2013 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

WE PURCHASED NEW A 2013 ROCKWOOD TRAVEL TRAILER (MODEL 8329SS), THE TRAILER IS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT NOTICED THAT THE 4 TIRES WERE RUBBING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRAILER, MOST LIKELY WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. WE DID NOTICE AFTER WE TOOK DELIVERY THAT THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TIRES AND THE BOTTOM OF THE TRAILER WAS VERY CLOSE, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS DESIGNED WITH THIS CLEARANCE. NOW TIME HAS GONE BY AND WE WENT TO PURCHASE NEW TIRES (TRAILER ONLY HAS MAYBE 7,000 MILES ON IT) AND NOTICED THAT THE TIRES HAVE BEEN RUBBING. AFTER DOING A WEB SEARCH FOUND A RECALL FROM FOREST RIVER REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE (CAMPAIGN #13V554000). WE CALLED SEVERAL PEOPLE AT FOREST RIVER, GAVE OUR SERIAL NUMBER AND WERE TOLD OUR UNIT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL, WAS ADVISED TO SEND PICTURES WHICH WE DID, AFTER SEVERAL EMAILS AND PHONE MESSAGES WE HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM FOREST RIVER REGARDING THE ISSUE. THE TRAILER SHOULD MOST LIKELY HAVE A CLEARANCE OF 3.5", OUR TRAILER HAS ONLY CLEARANCE OF 5/8" TO 1 5/8". SO THIS RUBBING FROM THE TOP OF THE TIRES TO THE BOTTOM OF THE RV IS HAPPENING WHEN THE TRAVEL TRAILER IS BEING TOWED, MOST LIKELY WHEN GOING OVER ROAD BUMPS AND BACKING UP INTO CAMP SITES. WHEN WE PURCHASED THIS UNIT IT WAS A NEW MODEL BY ROCKWOOD (FOREST RIVER), AND WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PRODUCED. WE PURCHASED ON 10/01/2012 FROM WEEKEND RV SALES IN CLINTON TENNESSEE, THE UNIT WAS BUILT ON 9/21/2012. DURING MY FIRST CONVERSATION WITH FOREST RIVER REGARDING IF OUR TRAILER WAS INVOLVED IN THE RECALL I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SEND A LIFT KIT FOR US TO HAVE INSTALLED, THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE LIFT KIT BUT NOT THE INSTALLATION BECAUSE OUR UNIT WAS NOT COVERED IN THE RECALL, WE NEVER RECEIVED A LIFT KIT AND AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CALLS WITH FOREST RIVER NO ONE RECALLS STATING THEY WOULD SEND A LIFT KIT.

WE PURCHASED NEW A 2013 ROCKWOOD TRAVEL TRAILER (MODEL 8329SS), THE TRAILER IS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT NOTICED THAT THE 4 TIRES WERE RUBBING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRAILER, MOST LIKELY WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. WE DID NOTICE AFTER WE TOOK DELIVERY THAT THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TIRES AND THE BOTTOM OF THE TRAILER WAS VERY CLOSE, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS DESIGNED WITH THIS CLEARANCE. NOW TIME HAS GONE BY AND WE WENT TO PURCHASE NEW TIRES (TRAILER ONLY HAS MAYBE 7,000 MILES ON IT) AND NOTICED THAT THE TIRES HAVE BEEN RUBBING. AFTER DOING A WEB SEARCH FOUND A RECALL FROM FOREST RIVER REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE (CAMPAIGN #13V554000). WE CALLED SEVERAL PEOPLE AT FOREST RIVER, GAVE OUR SERIAL NUMBER AND WERE TOLD OUR UNIT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL, WAS ADVISED TO SEND PICTURES WHICH WE DID, AFTER SEVERAL EMAILS AND PHONE MESSAGES WE HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM FOREST RIVER REGARDING THE ISSUE. THE TRAILER SHOULD MOST LIKELY HAVE A CLEARANCE OF 3.5", OUR TRAILER HAS ONLY CLEARANCE OF 5/8" TO 1 5/8". SO THIS RUBBING FROM THE TOP OF THE TIRES TO THE BOTTOM OF THE RV IS HAPPENING WHEN THE TRAVEL TRAILER IS BEING TOWED, MOST LIKELY WHEN GOING OVER ROAD BUMPS AND BACKING UP INTO CAMP SITES. WHEN WE PURCHASED THIS UNIT IT WAS A NEW MODEL BY ROCKWOOD (FOREST RIVER), AND WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PRODUCED. WE PURCHASED ON 10/01/2012 FROM WEEKEND RV SALES IN CLINTON TENNESSEE, THE UNIT WAS BUILT ON 9/21/2012. DURING MY FIRST CONVERSATION WITH FOREST RIVER REGARDING IF OUR TRAILER WAS INVOLVED IN THE RECALL I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SEND A LIFT KIT FOR US TO HAVE INSTALLED, THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE LIFT KIT BUT NOT THE INSTALLATION BECAUSE OUR UNIT WAS NOT COVERED IN THE RECALL, WE NEVER RECEIVED A LIFT KIT AND AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CALLS WITH FOREST RIVER NO ONE RECALLS STATING THEY WOULD SEND A LIFT KIT.

THE TRAILER WAS FURNISHED WITH TRAIL EXPRESS POWER TOWING ST225/75R15 TIRES FROM THE FACTORY. WITH ONLY ABOUT 2000 MILES ON THE TIRES, ONE STARTED TO HAVE A SLOW LEAK WHILE IT WAS PARKED AT MY HOME. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL TIRE DEALER AND HE FOUND THAT THE SIDEWALL WAS LEAKING ABOUT A HALF AN INCH FROM THE RIM. I HAVE OPTED TO REPLACE THESE PRACTICALLY NEW TIRES WITH ONES MADE BY MAXXIS. I WOULD NOT WANT TO RISK A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WHILE TOWING THIS LARGE TRAILER. FOREST RIVER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO COMPENSATE OWNERS FOR THESE HAZARDOUS TIRES. ALSO, THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE BANNED FROM SELLING THEIR PRODUCTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

CPSC:H1550028A. FOREST RIVER RV. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BUNK BEDS IN THE RV HAVE A FALL SAFETY ISSUE. *LN THE RV DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH GUARD RAILS. *JB

2013 ROCKWOOD FREEDOM. CONSUMER WRITES IN THE REGARDS TO BRAKES LOCKED DURING TOWING. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE TRAILER BRAKES. THE BRAKES WERE SO HOT THAT GREASE WAS OOZING FROM THE BEARINGS. THE CONSUMER ALSO FOUND THE BRAKE LANYARD WAS DISENGAGED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE BACKING PLATE, HUB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPACKED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE BRAKE LANYARD DISENGAGED WHICH CAUSED THE TRAILER BRAKES TO LOCK UP, WAS DUE TO A PIECE OF ROAD DEBRIS HITTING THE CABLE.