1998 THOR DUTCHMEN — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

I EXPERIENCED TWO TIRE BLOWOUTS WITHIN 200 MILES OF EACH OTHER WITH FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRES. THE TIRE SIZE IS LT225/75R16, LOAD RANGE E. EACH TIRE HAD OVER 3/8'S OF AN INCH OF TREAD LEFT. THE MILEAGE ON THE TIRES WAS APPROXIMATELY 29,500. BOTH BLOWOUTS WERE THE INNER TIRE OF A DUAL REAR SET. THE VEHICLE INVOLVED IS A 1998 DUTCHMEN CLASS C MOTORHOME ON A FORD SUPER DUTY VAN CHASSIS. THE FIRST BLOWOUT WAS VERY EXPLOSIVE AND VIOLENT. THE EXPLOSION LIFTED THE REAR OF THE MOTORHOME AND CAUSED A MOMENT OF UNCONTROLLABLE SLIDING. THE BLOWOUT OCCURRED AT ABOUT 75 MPH. IT WAS A COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION. THIS BLOWOUT ALSO DAMAGED THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. ON THE RETURN TRIP HOME, ABOUT 200 MILES LATER, THE OTHER INSIDE REAR TIRE BLEW. THIS BLOWOUT WAS MUCH TAMER. IT WAS A SIDEWALL SPLIT AND THE TREAD REMAINED ATTACHED. THIS BLOWOUT OCCURRED AT 65 MPH. NO ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE MOTORHOME OCCURRED AND MANUVERABILITY OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COMPROMISED. THE AIR PRESSURE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP WAS CHECKED - 65 FRONT, 75 REAR. BEFORE RETURNING FOR HOME, THE PRESSURE WAS CHECKED AGAIN - 65 FRONT, 75 REAR. *NM

IN UTAH, YESTERDAY ABOUT 5:30 P.M., HEADING TOWARDS SALT LAKE CITY IN I-80, ABOUT 10 MILES OUT OF COALVILLE, UTAH, THE FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL R4S LT225/65 R16 M/S ON THE RIGHT OUTSIDE DUALLY OF OUR 1998 CHATEAU CLASS C MOTORHOME SUFFERED A TREAD SEPARATION. THE ENTIRE TREAD CAME OFF THE TIRE. WE CALLED A TIRE STORE IN SALT LAKE THAT RECOMMENDED WE LIMP TO THE NEXT TOWN, WHICH WE DID. ABOUT 2 MILES OUT OF COALVILLE THE TIRE BLEW OUT, WE WERE GOING ABOUT 35 MPH IN THE EMERGENCY LANE, SO NOTHING MAJOR HAPPENED, OUTSIDE OF SOME DAMAGE TO THE FENDER WELL. WE HAVE 5 MORE ON THIS VEHICLE JUST LIKE THIS. THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED BEFORE SOMETHING SERIOUS HAPPENS. THIS TIRE IS A HAZARD, AND NEED TO BE RECALLED. IF THIS HAD BEEN A FRONT TIRE, WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN DEAD. IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COME TO THAT. ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS TIRE IS THE WORKHORSE COUNTERPART TO THE WILDERNESS TIRES THAT HAVE KILLED SO MANY ALREADY.

FRAME AND CROSS MEMBERS HAVE CRACKED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE TRAILER FRAME HAS MANY CRACKS, SOME OF WHICH YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THROUGH. THE WELDS HOLDING THE TOUNGUE WERE CRACKED AND THE OTHER MAJOR CRACKS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. THE THOR TAHOE TT 28FBSS TRAILER HAS BEEN REPAIRED. *GJ

REPORTING REAR SPRING HANGER ON FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER HAS BROKEN FROM FRAME DUE TO A DEFECTIVE PART, ASKING NHTSA TO ASSIST IN THIS MATTER.PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK