2006 FOREST RIVER TRAVEL TRAILER — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

WHILE TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND, JUST CROSSED MASON-DIXON LINE ON THE INTERSTATE, HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE LEFT FRONT OF MY 5TH WHEEL CAMPER. THE BLOWOUT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE WIRING GOING TO THE SLIDEOUT AND PART OF THE STRUCTURE. THE TIRE APPEARED TO SEPARATE AT THE TREAD AREA WHICH SHOWED ALSO TO APPEAR TO NOT BE SEALED TO THE CARCASS AND WAS NOT CLEAN BETWEEN TREAD AND CARCASS. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN ON 06 JULY 2014 ON MY RIGHT REAR. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC THAT PROVIDED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE INDICATED THAT IT APPEARED THAT THE TREAD SEPARATED AT CARCASS AREA AND APPEARED TO NOT BE PROPERLY SEALED. THE TIRES ARE CARLISLE RADIAL TRAIL ULTRA CRT ST205X75X15 *JS

MY 10,000LB 5TH WHEEL CAME EQUIPPED FROM THE FACTORY WITH DURA KING LT236/85R16 TIRES. THE LOAD RANGE IS RATED AS E 3,042LBS SINGLE AXLE AND 2,778 DUAL. MY 5TH WHEEL HAS TWO AXLES WITH TWO TIRES PER AXLE. WITHIN THE LAST MONTH ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE BLOWN OUT. THREE WITHIN THE LAST WEEK AND TWO IN A SINGLE DAY. I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT THE LAST THREE TIRES BLEW OUT WITHIN 300 MILES OF EACH OTHER. EACH OF THE LAST THREE TIMES I HAD A PROFESSIONAL REPLACE THE TIRES AND CHECK THE AIR PRESSURE IN EACH TIRE TO BE SURE IT MET THE STANDARDS. I ALSO CHECKED THE TIRES TO INSURE THEY HELD THE CORRECT PRESSURE. EACH TIRE REPAIRMAN INDICATED CONCERN THAT THE TIRES WERE FOR LIGHT TRUCKS AND NOT TRAILER TIRES. TWO OF THE FOUR BLOWOUTS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. UPON REPORTING THE PROBLEMS TO FOREST RIVER THERE WAS LITTLE CONCERN. THE 5TH WHEEL IS A 2006 MODEL AND THE TIRE REPAIRMEN INDICATED THE TIRES WERE MADE IN 2004. SHOULD MY FIFTH WHEEL BE EQUIPPED WITH LIGHT TRUCK TIRES INSTEAD OF TRAILER TIRES? WHY ARE THERE 2004 MODEL TIRES ON MY 2006 TRAILER? SHOULD THERE BE 2004 TIRES ON A 2006 TRAILER THAT WAS SOLD AS NEW? *TR

PURCHASED A NEW ROCKWOOD FREEDOM ELECTRIC LIFT POP-UP CAMPER. USED THE CAMPER A TOTAL OF FIVE TIMES AND REPLACED THE WINCH MOTOR ONCE AFTER IT STOPPED WORKING. WHILE ON VACATION IN UTAH I WAS SETTING UP THE CAMPER, I RAISED THE CAMPER ROOF WITH THE WINCH AND WENT INSIDE TO PUSH OUT THE BEDS AND GRAB THE SAFETY BRACES. WHILE I WAS STILL INSIDE THE ROOF FELL ON ME CAUSING INJURY. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE WINCH MOTOR THE BAR THAT THE CABLE WRAPS AROUND BROKE ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND THE CABLE SPOOLED OFF AND THE ROOF FELL. *TR

PURCHASED A NEW ROCKWOOD FREEDOM ELECTRIC LIFT POP-UP CAMPER. USED THE CAMPER A TOTAL OF FIVE TIMES AND REPLACED THE WINCH MOTOR ONCE AFTER IT STOPPED WORKING. WHILE ON VACATION IN UTAH I WAS SETTING UP THE CAMPER, I RAISED THE CAMPER ROOF WITH THE WINCH AND WENT INSIDE TO PUSH OUT THE BEDS AND GRAB THE SAFETY BRACES. WHILE I WAS STILL INSIDE THE ROOF FELL ON ME CAUSING INJURY. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE WINCH MOTOR THE BAR THAT THE CABLE WRAPS AROUND BROKE ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND THE CABLE SPOOLED OFF AND THE ROOF FELL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FOREST RIVER TRAVEL TRAILER. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON JULY 2, 2005. IN JULY OF 2006, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED AND NEEDED REPAIR. THE REPAIR WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BY FOREST RIVER RV. IN JULY OF 2007, THE ENTIRE AXLE ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WAS BENT AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED, BUT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A RESULT OF POOR MAINTENANCE. IN OCTOBER OF 2007, THE ENTIRE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED AND WAS ALSO NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THESE FAILURES WERE NOT THE RESULT OF POOR MAINTENANCE OR MISUSE OF THE VEHICLE. HE BELIEVES THE FAILURES ARE DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. NO OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,900. UPDATED 11-20-08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE SPINDLE WAS MANUFACTURED OR INSTALLED IN A DEFECTIVE MANNER. UPDATED 11/21/08. *JB UPDATED 02/19/10. *LJ UPDATED 02/19/10. *JB UPDATED 05/17/10