NHTSA Complaint #10386690 — 2001 NEWMAN SLED BED TRAILER
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS issue reported to NHTSA
Complaint Details
| ODI Number | 10386690 |
| Vehicle | 2001 NEWMAN SLED BED TRAILER |
| Component | STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS |
| Date of Incident | |
| Date Filed | |
| Mileage | N/A miles |
| Crash | No |
| Fire | No |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Vehicle Towed | No |
| State | NY |
Consumer Description
FAILURE OF BOLTS WHICH COUPLE TILTING SNOWMOBILE TRAILER FRAME/AXLE SECTION TO HITCH (TONGUE) SECTION. UPON RETURN FROM SNOWMOBILING TRIP, WHEN TILTING TRAILER TO UNLOAD SLEDS, BOTH MAIN BOLTS HOLDING TRAILER TOGETHER BROKE OFF, LEAVING THE HITCH (TONGUE) SECTION COMPLETELY FREE OF THE TRAILER. INCREDIBLY LUCKY TRAILER DID NOT SEPARATE ON THE HIGHWAY, AS HITCH (TONGUE) SECTION WOULD HAVE STAYED WITH TOWING VEHICLE AND TRAILER WITH CARGO WOULD HAVE GONE INTO TRAFFIC, UNCONTROLLED. TWO 1/2 X 5" BOLTS ARE ALL THAT HOLD TRAILER & AXLE SECTION TO THE HITCH (TONGUE) SECTION, AND ALLOW THE BODY OF THE TRAILER TO TILT. THERE IS NO PROVISION FOR LUBRICATING THE BOLTS AND TILTING COMPONENTS. AS A RESULT SEVERE CORROSION BETWEEN THE ALUMINUM BUSHINGS AND STEEL BOLTS OCCURRED, CAUSING THE BOLTS TO FRACTURE. TRAILER DESIGN DOES NOT HAVE A PIN THAT WOULD COUPLE THE TONGUE SECTION TO THE TRAILER BODY WHILE TOWING, WHICH COULD EASILY PREVENT THE TWO SECTIONS FROM COMING APART. *TR