NHTSA Complaint #10237539 — 2005 THOR CALIFORNIA TRANSPORT

WHILE SERVICING THE TANDUM WHEEL RIMS I NOTICED THAT THE FRAME OF MY 2005 33 FOOT 5TH WHEEL THOR TRANSPORT TRAILER IS CRACKED IN MANY PLACES. THE MAJORITY OF THE CRACKS ARE LOCATED IN THE FRAME AT THE CENTER, FRONT TO BACK, AND AT THE LEFT REAR SPRING HANGER TO FRAME. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL CRACKS UP TO A FOOT LONG AND DO GO THROUGH THE FRAME METAL. THE UPPER SHOCK BRACKETS ARE ALSO BENT UPWARD SLIGHTLY. UNDER THE FRAME, THE CROSS FRAMES AT AND NEAR THE CENTER ARE CRACKED AT THE WELDS TO THE SIDE FRAMES. I TOOK DIGITAL IMAGES OF THE CRACKS AND CALLED THE RV DEALER WHO SAID IT WAS OUT OF THEIR HANDS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE CRACKS AND REFERRED ME TO THOR OF CA. THOR SAID THE FRAME IS ONLY WARRANTED FOR ONE YEAR. THOR SAID THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH ANY OTHER TRAILER FRAME UNDER THEIR PRODUCTS AND WERE SORRY FOR MY FRAME PROBLEM. I HAD THE TRAILER FRAME INSPECTED BY A PROFESSIONAL WELDING SHOP AND RECEIVED AN ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS OF $910.00. THE ESTIMATE OF REPAIRS INCLUDED AN OPINION AS TO CAUSE OF THE CRACKS WHICH IS: THE FRAME IS TOO LIGHT TO HANDLE THE STRESSES OF THE TALL TRAILER BODY SWAYING AS THE TRAILER GOES DOWN THE ROAD. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS AS YET. IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST. *TR