NHTSA Complaint #10274046 — 2008 AIRSTREAM BASE CAMP

NOTE: I USED A GENERIC AIRSTREAM TRAILER FOR THE PULL-DOWN MENU, AS YOU DO NOT HAVE A PULL-DOWN FOR "OTHER." THE TRAILER IN ? IS A CHALET RV LTW. CONTACT INFORMATION FOR CHALET RV: CHALET RV INC. 124 41ST AVE SE ALBANY, OR 97322 VOICE: 541-791-4610 FAX: 541-791-4618 E-MAIL: [email protected] ISSUE: BOTH SPRINGS FAILED ON A CHALET RV LTW CAMP TRAILER WITH TRAIL BOSS OFF-ROAD PACKAGE. LFT SIDE SPRING FAILURE 8/29/08. RT SIDE SPRING FAILURE 5/23/09. PHOTOS AVAILABLE. BOTH SEMI-ELIPTIC SPRINGS FAILED AT THE SAME POINT, WHERE THE 1ST SUPPLEMENTAL LEAF MEETS THE PRIMARY LEAF, AND BOTH AT THE FRONT (FIXED) END. THESE FAILURE CAUSED THE AXLE TO ROTATE BACKWARDS AGAINST THE FLEXIBLE SHACKLE, MIS-LOCATING THE AXLE AND LEADING TO LOSS OF STABILITY. CONVERSATIONS WITH DEXTER AXLE INDICATE THAT THE AXLE/SPRING ASSEMBLY WAS MODIFIED - PROBABLY BY CHALET - AND IS NOT IN ACCORD WITH ESTABLISHED ENGINEERING PRACTICE. THUS FAR, CHALET RV HAS FAILED TO RESPOND TO EMAILED CORRESPONDENCE. === TO: CHALET RV ON 06/05/09: DEAR SIRS: I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DEXTERAXLE OVER THE TWO SPRING FAILURES OF MY CHALET LTW WITH THE TRAIL BOSS OFF-ROAD PACKAGE, VIN [XXX] PURCHASED FROM HOLIDAY TRAVEL TRAILER SALES OF ALBUQUERQUE, NM ON 08/01/08. BOTH OF THE ORIG. CHALET-PROVIDED SPRINGS HAVE FAILED IN SVC WITHIN THE 12 MONTH WARRANTY PERIOD. A PHONE CONVERSATION WITH RICK KAPSA (574-296-7386) PRODUCT MGR AT DEXTER REVEALED THAT THEIR 3500 LB AXLE WAS SHIPPED FROM DEXTER WITH TWO EACH 26" 1500 LB SPRINGS IN A SPRING-UNDER-AXLE CONFIGURATION. SOMEONE, PERHAPS CHALET RV, REMOVED THE 26" 1500 LB SPRINGS AND REPLACED THEM WITH AN UNKNOWN CAPACITY 21" SPRING PAIR AND CHANGED THE CONFIGURATION TO SPRING-OVER-AXLE. AS THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN DESIGN (A MISS-APPLICATION OF THE SPRINGS) IN THE ORIGINAL PRODUCT FROM CHALET RV THESE MODIFICATIONS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. HOW DO YOU WISH TO PROCEED? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR