NHTSA Complaint #10764015 — 2000 NEWMAR LONDON AIRE

THE BALL JOINTS FAIL PREMATURELY ON SPARTAN CHASSES. THEY ARE SEALED UNITS, WHICH DO NOT ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL GREASE TO BE ADDED TO THIS VITAL COMPONENT WHILE SEVERAL OTHER COMPONENTS ON THE CHASSIS REQUIRE ROUTINE LUBRICATION. THE BOOTS FAIL AND THIS ALLOWS GRIT INTO THE JOINTS. ONCE THIS HAPPENS, THE JOINTS CAN FAIL AT ANT TIME. THERE IS NO REMEDY TO THE OEM PARTS EXCEPT REPLACEMENT AT SOME $2500. FAILURE TO REPLACE CAN BE CATROSTOPHIC AS BOTH THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND STEERING ARE AFFECTED. SPARTAN STATES IT IS NORMAL FOR THE BOOT TO FAIL AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND RHWY HAVE REPLACES A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THESE PARTS AT OWNERS EXPENSE. POLYMER TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN AVAILABLE FOR DECADES TO MANUFACTURE A BOOT THAT DOES NOT FAIL FOR DECADES. THEY SHOULD HAVE USED THIS TECHNOLOGY WHEN SPECIFYING THE MATERIAL OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE BOOTS. ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE IS TO SIMPLY MAKE THIS A GREASE JOINT TO ALLOW FOR ROUTINE LUBRICATION AS IS DONE FOR THE OTHER SUSPENTION PARTS. THE PARTS WITH PROPER LUBRICATION FITTINGSOR THE BALL JOINTS ON OTHER CHASSIS WITH PROPER MATERIAL OF CONTRUCTION DO NOT HAVE THE FAILURE RATE OF THE BALL JOINTSON THESE SPARTAN CHASSES.