NHTSA Complaint #10560921 — 2012 HEARTLAND CYCLONE

ON AUGUST 30 2013 WHILE MERGING WESTBOUND ONTO INTERSTATE 40 FROM EXIT 196 IN MORIARTY NM AT 7:35 PM I SAW (FROM MY RIGHT SIDE MIRROR) A HUGE PIECE OF TREAD FLYING OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAMPER. SINCE I WAS ONLY MERGING ONTO I40, MY SPEED NEVER EXCEEDED 45 MPH. WHEN THE TREAD FLEW OUT FROM THE WHEEL, IT JETTISONED APPROXIMATELY 6 FEET INTO THE AIR. A TRACTOR-TRAILER WAS IN THE LEFT LANE AND MADE A HARD LEFT ONTO THE ROAD?S SHOULDER TO AVOID THE FLYING TREAD. HAD THIS BEEN A CAR AND THE DRIVER NOT NOTICED THE TIRE COMING APART, IT COULD HAVE HIT THE CAR?S SIDE OR WINDSHIELD. AFTER THE ROADSIDE SERVICE CHANGED THE TIRE OUT BY PUTTING ON THE SPARE, WE DID AN INSPECTION ON THE REMAINING FOUR OEM TIRES STILL IN SERVICE. WE DISCOVERED ONE TIRE THAT WAS EXCESSIVELY OVERSIZED AND ROUNDED OUT, INDICATING IT TOO WAS ABOUT TO GIVE WAY, (MOUNTED ON THE RIGHT, REAR AXLE). LUCKILY, THE ROADSIDE SERVICE HAD A TRAILER TIRE (SAME TIRE TYPE THAT I PURCHASED AT DISCOUNT TIRE AFTER THE FIRST TIRE FAILURE) AND A TIRE CHANGER IN HIS VEHICLE. I PURCHASED IT FOR $172.15, THE ROADSIDE SERVICE TOOK THE SECOND FAILED TIRE OFF THE RIM AND REPLACED IT WITH THE NEW TIRE. THE TOY HAULER HAS A18,000-POUND GVW AND AT NO TIME WAS THE WEIGHT ANYWHERE NEAR THIS MARK. I DID NOT HAVE A ?TOY? OR SMALL CAR IN THE GARAGE AREA. ADDITIONALLY, PRIOR TO PULLING THE TOY HAULER, I EMPTIED BOTH GRAY TANKS, BLACK TANK, AND KEEP ONLY A FEW GALLONS OF FRESH WATER ON-BOARD. HEARTLAND AND TBC?S ENGINEERS SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO SEE IF THESE 10 PLY TIRES ARE ADEQUATE FOR THE TOY HAULER?S DESIGN. SHANDONG HENGDENG RUBBER AND PLASTIC CO. LTD LOCATED IN CHINA MANUFACTURED THE TIRES BETWEEN MARCH ? APRIL 2011. THE TIRE SEPARATED AND A HUGE PIECE OF TREAD JETTISONED FROM UNDER MY TOY HAULER COULD HAVE CAUSED A GRAVE BODILY INJURY/DEATH ACCIDENT MUCH LESS INVOLVING YEARS OF COST AND LITIGATION TO ALL PARTIES INVOLVED. *TR