DUTCHMEN Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DUTCHMEN JANUARY 320 DELANI TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRAILER'S DRY WEIGHT IS 12,300 LBS AND IT ONLY HAS TWO 55,000 POUND TIRES. AS A RESULT, THE FORCE OF THE WEIGHT IS DAMAGING THE AXLES. HE HAS NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER, HOWEVER, THEY WOULD LIKE HIM TO SEND PICTURES. THE MODEL NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE DROP DOWN MENU AT THE TIME OF THIS COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 1,000. NO OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE.

WHILE TRAVELING HOME TOWING A 2004 FOUR WINDS FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER ON I-95 FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE ,CARLISLE RADIAL TRAIL, ST225/75R15, BLEW OUT ON TREAD AREA. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON TRAILER, CARLISLE TIRES HAVE A REPUTATION FOR BLOWING OUT, AND I THOUGHT POSSIBLY THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL ,BUT I COULD NOT LOCATE ONE ON THE WEB. LESS THAN 3000 MILES ON TIRES. BLOW OUT/ MESSED UP SKIRTING ON THE SIDE OF THE TRAILER. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DUTCHMEN T@B AEROLIGHT CAMPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES DRY ROTTED WITHIN ONE YEAR. THE MANUFACTURER REQUESTED PICTURES AND, ONCE THEY WERE RECEIVED, THE MANUFACTURER SENT FOUR NEW TIRES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE TIRES SHOULD BE RECALLED, HOWEVER, THE FAULTY TIRES ARE BEING HANDLED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 200. NO OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER PROVIDED 4 NEW TIRES TO REPLACE THE DAMAGED TIRES. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED PICTURES OF THE DEFECTED TIRES AND SERVICE INVOICE. UPDATED 07/10/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DUTCHMEN MOTOR HOME. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE 2002 MASTER TOW DOLLEY'S LEFT TIRE TREAD PEELED AND DESTROYED THE FENDER. CARLISLE WAS NOTIFIED REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE MASTER TOW DOLLEY HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. NO OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.

ON AUG 19, 2003 HAD TO REPLACE TIRE ABD BRAKE ON ALKO AXLE. OCT 15, 2003 REPLACE TWO TIRES AND BRAKES MUCH DAMAGE TO TRAILER THAT WINTER ALKO PAID TO HAVE IN ALIGNED 1 1/4 OUT OF LINE BUT DID NOT REPLACE AXLE! 2005 AUGUST BRAKE FAILURE AGAIN AND NOW NEEDED A COMPLETE $500 BRAKE REPLACEMENT OF ALL SHOES WITH AROUND 12,000 ON TRAILER. DUTCHMEN SAID NEVER HAD THIS FIND OF PROBLEM! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DUTCHMAN T@B TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LININGS WERE COMPLETELY BURNED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED , AND THE BRAKE DRUMS AND SHOES WERE COMPLETELY WORN OUT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE MECHANICAL SURGE BRAKE ASSEMBLY WOULD PUSH FAR ENOUGH UP TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE HANDLE. THIS CAUSED THE BRAKE HANDLE TO LOCK AND DISINTEGRATE THE BRAKE SHOES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOT ADEQUATE TO PROPERLY SLOW DOWN THE TRAILER. *AK UPDATE 4/23/07*TR

OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS I HAVE EXPERIENCED FOUR TIRE BLOWOUTS ON MY 2004 5TH WHEEL RV. THE FIRST TIRE THAT BLEW I JUST TOOK IT AS POSSIBLE ROAD HAZARD. THIS YEAR ENROUTE TO NEW YORK ON VACATION, I HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT ON THE RV. I REPLACED IT WITH A SPARE. ON THE WAY BACK HOME I HAD ONE REAR TIRE ON DRIVER SIDE OF RV BLOW OUT AND THE OTHER REAR TIRE ON PASSENGER SIDE LOSE ALL THE TREAD IN THE MIDDLE OF TIRE. I STARTED CHECKING INTO THE PROBLEM AND HAVE FOUND TWO PROBLEMS. I HAVE AL KO AXLES, WHICH I FOUND ARE A POSSIBLE DEFECT. I CONTACTED AL KO REF. THE PROBLEM AND THEY SENT TWO NEW AXLES, BUT WHEN I QUESTIONED THEM THEY STATED THEY HAD NO RECALL AS THEY COULD NOT SAY IF THE AXLES WERE A PROBLEM OR IF THERE WERE SOME OTHER PROBLEM. THE TRAILER REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE AXLES TAKEN OFF WERE FLAT, COMPARED TO THE NEW AXLES THAT HAVE A SLIGHT BOW TO THEM. I UNDERSTAND HAVING THE BOW IS THE WAY THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO BE. THE OTHER PROBLEM WHICH I FIND OCCURR QUITE FREQUENTLY IS CARLISLE TIRES BLOWING OUT. I HAVE EXPERIENCED FOUR CARLISLE TIRES BLOWING OUT. THEY EACH HAD PROPER AIR IN THEM 80 PSI, AND THE WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER WAS UNDER THE WEIGHT. THE TIRES WERE SENT BACK TO CARLISLE AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS DUE TO ROAD HAZARDS. I DID FINALLY GET THEM TO SEND ME A CHECK FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRES, BUT AGAIN NO REPAIR OF THE DAMAGES. DUTCHMAN COMPLETELY HAS WASHED THEIR HANDS OF THIS PROBLEM. *NM

