FOREST RIVER Complaints

I HAVE A 2004 WORK AND PLAY. I HAVE HAD REPEATED ISSUES WITH TIRES RUBBING, WHEEL BEARINGS, AND BRAKES. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE BREAKDOWNS AND HAVE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE WORK ON THE CAMPER WITH VARYING RESULTS AND FIXES. MY LATEST ADVENTURE LEFT ME IN CHATTANOOGA NEAR A CAMPING WORLD. THE MECHANIC THERE CHECKED IT OUT AND SHOWED ME THE PROBLEM. THE AXLES ON THIS TRAILER ARE TOO NARROW. THIS IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE RUBBING, THE BEARINGS BEING STRESSED TO PREMATURE WEARING, AND ISSUES WITH BRAKES. NOT TO MENTION DENTING THE INSIDE BOTTOM OF THE WHEEL WELLS FROM HITTING THE TOP OF THE BRAKE DRUM/AXLE ENDS. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS AN ISOLATED CASE OR THAT IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF (SUCH AS A RECALL). I AM AWARE THAT THE TRAILER IS AN OLDER MODEL, BUT IT IS NOT LIKE THE AXLES SHRINK OVER TIME. THE CAMPER IS CURRENTLY AT THE CAMPING WORLD IN CHATTANOOGA TO BE PUT TOGETHER CORRECTLY AT QUITE A COST TO ME. I HAVE HAD BLOW OUTS, A WHEEL FLEW OFF THE CAMPER, AND SOME INTERMITTENT BRAKE OUTAGES. NEVER WAS THERE INJURY IN ANY OF THESE INCIDENTS, BUT ONLY DUE TO MY DRIVING EXPERIENCE AND THE GOD IN HEAVEN ABOVE! I EMAILED THIS TO THE COMPANY AS WELL SO THEY KNOW ABOUT IT AS WELL. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL AXLES. IN EVERY CASE I WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME FO THE PROBLEM,,,AT HIGHWAY.INTERSTATE SPEED. THE DATE OF THE INCIDENT BELOW WAS JUST THE MOST RECENT EVENT.

WHILE MAKING A SHARP 90 DEGREE PLUS RIGHT TURN ON A CITY STREET MOVING AT LESS THAN 5 MPH THE TORQUE CAUSED BY THE TURN CAUSED THE CURB SIDE REAR SPRING HANGER (LIPPERT COMPONENTS INC, LCI CORRECT TRACK SUSPENSION SYSTEM) TO DETACH FROM THE RV FRAME AND BROKE THE SPRING EYE COMPLETELY OFF. THE STREET SIDE SPRING HANGER BENT AND WAS PARTIALLY REMOVED FROM THE FRAME. WHILE CAREFULLY DRIVING TO A REPAIR FACILITY THE RIGHT SIDE COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE FRAME. ONLY THE SPRING SHACKLES ATTACHED TO THE EQUALIZERS KEPT THE REAR AXLE FROM FALLING OFF COMPLETELY. MY OPINION IS THAT THE FRAME MANUFACTURER (LCI) USES A SPRING HANGER THAT IS TOO LIGHT OF A GRADE AND THICKNESS AND THE SPRING BOLT ATTACHES TOO FAR FROM THE FRAME WHICH CAUSES THE SPRING HANGER TO BEND AND OR DETACH WHILE BEING SUBJECTED TO A SOMETIMES NECESSARY HARD TURN AT LOW SPEED. ON THE FOREST RIVER FORUM (WEB SITE FOR FOREST RIVER OWNERS) I FOUND 3 OTHER TRILOGY 5TH WHEEL RV'S THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR SPRING HANGER PROBLEMS. THE LCI CORRECT TRACK SYSTEM IS BEING INSTALLED ON MANY NEW TRAVEL TRAILERS AND 5TH WHEEL RV'S ON RV FRAMES MANUFACTURED BY LCI. THE CONSUMER STATED HE IS NOT LOOKING FOR FINANCIAL COMPENSATION FROM THIS ISSUE, BUT WANTS TO BE MADE AWARE OF THE MODIFICATIONS IN THE MANUFACTURING. THE CONSUMERS' VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. *JS

CHASSIS CROSS MEMBER SUPPORT FOR POTABLE WATER TANK NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY FROM NEW. THIS RESULTED IN THE TANK, WHICH COULD WEIGH 400# WHEN FULL, HANGING FROM THE FILLER PIPE. THE FAULT IS OBSCURED BY A CORRUGATED PLASTIC UNDERBELLY COVER. IF ONE KNEW THE DESIGN THE PRESENCE OF THE THREE SECURING SCREWS ON EACH SIDE OF THE CROSS MEMBER COULD BE CONFIRMED EXTERNALLY ON THE TRAILER SIDE RAILS. HAD THE TANK FALLEN OUT IT WOULD HAVE PRESENTED A CONSIDERABLE RISK TO ME AND OTHER ROAD USERS. ADDITIONALLY I HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE NATURAL GAS PIPE SUPPORT SCREWS BREAKING ALLOWING THE PIPE TO DRAG ON THE ROAD. THIS IS BECAUSE THE SCREWS ARE OF POOR QUALITY AND POTENTIALLY OVER TORQUED. THIS MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO MAKE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEM AND OFFER A WAY FOR OWNERS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THEIR PRODUCTS.

UNEXPECTED TIRE FAILURE; BLOWOUT OCCURRED THROUGH THE TREAD OF THE TIRE, INSTEAD OF SIDEWALL; SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE, INCLUDING A LOST FENDER, BENT FRAMING, AND LOSS OF FLOORING MATERIAL. FENDER HAS BEEN REPLACED, FRAMING AND FLOORING MATERIAL HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE BRAND NAME OF TIRE IS NOT LISTED AS AN OPTION WITHIN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE (CASTLE ROCK ST). THESE TIRES WHICH WERE PURCHASED ON THE 2016 FORESTRIVER SALEM HEMISHPHERE LITE HAVE BEEN REPLACED DUE TO ALARMING REVIEWS, BEING REFERRED TO AS "CHINABOMBS", AND THE MANUFACTURING DATE BEING WITHIN THE LAST MONTHS OF 2014. WEIGHT RATINGS AND SPEED RATING BARELY MEET THE DOT STANDARD FOR THE GVWR OF 14, 020LBS. THE MANUFACTURE FOR "CASTLE ROCK ST" CAN NOT BE LOCATED ON THE INTERNET ONLY WHOLESALE DEALERS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FOREST RIVER SALEM EQUIPPED WITH VAIL SPORT ST LH99 TIRES, SIZE: 225/75/R15 (NA). WHILE IN PARK, THE THREADS ON ALL THE TIRES WERE SEPARATED. THE TIRES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE TIRES WERE INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14T003000 (TIRES), THE RECALL EXPIRED AND THE REPAIR WOULD NOT BE PERFORMED. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900.

TIRE FAILURE. 2500 MILES BELT SEPARATION. YOUR SITE OPTIONS ARE INCOMPLETE. TRAILER: 2014 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD MINI LITE 2109S. TIRE: AKURET ST205/75R14. MODEL HF188. LOAD RANGE C. YOUR OPTIONS BOXES DIDN'T OFFER THIS INFO.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FOREST RIVER V-CROSS (NA) EQUIPPED WITH VAIL SPORT ST LH99 TIRES, SIZE: 225/75D15. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIRE THREADS SEPARATED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE TIRES WERE THE ORIGINAL TIRES. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14T001000 (TIRES). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

WE PURCHASE A BRAND NEW 2017 FOREST RIVER CHEROKEE 235B 5TH WHEEL. AFTER NOTICING MAJOR DAMAGE IN THE WHEEL WELL WE BROUGHT IT INTO A SHOP. TURNS OUT THERE IS A MAJOR CLEARANCE ISSUE AND THE 5TH WHEEL WILL NOT TOW LEVEL. THERE IS 2' BETWEEN THE TIRE AND WHEEL-WELL, PLUMBING SITS 10" FROM THE GROUND & HAS BEEN ALMOST RIPPED OFF WHEN TOWING. FOREST RIVER WAST US TO TOW THIS UNSAFE UNIT TO AN "AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP" NEARLY 100 MILES AWAY SO THEY CAN HAVE IT LOOKED AT. THE SKID BARS ARE COMPLETELY BENT DUE TO THE 5TH WHEEL RIDING LOW AND LEVEL WHEN TOWING. THE 2 REAR TIRES CAN NOT WITHSTAND THE WEIGHT BEING PUT ON THEM. IF THIS WERE TO BE TOWED THOSE 15" TIRES COULD VERY EASILY BLOW OUT. FOREST RIVER ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS DUE TO THEM BEING BAD WITHIN A MONTH OF PURCHASING THIS UNIT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FOREST RIVER WILDCAT MAXX EQUIPPED WITH GRAND RIDE POWER TOURING TIRES, SIZE: ST/235/80/R16. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, ONE OF THE TIRES DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A SPARE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE AND TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. THE VIN, DOT NUMBER, AND TIRE LOCATION WERE UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FOREST RIVER FLAGSTAFF RV EQUIPPED WITH AMERICAN PACIFIC GLADIATOR (NA) TIRES, SIZE: 225/75/R15 (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.