NHTSA Complaint #10149055 — 2003 DUTCHMEN CLASSIC

2003 ADIRONDACK TRAVEL TRAILER, MODEL 30FB. WE NOTICED SAW DUST APPEARING ON THE COUNTER TOPS, STOVE AND SINK AREA. I NOTICED THAT THE TV SHELF ABOVE THE KITCHEN TABLE WAS BROKEN AND DINING BOOTH BRACE AND COUNTER HAD SHIFTED. IN ADDITION, CABINET HAD COME AWAY FROM THE FLOOR. THE SKID BARS SUSTAINED A SMALL BEND OR SCUFF. THERE WAS SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT SOMETHING HAD BEEN HIT WITH ANY FORCE, CERTAINLY NOT WITH SUFFICIENT FORCE TO CAUSE THIS SORT OF DAMAGE TO THE FRAME. IF A COLLISION HAD ACTUALLY OCCURRED THE SKID BARS WOULD HAVE BEEN BE COMPLETELY CRUSHED, AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN OTHER SIGNS OF DAMAGE ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THE TWO-INCH BALL 5,000 LB HITCH COUPLER THAT WAS ON OUR TRAILER AND CONTINUED INTO A FRAME THAT WAS NOT DESIGNED OR INTENDED TO SUPPORT A 30-FOOT TRAILER THAT HAS A GVWR OF 6,000 LBS. THE WEIGHT PUT TOO MUCH STRAIN ON THE CENTRE OF THE TRAILER, WHERE THE FRAME HAS BEEN WEAKENED BY THE DESIGN OF THE AXLE CLEARANCE. THIS PROBLEM WAS PROBABLY AGGRAVATED BY THE TANDEM AXLES, PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE FRAME DURING TURNING MANEUVERS. THE DESIGN LIMIT WAS BEING PUSHED TOO FAR, FROM THE 5,000 LB COUPLER TO A FRAME THAT DID NOT SEEM CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING THE WEIGHT OF A 30-FOOT TRAILER. I AM GRAVELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUALITY AND SAFETY OF OUR TRAILER. UNLESS THE FRAME WERE SIGNIFICANT REINFORCED AND FOUND TO BE STRENGTHENED SUFFICIENTLY I WOULD NOT BE CONFIDENT THAT THE PROBLEMS WOULD NOT RECUR. NOTWITHSTANDING ALL OF THE ABOVE, TRAILERS SHOULD BE RUGGED ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND THE NORMAL SEASONAL USE FOR WHICH THEY WERE INTENDED. TRAILERS SHOULD NOT BE SO DELICATE THAT A SMALL SCRAPE ON A SKID BAR CAUSED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. I WAS POSSIBLY VERY LUCKILY TO NOTICE THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE ANOTHER EXTENDED TRIP AS THIS PROBLEM COULD GO UNCHECKED, AND THE TRAILER COULD VERY WELL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BEING OUT OF CONTROL AND HAVE LIFE THREATENING RESULTS.*AK