DUTCHMEN Complaints

I LOOKED OUT MY RIGHT MIRROR AND SPARKS WERE COMING OUT OF THE BACK RIGHT WHEEL. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OF INTO THE RIGHT LANE AND TAKE THE EXIT IN FOREST LAKE, MN TO HIGHWAY 8. I QUICKLY STOPPED MY WIFE TOLD ME TO TURN OFF THE GAS BEFORE WE HAD A FIRE. I CALLED COACH-NET AND THEY DISPATCHED A SERVICE TRUCK TO COME A INSTALL MY SPARE. WE WERE ABLE TO LIMP BACK TO DULUTH. THE NEXT DAY, AUGUST 29TH. I TOOK THE CAMPER BACK TO BULLYANS FOR AN ESTIMATE OF THE DAMAGE. WHEN BULLYAN?S WAS INSPECTING THE CAMPER FOR AN ESTIMATE THEY FOUND THIS THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE REFRIGERATOR GAS LINE AND THAT IF I HAD NOT TURNED IT OFF WE WOULD HAVE PROBABLY HAD A FIRE. LATER THIS FALL THE CAMPER WAS TAKEN DOWN TO MANEY INTERNATIONAL. THE REAR AXLE WAS MANUFACTURED 1? OUT OF ALIGNMENT. DUTCHMAN TOLD BULLYAN THERE WERE DONE WITH THIS UNIT AND THAT THEY SHOULD CONTACT ALSO THE AXLE MANUFACTURE. THEY HAVE AGREED TO SEND A NEW AXLE WHICH HAS BEEN INSTALLED, BUT I WILL HAVE TO PAY THE LABOR FOR INSTALLING THE AXLE AND SHIPPING FOR THE RETURN THE AXLE TO SEE IF THEY WILL PAY ANY OF THE LABOR. ALSO HAS REFUSED TO PLAY FOR THE ALIGNMENT WHICH SHOWED THE AXLE TO BE OUT OF ALIGN 1?. BULLYAN ALSO ASKED THEM ABOUT ALIGNING THE NEW AXLE AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT NECESSARY SINCE THEY ARE ALIGNED AT THE FACTORY! WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE THE CAMPER BACK TO MANEYS, BUT ALSO HAS REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE FIRST ALIGNMENT OR THE ONE WE NEED NOW! I HAVE HAD TWENTY ?TWO (22) DIFFERENT TIRES ON THE FOUR WHEELS. THE RIGHT REAR AXLE WILL HAD FOUR DIFFERENT BACKING PLATE UNITS. IT HAS BEEN ALIGNED TWO DIFFERENT TIMES. IT REALLY NEEDS IT AGAIN! I HAVE A TOTAL OF LESS THAT 14,000 MILES AND REPLACED THE BRAKE CONTROLLER, BUT WE STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE AXLE AND BRAKE PROBLEMS. *TR

I HAVE A DUTCHMEN VICTORY LANE FIFTH WHEEL 2005 5 MODEL IN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR AFTER I HAD THE RV FOR ONE YEAR THE SPRING HANGER THAT HOLDS THE LEAVE SPRING ON THE REAR AXEL OF THE RV BROKE WHILE TRAVEL DOWN THE ROAD. THIS YEAR THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS BROKE ON THE SAME AXEL. THE AXEL AND FRAME FOR THIS UNIT IS MADE BY LIPPERT MFG. FROM SEARCHING THE WEB THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OF THESE ISSUES. *TR

THE SPRING HANGER THAT HOLDS THE LEFT SIDE SPRING FROM THE DOUBLE AXLE RIPPED FROM THE FRAME ABOVE THE WELD CAUSING THE TRAILER TO FALL ONTO THE TIRES AND MELTING THE TIRES. TRAILER WAS BEING USED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AT THE TIME AND HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED. THE FRAME IS NOW WARPED AND TWISTED WITH A AREA OF METAL RIPPED OUT ABOVE THE SPRING HANGER. THERE IS ALSO OTHER CRACKS ON THE FRAME. RESEARCH ON WWW.RV.NET SHOWS THAT OTHER FRAMES HAVE EXPIRENCED THE SAME FAILURE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DUTCHMEN CLASS C EXPRESS 21 FOOT (NA). THE VEHICLE HAS GITI (NA), SIZE T135/90R17 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 60-65 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER SIDE INSIDE TIRE BLEW OUT, THE FUEL LINE, TAIL PIPE, AND 12 VOLT BATTERY SYSTEM FAILED, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE WAS SHREDDED. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF THE ROAD. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE REPLACED TWO OF THE TIRES. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, A MECHANIC REPAIRED THE GAS LEAK, REPLACED THE THREE TIRES, AND REPAIRED THE TAIL PIPE. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE TIRE COMPANY AND RECEIVED A LETTER STATING IT WAS NOT THEIR TIRE. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, PURCHASE DATE, AND DOT NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,711.

