2014 PALOMINO COLUMBUS Complaints

I OWN A 2014 PALAMINO COLUMBUS 5TH WHEEL CAMPER. THERE IS A SMALL CRACK IN THE FRONT CORNER OF THE BEDROOM SLIDE OUT. THE COLUMBUS FACEBOOK PAGE IS FULL OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. FOREST RIVER HAS FIXED SOME UNITS UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY ADMIT THAT THERE IS A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM WITH THE FRAMES OF THE CAMPERS. LIPPERT IS THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FRAME AND IT HAS POOR WELD AND POOR STRUCTURAL SUPPORTS. THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSAND OF THESE UNITS OUT THERE THAT NEED FIXING. I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY BREAKING IN HALF TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD BUT, ONE WOULD THINK IF THE STRUCTURE GOT WEAK ENOUGH IT MIGHT COLLAPSE GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURIES. PLEASE VISIT HTTPS://M.FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/COLUMBUSRVGROUP/?SOFT=SEARCH THANK YOU. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TOWING A 2014 PALOMINO COLUMBUS ON A 2012 RAM 2500. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING TOWED AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER DETACHED FROM THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

ON JULY 10, 2014 MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT A COLUMBUS 340 RK FIFTH WHEEL MADE BY FOREST RIVER. UPON DELIVERY AUGUST 14TH 2014 WE NOTICED IMMEDIATE DEFECTS AND CALLED RV WHOLESALERS TO NOTIFY OF THE ISSUES. SINCE WE HAD A TRIPPED PLANNED WITH THE 5TH WHEEL TO DRIVE THROUGH THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS MY WIFE AND I STATED WE WOULD TAKE IT IN FOR REPAIRS AFTER THE TRIP. DURING OUR TRIP I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES FELT LIKE THEY WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP OF THE ISSUE. WE AGREED ON A REPAIR SHOP WHERE I DELIVERED THE 5TH WHEEL (SEPT 14, 2014) AND GAVE A LIST OF DEFECTS TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND RV DEALER. BRAKES WERE NUMBER 1 CONCERN. THE REPAIR SHOP CALLED ME AND STATED THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE BRAKES WERE NEVER WIRED AND COMPLETE (PICTURES WERE SENT) ALSO, ISSUE 2 THE BACKING PLATES FOR THE BRAKES WERE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. IN A NUT SHELL MY 13,800 POUND TRAILER HAD NO BRAKES! CURRENTLY IN A LEMON LAW SUIT AGAINST FOREST RIVER AND NEED MY GOVERNMENTS HELP. RV STILL AT SHOP WITH ZERO WORK DONE TO IT. SITTING SINCE SEPT 2014.

THE STUDS SNAP OFF AND THE WHEEL AND TIRE ARE NO LONGER SECURED TO THE HUB. THE WHEEL MAY SEPARATE FROM THE TRAILER CAUSING IT TO BE A PROJECTILE ON THE HIGHWAY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. *TR

BRAKES WERE SUSPECT, WEAK, INCONSISTENT ACTION. TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPACK AND INSPECT BRAKES. DISCOVERED ALL 4 SEALS FAILED AND ALL FOUR BRAKE ASSEMBLIES WERE COVERED IN GREASE. DEALER CONTACTED MANUFACTURE OF BRAKE ASSEMBLY, LIPPERT COMPONENTS, INC., AND THEY REPLACED BRAKES UNDER WARRANTY. *JS

