NHTSA Complaint #10176163 — 2004 KEYSTONE LAREDO

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH ON DRY ROAD CONDITIONS, THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING AND WRAPPED ITSELF AROUND THE FRONT AXLE. THE TRAILER WAS PULLED OVER, AND WHEN CHANGING THE TIRE, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE OTHER 3 TIRES ONLY WORE ON THE INSIDE TREAD. THE TIRE WAS CHANGED, AND THE TRAILER WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE DEALER, WHO REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES. THE TRAILER DEALER WAS CONTACTED THE FOLLOWING DAY, WHO EXPRESSED THAT THE TRAILER, ALONG WITH OTHER MODELS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE AXLES. THE AXLE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND ADMITTED THAT SOME TRAILERS HAD THE INCORRECT AXLES INSTALLED ON THEM. THE TRAILER MANUFACTURER ALSO CONFIRMED THE AXLE PROBLEM. NEW AXLES WERE ORDERED, AND UPON INSTALLATION, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE HUBS ON THE DRUMS WERE NOT PRESSED IN ALL THE WAY. THIS CAUSED THE HUBS TO LEAK GREASE ON THE BRAKE SHOES, WHICH CAUSED THE ELECTRIC BRAKES TO NOT WORK CORRECTLY. ALSO, THE SPRING BRACKETS ON THE NEW AXLES WERE NOT WELDED CORRECTLY, AND WERE 3/16 OF AN INCH OFF. ALSO, WHEN MOVING THE TRAILER TO INSTALL THE NEW AXLES, THE SERVICE DEALER NOTICED THE HITCH GOING UP, BUT THE TRAILER WAS NOT MOVING. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS NOTICED THAT 2 WELDS FRACTURED WHERE THE HITCH WAS WELDED TO THE FRAME OF THE TRAILER. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT INCORRECT AXLES INSTALLED ON A TRAILER, AND A DEFECTIVE HITCH POSED A MAJOR RISK TO SAFETY. THIS WAS A 2003 KEYSTONE LAREDO, NOT 2004 MODEL.