NHTSA Complaint #10346837 — 1997 JAYCO DESIGNER

THE 6" CHANNEL WELDED ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE FIFTH WHEEL PIN BOX BROKE IN HALF CAUSING THE TRAILER TO DROP.THIS IS THE POINT OF ATTACHMENT OF THE FIFTH WHEEL TO THE TOW VEHICLE. THE CHANNEL SUPPORTS THE FRONT PART OF THE KING PIN BOX. ON REMOVAL OF THE SHEET METAL UNDER THE GOOSENECK PART OF THE TRAILER IT EXPOSED THE CHANNEL BROKE INTO ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PIN BOX, THE METAL ON THE LEFT SIDE RIPPED OPEN, THE BACK OF THE PIN BOX ATTACHMENT BROKE LOOSE AND METAL RIPPED OUT. ONE WELD WAS BROKEN. I HAVE BEEN INTOUCH WITH JAYCO BUT THEY SAY IT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. THEY SAY THAT THIS UNIT IS 13 YEARS OLD AND I WILL HAVE TO REPAIR. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE METAL USED FOR THIS MAJOR STRESS POINT IS TO THIN AND INFERIOR. THE CONTINUED FLEXING OF THESE COMPONENTS CAUSE THEM TO BREAK AFTER TIME AND THE RESULT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE TOW VEHICLE AS WELL AS OTHER UNSUSPECTING MOTORIST. REPAIR OF THIS WILL ONLY MOVE THE FLEX POINT TO THE SIDE OF THE WELD AND AGAIN AFTER CONTINUOUS FLEXING BREAK AGAIN. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE HANDLED ASAP. THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW MANY UNITS ARE TRAVELING OUR HIGHWAYS THAT ARE ONLY SECONDS AWAY FROM TRAGEDY. I HAVE PICTURES TO SHOW IF SO NEEDED. *TR