SHASTA Complaints

AFTER DELIVERY OF OUR NEW "TRAVEL" TRAILER WE NOTICED THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY (TIRES AND RIMS) ARE UNDER RATED FOR THE DATA PLATE ON THE TRAILER. THE AXEL IS ALSO UNDER RATED FOR A UNIT THIS SIZE. WHEEL CLEARANCE IN THE WHEEL WELL IS ALSO MARGINAL. THE TIRES AND RIMS ARE RATED FOR AN AUTOMOBILE NOT A "TRAVEL" TRAILER. DEALER SAID NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT, AND THE MANUFACTURE HAS NO COMMENT. WE ARE HESITANT TO ACTUALLY TRAVEL ON THE HIGHWAYS WITH THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT BECAUSE THERE MAY BE EARLY COMPONENT FAILURE.

NONE OF THE WEIGHT RATINGS ON THE REISSUE SHASTA AIRFLYTE'S ARE CORRECT. THE AXEL HAS A LABEL ON IT PLACED THERE BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT SAYS GAWR 3500 LBS. THE SAME AXEL IS ON THE 16' AND THE 19'. SO NO RATING CAN EXCEED 3500 LBS. YET MINE SAYS GVWR IS 3635.

I HAVE HAD THE SHACKLE "FIX" ON MY CAMPER, BUT STILL DO NOT HAVE BUT ABOUT 1 3/4" AT THE TOP OF THE TIRE AND 3/4" ON THE INSIDE WALL. I WENT TO A CAMPING PARK AND THE TIRE RUBBED THE TOP OF THE WHEEL WELL, AND THE INSIDE WALL. THERE ARE ALSO RUB MARKS ON THE INSIDE WALL OF THE TIRE. THERE IS 3 3/8" BEFORE THE AXEL WOULD HIT THE FRAME, BUT ONLY 1 3/4" ABOVE THE TIRE. IF THE AXEL CAN TRAVEL 3 3/4", SO WILL THE TIRE WHICH MEANS IT IS GOING TO GO THRU THE TOP OF THE WHEEL WELL. CONSTANT RUBBING ON THE TIRE IS GOING TO CAUSE A BLOWOUT, OR THE WHEEL WELL IS GOING TO RIP AND CUT THE TIRE, CAUSING A BLOWOUT OR WRECK.

THE TIRES ON THIS TRAILER ARE P225/75R15 WITH A WEIGHT RATING OF 1874 @35 PSI. AFTER DERATING THESE TIRES BY DIVIDING 1.10, THE SINGLE ADJUSTED RATING IS NOW 1704 FOR A COMBINED RATING OF 3408. THE AXLE TAG CLEARLY DISPLAYS 3500 LB. THESE TIRES FROM THE FACTORY DO NOT MEET OR EXCEED THE AXLE RATING. IN ADDITION, THE GVWR LABEL ON THE TRAILER DISPLAYS 3635 LBS. THIS RATING IS HIGHER THAN THE AXLE RATING. THE DRY WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER DISPLAYS 2146 WITH AN ALLOWABLE INCREASE OF CARGO TO NOT EXCEED 1472. THIS ADDS UP TO 3618 GVWR. AGAIN, THIS NUMBER IS HIGHER THAN THE GAWR OF 3500 LBS WITH TIRES CAPABLE OF 3408. THIS IS NOT CORRECT BY ANY MEANS. I HAVE READ THE CURRENT RECALL ON JULY, 8TH 2015 BY FOREST RIVER ABOUT LABEL HAVING WRONG INFORMATION; HOWEVER, MY VIN # IS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL. THESE TIRES ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR THE AXLE OR LOAD RATING AND THE FACTORY IS MERELY CHANGING THE WEIGHT RATINGS TO ACCOMODATE FOR THE TIRES. AGAIN, SHASTA/FOREST RIVER NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS ISSUE AND NOT MERELY CHANGE THE NUMBERS ON A LABEL TO REFLECT A POOR TIRE CHOICE FOR THIS TRAILER. I HAVE SUPPORTING PHOTOS IF NECESSARY. MY TRAILER IS THE 16 FOOT MODEL.

