2008 WESTERN ALPENLITE Complaints

FAILURE: STEEL BRACKET CONNECTING POWER STEERING GEAR TO THE VEHICLE'S FRAME BENDS EXCESSIVELY WHENEVER OPERATING THE STEERING. OCCURRENCE: WHENEVER VEHICLE IS OPERATED. CORRECTION: NONE AT THIS TIME. *TR

HYDRAULIC STEERING GEARBOX IS MOUNTED TO A STEEL BRACKET THAT BENDS UP AND DOWN EXCESSIVELY WHEN STEERING THE VEHICLE. THIS CONDITION OCCURS ALL THE TIME WHEN DRIVING, AND I FEAR THAT THE CONSTANT FLEXING WILL ULTIMATELY BRAKE THE BRACKET AND RENDER VEHICLE STEERING NON-OPERATIONAL WHILE DRIVING - LEADING TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

FAILURE: STEEL BRACKET HOLDING THE POWER STEERING BOX TO THE FRAME DEFLECTS EXCESSIVELY WHEN OPERATING THE STEERING WHEEL OF MY MOTORHOME. THIS LEADS TO STRESS CRACKING OF BRACKET WELDS, STRESS CRACKING OF THE BRACKET'S REAR MOUNTING FLANGE, AND HAS LEAD TO ONE SUBSTANTIAL BRACKET FAILURE AFFECTING STEERING SAFETY FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE: ALL THE TIME CORRECTIONS: NOTHING DEFINITIVE HAS BEEN DONE. I HAVE ADDED A PROTOTYPE RETROFIT STIFFENER BETWEEN THE STEEL BRACKET & FRAME AND AM TESTING THAT AT THIS TIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 ALPINE LEGEND FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER. THE VEHICLE HAS TREDIT BCT JB 43 WINLAND TIRES, SIZE LT 235/85/R16- 14PR. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A VERY LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. SHORTLY AFTER, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE THREAD SEPARATION. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE TIRES SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE TRAILER BECAUSE IT WAS NOT CAPABLE OF HOLDING THAT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT. DUE TO THE BLOW OUT, THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND METAL SUPPORTS UNDERNEATH THE TRAILER WERE DAMAGED. ALL OF THE TIRES WERE REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE BECAUSE THE DEALER STATED THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.