NHTSA Complaint #10735477 — 2015 FOREST RIVER SHASTA

THIS IS FOR A 2015 FOREST RIVER SHASTA AIRFLYTE REISSUE 19 FOOT TRAVEL TRAILER, PRODUCTION # 1301. I BELIEVE THE OEM LEAF SUSPENSION SYSTEM AND PASSENGER TIRES ARE UNSAFE AND WILL LEAD TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, INJURY, OR DEATH. THE WHEEL WELL CLEARANCE IS NOT SUFFICIENT FOR THE OEM TIRES AND LEAF SUSPENSION SYSTEM ON THE TRAILER. ALSO, THE OEM TIRES ARE COKER WHITEWALL PASSENGER VEHICLE TIRES. I BELIEVE TRAVEL TRAILERS MUST BE MANUFACTURED WITH OEM TRAILER/CARGO TIRES WHICH HAVE STIFFER SIDEWALLS. I WAS UNAWARE OF THESE CONCERNS UNTIL AN ONLINE FORUM RECOMMENDED I CHECK MY TRAILER. I HAD RECENTLY COMPLETED AN APPROXIMATELY 1,000 MILE ROUND TRIP AND WHEN I CHECKED MY TRAILER UPON RETURN, I FOUND THE TIRES HAD BEEN RUBBING THE WHEEL WELLS BOTH ON TOP OF THE TIRES AND ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRES. THE LEFT TIRE HAS ALREADY EXHIBITED TROUBLING SIDEWALL WEAR ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE.. THERE IS LESS THAN 2 INCHES OF CLEARANCE BETWEEN TOP OF TIRES AND WHEEL WELL AND LESS THAN 1 INCH CLEARANCE BETWEEN INSIDE OF TIRES AND WHEEL WELL. FOREST RIVER SHASTA HAS A WARRANTY REPAIR WHICH REPLACES THE REAR LEAF SPRING SHACKLES WITH ONES THAT ARE LONGER BUT THIS ONLY INCREASES THE ABOVE TIRE CLEARANCE BY ANOTHER INCH. THIS DOES NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE INSIDE CLEARANCE OF THE TIRE TO THE WHEEL WELL. WITH THE OEM SUSPENSION SYSTEM, THE TRAILER EXHIBITS EXCESSIVE SWAY EVEN WITH AN AFTERMARKET PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED CURT ANTI-SWAY KIT. I FEAR THE WARRANTY INSTALLED LONGER LEAF SPRING SHACKLES COUPLED WITH THE COKER PASSENGER TIRES WILL ONLY AGGRAVATE THE EXCESSIVE SWAY ISSUE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, FOREST RIVER SHASTA HAS NOT ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS CONDITION.