GRAND DESIGN Complaints

HAD AXEL SEALS GO BAD ON ALL 4 WHEELS CAUSING VERY LOOSE RUNNY GREASE TO LEAK PAST AND COAT THE BRAKE DRUMS, SHOES, MAGNET AND ALL OTHER COMPONENTS WITH A LOT OF GREASE CAUSING THE BRAKES TO SLIP AND NOT WORK. THE TRAILER ONLY HAD 1250 MILES ON IT.

I WAS RETURNING FROM A TRIP, WHEN THE ELECTRIC BRAKES ON MY 5TH WHEEL TRAILER STARTED NOT WORKING. EVEN WITH THE BRAKE CONTROLLER GAIN TURNED TO MAXIMUM, THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO BRAKING. I INSPECTED THE BRAKES WHEN I GOT HOME AND FOUND THAT GREASE WAS LEAKING FROM ALL 4 WHEEL BEARING GREASE SEALS COATING THE BRAKE SHOES. THIS WAS ONLY THE 3RD TRIP I HAD TAKEN WITH THIS UNIT AND HAD TOWED IT LESS THAN 2500 MILES TOTAL SINCE PURCHASE IN AUGUST 2014. STOPPING DISTANCE WAS MUCH MORE THAN NORMAL WITH NO TRAILER BRAKES. AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED HAD THERE BEEN AN UNUSUAL SITUATION REQUIRING A SUDDEN STOP. MANUFACTURE IS CORRECTING THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY WITH TOTAL BRAKE AND SEAL REPLACEMENT.

THIS IS A NEW TRAILER THAT HAD GREASE ON ALL FOUR BRAKES DUE TO GREASE PASSING THROUGH THE SEALS. THE MANUFACTURER IS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAD PACKED THE WHEEL BEARINGS. THE HUBS WERE FILLED WITH GREASE INDICATING THAT THE "EASY-LUBE" FEATURE HAD BEEN USED TO PACK THE BEARINGS. I DON'T BELIEVE THE SEALS ARE BAD, I BELIEVE THE PROCEDURES ARE FLAWED. FIFTH WHEELS OF THIS WEIGHT SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS TYPE OF AXLE. THERE AREN'T ANY SEALS THAT ARE GOING TO CONTAIN THE GREASE FROM A GREASE GUN THAT IS FILLING THE HUB .

LIPPERT BRAKE SHOES AND MAGNETS CONTAMINATED WITH GREASE. GREASE SEAL BLEW OUT WITH EXCESSIVE GREASE AND/OR FAULTY SEALS. STOPPING ABILITY OF VEHICLE EXTREMELY IMPACTED AND DANGEROUS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 GRAND DESIGN REFLECTION 337. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE BRAKES HESITATED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE AXLE GREASE SEAL FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400.

DURING AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE AXLE SEALS HAD FAILED AND LEAKED GREASE ONTO THE BRAKES MAKING THE BRAKES USELESS.

GREASE HAD LEAKED THROUGH BEARING SEALS INTO BRAKES ON LIPPERT AXLES. THEY WERE NOT "OVER GREASED" GRAND DESIGN MOMENTUM 385TH 2015.

AXLE SEALS ON 3 OUT OF 4 HUBS FAILED AND LEAKED GREASE ALL OVER THE BRAKES CAUSING 80 PERCENT BRAKE FAILURE. I HAD TO BUY ALL NEW SEALS AND BRAKE SHOES. THIS WAS WITH LESS THAN 3K MILES ON UNIT.

LIPPERT COMPONENTS (LCI) OF ELKHART IN, ARE THE MANUFACTURES OF THE AXLE AND BRAKE EQUIPMENT USED ON THE GRAND DESIGN BRAND OF TRAILERS. I HAVE A 2014 SOLITUDE 369RL 5TH WHEEL. I HAVE ABOUT 10,000 MILES ON THE UNIT AND DURING MY LAST TRIP OUT I LOST SOME BRAKING CAPABILITY. AFTER FURTHER REVIEW 2 OF THE 4 BRAKES HAD GREASE LEAKING FROM THE REAR GREASE SEAL INTO THE BRAKE DRUMS. I HAVE NEVER GREASED THESE WITH THIS LITTLE MILEAGE. I POSTED ON FACEBOOK TODAY AND HAD ABOUT 10 PEOPLE WHO OWN GRAND DESIGN TRAILERS WHO HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS. THIS IS A TRUE SAFETY HAZARD CAUSED BY THE COMPONENT MANUFACTURE LIPPERT COMPONENTS INC. MY UNDER STANDING THERE WAS A LETTER WRITTEN TO THEM BY THE NHTSA LETTER NVS-214NJS AND PE14-008 DATED APRIL 3RD 2014 ABOUT ANOTHER TRAILER MANUFACTURER THAT ALSO USES LIPPERT COMPONENTS FOR THEIR AXLES AND BRAKE SYSTEMS. IT IS TIME TO HAVE LIPPERT COMPONENTS STEP UP AND RECALL ALL OF THE TRAILERS THAT HAVE THESE FAULTY GREASE SEALS BEFORE SOMEONE DIES DUE TO LOSS OF BRAKES BECAUSE OF GREASE IN THE BRAKE DRUM!!!! *TR

THE AXLE GREASE SEALS INSTALLED BY LIPPERT COMPONENTS HAVE FAILED. THIS HAS CAUSED GREASE TO ENTER THE BRAKES AND RESULTED IN DIMINISHED BRAKING CAPABILITY. *TR