TIRE FAILURE ON 2004 DUTCHMEN CLASSIC 29 FT 5TH WHEEL TRAILER PURCHASED NEW IN FEB 2005. FIRST FAILURE MAY 25,2007 SECOND FAILURE SEPT 15,2007 WITH RESULTS OF DAMAGE TO SKIRT OVER TIRES. CALLED YOUNGBLOODS RV CENTER IN PADUCAH, KY WHERE WE BOUGHT THE 5TH WHEEL AND THEY SAID TO CALL DUTCHMEN, THE MANUFACTURER. DUTCHMEN SAID TO CALL CARLISLE TIRES AND RIMS. THE TIRE SIZE IS ST 225 75R 15 RADIAL TRAIL. CARLISLE SAID TWO YEARS WARRANTY FROM TIME OF PURCHASE EVEN THOUGH THE TIRES HAD 1100 MILES ON THEM . WE FEEL THE TIRES ARE SERIOUSLY DEFECTIVE AND TWO BLOW OUTS OUT OF THREE OUTINGS IS SIMPLY TOO MUCH. AND NO ONE SEEM TO CARE ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE OR DEFECTIVE TIRES. THEY MORE OR LESS SAID YOUR PROBLEM. *JB

WHILE CONDUCTING A PRE TRIP INSPECTION ON MY RV I FOUND THAT THE REAR TIRES WERE WEARING ON THE INSIDE. I WEIGHED MY RV AND WAS WELL UNDER MY AXLE RATINGS. I TOOK A CLOSE LOOK AT THE AXLES AND SAW THAT THE SPINDLE WELDS LOOK LIKE THEY WERE WELDED IMPROPERLY. IT APPEARS THAT TOO MUCH HEAT WAS APPLIED AT THE END OF THE WELD AND THE WELD FELL THROUGH INSIDE THE AXLE PIPE LEAVING A FLAT SPOT AND ABOUT 1 TO 2 INCH RUNS THE RUNS LOOK LIKE PAINT RUNS BUT ARE STEEL RUNS THAT DID NOT PENETRATE AND CAN BE BROKEN OFF BY HAND. I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF THIS CAUSED THE STEEL TO BECOME BRITTLE AND THAT THE EXCESS HEAT CAUSED THE AXLES TO BE WARPED OR EVEN STRESS CRACKED. MY RV IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP WAITING TO BE LOOKED AT. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE WELDS THAT I CAN E-MAIL THE POOR WORKMANSHIP CAN BE EASILY SEEN IN THE PHOTOS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE, SLOWING DOWN DUE TO SIGN THAT SHOWED UNEVEN PAVEMENT, DROVE ONTO THE BRIDGE, DRIVING OVER THE UNEVEN PAVEMENT AND APPARENTLY, THE CAMPER SPARE TIRE AND THE MOUNTING BRACKET HOLDING THE SPARE TIRE CAME OFF THE CAMPER. AFTER LOOKING IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR TO SEE IF THE CAMPER HAD STAYED ON THE HITCH, I OBSERVED THE CARS BEHIND ME WERE SWERVING AND SLAMMING ON THEIR BRAKES. I TOLD MY HUSBAND TO CALL 911 AS THERE MUST HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT BEHIND ME BECAUSE NOW THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC COMING. A VAN FLAGGED ME OVER AT THE END OF THE BRIDGE TO TELL ME WHAT HAD HAPPENED AS I WAS UNAWARE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON BEHIND ME. THE SPARE TIRE AND ITS MOUNTING BRACKET BOUNCED DOWN THE INTERSTATE APPARENTLY BOUNCING OVER THIS VAN THAT HAD FLAGGED ME OVER FOR SKIMMING THE VAN'S TOP. TIRE AND BRACKET ENDED UP IN MEDIAN ON BRIDGE AND COULD NOT BE RETRIEVED BECAUSE THE SHERIFF SAID IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO DO SO. THE WARRANTY WAS UP ON 4/15/07 SO NOTHING WAS REPAIRED /REPLACED. WE WENT BACK 2 DAYS LATER AND THE TIRE AND MOUNTING BRACKET WERE GONE BUT CAMPER IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *JB

THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE TREAD STARTED HITTING OTHER VEHICLES ON THE INTERSTATE. THE 3 TIRES SUPPLIED WERE CARLISLE TIRES FOR MY DUTCHMEN VOYAGER FOLD-DOWN CAMPER. I WAS SENT 2 REPLACEMENT TIRES THROUGH THE MAIL. *JB

1- ORDINARY EVERYDAY USE- PULLING 5TH WHEEL ON A WORKING TRIP 2- FOUR SPRING HANGERS BROKE LOOSE FROM FRAME OF COACH WHICH RESULTED IN FRONT AXLE COMING LOOSE AND SHIFTING BACK AND BEING DRUG BY BACK AXLE/WHEELS. BOTH AXLES WERE ONLY ATTACHED BY EQUALIZERS. THE UNIT HAD TO BE TOWED AND REPAIRED ON SITE DUE TO THE DANGER OF RELOCATING. 3-REPLACED SPRING HANGERS WITH HEAVIER UPDATED SPRING HANGERS, ALSO HAD TO MAKE REPAIRS TO THE UNDERBELLY OF UNIT DUE TO DAMAGE FROM DEFECTIVE HANGERS PUNCTURING THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF UNIT, HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES. OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION IF NEEDED. ALSO- A CROSS MEMBER BRACE IS TO BE INSTALLED AT A LATER DATE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DUTCHMEN T@B. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AXLES UNDERNEATH THE TRAILER CAUSED THE SPRING HANGERS TO SEPARATE. ALL FOUR SPRING HANGERS HAVE FAILED. THE AXLES BEGAN TO RIDE ON THE TIRE, CAUSING THE TIRE TO SMOKE. THE AXLE WAS LIFTED TO THE UNDERBELLY OF THE TRAILER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THIS WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM, BUT WAS LIPPMANN INDUSTRIES' PROBLEM INSTEAD. THE MANUFACTURER SENT SOMEONE TO REPAIR THE CROSS MEMBERS, BUT THEY STATED THAT THE CROSS MEMBERS HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE TRAILER WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. THEY REFERRED HER TO ANOTHER MANUFACTURER (MOORE RIDE) WHO STATED THAT THE CROSS MEMBERS WERE NOT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. BOTH MANUFACTURERS STATED THAT IF THE FAILURE WERE TO RECUR, NEITHER OF THEM WOULD BE ABLE TO REPAIR THE DEFECT AGAIN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 2,500. NO OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE.