NHTSA Complaint #10234953 — 2008 HEARTLAND CYCLONE

DEAR REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NHTSA AND GOOD SAM CLUB, 1) ON 5/23/08 WHILE IN TRAVELING ON A CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY OUR CYCLONE'S SPARE TIRE WINCH FAILED, RELEASING THE SPARE TIRE WHILE IN TRANSIT. FORTUNATELY NO INNOCENT BYSTANDERS WERE INADVERTENTLY HARMED. ACCORDING TO RICHARDSON'S SERVICE CENTER MY ENSUING COMPLAINT WAS NOT THE FIRST OF THIS EXACT NATURE. HEARTLAND AUTHORIZED THE REPLACEMENT OF MY FAULTY WINCH AND THE REPLACEMENT OF MY SPARE TIRE ON 6/12/08; HOWEVER, AS OF THIS WRITING I AM STILL WAITING ON THESE PARTS, INCLUDING A SPARE TIRE. THOUGH HARTLAND ALLEGEDLY IS COVERING THIS MATTER UNDER WARRANTY, THEY HAVE NEVER EMPHASIZED ANY CONCERN OVER THE ACCIDENT OR ELUDED TO ANY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SAKE OF SAFETY. 2) ON 7/4/08 WHILE IN TRANSIT ON A UTAH HIGHWAY MY CYCLONE'S DRIVER-SIDE FORWARD TIRE BLEW OUT, CONSEQUENTLY CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE SIDE OF OUR TOY HAULER (SEE ATTACHED PHOTO). SOME OF THE SURROUNDING FACTS THAT HAVE CAUSED ALARM WITHIN VARIOUS TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITIES (NHTSA) AND MOTOR CARRIER SPECIALISTS (DOT/FMCSR), INCLUDING WITHIN FAMILY, IS AS FOLLOWS. THE ORIGINAL TIRES WERE GOODYEAR MARATHON ST225/75R15D (DATED 0107), RATED AT 2540 LBS. AT 65 PSI, WITH A COMBINE LOAD RATING OF 15,240 LBS. MY CYCLONE HAS A GVWR 18,000 LBS., WITH A DRY WEIGHT OF JUST UNDER 14,000 LBS, A (DRY) HITCH WEIGHT OF JUST UNDER 3,000 LBS (OR < 15% OF THE GVW), AND A GARAGE CARGO CAPACITY OF 2,500 LBS. CONSIDERING THIS WE WERE NOT ABLE TO LOAD 2,500 LBS. IN TO THE CARGO AREA (GARAGE) OF MY CYCLONE, WHILE NOT EXCEEDING THE TIRES COMBINED LOAD RATING OF 15,240 LBS., WITH THE TRAILER AT A LOGICAL LOAD (E.G. ENOUGH WATER/FOOD/CLOTHES FOR A WEEKEND FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR); NOT UNREASONABLY ABOVE ITS DRY WEIGHT. NOT TO MENTION THE ABSENCE OF ANY SAFETY FACTOR. FURTHERMORE, WE'VE ALSO REALIZED THAT HEARTLAND'S CURRENT CYCLONE SPECIFICATIONS NOTE FOR TIRES A ST225/75R16D, WHICH OBVIOUSLY HAVE A FAR MORE SUPERIOR LOAD RATING THAN DO THE 15" TIRES. *TR