NHTSA Complaint #10339402 — 2007 SHORELAND'R SLR46TBB

I WAS PULLING MY BOAT ON A DUAL AXEL SHORELAND'R BOAT TRAILER EQUIPPED WITH A FOLDING OR SWING TONGUE. THE TONGUE IS HELD IN PLACE WITH A STEEL PIN EIGHT INCHES LONG. THE TRAILER HIT A BUMP AND THE PIN SHEARED IN HALF. ABOUT FIVE MILES LATER THE PIN RELEASED AND THE TRAILER TONGUE FOLDED PUTTING THE REAR OF THE BOAT INTO THE ONCOMING LANE OF TRAFFIC. THE BOW OF THE BOAT HIT THE TOW VEHICLE CAUSING $4,000 OF DAMAGE. THE PIN SELECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER HAS THREE HOLES DRILLED ON THE SHAFT. THE BREAK OCCURRED THROUGH ONE OF THE HOLES. THIS PIN IS CLEARLY NOT SUITABLE FOR THIS USE. OTHER TRAILER MANUFACTURERS USE A SOLID PIN OF GREATER TENSILE STRENGTH. UPDATED 06/22/10 *BF *TR