AFTER ARRIVING HOME FROM PICKING UP THE TRAILER I HAD NOTICED THE INNER DRIVER SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE HAVING RUB MARKS. AFTER CLOSER INSPECTION, THE TIRE SIDEWALL CLEARANCE TO THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WELL HAS ONLY 1/4" TO 5/16" OF CLEARANCE. THE TIRE CLEARANCE ON TOP IS ALSO ONLY 1" CAUSING RUB MARKS ON THE WHEEL WELL. I CALLED A FOREST RIVER DEALER TO HAVE MY TRAILER FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. AFTER NUMEROUS CALLS, AND UNANSWERED EMAILS MY DEALER TOLD ME THEY APPROVED LONGER SHACKLES. THIS HOWEVER DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SPRINGS ARE SO FLAT THAT THE LONGER SHACKLES HAVE ONLY MAYBE AT BEST INCREASED THE CLEARANCE 1/2". IN REGARDS TO THE SIDEWALL RUBBING, THE DEALER FINALLY GOT APPROVAL TO "POUND IT OUT". THIS WAS WHAT SHASTA'S WARRANTY ADMINISTRATOR TOLD MY DEALER. MY DEALER SAID THAT WAS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE FIX. AFTER ANOTHER 1 MONTH OF UNANSWERED CALLS AND EMAILS, MY DEALER SAID THEY HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO REMOVE THE AFFECTED WHEEL WELL, BUT DO NOTHING ELSE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. ANY RUBBING ON A WHEEL WELL IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE DRIVER AS WELL AS OTHERS SHARING THE ROAD. I HAVE PICKED UP MY TRAILER ON JULY 9, 2015 AFTER IT SITTING AT THE DEALER FOR WARRANTY WORK SINCE THE MIDDLE OF MAY. ONLY TO HAVE NOTHING FIXED PROPERLY. SHASTA/ FOREST RIVER IS CLEARLY NOT WANTING TO STAND BY THEIR TRAILERS. ALL I AM LOOKING FOR IS A TRAILER IN WHICH MYSELF AND MY FAMILY CAN TOW SAFELY AND NOT BE CONCERNED IF OR WHEN A TIRE WILL BLOWOUT. I BOUGHT A NEW TRAILER SO I WOULDN'T NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS. IN ADDITION, THE PASSENGER TIRES P225/75R15 WHICH CAME FROM THE FACTORY ARE UNDERSIZED FOR THE AXLE RATING AND ARE TOO LARGE FOR THE WHEEL WELL. LIPPERT AXLE RATING STATS 3500 LB BOTH TIRES 3408 AFTER DIVIDING BY 1.10

TRAILER HAS 225-75/15 COKER CLASSIC TIRES WHICH ARE UNDERATED FOR THE 19' MODEL/WT. ALSO, TIRES ARE NOT TRAILER RATED. SEEMS THE SHASTA (FOREST RIVER CO.) USED PASSENGER TIRES THAT ARE OVER WIDTH CAUSING RUBBING ON TIRE SIDE WALLS AGAINST THE WHEEL WELL. STILL CURRENTLY WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM SHASTA.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF SEVERAL FEATURES OF MY BRAND NEW 2015 SHASTA AIRFLYTE TRAVEL TRAILER (BY FOREST RIVER). BASED ON INITIAL INSPECTION OF INTERIOR FIXTURES ALONE, IT'S APPARENT THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF FORESIGHT WHEN DESIGNING THESE, AND QUALITY CONTROL WAS SERIOUSLY LACKING. CORNERS WERE SEEMINGLY CUT TO SAVE TIME OR MONEY ON INTERIOR FIXTURES (I.E. A/C, WOOD TRIM, SEALING OF WINDOWS AND OTHER SEAMS, + MORE). AS A RESULT, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT LIES BENEATH THE PRETTY SURFACE OF THE TRAILER IN ITS GUTS (FRAME, WHEEL WHEELS, SPRINGS, ETC) AND HOW THEY WILL HOLD UP OVER TIME. UPON STUDY OF THESE COMPONENTS, MY CONCERNS RING TRUE, AND I AM BRINGING THEM TO NHTSA ATTENTION TO HOPEFULLY AVOID ANYONE BEING KILLED OR INJURED AS A RESULT. *OF PARTICULAR CONCERN IS WHEEL CLEARANCE. EVEN WITH MY SMALL HANDS, I CAN BARELY FIT TWO FINGERS IN BETWEEN MY TIRES AND WHEEL WELLS. IT HAS PASSENGER TIRES, NOT TRAILER TIRES. EVERYTHING I'VE READ ABOUT TIRE SAFETY AND RV TOWING INDICATES THIS IS NOT A BEST PRACTICE. THE TIRES (P225/75R15, 35PSI) ARE RATED 1843LBS EACH. AS THIS IS A SINGLE AXLE TRAILER, 1850X2 = 3700 LBS. THAT'S TOWING IT EMPTY, WITHOUT ANY FURNISHINGS ADDED, WHICH IS UNREALISTIC AS THESE ARE SUPPOSEDLY MEANT FOR CAMPING, NOT FOR SHOW IN A MUSEUM. ADDITIONALLY, THE GVWR AS STATED BY SHASTA IS 3790 LBS. IF YOU DO THE MATH FOR GAWR OF 3375LBS + 260LBS TONGUE/HITCH WEIGHT, THE TOTAL IS 3635LBS WHICH IS INADEQUATE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT TIRES AND WHEELS SHOULD BE RATED AT LEAST 20% HIGHER THAN GVWR OF THE VEHICLE. MY F150 TOW VEHICLE IS MORE THAN EQUIPPED TO TOW MY TRAILER, HOWEVER THE AMOUNT OF BOUNCE I SEE IN MY REARVIEW IS ALARMING, AND I'VE ONLY TOWED IT MOSTLY-EMPTY SO FAR, NOT WITH ANY WATER ADDED TO THE TANKS, AND LESS THAN 100 LBS OF FURNISHINGS. I WINCE WHEN GOING OVER EVERY BUMP. BOTTOMLINE: I DO NOT FEEL SAFE USING MY TRAILER AS IT WAS BUILT.

