NHTSA Complaint #10439254 — 2010 FOREST RIVER CARDINAL

SHACKLE PLATE BOLTS WERE TIGHT WITH LOCK NUTS BUT ALL OF THE BOLT HOLES ON THE 8 SHACKLE PLATES (2 ON EACH PLATE SO 16 HOLES) WERE WALLERED CAUSING EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR, BLOWOUTS, AND TRAILER FENDERSKIRT DAMAGE. FOREST RIVER WARRANTY ADMINISTRATOR CLAIMS THE CONSUMER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CHECKING SHACKLE BOLTS HOWEVER SINCE THE BOLTS WERE TIGHT, DAMAGE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. FORTUNATELY THE PROBLEM WAS DETECTED BY THE CONSUMER BEFORE THE SHACKLE PLATES BROKE AND AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. FACTORY REPLACEMENT SHACKLES WERE 1/2 INCH THICK WHEREAS ORIGINAL PARTS WERE 1/4 INCH THICK. FOREST RIVER NEEDS TO USE THE THICKER SHACKLES INITIALLY RATHER THAN WAITING TO SEE IF THE TRAILER SURPASSES THEIR ONE YEAR WARRANTY. OUR UNIT WAS 14 MONTHS OLD BUT THE PROBLEM WOULD HAVE DEVELOPED SOONER IF WE HAD TRAVELED MORE MILES. HAD THE SHACKLE PLATES BROKE WHILE TRAVELING DOWN ONE OF THE MOUNTAIN PASSES IN COLORADO, WE MAY NOT BE HERE TO WARN OTHERS. *TR