NHTSA Complaint #10693302 — 2005 FOREST RIVER SIERRA

ISSUE - ONE OF TWO OF THE MAIN SUPPORT BEAMS IN PIN BOX CRACKED DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT BECAUSE OF INCOMPLETE WELD IN THE FRONT PORTION OF THE PIN BOX FRAME. DETAILS-WHILE RETURNING FROM A 5 WEEK (6,200 MILE) VACATION IN AUGUST IN 2013 I NOTICED A SMALL CRACK IN THE FIBERGLASS SIDE PANEL ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE PIN BOX (BELOW SLIDE OUT TO LEFT). THE CRACK GREW LONGER OVER TIME AND A SECOND CRACKED BEGAN TO APPEAR (ABOVE SLIDE OUT TO RIGHT); THE SHEET METAL UNDER THE HITCH PIN ALSO BEGAN SAG AND THE TRIM WAS PULLING AWAY FROM THE TRAILER. I REMOVED THE PROPANE TANKS TO INSPECT UNDER THE AREA WHERE THE HITCH PIN AND THE FRAME CONNECT. I DISCOVERED ONE OF THE TWO MAIN SUPPORT BEAMS WAS CRACKED COMPLETELY THROUGH. I REMOVED THE SHEET METAL UNDER THE HITCH PIN AND DISCOVERED THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE CORNER OF THE HITCH PIN HAD SPLIT AT THE WELD; IT HAD ONLY BEEN SPOTTED WELDED IN ONE SPOT. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CORNER OF THE HITCH PIN HAD A COMPLETE WELD AT THE CORNER. I WAS SURPRISED TO DISCOVER HOW THIN THE GAUGE OF THE METAL USED IN THE HITCH PIN AREA AND THAT THE INCOMPLETE WELD WAS NOT CAUGHT DURING QC. I FEEL THE LACK OF QA FROM THE FRAME BUILDER (LCI) AND THE RV MANUFACTURER (FOREST RIVER) CONTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO THE FAILURE OF THE FRAME WELD SEPARATING AND THE FRAME CRACKING IN HALF. I HAVE HAD HEARD OF OTHER FRAME FAILURES WITH LCI AND FOREST RIVER AND BELIEVE THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. I AM GRATEFUL WE DID NOT EXPERIENCE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WHILE TRAVELING THAT COULD HAVE COST US OURS LIVES AND/OR THE LIVES OF OTHERS. I HAVE MANY PICTURES AVAILABLE AS WELL. *TR