2012 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD Suspension Problems

WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY WHEN A MOTORIST BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT HE SAW THE GREASE CAP BLOW OFF AND THERE WAS SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL OF THE 5TH WHEEL. UPON INSPECTION THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HUB BEARING OVERHEATED AND LOST ALL THE GREASE IN THE BEARING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE SPINDLE WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. REPLACEMENT OF AXLE WAS NEEDED. THIS AXLE WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND WOULD HAVE TO BE MANUFACTURED BY THE COMPANY IN INDIANA THAT MADE THE ORIGINAL AXLE. THE PART HAD TO BE SHIPPED FROM INDIANA TO THE REPAIR CENTER IN KENTUCKY WHERE THE 5TH WHEEL WAS WAITING TO BE REPAIRED. SAFETY IS THE KEY ISSUE FOR OUR FAMILY AND FOR THAT OF OTHER MOTORIST. WE DID NOT DRIVE THE 5TH WHEEL ANY FURTHER NOR DID WE HAVE ASSURANCE IN THE REMAINING, ORIGINAL AXLES, MANUFACTURED BY AL-KO,...

ON DECEMBER 31 WE WERE RETURNING FROM A TRIP AND WERE APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES FROM OUR HOME WE WERE FLAGGED DOWN BY A MOTORIST AT AN INTERSECTION HE INDICATED THAT SMOKE AND OIL WERE BLOWING OUT OF OUR DRIVER SIDE REAR AXLE ON OUR 5TH WHEEL. WE FOUND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER AND SAW THE WHEEL HUB CAP WAS MISSING AND GREASE WAS COMING OUT OF THE WHEEL HUB CREATING A LOT OF SMOKE AND HEAT. YOU COULD SMELL THE GREASE BURNING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE RV. DUE TO THE TIME OF DAY, APPROXIMATELY 5:00 P.M. ON NEW YEAR'S EVE WE COULD NOT FIND A SERVICE CENTER OPEN. WE PROCEEDED AT A VERY SLOW PACE, APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, STOPPING PERIODICALLY TO CHECK WHEEL, UNTIL WE REACHED OUR HOME. THIS IS OUR FIFTH AND FINAL MECHANICAL FAILURE FOR THIS RV UNIT. IT IS A LEMON AND WE ARE ASKING...

INCURRED 2 TIRE BLOWOUTS. THIS IS A TWO AXLE FIFTH WHEEL. I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR ON A RETURN TRIP HOME. THIS RV IS ONLY 23 MONTHS OLD FROM DATE OF MANUFACTURE (FEB 2012) SO THE TIRES SHOULD BE FAIRLY NEW. ONE BLOWOUT WAS TO THE LEFT FRONT TIRE SO I REPLACED WITH THE SPARE TIRE. AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY TEN MORE MILES I INCURRED ANOTHER BLOW OUT ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. I PROCEEDED TO REPLACE ALL FIVE TIRES INCLUDING THE SPARE TO AVOID ANOTHER MISHAP. DURING THE REPLACING OF ALL TIRES IT WAS POINTED OUT BY THE TECHNICIANS REPLACING THE TIRES THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE ALSO HAD A LUMP THAT WOULD HAVE IN ALL PROBABILITY ALSO BLOWN OUT. THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF CONSTRUCTION ON THE ROAD THAT I WAS ON SO I HAD HIT SOME ROUGH SPOTS BUT I DO NOT...