NHTSA Complaint #10314300 — 2009 FLEETWOOD AMERICAN EAGLE

2007 FLEETWOOD AMERICAN ALLEGIANCE FRONT AXLE PROBLEM. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE DESIGN AND CERTIFIED RATING OF THE FRONT AXLE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW FOR THE USUAL AND INTENDED USE OF THE MOTORHOME. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY AN ENGINEER THAT THE AXLE SYSTEM WOULD BE UPGRADED ONCE A SOLUTION HAD BEEN OBTAINED. THE FRONT AXLE HAS A DESIGN AND CERTIFICATION LOAD RATING OF 14,600 POUNDS. WITH THE MOTORHOME LOADED AS SPECIFIED IN THE FLEETWOOD OWNER'S MANUAL, THE FRONT AXLE IS OVERLOADED WITHOUT CARGO. THE LOADING INCLUDES FULL FUEL, FRESH WATER TANKS, EMPTY WASTE WATER TANKS, TWO PEOPLE HAVING A COMBINED WEIGHT OF 308 POUNDS AND ZERO CARGO. THE TOTAL WEIGHT UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS, AS WEIGHED, IS 39,000 POUNDS WITH A DESIGN RATING OF 44,600. THEREFORE, THE CONSUMER SHOULD BE ABLE TO CARRY OVER 5,000 POUNDS OF CARGO. NONE OF THE DESIGNED CAPACITIES CAN BE ATTAINED WITH THE PRESENT FRONT AXLE CONFIGURATION.*JB