2005 TN TRAILERS TALON — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

CARLISLE TIRE, ST215/75R14 MOUNTED AS A FACTORY INSTALLED SPARE ON A TENNESSEE BRAND BOAT TRAILER. TIRE HAS NEVER BEEN USED, ALWAYS AS A SPARE. ON 8/14/10, OBSERVED A "BLISTER" HAD DEVELOPED AT THE TIRE SHOULDER (WHERE TREAD MEETS SIDEWALL). ON 8/21/10, A BELT SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE RESULTING IN THE TREAD AND BELT PEELING FROM THE TIRE (TREAD SEPARATION). THERE IS A 6" WEDGE OF BELT STICKING STRAIGHT OUT OF THE TIRE WHERE THE TREAD SPLIT, AND APPROX. 12" OF TREAD HAS DETACHED FROM THE TIRE. I HAVE NEVER WITNESSED A TREAD SEPARATION FAILURE LIKE THIS ON A TIRE THAT WAS A DEDICATED SPARE AND HAS NEVER BEEN USED. FOR REFERENCE: TRAILER IS IN A GARAGE NOV-MAR. IT IS OUTDOORS AND EXPOSED TO ELEMENTS APR-OCT. TIRE PRESSURE CHECKED MONTHLY, AND ALWAYS BEFORE TRIPS. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AXELS INTERMITTENTLY MADE CONTACT WITH THE FRAME OF THE TRAILER WHEN IT WAS NOT CARRYING CARGO. THERE'S NO MORE THAN ONE FOURTH INCH TO ONE HALF INCH CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE AXLE AND THE METAL FRAME. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED REGARDLESS OF THE SPEED OR ROAD CONDITIONS. THE CONSISTENT CONTACT BETWEEN THE AXELS AND THE METAL FRAME RESULTED IN THE WIRES TO THE ELECTRIC BRAKES BEING CUT. ADDITIONALLY, THE SHEET METAL RUBBED AGAINST THE SIDE WALLS OF THE TIRES. TWO TIRES HAVE BLOWN OUT BECAUSE OF THE RUBBING METAL. THE TRAILER WEIGHS 7, 000LBS WHEN EMPTY. TWO DEALERSHIPS HAVE ADVISED DISCONTINUING USE OF THE TRAILER, BUT NO REPAIRS WERE EVER ATTEMPTED. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TRAILER IS TN TRAILERS INC. THE MODEL IS TALON. THE MODEL YEARS IS 2005. THE MODEL NUMBER IS: 716TA2. THE RUN NUMBER IS: 189164. *AK