NHTSA Complaint #10226106 — 2002 FLEETWOOD WILDERNESS

THE REAR SPRING STANDOFF BRACKETS (BOTH SIDES OF TRAILER) FAILED AT THE REAR OF THE BRACKETS WHERE THE WELD ATTACHED TO THE FRAME. THIS RESULTED IN A WEAKENED "I" BEAM THAT ULTIMATELY CRACKED THE FULL HEIGHT OF THE BEAM. THE RESULTING SAG OF THE REAR PART OF THE TRAILER IS DESTROYING THE INTEGRITY OF INTERIOR COMPONENTS: FLOOR, CEILING, CABINETS, TIP-OUT AND ENTRY DOOR/FRAME. ENGINEERING SHOULD NEVER HAVE ALLOWED WELDING ACROSS EITHER FLANGE (TOP OR BOTTOM) OR THE WEB OF THE MAIN STRUCTURAL BEAM WITHOUT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT; EG. GUSSETS, ADDITIONAL MATERIAL TO STRENGTHEN THE LIGHT-WEIGHT "I" BEAMS. WHEN THESE BRACKETS FAILED IS UNKNOWN. I DISCOVERED THE DAMAGE ONLY AFTER INTERIOR SIGNS OF REAR END SAG BECAME OBVIOUS. I HAD THE FRAME STRENGTHENED BUT THE INTERIOR DAMAGE REMAINS AND I AM RELUCTANT TO TOW THE TRAILER ANY DISTANCE. I HAVE PHOTOS THAT SHOW THE DAMAGE AND THE REPAIRS MADE. *TR