NHTSA Complaint #10174036 — 2003 MONTANA 3670 RL

THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO COMPLAINT #101699448, AND #10169990 I HAVE A 2003 MONTANA BIG SKY 3670RL FIFTH WHEEL RV. ON A TRIP IN JUNE I HAD A BLOWOUT THAT LEFT ME ON THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE WITH DAMAGE TO MY TRAILER. AFTER REPLACING THE FLAT TIRE AND CONTINUING HOME I THEN NOTICED THAT THE OTHER 3 HAD UN NORMAL WEAR ON THE INSIDE TREAD AND STILL HAD PLENTY OF TREAD LEFT ON THE OUTSIDE TREAD. AFTER QUESTIONING MY DEALER ABOUT THIS MY DEALER INSTRUCTED ME TO CHECK THE AXLE TAG TO SEE WHO MANUFACTURED THE AXLES. I DID THIS TO FIND OUT THAT ALKO KOBER WAS THE MANUFACTURER. MY DEALER THEN INFORMED ME THAT HE HAS BEEN REPLACING ALKO AXLES ON TRAILERS BECAUSE OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. SINCE I PURCHASED MY TRAILER USED AND OUT OF WARRANTY THEY GAVE ME THE NUMBER TO THE TRAILER MANUFACTURE TO SEE WHAT I SHOULD DO. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND GAVE THEM THE VIN NUMBER OFF THE TRAILER AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT ALKO DID ADMIT TO HAVING A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM ON AXLES THAT WERE MADE IN '03 AND MY TRAILER VIN INDICATED THAT IT WAS IN THE LIST OF VIN NUMBERS THAT WOULD HAVE THE BAD AXLES. SINCE THE TRAILER WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY GAVE ME THE NUMBER TO ALKO, THE MANUFACTURER OF THE AXLES. WHEN I CONTACTED ALKO THEY NEW NOTHING ABOUT THE BAD AXLES BUT TOLD ME I NEEDED AN AXLE ALIGNMENT. ALIGNMENT IS SET BY THE AXLE MANUFACTURER. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF RV'S ON THE ROAD TODAY THAT WERE MANUFACTURED IN '03 AND '04 WITH THESE "BAD" ALKO AXLES. THESE TRAILERS ARE ACCIDENTS WAITING TO HAPPEN. INTERNET RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THESE TRAILERS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO BLOWING TIRES. IF THE TIRE BLOWS THE PERSON TOWING THE TRAILER MAY NOT REALIZE THE PROBLEM UNTIL THE TIRE HAS COME APART AND IT IS TEARING UP THE TRAILER AND SPREADING PARTS ALL OVER THE ROAD. *JB