NHTSA Complaint #760180 — 2001 INDIAN SPIRIT

THE VEHICLE WEAVES OUT OF CONTROL AT VARIABLE SPEEDS, THE 2002 MODELS ALL HAVE HAD REAR SWING ARM REDESIGNED AND STRENGHTENED BUT THESE WILL NOT FIT EARLIER MODELS. I BELIEVE THIS WEAVING IS CAUSED BY THE SWING ARM FLEXING. THIS WILL CAUSE CRASHES IN THE RIGHT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES. I ALSO BELIEVE THE MANUFATURER KNOWS THIS AND THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE CHANGED THE DESIGN, BUT HAVE NOT CORRECTED THIS IN THE EARLIER MODELS. THIS WEAKER SWING ARM DESIGN WAS USED ON 1999 TO 2001 SPIRITS, SCOUT, AND CHIEF MODELS. IT HAPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES ON FLAT DRY ROAD SURFACES WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES INFRONT TO CAUSE WIND DISTURBANCE, AND STRAIGHT AWAY ROADS. FLEXING BECOMES WORSE ON TURNS. THE CHANGE OF DESIGN SHOWS A KNOWLEGE ON THE PART OF THE MANUFACTURER, AS WELL AS THERE 2002 MODEL BROCHURES STATING THE RENFORCEMENT OF THE NEW SWING ARM, THAT THIS PROBLEM IS KNOW BUT IGNORED.