NHTSA Complaint #11209790 — 2018 GRAND DESIGN REFLECTION

THE SUSPENSION HANGER, THE PIECE THAT HOLDS LEAF SPRING AND IS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME OF THE TRAILER, BROKE CLEAN THROUGH ON INBOARD REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE SUSPENSION FAILURE WAS DISCOVERED WHILE PARKED AND DURING ROUTINE LUBRICATION OF THE SUSPENSION WET BOLTS. THE COMPONENT IS AN INVERTED U BRACKET, THE TOP OF WHICH ATTACHES TO THE TRAILER FRAME, THE ARMS OF WHICH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH A WET BOLT PROVIDE THE MOUNTING LOCATION FOR THE REAR EYE OF THE LEAF SPRING. ONE LEG OF THIS U BRACKET, AND CONSEQUENTLY ONE END OF THE BOLT ATTACHING THE LEAF SPRING TO THE BODY COMPLETELY FAILED, BREAKING CLEAN AWAY FROM THE FRAME. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE REAR DRIVER SIDE LEAF SPRING BRACKET HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK, BUT HAS NOT PROPAGATED THROUGH THE ENTIRE ARM OF THE BRACKET. FORTUNATELY THIS SUSPENSION FAILURE WAS DISCOVERED WHILE THIS 10,000LB VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND FAIRLY EARLY AS THE ARM OF THE SUSPENSION HAD NOT YET HUNG TO A HANGING POSITION. WITH THE OTHER HANGER BEGINNING TO FAIL, THIS VEHICLE WOULD POSE A SIGNIFICANT HAZARD TO PERSONS AND PROPERTY WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD, IT HAS BEEN TRAILERED LESS THAN 3000 MILES, HAS BEEN LOADED WITHIN GVWR LIMITS, HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, HAS SUSTAINED NO BODY DAMAGE. *DT CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER OF THE FRAME AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. CARFAX CANNOT PROCESS THIS REQUEST. *JB