NHTSA Complaint #10482885 — 2011 HEARTLAND CYCLONE

WHILE TRAVELING NORTH FROM SAN ANTONIO, TX TO LANCASTER, PA WITH OUR 2011 HEARTLAND CYCLONE 3950 WE HAD A SEVERE BLOWOUT ON THE DOOR SIDE OF THE FIFTH WHEEL(PASSENGER SIDE OF TRUCK). THIS BLOWOUT CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE REAR SIDE OF THE CYCLONE. THIS FIFTH WHEEL ONLY HAD 200 MILES OF TRAVEL TIME PRIOR TO LEAVING SAN ANTONIO. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON JULY 20, 2012 ABOUT 16 MILES FROM EMPORIA, VA. THE TIRES WERE THE ORIGINAL TIRES THAT WERE MOUNTED ON THE FIFTH WHEEL AT PURCHASE TIME. WE WERE DELAYED FOR AT LEAST 5 DAYS IN EMPORIA AND HAD TO HAVE A MOBILE REPAIRMAN COME OUT TO REMOVE SOME OF THE SHEET METAL SO THAT WE COULD CONTINUE ON OUR TRIP NORTH. WE ALSO HAD ALL SIX TIRES REPLACED BECAUSE OF OUR UNTRUST OF THE POWER KING TOWMASTER TIRES. DURING OUR TRIP NORTH WE STOPPED EVERY 4 HOURS AND AT THAT TIME I CHECKED THE AIR PRESSURE. THE TIRES WERE INFLATED TO 80 PSI SINCE THIS IS A VERY HEAVY FIFTH WHEEL (18,000 LBS GVWR). THESE TIRES SHOULD NOT BE USED ON ANY TYPE OF FIFTH WHEEL. THEY ARE DANGEROUS AND THANK GOODNESS NO ONE WAS INJURED. THERE WAS NO DEBRIS THAT WAS RUN OVER AND IT WAS A MODERATE TEMPERATURE THAT DAY (85 DEGREES). *TR