2005 MOBILE SUITES TRAILER — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

2005 MARCH 25, WE PURCHASED MOBILE SUITE FROM BRETZ RV. APRIL 4TH. TOOK MS TO POLSON KOA, FIRST TIME OUT, I NOTICED A WHEEL WOBBLING AS WE LEFT KOA. BRETZ TOOK ALL FOUR WHEELS TO LES SCHWAB TIRE IN MISSOULA FOR ANALYSIS THREE OF THE FOUR WERE BAD. ( STEEL WHEELS ) DOUBLE TREE SENT A SET OF FOUR NEW ALUMINUM WHEELS . SPARE TIRE STILL HAS ORIGINAL STEEL WHEEL. SEPTEMBER 24 , HAD A FLAT TIRE ON LEFT REAR WEST OF SPOKANE ON WAY TO BAKER CITY , OR . IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE WHEEL HAD A STRESS CRACK THAT CAUSED THE FLAT TIRE. NOVEMBER 9 - ON I-80 FREEWAY NEAR AUBURN CA , ENTIRE SIDE RIM OF LEFT FRONT WHEEL BROKE OFF ALLOWING THE TIRE TO BLOW OFF AND HIT A PICKUP DRIVING BESIDE US DAMAGING THE TOPPER SHELL. CA HIGHWAY PATROL INVESTIGATED. COLLISION REPORT # 9220 . DOUBLE TREE SENT FOUR NEW ALUMINUM WHEELS (MADE IN CHINA , PREVIOUS SET WERE MADE IN ARGENTINA). AT THIS TIME I WAS CONTACTED BY THE DOT IN WASHINGTON DC REGARDING WHEEL PROBLEMS. NOVEMBER 15,2006, BLOW OUT ON LEFT REAR TIRE NEAR IDAHO FALLS 2007 FEBRUARY 9, NEAR BISBEE , AZ FOUND BROKEN BOLT ON LEFT REAR SPRING SHACKLE, MARCH 9, LOST BEARING ON LEFT FRONT WHEEL NEAR FERNELY , NV. 2008. JANUARY 2ND FLAT TIRE AT HAWTHORNE , NV. FOUND STRESS CRACK IN LEFT REAR WHEEL APRIL 18, BLOW OUT ON LEFT FRONT TIRE NEAR BOTTOM OF DONNER PASS EAST SIDE. DECEMBER 9TH, BLOW OUT ON LEFT FRONT TIRE SOUTH OF SEARCHLIGHT NV ON WAY FROM LV TO BOUSE. 2009 SEPTEMBER 3, BLOW OUT ON LEFT REAR NEAR SHERIDAN , WY. SEPTEMBER 22, FOUND GREASE ON LEFT REAR WHEEL IN MOAB ,UT. BAD WHEEL BEARING . OCTOBER 7 FLAT TIRE ON LEFT FRONT AT RIGGINS ID HEADING SOUTH . FOUND STRESS CRACK IN WHEEL. 2011 APRIL 22, BLOW OUT LEFT FRONT TIRE , SOUTH OF NEEDLES , CA. UPDATED 09/27/11 *BF UPDATED 10/05/11 *TR

WHILE ON A TRIP FROM HOME TO HERSHEY PA. THE LEFT SIDE REAR SPRING HANGER PUSHED THRU THE FRAME OF THE TRAILER. THE FRAME IS MADE BY LIPPERT COMPONENTS. THE REAR AXLE MOVED BACK WHEN THE SPRING HANGER LET GO BENDING THE REAR AXLE. THE SPRING HANGER WAS ONLY WELDED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME WHICH IS ONLY 11 GAGE STEEL. IT APPEARS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A THICKER PIECE OF STEEL UNDER THE SPRING HANGERS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. WE REINFORCED THE FRAME WITH 2X2X1/4" ANGLE IRON AND ALSO RAN STEEL STRAPS UP ALONG THE FRAME TO REINFORCE. REPLACED BOTH AXLES, TIRE RIMS AND TIRES. I HAVE PICTURES SHOWING THE DAMAGE. *TR

WE LEFT AUSTIN AND HEADED TO DALLAS AT 1PM. WE WERE TOWING A 2005 DOUBLETREE MOBILE SUITES 36TK3 5TH WHEEL TRAILER. AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR, WE HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE OFF DOOR (LEFT), FRONT RV TIRE. JUST AS WE STOPPED, THE TREAD PEELED AWAY FROM THE TIRE CASING. THE TIRES ON THE RV WERE GOODYEAR UNISTEEL G614 RST TIRES AND ARE LT235/85R16. WE REPLACED THE BLOWN OUT TIRE WITH HI-RUN BCTJB43 LT235/85R16G TIRES. THE GOODYEAR TIRES ARE: SIDEWALL - 1 PLY STEEL CORD; TREAD - 4 PLY STEEL CORD. AS FOR DAMAGE, IT SHEARED THE SEWER DRAIN PIPE, TORE OFF THE GASOLINE/ELECTRIC CABLE HOLSTER, AND SPLIT THE CORNER OF THE FIBERGLASS WHEEL OPENING TRIM. NOTHING MAJOR, BUT WE WILL STILL REQUIRE SOME REPAIRS. WE DROVE 9 MILES UP I-35 AND OUR SECOND BLOWOUT ON THE GOODYEAR UNISTEEL G614 RST TIRES. THIS TIME, IT WAS THE DOOR SIDE (RIGHT) AND (AGAIN) ON THE FRONT AXLE. WE REPLACED 3 MORE TIRES TO REPLACE ALL OF THE GOODYEAR G614 TIRES. WE WEREN'T ABOUT TO WAIT FOR THE 3RD OR 4TH BLOWOUT! DAMAGE ON THIS SIDE WAS MORE SEVERE AND REQUIRED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. THE UPPER SHOCK MOUNT WAS BROKEN FROM THE FRAME (ONLY SPOT WELDED). I LASHED IT TO THE SUSPENSION, SO I COULD MOVE THE UNIT WITHOUT PUNCTURING THE TIRE. IT ALSO TORE THE FIBERGLASS WHEEL OPENING TRIM, AND PUT A SMALL CREASE IN THE ALUMINUM SKIRT PANEL, ADJACENT TO THE SIDE DOOR. THE DOT INDICATORS ON THE TIRE WERE E01L DOT MJOR 610W 3104 AND FOOL DOT MJOR 610W 3104 - MANUFACTURED THE 31ST WEEK OF 2004. I RETAINED THE BLOWN TIRES. HERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT OUR UNIT: 2005 36TK3 (PURCHASED 04/05) UNIT NUMBER 1691 16,500 GROSS/15,840 SCALES (12,800 ON THE AXLES 3,040 ON THE PIN) ALUMINUM WHEELS (TREDIT TIRE REPLACEMENTS FOR STEEL). OUTSIDE TEMP 102 DEGREES. SPEED 60 MPH. TIRE PRESSURE 110LBS (ALSO MEASURED AT 122 LBS WHEN HOT) APPROXIMATE RV MILEAGE 10,000 MILES. I HAVE CONTACTED GOODYEAR AND HAVE STARTED A CLAIMS PROCESS. *NM