NHTSA Complaint #10336941 — 2003 3 TON UTILITY 3EC14

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 RINGO G20 TRAILER. WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, THE GOOSE NECK FRACTURED AND CAUSED UNKNOWN DAMAGES TO THE REAR OF THE CONTACTS TRAILER. THE DEALER MADE A TEMPORARY REPAIR TO THE TRAILER IN ORDER FOR THE CONTACT TO DRIVE TO HIS RESIDENCE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND HE WAS AWAITING A RETURN CALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 08/24/10.*LJ UPDATED 08/25/10 THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED HE HAD TO REPLACE SIX TIRES DUE TO LACK OF TREAD. IT WAS DETERMINED EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR WAS THE RESULT OF AN EXCESSIVE REARWARD WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION WHEN THE BACKHOE WAS LOADED ON THE TRAILER. THE IMPROPER WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION WAS EVIDENT BY THE INABILITY OF THE AXLE SUSPENSION TO LEVEL OUT AND BY THE TONGUE BEING LESS THAN APPROPRIATE. NORMAL TONGUE WEIGHT SHOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THE GROSS TRAILER WEIGHT. HOWEVER, THE WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER WAS 5300 POUNDS AND THE WEIGHT OF THE KABOTA BACKHOE WAS 7800 WHICH WAS A TOTAL WEIGHT OF 13,100 POUNDS. ACCORDINGLY, THE TONGUE WEIGHT FOR THE LOADED TRAILED SHOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 1300 POUNDS. A DIAGNOSIS REVEALED THE FAILURE OF THE GOOSE NECK AND THE EXCESSIVE WEAR WAS THE RESULT OF IMPROPER DESIGN OF THE TRAILER. UPDATED 05/18/12 **05/31/12 LN** THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE GOOSE NECK TRAILER WAS NOT DEFECTIVE. THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO LEVEL THE TRAILER BECAUSE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE DECK AND THE BOTTOM OF THE EYEBEAM WAS ONLY 25 INCHES AND THE EYBEAM SHOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH HIGHER. AN ADDITIONAL FLAW MADE BY THE MANUFACTURER WAS ADDING AN ADDITIONAL AXLE WHICH CAUSED MORE ISSUES. WHEN THE AXLE WAS ADDED THEY WERE NO MOVED TO THEIR PROPER LOCATION. IN ADDITION, ADDING THE AXLE CAUSED THE TRAILER TO EXCEED THE REQUIRED WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION FOR A 12,000 LB TRAILER. THE CONSUMER'S CLAIM WAS DENIED. UPDATED 06/12/12