NHTSA Complaint #10257266 — 2008 AIRSTREAM BASE CAMP

THE RACKANDROLL ?KD78? TRAILER I BOUGHT IN MAR08 HAS SUFFERED TONGUE FAILURE DESPITE BEING OPERATED WITHIN THE LOAD RATING. THE TRAILER WAS A NEW MODEL FOR 08, A LARGER VERSION OF THE ?KD? TRAILER. THEY DIFFER ONLY IN WIDTH, THE TWO TRAILERS SHARE ALL MAIN PARTS EXCEPT LATERAL MEMBERS. I ORDERED THE OPTIONAL HEAVY-DUTY SUSPENSION, WHICH RAISES THE LOAD CAPACITY TO 300 LBS (PER THE OWNERS MANUAL). WHEN I FIRST STARTED TO LOAD THE TRAILER FOR USE, I NOTICED THAT THE SUSPENSION SEEMED TO STRUGGLE TO SUPPORT THIS LOAD. THE TRAILER USES A COIL-OVER SUSPENSION SYSTEM, WHICH CONSISTS OF ONE SHOCK ABSORBER WITHIN A SPRING ON EACH SIDE. BOTH THE STANDARD AND HD SHOCK USE A PROGRESSIVELY WOUND SPRING. THE SMALLER SPRING COILS GO INTO ?COIL BIND? WITH A 300 LB LOAD, MEANING THOSE COILS ARE COMPRESSED TOGETHER DESPITE A PROPERLY DISTRIBUTED LOAD (BETWEEN THE TONGUE & WHEELS). WHEN I CALLED RACKANDROLL, THEY INSISTED THEIR LOAD RATING WAS CORRECT, SO I ASKED FOR THE CORRECT LOAD CAPACITY STICKER FOR MY SHOCKS, BUT THEY WERE EVASIVE. THIS BACK-AND-FORTH DISCUSSION WENT ON FOR A WHILE, AND AFTER NO PROGRESS, I BEGAN EMAILING INSTEAD OF CALLING, TO DOCUMENT THE EVENTS. THE RATING STATED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL DOES NOT EVEN MAKE SENSE, AS IT DOESN?T ACCOUNT FOR THE GREATER WEIGHT OF THE WIDER TRAILER, EVEN WITH THE BASE SHOCKS. THE RATING FOR BOTH KD & KD78 IS A GVWR OF 400 LBS AND A LOAD CAPACITY OF 250 LBS. BUT THE KD78 WEIGHS MORE, AND WHEN I POINTED THIS OUT TO RACKANDROLL, THEY OFFERED TO REFUND MY MONEY. BUT AGAIN I COULD NOT GET THEM TO FOLLOW THROUGH. AS I WAS PUTTING THE TRAILER AWAY FOR THE WINTER, I FOUND THE TRAILER TONGUE WOULD NO LONGER TELESCOPE BACK INTO THE REAR SECTION FOR STORAGE. REMOVING THE TONGUE REVEALED A SHARP ?KINK? IN IT WHERE IT PASSED INSIDE THE LARGER, REAR SECTION. I AGAIN CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO CLAIMED THEY WOULD TAKE THE TRAILER BACK AND REFUND ME, BUT I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET THEM TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OR HONOR THEIR REFUND COMMITMENT. *TR