FOREST RIVER Complaints

I PURCHASED A FOREST RIVER 38' SAND PIPER SPORT F37SP TOY HAULER FIFTH WHEEL NEW IN 2003. THE TRAILER WAS EQUIPED WITH TANDOM AXELS. WE EXPERIANCED NUMEROUS TIRE BLOW OUTS. EACH TIME THE TIRE WOULD BLOW IT WOULD BLOW UP WITH PIECES OF RUBBER FLYING EVERY WHERE CAUSING EXCESSIVE DAMAGE TO THE RV AND CAUSING THE TRAILER TO BECOME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL UNTIL STOPPED AND OFF THE ROADWAY. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF FOREST RIVER AND ALSO CARLISLE TIRE COMPANY. IN 2005 WE WERE CONTACTED BY A LOCAL RV DEALER TO BRING OUR TRAILER IN TO HAVE THE AXELS REPLACED WITH A HEAVER AXEL AND LARGER G RATED TIRES. THE EXPENSE WAS BEING PAID FOR BY FOREST RIVER. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE SENDING OUT LETTERS TO ABOUT 13 OTHER OWNERS IN THE UTAH AND WYOMING AREA TO HAVE THIER TRAILERS BROUGHT IN FOR THE TRADE OUT AS WELL. I ALSO KNOW OF PEOPLE WHO OWN THE SAME TRAILER IN THE LAS VEGAS AREA WHO HAVE EXPERIANCED THE SAME PROBLEMS. THIS ACTION SEEMED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A YEAR. SINCE THAT TIME WE HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE SEVERAL MORE BLOW OUTS. EACH AND EVERY TIME CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE RV AND CAUSING A SAFETY PROBLEM TO OUR SELVES AND OTHER VEH'S TRAVELING NEAR TO US. FOREST RIVER HAS CHANGED THE DESIGN ON THESE TRAILERS AND NOW IS SELLING THEM PROVIDED WITH A TRIPLE AXEL TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER. I BELIEVE THIS HAS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, WE AND MANY OTHERS OR STUCK WITH THE TANDOM AXEL TRAILERS THAT WERE PRODUCED BEFORE THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT FOREST RIVER CAN DO TO FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR US AND MAKE THIS TRAILER SAFE TO OPERATE AND USE. AS OF THIS DATED WE HAVE REPLACED APROX 12 TIRES. *TR

TRAVELING ON I-95 THROUGH JACKSONVILLE, FL. PULLING TRAILER AT 55MPH, TREAD ON TRAILER PASSENGER SIDE REAR AXLE TIRE SEPARATED DAMAGING UNDER CARRIAGE AND SIDE OF TRAILER. PUT ON SPARE TIRE, DROVE INTO JACKSON AND BOUGHT NEW RADIAL TIRE REPLACEMENT. KEPT OLD TIRE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FOREST RIVER SALEM. THE CONTACT SMELLED SMOKE IN HIS FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER. HE DETECTED SMOKE AND IMMEDIATELY WENT OUTSIDE TO DISCONNECT THE WIRES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CALLED AND THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. NO OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION WAS APPLICABLE.