2000 SHASTA PHOENIX FORWARD PASSENGER SIDE AXLE FAILED AND THEN SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE HE WAS DRIVING. *BF *OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0369-89)*JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE AXLE DID NOT FAIL. IT WAS A 30 YEAR OLD SPARE WHEEL FROM ANOTHER RV. THE BOLT PATTERN BROKE WHICH ALLOWED THE OUTER PART OF THE WHEEL AND TIRE TO SEPARATE. UPDATED VOQ 12//30/10

TIRE PRESSURE CHECKED APPROX 800 MILES PRIOR TO THE BLOWOUT. THE BLOWOUT OCCURRED FROM WITHIN THE CENTER OF THE TIRE. THE TREADWARE WAS WELL UNDER THE MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT PERIOD. THE TIRES ARE ONE A 2001 SHASTA 31 FT MOTOR HOME. EACH TIME THE UNIT IS IN STORAGE OR IN USE AT A RV LOCATION, THE SIDEWALLS ARE PROTECTED FROM SUN DAMAGE. THE TIRES ARE NOT SIDEWALL CRACKED. UPON BLOWOUT, THE TIRE SHREDDED FROM THE CENTER, CAUSING UNDERCARRIAGE DAMAGE TO THE UNIT. LUCKILY, THE BLOWOUT WAS FROM THE INSIDE DUAL ON THE REAR. I WOULD HATE TO SAY WHAT DAMAGE MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED IF EITHER ON OUTER OR FRONT, AS THE STEEL BELTS POUNDED FOR A PROTRUSION FROM THE TIRE FOR ABOUT 8-12 INCHES EXTENDING FROM THE CENTER OF THE TIRE. *TR

MY COMPLAINT IS ON GOODYEAR TIRES, WRANGLER HT 225/75R16 LOAD RANGE E. ON APRIL 3, 2005 I LEFT A RV PARK IN TYLER. TX AND WAS TRAVELING EAST ON I-20 NEAR THE MARSHAL. TX EXIT WHEN ONE OF THE ABOVE TIRES BLEW OUT. I PROCEEDED UP THE 614 EXIT IN ORDER TO GET OFF THE INTERSTATE FOR MY SAFETY ON THE BUSY INTERSTATE. I CHANGED THE TIRE AND PROCEEDED ON TO BOSSIER CITY, LA TO FIND ANOTHER TIRE. THE DEALER HAD THE SIZE TIRE NEEDED AND REPLACED THE BLOWN OUT TIRE. I INFORMED THE SALES PERSON THAT THE TIRE HAD DAMAGED MY TRAILER. HE GOT A CLAIM NUMBER (000427752} FOR ME AND TOLD ME THAT GOODYEAR WOULD SEND ME FORMS TO FILL OUT TO GET REEMBURSED FOR THE COST OF THE NEW TIRE ($214.65) AND THE DAMAGE TO MY TRAILER, LATER DETERMINED TO BE $547.96. I TRAVELED TO TALLULAH, LA AND STOPED FOR FUEL AND CHECKED TIRES AND FOUND ANOTHER TIRE ABOUT HALF INFLATED AND COULD HEAR AIR COMING FROM IT, CHANGE TIRE. I MADE IT ON TO JACKSON, MS WHERE I FOUND A GOODYEAR DEALER AND THEY ADJUSTED THE TIRE AND CHARGED ME $32.50. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TREAD HAD SEPERATED. WHEN I RETURNED HOME AND PICKED UP MY MAIL AT THE POST OFFICE I DID HAVE THE PACKET TO FILE A CLAIM BUT I ALSO HAD A REGISTERED LETTER FROM GOODYEAR TELLING ME THAT MY CLAIM HAD BEEN DENIED EVEN BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO FILE IT. THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY DID NOT FIND ANY DEFECT IN THE TIRE, THEY SAID IT HAD BEEN RUN FLAT. I SENT GOODYEAR THE CLAIM FORMS AND A LETTER ASKING THEM TO RECONSIDER MY CLAIM. I DID IN FACT RUN THE TIRE FLAT AFTER IT BLEW OUT IN ORDER TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE TO CHANGE THE TIRE WHICH ONLY HAD CORDS AROUND THE TIRE AND THE BEADS AROUND THE WHEEL. GOODYEAR SAID THEY WOULD DESTROY THE IN 30 DAYS IF I DID NOT REQUEST THEM TO RETURN IT TO ME. SEVERAL MEMBERS OF OUR TRAVEL CLUB HAVE HAD BLOW OUTS AND TREAD SEPERATIONS ON THIS SAME MAKE AND SIZE GOODYEAR TIRE. SINCE THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD TO THE TRAVELING PUBLIC I WOULD ASK THAT THIS TIRE BE INVESTIGATED.