NHTSA Complaint #11153382 — 2016 GRAND DESIGN REFLECTION

SUSPECTED DIMINISHED BRAKING ACTION WHILE TOWING MY 2016 GRAND DESIGN 313 RLTS 37 FOOT RV. WE TOWED FROM THE NORTHEAST TO THE SOUTHWEST THIS LAST SEPTEMBER. ONCE ARRIVING AT OUR DESTINATION AND PLACING THE RV IN STORAGE I BEGAN RESEARCHING THE BRAKE SET UP. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE AXLES LIPPERT COMPONENTS, INC HAD PUT OUT A NOTICE THAT AFFECTED MY RV. THE NOTICE DESCRIBED AN ANOMALY DURING THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS WHERE TOO MUCH WHEEL BEARING GREASE WAS INTRODUCED TO THE HUB ASSEMBLY. THIS CAUSED THE SEALS TO FAIL ALLOWING THE GREASE TO CONTAMINATE THE CRITICAL BRAKE COMPONENTS. MORE SPECIFICALLY THE BRAKE LININGS, ACTIVATION MAGNETS AND THE CORRESPONDING SURFACES OF THE BRAKE DRUM THE COME IN CONTACT WITH. THIS DIMINISHES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE BRAKING ACTION SEVERELY. UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES COULD PROVE DISASTROUS. EVEN FATAL TO NOT ONLY THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER OF THE TOW VEHICLE BUT ANY OTHER PEOPLE TRAVELING ON THE SAME HIGHWAY WITH THE RV IN CLOSE PROXIMITY. LIPPERT ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM WITH ME AND SENT REPLACEMENT BRAKE SHOE ASSEMBLIES AND SEALS FOR ALL (4) WHEELS. NOT INCLUDING THE BRAKE DRUM, OR BEARING ASSEMBLIES. OR LABOR TO INSTALL THE NEW COMPONENTS. THE WHEEL ASSEMBLIES HAVE NEVER BEEN REMOVED FROM THE RV SINCE NEW. UNTIL THE INSTALLATION OF THE NEW COMPONENTS BEGAN I HAD NEVER SEEN THE EXTENT OF EXCESS GREASE CONTAMINATION I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH. PLEASE REFER TO THE ATTACHED PHOTOS. THIS MAY VERY WELL BE AN UNRESOLVED ISSUE ON OTHER RVS ON THE ROAD WITH THESE LIPPERT AXLE ASSEMBLIES. NO ONE EVER CONTACTED ME REGARDING THIS ISSUE. NOT THE RV MANUFACTURER OR LIPPERT. I HAD TO RESEARCH THIS ANOMALY ON MY OWN. PLEASE MAKE OTHERS AWARE OF THE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION ON THE BRAKES OF OTHER UNASSUMING RV OWNERS TRAVELING ON OUR HIGHWAYS.