NOTE - AXEL INFO IS: FRONT AXEL SERIAL# 045-002512768, REAR AXEL SERIAL# 045-002512757, NV# 284479, DOM IS 1-16-14. PURCHASED TRAILER NEW WITH FIRST USE IN APRIL 2014. OVER NEXT FEW MONTHS TRAILER WOULD NOT STOP AS EASILY AND QUICKLY AS IT DID WHEN WE FIRST STARTED USING IT. THE CONTINUED REDUCTION IN BRAKING ABILITY OVER TIME REQUIRED THAT I CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE BRAKE CONTROLLER SETTINGS UNTIL I REACHED THE HIGHEST SETTING OF 10. WE DID NOT FEEL SAFE WHILE PULLING THIS TRAILER. ALTHOUGH WE DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT I ASKED OUR DEALER TO INSPECT. WHEN THEY DID THEY FOUND THAT 3 WHEELS HAD BLOWN SEALS AND ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS COVERED IN GREASE, THE 4TH WHEEL ALSO HAD A BLOWN SEAL BUT ALTHOUGH IT WAS COMPROMISED IT WAS NOT AS BAD AS THE OTHERS. LIPPERT MFG SENT A MECHANIC TO THE DEALER AND REPLACED ALL FOUR WITH NEW DRUM/BRAKE ASSEMBLIES. I ASKED THE LIPPERT MECHANIC WHAT CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE NEW BRAKE ASSEMBLIES AND HE STATED THEY ARE USING NEW SEALS. TRAILER IS NOW IN WINTER STORAGE SO IT WILL BE NEXT SPRING BEFORE WE CAN USE THEN INSPECT AFTER SOME LIMITED USE TO DETERMINE IF WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE NEW PARTS. *TR

TOOK TRAILER TO SHOP BECAUSE BRAKES WERE SLUGGISH AND NOT WORKING WELL. DEALER DISCOVERED ALL SEALS BLOWN AND BRAKES COVERED IN OIL. LINE FOR BRAKES ON FRONT AXLE PINCHED, THEREFORE NO BRAKING ACTION ON FRONT AXLE. HAD TO HAVE ALL FOUR BRAKE UNITS REPLACED AND BRAKE LINE TO FRONT AXLE REPAIRED. MECHANIC STATED THAT GREASE IN AXLES WAS NOT PROPER GRADE, TO THIN. LIPPERT AND COLUMBUS PUT MY FAMILY AND MYSELF IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR

UNIT RETURNED TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION AFTER RECEIVING NOTIFICATION OF IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FROM THE BRAKE MANUFACTURER (LIPPERT COMPONENTS). DEALER INSPECTED AND FOUND GREASE IN THREE OF THE FOUR BRAKE UNITS. DEALER NOTIFIED FORREST RIVER AND LIPPERT, BOTH SEEM TO BE POINTING TO THE OTHER FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THIS RIG IS 17 MONTHS OLD AND HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR WARRANTY WORK FOR 7 MONTHS OUT THOSE 17 MONTHS. THE RIG HAS LESS THAN 10,000 MILES OF ROAD TRAVEL ON IT. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD GIVEN THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. SEVERAL POSTS HAVE BEEN MADE ON VARIOUS FORUMS AND MANY OWNERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES. *TR

BRAKES FAILED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE BRAKING SINCE 5TH WHEEL TRAILER WAS NEW. I COMPLAINED TO COLLIER RV OF ROCKFORD OF POOR BRAKING ABILITY AND ASKED THEM TO INSPECT BRAKES WHICH THEY SAID THEY DID. THIS AUGUST 2014 WHILE AT THE FOREST RIVER OWNERS RALLY IN GOESHEN, INDIANA I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF LIPPERT'S RALLY PRICE ON FORWARD ADJUSTING BRAKES TO BE INSTALLED BECAUSE I WAS NEVER SATISFIED WITH THE 5TH WHEEL BRAKES. WHEN THE LIPPERT TECH. CAME TO INSTALL NEW FORWARD ADJUSTING BRAKES HE FOUND ALL 4 SEALS BLOWN AND 3 OUT OF THE 4 BRAKES WERE COATED WITH GREASE. ONE WHEEL HAD A BAD BEARING ALSO. I HAVE PICTURES SHOWING THE BRAKES COVERED IN GREASE. AT THE AUGUST 2014 RALLY, I ONLY HAD 1350 MILES ON MY 14 MONTH OLD COLUMBUS 5TH WHEEL. *TR

WHEN I PURCHASED MY FIFTH WHEEL, THE WHEEL BEARING ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE AXLE HAD NO BEARING SEAL CAP. GREASE HAD BEEN FLOWN TO BRAKE SHOES AND DRUM. LIPPERT DOES NOT WANT TO COVER THE DAMAGES OR REPAIRS. I HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE SHOES AND BEARINGS. *TR