NHTSA Complaint #11340926 — 2020 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD

I'VE HAD THE PROBLEM OF FISHTAILING WITH MY FOREST RIVER 2020 ROCKWOOD ULTRA LITE, MODEL 2608BS TRAILER, WHEN TOWING ON THE HIGHWAY. I BELIEVE THE AXLES ARE MOUNTED TOO FAR FORWARD CAUSING A SWAY PROBLEM WHEN WEIGHT IS PLACED AT THE BACK END OF THIS MODEL. SAFETY AND ENGINEERED DESIGN OF THIS MODEL SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. THE FRESH WATER TANK HOLDS 60 GALLONS AND IS DEFINITELY AT THE REAR BEHIND THE AXLES. I DO FILL THE 60 GALLON FRESH WATER TANK @ 8.345 LBS. PER GALLON WHICH MEANS I CARRY A MINIMUM OF 500 LBS. OF FLUID. THE BLACK WATER TANK HOLDS 45 GALLONS AND ONE OF THE GRAY WATER TANKS (WHICH I ESTIMATE) HOLDS 45 GALLONS ARE BOTH BEHIND THE AXLES. SO, THESE TWO TANKS COMBINED WITH THE WEIGHT OF THE FRESH WATER TANK MEANS AT LEAST 150 GALLONS COULD BE HELD NEAR THE REAR WHICH EQUATE TO 1250 LBS. OF WEIGHT IF ALL WERE FULL. THE LARGEST STORAGE AREA IS AT THE REAR OF THIS TRAILER AND ACCESSED THROUGH AN EXTERIOR COMPARTMENT DOOR. HEAVY TOOLS, COOKING GRILLS, ELECTRIC CORDS, WATER HOSES, ETC CAN BE CARRIED IN THIS COMPARTMENT. THE BEDROOM IS AT THE BACK OF THIS TRAILER; PERSONAL ITEMS, CLOTHING, ETC ADD WEIGHT BEHIND THE AXLES. A HITCH-MOUNTED CARGO CARRIER AT THE REAR LOADED WITH EQUIPMENT COULD CAUSE MORE SWAY. MY VEHICLE HAS SUFFICIENT TOWING CAPACITY AND IS PROPERLY SET UP INCLUDING AN ANTI-SWAY BAR YET THERE IS TOO MUCH SWAY. I AM AWARE OF VARIABLES THAT CAN CAUSE SWAY WHEN TOWING, I.E. WIND GUSTS, TRACTOR TRAILERS PASSING; THESE ARE TO BE EXPECTED. I ATTRIBUTE MUCH OF THE SWAY TO THE AXLES BEING TOO FAR FORWARD WHICH HAS BEEN ONGOING WHEN I TOW THE TRAILER WHICH BEGAN OCTOBER 18, 2019. I AM THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER OF THIS FOREST RIVER 2020 ROCKWOOD ULTRA LITE TRAVEL TRAILER, MODEL 2608BS. IT WAS NEWLY DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED FOR THE 2020 MODEL YEAR. I PURCHASED IT IN SEPTEMBER 2019 FROM ALOHA RV NORTH IN BERNALILLO NM.*DT*JB