NHTSA Complaint #10339578 — 2008 HEARTLAND CYCLONE

APRIL 2007, TIRE BLOWOUT ON NEW 2008 HEARTLAND CYCLONE 5TH WHEEL TRAILER MDL 4012, FORCE OF THE BLOWOUT BENT FRONT AXLE. DISCOVERED AXLE RATING 5200 AND TIRES SIZE 225 75R15 D RATING 65PSI, TIRES INSUFFICIENT FOR WEIGHT OF TRAILER, TRAILER NEEDS E RATED 80PSI TIRES. CONSULTED WITH SAFETY EXPERT FROM RECREATIONAL VEHICLE SAFETY EDUCATION FOUNDATION WHO VERIFIED THE TIRES DID NOT MEET THE STANDARDS OF FEDERAL GUIDELINES AS TO THE WEIGHT IT COULD SUPPORT OF THE AXLES RATED AT 5200LBS. CONFERENCE CALL WITH SAFETY EXPERT AND REPS FROM HEARTLAND WHO ARTICULATED THE SPECS OF THE TRAILER, AND AGAIN THE SAFETY EXPERT COMMUNICATED THE TIRES WERE UNSAFE AND INSUFFICIENT FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER. HEARING WHAT THE EXPERT HAD TO SAY HEARTLAND NOW CHANGED THEIR STORY TO A POSSIBLE TYPO AS TO THE WEIGHT OF THE AXLES THEY SHOULD BE RATED AT 5080 LBS. END RESULT HEARTLAND AGREED TO REPLACE MY TIRES WITH 7 NEW TIRES AND WHEELS WITH A E RATING AND A 80 PSI ELEMENT TO MEET THE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AS OUT LINED BY THE SAFETY EXPERT. HEARTLAND SHIPPED THE TIRES THE DEALER PUT THEM ON THE 5TH WHEEL. NOV 23 ,2009 I WAS INFORMED BY A TIRE COMPANY THE VALVE STEMS ON MY TIRES WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION THEY WERE FOR A 65 PSI TIRE NOT AN 80 PSI TIRE THAT THEY WERE INSTALLED IN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I FEEL HEARTLAND IS PUSHING THE ENVELOPE PUTTING PEOPLES LIVES IN DANGER. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN WILLING TO CORRECT THE VALVE STEM ISSUE, BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO RECORDS OF EVER SENDING THE REPLACEMENT TIRES OUT. AND NOW I RECEIVED A REGISTERED LETTER WITH A NEW FEDERAL STICKER TO PUT ON MY 5TH WHEEL WITH A NEW AXLE RATING DOWN TO 5080. I TRULY BELIEVE THEY KNEW THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES AND INSTEAD OF UPGRADING THE TIRES THEY WORKED THE SYSTEM TO GET A NEW FEDERAL STICKER APPROVED INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE TIRES. I ALSO JUST FOUND OUT THAT SAME COACH HAS BEEN RE-ENGINEERED TO USE 16 IN TIRES WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. *TR