NHTSA Complaint #10301681 — 2008 LOAD RITE 5S-AC20T4200102TB1

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LOAD RITE, MODEL 5S-AC20T4200102TB1 BOAT TRAILER. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE FENDER BROKE OFF WHILE HE WAS TOWING THE BOAT AND TRAILER ON THE BACK OF HIS PICKUP AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. THE INCIDENT ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH TO OCCUR. HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, HE NOTICED THAT THE OTHER FENDERS WERE "FLAPPING" IN THE WIND IN AN ATTEMPT TO DETACH FROM THE TRAILER AS WELL. THE MAIN I-BEAMS HAVE ALSO CRACKED WHICH CAUSED THE FENDERS TO MALFUNCTION. HE SENT PHOTOGRAPHS TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WOULD REBUILD THE TRAILER TO ITS ORIGINAL STATE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE I-BEAMS WERE DEFECTIVE DUE TO THE DESIGN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 1,500. UPDATED 02/01/10 *BF WHILE TOWING THE TRAILER AND THE BOAT., THE CONSUMER NOTICED IT WAS A VERY ROUGH RIDE. THE TRAILER BOUNCED TERRIBLY ACROSS EVERY BUMP IN THE ROAD. ONCE HE ARRIVED HOME, HE NOTICED THE TWO LOCK NUTS ON THE BOLTS WHICH HELD THE TIE DOWN ENGINEERING SURGE BRAKE TO THE TONGUE OF THE TRAILER WHERE WITHIN ONE TURN OF COMING OFF. IT WAS DETERMINED THE LUGS NUTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE I-BEAMS WERE CRACKED, THE RIM AND TIRE WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE. ALL FOUR FENDERS WERE NOT ATTACHED TO THE TRAILER. THE TAILLIGHT WIRE CONNECTIONS WERE BROKEN AT THEIR CONNECTION TO THE TAILLIGHT SOCKET. UPDATED 02/03/10. THE MANUFACTURER AGREED TO REPLACE THE TRAILER AT NO CHARGE TO THE CONSUMER. UPDATED 03/12/10