2006 AIRSTREAM CLASSIC — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKE SYSTEM UPDATE HTTP://WWW.AIRFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/F439/HYDRAULIC-DISC-BRAKE-PROBLEM-61126.HTML#POST841497 POSTED BY: ON: 04-24-2010 09:39 AM WHEN WE PULLED THE WHEEL FROM THE AXLE POSITION THAT HAD GIVEN PROBLEMS, WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE AN EXACT CAUSE FOR THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY NOT RELEASING PROPERLY ON ONE WHEEL. WE DISCUSSED THE ISSUE WITH AS, DEXTER, AND J. D. SANDERS PERSONNEL, BUT NO ONE HAD A DEFINITIVE ANSWER. TWO THINGS THAT WE DID DISCOVER WERE AS FOLLOWS: THE FLEXIBLE BRAKE HOSES THAT RUN BETWEEN THE CALIPER ASSEMBLIES AND THE STEEL BRAKE LINES WERE BENT 90 DEGREES (+/-) AT THE POINT WHERE THE FLEXIBLE HOSE SCREWS INTO THE CALIPER ASSEMBLY. THIS BEND WAS A FORCED BEND IN THE FLEXIBLE PORTION OF THE HOSE. THE ROUTING OF THE FLEXIBLE BRAKE HOSES WAS SUCH THAT ALL FOUR OF THE HOSES HAD SIGNIFICANT ABRASION ON THE EXTERNAL SURFACE FROM RUBBING ON VARIOUS POINTS WITHIN THE FENDER WELL. ONE OF THE HOSES WAS WORN WELL DOWN INTO THE INNER BRAIDED PORTION OF THE HOSE. BASED ON MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS UNIT, AND HIS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE ORIGINAL OWNER (WE ARE THE THIRD OWNER), THIS UNIT WOULD HAVE APPROXIMATELY 5,000 (+/-) MILES ON IT. ONE WOULD NOT EXPECT TO FIND WHAT WE DID ON A UNIT WITH THIS FEW MILES. ON 04/21/2010, WE REPLACED ALL FOUR FLEXIBLE HOSE ASSEMBLIES AND RE-ROUTED THEM IN A WAY THAT WILL ELIMINATE THE EXTERNAL CHAFFING PROBLEM. BASED ON OUR FINDINGS, ALL OWNERS OF AS TT'S WITH HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKES WOULD BE WISE TO HAVE THEIR UNITS INSPECTED FOR FLEXIBLE BRAKE HOSE DAMAGE. *TR

FAX FM OWNER OF A 30 INCH AIR STREAM CLASSIC TRAVEL TRAILER EXPERIENCING TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE DEFECT. *TS INSPECTION OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL SHOWED EXCESSIVE BRAKE DUST. ON REMOVAL OF THE WHEEL IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE TWO LOWER BOLTS OF THE CALIPER ASSEMBLY WERE MISSING AS WAS THE MIDDLE BOLT. A NUT WAS ALSO MISSING ON ONE OF THE TWO TOP BOLTS. THE BRAKE PAD AND CALIPER WERE DESTROYED BEYOND REPAIR. WHEN THE OTHER THREE WHEELS WERE INSPECTED IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT MOST OF THE NUTS ON THE CALIPER BOLTS WERE LOOSE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE BRAKE PROBLEM REVEALED A BURNED OUT BRAKE PUMP WHICH QUIT WORKING DUE TO LOSS OF ALL BRAKE FLUID. *NM

ON 28 APRIL 06 I TOOK DELIVERY OF A 30 AIRSTREAM CLASSIC TRAILER FROM BATES RV, TAMPA, FL. A FEW DAYS AFTER WE TRAVELED TO OUR RESIDENCE IN CRESTVIEW, FL I NOTICED THAT THE ROADSIDE REAR WHEEL WAS COVERED WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE BLACK BRAKE DUST. I NOTIFIED THE DEALER QUICKLY, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO ARRANGE A SERVICE INSPECTION BY LEISURE TIME RV, FORT WALTON BEACH,FL. THE UNIT WAS DELIVERED FOR WARRANTY SERVICE/INSPECTION THIS MORNING. EARLY THIS AFTERNOON I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO TOLD ME THAT THEY FOUND THE BOTTOM BOLT IN THE CALIPER ASSEMBLY MISSING AND THAT THE TOP BOLT WAS VERY LOOSE. MY DEALER, BATES RV IN TAMPA,FL PROVIDED EVERY ASSISTANCE IN ARRANGING SHIPMENT OF REPLACEMENT PART, AND WAS VERY REGRETFUL AND EMBARRASSED BY THIS APPARENT TOTAL LACK OF QUALITY CONTROL IN THE AIRSTREAM FACTORY. THIS DEFECT COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A FIRE OR A TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. AGAIN, I RESPECTFULLY REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE NOTICE BE ISSUED VOLUNTARILY OR MANDATED BY YOUR AGENCY TO HAVE ALL POSSIBLY AFFECTED UNITS RECALLED FOR THOROUGH SAFETY INSPECTIONS. IN YOUR RESPONSE TO ME, PLEAS E COPY MY WORK EMAIL ADDRESS, WHICH IS [email protected]. IN RETROSPECT, I THINK MOST PARTIES WILL AGREE THAT MY WIFE AND I WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO MAKE THE 400 MILE TRIP FROM TAMPA TO OUR HOME IN CRESTVIEW WITHOUT MAJOR INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT. I REQUEST THIS MATTER BE IMMEDIATELY INVESTIGATED AND APPROPRIATE ACTION FORCED ON THE MANUFACTURER, AIRSTREAM WHICH IS A SUBSIDIARY OF THOR INDUSTRIES. HATE TO THINK OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO OTHER OWNERS OF NEW AIRSTREAM TRAILERS. *NM *AK UPDATED 06/05/06