VEHICLE MOVES 6" TO 8" TO LEFT/RIGHT, TAKES SEVERAL SEC. BEFORE REACTING TO STEERING INPUT. I THOUGHT CAUSE WERE BAD SHOCKS/TIRES. HAD NEW TIRES / SHOCKS INSTALLED AND AIR RIDE SUSPENSION TO STABALIZE VEHICLE. TOOK RV ON ROAD TRIP, WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THAT NEW TIRES/SHOCKS/AIR SUSPENSION MADE NO DIFFERENCE IN VEHICLES HANDLING. CONTACTED PROVAN, OWNER DAVID ROWE TOLD ME HE HADN'T HEARD OF SUCH A COMPLAINED. HAD THE VEHICLES AXLES AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS CHECKED , NO MECHANICAL DEFECT WAS FOUND. AFTER TEST DRIVE, MECHANICS OPINION WAS THAT VEHICLE IS OVERLOADED. DOOR STICKER SHOWS 7200 LBS. GVWR. TOOK VEHICLE TO A SCALE, ITS WEIGHT WAS 7100 LBS DRY. PROVAN / DAVID ROWE TOLD ME ALL CX MODELS HAVE GVWR OF 8600 LBS AND DIDN'T BELIEVE MY UNITS DRY WEIGHT IS 7100 LBS, HE ALSO SUGGESTED I SELL RV TO SOME ONE WHO CAN HANDLE IT. I GAVE HIM VIN OF RV, HE PROMISED TO LOOK INTO IT HOWEVER. CALLED ME BACK CONCEEDING THAT VEHICLES GVWR WAS 7200 LBS BUT RECORDS SHOW DRY WEIGHT OF 6400 LBS FOR MY RV, LEAVING PAYLOAD OF 800 LBS. I TOOK VEHICLE TO CERTIFIED SCALE, IT WEIGHED 7080 LBS, ( VEHICLE UNLOADED, GAS TANK FULL ) LEAVES PAYLOAD OF 120 LBS. LOADING VEHICLE FOR A TRIP INCL. OCCUPANTS ADS 700 TO 800 LBS TO VEHICLE, GROSSLY OVERLOADED, ( CAUSE FOR UNSAFE HANDLING ? ). CONTACTED PROVAN, TOLD DAVID ROWE ABOUT WEIGHT ISSUE. HE ASKED ME WHAT I'D LIKE HIM TO DO , MY ANSWER WAS TO UPGRADE TRUCK TO HANDLE THE WEIGHT OR BUY IT FROM ME. HE WASN'T INTERESTED IN EITHER OPTION AND SUGGESTED THAT I SUE HIM IN COURT. PROVAN HAS BUILT A VEHICLE THAT IS UNSAFE AND NOT POSSIBLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT EXCEEDING ITS WEIGHT RATING. PROVAN BUILD THE RV ON 3/4 TON LIGHT DUTY TRUCK INSTEAD OF 3/4 TON HEAVY DUTY, WHICH HAS GVWR OF 8600 LBS.