NHTSA Complaint #10819989 — 2012 DRV ELITE SUITE

A SHACKLE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE LEAF SPRING TO THE FRAME OF THE TRAILER BROKE. THIS CAUSED THE AXLE TO MOVE FORWARD. LUCKILY THIS OCCURRED AT VERY LOW SPEED (I WAS TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT). WHEN THE AXLE MOVED FORWARD THE TIRE BEGAN TO RUB AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE TRAILER. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE TIRE WOULD HAVE BLOWN OUT AND EXTENSIVE DAMAGE WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO THE SIDE PANELS OF THE TRAILER. A TIRE BLOW OUT COULD HAVE ALSO CAUSED THE TRAILER TO BECOME UNSTABLE RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT IF I HAD LOST CONTROL OF THE TRUCK AND TRAILER. THE TRAILER IS A FIFTH WHEEL TYPE TRAVEL TRAILER. THERE WAS NO REASON WHY THIS BOLT BROKE. THE TRAILER IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND HAD BEEN USED VERY LITTLE. I HAVE HAD THE SHACKLE BOLT REPLACED AT A RV DEALER. THEY TOLD ME THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS VERY VERY RARE. THE MECHANIC THAT REPLACED THE SHACKLE BOLT HAD NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF FAILURE ON A RV TRAVEL TRAILER. SOON AFTER I DECIDED TO HAVE ALL 14 SHACKLE BOLTS REPLACED TO ENSURE THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT RE-APPEAR. THE COMPANY THAT REPLACED THE BOLTS ALSO HAD NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM ON A TRAVEL TRAILER. ANOTHER RV DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. I EVEN WENT SO FAR TO GO TO A RV FORUM WEBSITE TO ELICIT COMMENTS FROM OTHER RV OWNERS ON THIS MATTER. A NUMBER OF COMMENTS SAID THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO REPLACE ALL THE SHACKLE BOLTS. FINALLY I CONTACTED THE TRAILER MANUFACTURER - DRV. THEY ASKED FOR A PICTURE OF THE BROKEN BOLT WHICH I SENT TO THEM. I ALSO SENT THEM THE BROKEN BOLT AND A FEW SAMPLES OF THE SHACKLE BOLTS THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED. WHEN I ASKED IF THEY INTENDED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS DRV REPLIED THEY WOULD BE TAKING NO ACTION ON THIS ISSUE.