NHTSA Complaint #10516013 — 2004 FLEETWOOD PROWLER

THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF EVENTS WHERE I HAVE FOUND LARGE STRUCTURAL CRACKS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE 5TH WHEELS FRAME..PARTICULARLY THE FRONT PIN BOX FRAME AND LOWER FRONT SUPPORT FRAME. FROM WHAT MYSELF AND OTHERS HAVE OBSERVED, WE FEEL THAT BOTH POOR WELDS, LOW QUALITY STEEL, INSUFFICIENT CROSS BRACING, AND TOO LIGHT A GAUGE OF METAL TO PROPERLY SUPPORT THE ENTIRE WEIGHT OF THIS AND OTHER TYPES OF TRAILERS. MY FRAME HAS BEEN WELDED IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS, I HAVE LOST AXLES FROM UNDER IT BECAUSE OF BROKEN OR INSUFFICIENT CROSS BRACING ON THE UNDER CARRIAGE, THE UPPER FRONT FRAME WAS RE WELDED AND SUPPOSEDLY RE BRACED A FEW YEARS BACK BY A FACTORY DEALER. WE JUST RETURNED FROM WHAT WAS TO BE OUR VACATION, AFTER PULLING OFF THE HIGHWAY TO TAKE A BREAK ON OUR TRIP WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT OF MY TRAILER HAD TORN LOSE AND WAS ABOUT TO COMPLETELY RIP FREE FROM MY TRUCK..AFTER LOOKING AT WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE STOPPED WHEN WE DID, THE METAL THAT HAD BEEN REPAIRED THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS COMPLETELY TORN LIKE A SHEET OF PAPER, THE WELDS THAT WERE TO BE FIXED LAST TIME WERE LOOKED OVER AND NEVER RE BRACED OR WELDED.. THE FRAME MANUFACTURER I AM SURE YOU FOLKS HAVE HAD PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS COMPANY. THE NAME OF COMPANY IS LIPPERT FRAMES.. LIPPERT FRAMES AT ONE TIME AND STILL DOES MANUFACTURE FRAME FOR PROBABLY 60-75% OF 5TH WHEEL AND OTHER TRAILERS TODAY..OUR CONCERN IS THAT THEY AS A MANUFACTURER WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR POOR WORKMANSHIP, LOW QUALITY MATERIALS,OR STAND BEHIND WHAT THEY BUILD, WE HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT OURSELVES OR ANY OTHER MOTORIST HAS NOT BEEN KILLED OR SEVERELY INJURED IF ONE OF THESE FRAMES COMPLETELY LET LOSE. *TR