2015 GRAND DESIGN REFLECTION Complaints

I PURCHASED THIS RV NEW. I LOST A WHEEL BEARING BECAUSE OF A BAD WHEEL HUB. I WAS ABLE TO REPAIR THE AXLE ENOUGH TO STILL USE. IN 2017 ON MY WAY TO ARIZONA I LOST THIS SAME WHEEL BEARING AGAIN AND WAS ABLE TO REPAIR IT ONCE AGAIN TO CONTINUE MY TRIP. AFTER RETURNING HOME LAST SPRING I DECIDED TO REPLACE THIS AXLE. UPON REMOVING THE AXLE I DISCOVERED THAT THE AXLES ON THIS RV ARE 4400# AXLES. MY PAPERWORK ON THIS RV SHOWS THAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE 5200# AXLES. WONDERING WHY THIS IS SO.

GRAAND DESIGN USES LIONSHEAD ALUMINUM 5 SPOKE WHEELS ON REFLECTION MODELS. THE WHEELS CRACK. I KNOW OF 3 CASES BESIDES MINE WHERE THE WHEELS HAVE CRACKED, AT SOME POINT SOMEONE IS GOING TO LOSE A WHEEL AND KILL SOMEONE. SEE HERE. HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/147999938972932/PERMALINK/465702340536022/

THE STRAP THAT HOLDS THE ELECTRICAL LINE AND THE PROPANE LINE UNDER THE KITCHEN SIDE OUT BROKE AND THE PROPANE LINE RUBBED ON THE TIRE WHILE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE CAUSING THE LINE TO CUT IN HALF AND PROPANE LEAKED OUT.

ALL 4 ELECTRIC DRUM BRAKES ON THE REFLECTION FIFTH WHEEL CAMPER TRAILER WERE CONTAMINATED WITH GREASE FROM THE AXLES. AFTER CHECKING BRAKES BECAUSE OF POOR TRAILER BRAKING WHILE TOWING THE FIFTH WHEEL TRAIL, I FOUND THAT ALL 4 BRAKE'S SHOES WERE BARELY WORN AFTER 2 YEARS OF USE. THE BRAKE SHOES HAD GREASE ON THEM AS WELL AS THE ELECTRIC MAGNET THAT ACTIVATES THE BRAKES. THE GREASE CONTAMINATION CAUSED FAULTY OPERATION OF THE BRAKES. NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER LIPPERT HAS SUPPOSEDLY AFTER SEVERAL YEARS MADE SOME CHANGES, BUT STILL BRAND NEW CAMPER TRAILER ARE BEING FOUND WITH BRAKE GREASE CONTAMINATION.

BRAKES WERE CONTAMINATED WITH WHEEL BEARING GREASE, EITHER DAMAGED/FAULTY REAR WHEEL BEARING SEAL OR/AND SUBSTANDARD GREASE THAT LIQUEFIES. THE CAVITY IN THE HUB IS FILLED TO MAXIMUM CAPACITY WITH GREASE WHICH IS UNNECESSARY WHICH IS ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORY. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR AT LEAST 6 YEARS. SUSPENSION ITEMS ARE PROVIDED BY LIPPERT (LCI). MY 2011 HEARTLAND SUNDANCE 5TH WHEEL HAD THE SAME ISSUE. GREASE ON THESE BRAKES MAKES IT NEARLY NON FUNCTIONING AND A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE.

GREASE SEALS FAILING CAUSING AXLE GREASE TO COVER WHEELS AND BRAKE PADS. DEALER HAS REPLACED BOTH SETS OF SEALS ON BOTH SIDES OF BOTH TANDEM AXLES DUE TO THIS ISSUE. ONE SIDE WAS REPLACED IN JAN 2016, THE OTHER SIDE WAS REPLACED IN SEPT 2016.

TRAILER WHEEL BEARING SEALS LEAKING GREASE, AND COATING BRAKE SHOES WITH GREASE. THREE OUT OF FOUR SEALS WERE LEAKING. REPLACED ALL GREASE SEALS AND REPACKED WHEEL BEARINGS.

4 GOODYEAR MARATHON WERE INSTALLED ON OUR REFLECTION FIFTH WHEEL CAMPER. THE ORIGINAL TIRES ON THE CAMPER WERE EXCHANGED FOR THE GOODYEAR TIRES. DOT 2VUN1LHR4213 THROUGH 4813. ON JULY 24,2016 THE TIRES WERE ADJUSTED TO 80 PSI. AFTER ABOUT 65 MILES INTO OUR TRIP THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE EXPLODED AND SHEARED THE TREAD FROM THE TIRE. THE EXPLODING TIRE CAUSED $3700 WORTH OF DAMAGE AS QUOTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TIRE WAS TURNED INTO AN AUTHORIZED GOOD YEAR DEALER AND A REPLACEMENT PROTOW TIRE WAS PURCHASED FOR $144. ON THE RETURN TRIP THE OTHER GOODYEAR MARATHON SAME SIDE SEPARATED. THIS TIRE WAS RETURNED TO GOODYEAR FOR EVALUATION. TIRE SIZE ST 235-80-16 LOAD RANGE E.DOT 2VUN 1LHR 4813 THE FIRST TIRE EXPLOSION WAS VIOLENT, THROWING FRAGMENTS INTO FOLLOWING TRAFFIC. ONE NEAR ACCIDENT WAS OBSERVED OF TRAFFIC TRYING TO AVOID THE SHARDS WITH THE CAR APPEARING TO GO SIDEWAYS. THE SECOND EXPLOSION WAS LESS VIOLENT BUT STILL LEFT LARGE CHUNKS IN THE HIGHWAY. STATE POLICE WERE CALLED FRO ASSISTANCE.

AXLE BEARING GREASE LEAKS ONTO BRAKE SHOES AND ELECTRIC BRAKE MAGNET MECHANISM, MAKING BRAKES LESS EFFECTIVE INCREASING BRAKING DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY, THIS OCCURS WHENEVER USING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES ARE ADJUSTED PROPERLY.

GRAND DESIGN TRAVEL TRAILERS/5TH WHEELS USING LIPPERT AXLES. WHEEL SEAL FAILURE LETTING WHEEL BEARING GREASE CONTAMINATE THE BRAKE SHOES/PADS & ELECTRO MAGNETS. ALMOST COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING. EMERGENCY ACTIVATION COULD NOT STOP UNIT WITHIN 150 FEET AT 10MPH. SEALS WERE HARD WHEN REMOVED.