NHTSA Complaint #10628586 — 2007 FOREST RIVER WILDCAT

WE HAD A 2007 FOREST RIVER WILDCAT 5TH WHEEL 28 FT. WE WERE COMPLETING OUR CROSS COUNTRY TRIP THAT WE STARTED IN FLORIDA. WE WERE IN CALIFORNIA AND AS WE WERE COMING OFF THE HIGHWAY, WE HEARD A STRANGE CLANGING SOUND. THERE HAPPENED TO BE A CAMPING WORLD NEAR WHERE WE WERE AND SO WE PULLED IN. WHEN THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE FIFTH WHEEL, HE NOTICED THAT THE HITCH WAS ONLY AN INCH OR TWO FROM THE BED OF THE TRUCK. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE FRAME OF THE PIN HITCH WAS CRACKED IN A NUMBER OF SPOTS AND THAT WAS WHAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEE WITHOUT TAKING OFF THE FRONT OF THE UNIT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY CAME OUT AND TOTALED IT. WE THEN HAD TO PACK ALL OF OUR THINGS IN A U-HAUL AND TOW THAT BACK TO FLORIDA. WHEN WE GOT EVERYTHING OUT, WE COULD SEE THAT OUR CLOSET WAS COMPLETELY BUCKLED AND PUSHED UP FROM THE PIN HITCH. WE WERE LUCKY THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN WHEN WE WERE GOING 60-65 MPH. THIS WAS THE 4TH 5TH WHEEL THAT IT HAS HAPPENED TO THAT I KNOW OF. *TR