A TIRE BLEW OUT FROM BEAD TO BEAD. AFTER LOOKING AT ALL THE TIRES, FOUND THAT THE TIRES WERE WEARING OUT ON THE OUTSIDE EDGE. I HAVE ALWAYS USED THE MAX AIR PRESSURE WHICH IS 50 PSI. THE TIRES ARE CARLISLE 205-75-15 RADIAL TRAIL CRT LOAD RANGE C. GVW IS 7780. THE TIRES CARRY 1820 LBS EACH AT 50 PSI. THE TIRES COMBINED CARRY 7280 LBS. THIS IS LESS THAN THE 7780 LBS AND SOME OF IT IS DUE TO TONGUE WEIGHT I GUESS. MY TRAILER WAS NOT OVER LOADED. I CARRIED A FULL WATER TANK OF 38 GALLONS AND FOOD. SEEMS TO ME IT SHOULD HAVE COME WITH 225-75-15 LOAD RANGE D. I HAVE REPLACED THE TIRES WITH THESE NEW TIRES. WHAT A DIFFERENCE ON HOW THE TRAILER RUNS NOW. IT DOES NOT BOUNCE UP AND DOWN LIKE IT USE TO. I FEEL THEY SHOULD SELL A NEW TRAILER WITH THE PROPER SIZE AND LOAD RANGE. I HAD NO DAMAGE AND THANK GOD WE WERE NOT HURT. I WOULD HAVE GLADLY PAID 500.00 MORE FOR PROPER TIRES. I FEEL THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND I AM CONTACTING YOU BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT RETURN MY PHONE CALLS. THE DEALER BEST RV AND FOREST RIVER HAVE IGNORED THREE CALLS EACH. AFTER THE BLOW OUT I CHECKED ALL THE TIRES AGAIN FOR 50 PSI AND THEY WERE OKAY. THE TRAILER IS A 2007 ROCKWOOD SIGNATURE ULTRA LIGHT 8318 SS. WE LOVE THE TRAILER AND HAVE HAD NO ISSUES EXCEPT FOR THIS. THANK YOU JEFF CSILLAG. *TR

I BOUGHT A 2007 CHEROKEE WOLFPACK 23WP IN OCTOBER 2006. I WAS LOOKING FOR TIRE COVERS. ON THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE TRAILER, THERE ARE TWO STICKERS WHICH BOTH SAY THE TIRE SIZE IS AN ST235/80R16/D. THE TIRES ON THE TRAILER ARE AN ST225/75R15/D. THE STICKER ON THE TRAILER STATES THE GVWR OF 11,615 LBS. THERE IS ALSO A STICKER INSIDE THE CABINET ABOVE THE SINK WHICH ALSO STATES THE GVWR OF 11,615 LBS, AND THE EMPTY WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER IS 7582 LBS. THE TIRES ARE A KARRIER LOAD STAR BRAND. I FOUND THE INFORMATION ON EASTERNMARINE.COM. IT STATES THE MAXIMUM CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE ST225/75R15/D IS 2,540 LBS @ 65 PSI. THE MAXIMUM CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE ST235/80R16/D IS 3,000 LBS @ 65 PSI. IF YOU MULTIPLY 2,540 TIMES 4 EQUALS 10,160 LBS MAXIMUM CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE TIRES. THIS GIVES A DIFFERENCE OF 1,455 LBS LESS THAN THE GVWR. THE STICKER ON THE FRONT OF THE TRAILER DOES STATE THE AXLE SIZE OF 5,200 LBS. THIS GIVES A MAXIMUM GAWR OF 10,400 LBS. THIS IS ALSO 1,215 LBS LESS THAN THE GVWR. IN THE CHEROKEE WOLFPACK BROCHURE, IT GIVES THE UNLOADED VEHICLE WEIGHT OF 7,582 LBS. IT ALSO GIVES THE PAYLOAD OF 4,033 LBS. THIS ALSO ADDS UP TO 11,615 GVWR. I JUST DO NOT BELIEVE THE TIRES ON THE TRAILER ARE THE CORRECT TIRES. I TALKED TO BECKY MILLER AT FOREST RIVER A FEW TIMES LAST WEEK AND SHE TOLD ME THE WRONG STICKER WAS PUT ON THE TRAILER. IF THEY CHANGE THE WEIGHT RATING OF THE TRAILER, THEN THIS CHANGES THE AMOUNT I CAN HAUL. I ALSO TALKED TO MIKE AT FOREST RIVER CHEROKEE DIVISION ON FRIDAY 1-25-08. HE ALSO TOLD ME THE STICKER IS WRONG. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY DID DO UPGRADES ON THE TIRES AND AXLES AFTER MINE WAS BUILT. IF THE STICKERS ON THE TRAILER ARE WRONG, THEN THE BROCHURE IS WRONG. ALL I WANT IS THE CORRECT TIRES,RIMS, AND AXLES BE PUT ON THE TRAILER SO THEY WILL HANDLE THE GVWR OF THE TRAILER. BECKY MILLER'S PHONE NUMBER IS 260-593-0023. MIKE'S PHONE NUMBER IS 260-593-2666. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL OR E-MAIL ME. THANKS, CHARLES T. KEY *TR

