2012 FOREST RIVER CEDAR CREEK — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

THREE TIRES HAVE VARIOUS STAGES OF STEEL COMING OUT OF THE SIDE BETWEEN THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL WITH ONLY 4000 MILES OF USE. TIRE BRAND IS TRAIL EXPRESS POWER TOURING 235/80/16 SUPPLIED BY LIONS HEAD TIRE AND WHEEL. COMPANY IS UNWILLING TO REPLACE FAULTY TIRES. TRAILER WAS BEING TOWED ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH WHEN THE FIRST TIRE DISPLAYED LOW AIR WITH BULGE. TRAILER WAS PULLED OVER AND STEEL WAS HANGING OUT OF THE SIDE OF THE TIRE AND AIR LEAKING OUT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION TWO OTHER TIRES WERE DISCOVERED ONE WITH WIRE HANGING OUT OF THE SIDE AND ONE WITH JUST A TEAR/ BULGE JUST LIKE THE OTHERS BUT WITH NO WIRES HANGING OUT. LIONSHEAD TIRE AND WHEEL COMPANY WAS CONTACTED BUT NO SOLUTION OR REPLACEMENT TIRES SUPPLIED. NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AS FLAT WAS DISCOVERED BEFORE DAMAGE WAS DONE.

WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM A TRIP WE WERE NOTIFIED BY ANOTHER DRIVER WE HAD JUST LOST A TIRE. ONCE WE PULLED OVER WE FOUND THAT THE ENTIRE WHEEL HAD SHEARED OFF THE HUB. AFTER LIMPING THE TRAILER OFF THE HIGHWAY WE WENT BACK AND RETRIEVED THE TIRE. I FOUND TWO OF THE STUDS WITH THE WHEEL. OF THE SIX STUDS 2 SHEARED EVEN WITH THE HUB AND FOUR SHEARED INSIDE THE HUB. SINCE WE HAVE OWNED THE TRAILER THE ONLY TWO TIMES I CAN NOT VERIFY HOW WELL THE STUDS WERE TORQUED IS FROM THE MANUFACTURE AND LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED AT A DEALER IN PENNSYLVANIA. ALL OTHER TIMES THE STUDS HAVE BEEN TORQUED PER DEXTERS TECH DATA. IT IS VERY UNUSUAL WITH HOW THIS HAPPENED. I CAN PROVIDE PICTURES OF THE TWO RECOVERED STUDS AND THE HUB IF NEEDED. *TR

FEBRUARY 2014, WE PURCHASED A NEW 2013 FOREST RIVER (NOT LISTED IN NHTSA MFG. SELECTION): COACHMEN FREEDOM EXPRESS LIBERTY EDITION, 297RLDSLE. TRAILER CAME EQUIPPED WITH 225/75R15 D TRAIL EXPRESS - POWER TOWING TIRES. NOT LISTED IN YOUR DATA. DEALER INSTALLED A HUSKY 801-1200# LOAD BALANCING AND ANTI-SWAY BAR SYSTEM ON OUR 2008 YUKON XL 1/2 TON SUV. WE TOWED OUR RIG BACK TO FORT MYERS 100 MILES. DURING OUR TRIP HOME WE HAD TO STOP SEVERAL TIMES TO ADJUST +++ THE SWAY BAR TENSION BECAUSE THE TRAILER WAS STILL SWAYING. I DISCUSSED THIS WITH HUSKY AND THEY INFORMED US THAT THEY RECOMMEND A 2ND (LEFT) SWAY BAR ON ALL TRAILERS OVER 24FT. SO I PURCHASED AND INSTALLED A 2ND SWAY BAR FROM CAMPING WORLD. ON 4/11/14 WE EMBARKED ON OUR 1ST CAMPING TRIP, DESTINATION CLEVELAND, OHIO. BEFORE WE LEFT FORT MYERS WE CHECKED OUT THE ENTIRE TRAILER INCLUDING TIRE PRESSURE AND SET ALL TIRES TO 65PSI COLD. DURING THE DRIVE WE WERE VERY CONCERNED AT THE VIBRATION AND SWAY OF OUR RIG SO WE STOPPED SEVERAL TIMES TO CHECK PRESSURE AND INSPECT THE TIRES. ON OUR 1ST DAY WE DROVE TO LAKE PARK, GA. THE NEXT DAY THE VIBRATION AND SWAY GREW MUCH WORSE. TO BE TRUTHFUL WE BLAMED GEORGIA ROAD QUALITY. WE WERE WRONG! WITH ONLY 653 MILES ON THE NEW RIG WE EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT TIRE FAILURE AT 63 MPH ON I-475 GOING AROUND MACON, GA. WE THEN HAD A 2ND TIRE FAIL ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE TRAILER SO WE REPLACED ALL 5 TIRES. THE 2ND TIRE DID NOT BLOW UP BUT WAS CONTORTED INTO AN "S" SHAPE DUE TO PLY SEPARATION. THE MACON TIRESPLUS STORE MANAGER SAID WE HAD EXPERIENCED SEVERE TIRE PLY SEPARATION POSSIBLY DUE TO THE TRAILER SITTING IN ONE PLACE FOR SO LONG (14+ MONTHS) IN THE HOT FLORIDA SUN. WHEN WE RETURNED TO I-475 WE WERE AMAZED HOW SMOOTH THE ROAD REALLY WAS. I WISH I HAD KNOWN THE SYMPTOMS OF A TRAILER TIRE FAILURE PRIOR TO THIS EXPERIENCE. THE SWAY AND VIBRATION WE HAD EXPERIENCED WAS CAUSED BY THE FAILING TIRES. HOWEVER, IT COST US OVER $1200 AND DELAYS. WE HAVE PHOTOS OF ALL THE FAILED TIRES. *TR

I NEED TO KNOW THE RULES ABOUT A RV5TH WHEEL TRAILER THE GVW RATING IS 13THOUSAND615PDS. THE AXEL RATING IS 12THOUSAND PDS. ARE THE AXLES TO SMALL OR IS OK I BEEN TOLD BY CA,HWY PORTAL THAT MY AXLES ARE TO SMALL I NEED TO KNOW CAN YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW. *TR