I HAVE A 2004 AEROLITE CUB 236 TRAVEL TRAILER MANUFACTURED BY DUTCHMEN. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN WEARING ON THE INSIDE. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET SHOWED MANY OTHERS (VARIOUS BRANDS OF MFG'S.) WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. FURTHER RESEARCH SHOWED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE AXLES : AL-KO KOBER CORP. 21611 PROTECTA DR. P.O. BOX 1367 (46515) ELKHART, IN 46516 (574) 294-6651 IS AWARE OF A MANUFACTURING WELDING DEFECT IN THE YEARS OF 2003-2004 ON THEIR RUBBER TORSION AXLES. MANY HAVE STATED AL-KO HAS REPLACED THEIR AXLES DUE TO THIS DEFECT. THE DUTCHMEN WARRANTY IS UP ON THE TRAVEL TRAILER BUT AL-KO HAS A 5 YEAR WARRANTY ON THEIR AXLES. I CONTACTED AL-KO AND THEY SENT ME 2 REPLACEMENT AXLES UNDER WARRANTY. I AM TO REPLACE THE AXLES AND TIRES AT MY EXPENSE. AL-KO MIGHT HONOR TIRE AND LABOR REIMBURSEMENT IF I SHIP THE OLD AXLES AND TIRES BACK TO AL-KO AT MY EXPENSE FOR INSPECTION. THIS IS THE CASE WHETHER I DO THE WORK OR I HAVE A DEALER PERFORM THE WORK. THE AL-KO PACKING SLIP THAT CAME WITH THE TWO AXLES STATES THIS IS A WARRANTY REPLACEMENT AND TO BILL THE AXLES TO AERO COACH IN INDIANA. I HAVE CONTACTED DUTCHMEN MFG. AND THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF SUCH A THING AS THEM BEING BILLED FOR A WARRANTY ITEM. THEY ARE LOOKING INTO THIS ON THEIR END. IN THE MEAN TIME THERE ARE MANY TRAILERS OUT THERE BLOWING TIRES DUE TO THESE DEFECTIVE AXLES. WHEN I ASKED WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SAFETY RECALL I GOT NO RESPONSE OTHER THAN "WHERE DO YOU WANT THE AXLES SHIPPED TO?" I HAVE TWO NEW AXLES AND 5 WORN TIRES THAT I DO NOT FEEL I SHOULD REPLACE AT MY EXPENSE. I DO NOT FEEL THIS IS THE TRAILER MANUFACTURER'S PROBLEM RATHER IT IS THE AXLE MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THERE IS NO LISTING FOR AL-KO KOBER SO I HAD TO FILE THIS UNDER DUTCHMEN. *JB

ON A RECENT TRIP TO SIOUX FALLS, TWO OF OUR CARLISLE TIRES SEPARATED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE SIDE OF OUR 5TH WHEEL. ONE ON THE WAY DOWN AND THE OTHER ON THE WAY HOME. BOTH TIRES PEELED LIKE DOWN TO THE FINAL LAYER OF TUBING. IT CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL WELL AREA, TO THE CAMPER'S SIDING AND TO ONE OF THE SLIDE OUTS. WE HAD CHECKED THE TIRE PRESSURE AND THOUGHT ALL WAS WELL. HOWEVER JUST EAST OF ALBERT LEA THE FIRST TIRE BLEW. IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS AVAILABLE. WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN JUST A HALF MILE FROM THE COUNTY 46 EXIT AND WERE ABLE TO FIND SHELTER FOR THE NIGHT. IN THE MORNING WE HAD A TECHNICIAN FROM THE HANSON TIRE COMPANY SWAP OUT TIRES AND CONTINUED OUR TRIP. WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A LEISURELY 5 HOUR TRIP TURNED INTO A 26 HOUR ORDEAL. WE HAD A NEW TIRE MOUNTED AT SAM'S CLUB IN SIOUX FALLS. IT WAS A GOOD THING WE DID. ON OUR TRIP HOME THE SECOND TIRE ON THE SAME SIDE SEPARATED DOING FURTHER DAMAGE TO OUR CAMPER. THIS TIME IT WAS WEST OF FAIRMONT. WE LIMPED INTO TOWN AND WAS ASSISTED BY AN ELDERLY GENTLEMAN TO HAPPENED TO OWN THE IMPLEMENT DEALERSHIP AND WAS CHECKING SOMETHING AT THE SHOP. I AM ANGRY THAT SUCH TIRES ARE ON THE ROAD. WE KEPT THE SECOND TIRE TO SHOW ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SEE JUST HOW BADLY THESE TIRES SHREDDED. I WANT TO BE COMPENSATED FOR OUR COSTS AND HAVE THE SIDE OF MY NEWLY PURCHASE 5TH WHEEL REPAIRED. *NM

I OWN A 2005 DUTCHMAN 5TH WHEEL. ON 9/11/06 I HAD A BLOWOUT. DID NOT MAKE SENSE THAT A YEAR OLD TIRE WITH VERY FEW MILES SHOULD BLOWOUT. I FOUND THAT THE MANUFACTURER DATA PLATE, ATTACHED TO THE TRAILER, SPECIFIES LT 235/85/R16 (LOAD RANGE E TIRES). LOAD RANGE E IS 10 PLY. THE TIRES INSTALLED ON THE TRAILER, INSTALLED AT THE MANUFACTURER, ARE LOAD RANGE D. LOAD RANGE D IS 8 PLY. THESE D TIRES DO NOT MEET THE MANUFACTURERS OWN MINIMUM STANDARDS AS SPECIFIED ON THE TRAILER. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A SERIOUS HIGHWAY SAFETY CONCERN AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS ISOLATED TO MY TRAILER ONLY. *NM