2003 FOREST RIVER CEDAR CREEK WITH SEVERAL PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH LEAKAGE. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THE DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR HAD A RECALL ON IT AND THEY WERE NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. *KB THERE WAS A FATIGUE CRACK IN THE BOILER TUBE AND GAS LEAKED OUT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE UNIT WAS REPAIRED. DOMETIC MADE THE REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE AS A FAVOR. THE CONSUMER LATER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL. DURING OWNERSHIP OF THE RV, A WRINKLE DEVELOPED ON THE BEDROOM WALL. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FOREST RIVER WINDSONG. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V3366000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) IN SEPTEMBER OF 2007. SHE CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE STILL UNAVAILABLE. FORD FURTHER STATED THAT THE PROJECTED DATE OF THEIR ARRIVAL WAS MAY OF 2008. THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH HAS NOT BEEN DISCONNECTED. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000. UPDATED 02-15-08. *KB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FOREST RIVER WILDWOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CAMPER ROOF WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AND ROTTING OUT THE ROOF DECKING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. NO OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. UPDATED 5/6/08 *CN UPDATED 05/06/08 *TR

WE WERE TRAVELING APPROX. 5 - 10 MPH (THROUGH A CAMPGROUND) AND ONE OF THE TIRES EXPLODED WITH A LOUD POP. THE EXPLODING TIRE WAS ON OUR RV/TRAVEL TRAILER. OTHER FELLOW CAMPERS NOTICED BUBBLES ON 2 MORE OF THE TIRES INDICATING THEY TOO WOULD EXPLODE. WE DETERMINED THAT THE LOAD RANGE D IS NOT ENOUGH FOR RV'S. WE HAD ANOTHER EXPERIENCE WITH THE SAME TYPE OF CARLISLE TIRE BEFORE. WE COULDN'T BELIEVE OUR BAD LUCK THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO US AGAIN. I HAVE CONTACTED CARLISLE TIRE AND THEY SENT ME THE NORMAL "OUT OF WARRANTY" LETTER. THEY HAVE THESE BAD TIRES IN THEIR POSSESSION, AND THERE IS NO WARRANTY ABOUT IT, THEY ARE DEFECTIVE AND I'M TIRED OF IT COSTING ME MONEY. THERE IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WITH THESE TIRES. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, WE WERE TRAVELING ABOUT 55 -60 MPH. SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. PLEASE GET THESE TIRES OFF THE ROAD. CARLISLE TIRE, RADIAL, ST225/75R15, LOAD RANGE D. P. S. THIS FOREST RIVER PRODUCT IS A CHEROKEE MAKE, BUT COULD NOT FIND CHEROKEE IN YOUR LIST OF OPTIONS, AND WAS FORCED TO CHOOSE SIERRA. SINCERELY, SUZIE AYCOCK *TR

DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR RECALL .06E076000 COMPANY RECALL LETTER ON THIS ISSUE SHOWS A RECALL NUMBER OF 07V85000 THIS NUMBER DOES NOT COME UP ON YOUR WEB SITE. I FEEL THEY DID NOT COMPLY WITH RECALL AND REPAIR MY PROBLEM CORRECTLY. THEY ONLY PUT IN WHAT THEY CALLED A HEAT SHIELD INSTEAD OF REPLACING DEFECTIVE TUBE. *TR