ON CERTAIN TRAVEL TRAILERS THAT USE ALUMINUM WHEELS, THE LUG BOLTS AND WHEELS CAN COME OFF

Mar 30, 2005 — Recall Campaign #05V121000

ON CERTAIN TRAVEL TRAILERS THAT USE ALUMINUM WHEELS, THE LUG BOLTS AND WHEELS CAN COME OFF.

The recall was influenced by the manufacturer with about 0 units affected.

NHTSA Safety Recall Notice

05V121000

Manufacturer:	Forest River, Inc.
Recall date:	March 30, 2005
NHTSA Campaign #:	05V121000
Units affected:	0

Description:: ON CERTAIN TRAVEL TRAILERS THAT USE ALUMINUM WHEELS, THE LUG BOLTS AND WHEELS CAN COME OFF.
Consequeces:: LOSS OF THE LUG NUT COULD CAUSE THE WHEEL TO COME OFF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Corrective action:: FOREST RIVER HAS NOT YET PROVIDED A REMEDY FOR THIS RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET PROVIDED AN OWNER NOTIFICATION SCHEDULE FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FOREST RIVER AT 1-574-389-4600.
Notes:: CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Affects the following:

2004-2005 FOREST RIVER TRAVEL TRAILER

2005 FOREST RIVER TRAVEL TRAILER Complaints
AT ABOUT 3:00 PM ON THE 29TH OF JULY, 2009 MY WIFE MYSELF AND TWO GRANDCHILDREN DEPARTED OUR HOME IN BEL AIRE, KS DESTINED FOR TAYLOR PARK, CO. WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2002 FORD E-350 VAN WITH V-10, TOWING A WORK AND PLAY TRAILER MADE BY FOREST RIVER (FRAME BY LIPERT COMPONENTS). THIS TRAILER CONTAINED A HONDA RINCON 4-WHEELER LOADED DIRECTLY OVER THE TANDEM AXLES AND 5000 WATT HONDA GENERATOR LOADED JUST BEHIND IT. IN THE VERY REAR WAS A HIGH CHAIR, GARDEN HOSE AND SEVERAL LAWN CHAIRS. NEAR THE FRONT OF THE TRAILER IN THE CLOSET THERE WERE SHIRTS AND COATS. ON THE FLOOR NEAR THE FRONT THERE WERE A FEW GROCERIES (WE ALWAYS SHOP FOR THE BULK OF OUR GROCERIES IN BUENA VISTA, CO BEFORE CROSSING THE COTTONWOOD PASS INTO TAYLOR PARK) THE FRESH WATER TANK WAS LESS THAN ONE THIRD FULL. ON HIGHWAY I-135 NORTH OF NEWTON, KS, MY WIFE HEARD A LOUD SCRAPING NOISE WHICH LASTED ABOUT 10 TO 20 SECONDS AND CEASED. WE AGREED THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE A LOOK AT WHAT MIGHT HAVE GONE WRONG BUT IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY CONTINUED A FEW MILES TO THE "MOUNDRIDGE" EXIT. AFTER STOPPING SAFELY ON THE EXIT RAMP, I DISCOVERED THAT THE TONGUE OF THE TRAILER HAD COLLAPSED JUST IN FRONT OF THE TRAILER BOX AND ALLOWED THE TRAILER TO HIT THE PAVEMENT. THE ONLY REASON THE TRAILER DID NOT COMPLETELY DRAG THE GROUND WAS THE ALUMINUM BOX ON THE TRAILER TONGUE WAS IN "COMPRESSION" AS IF IT WERE AN AIR BAG. THIS FORCE WAS GREAT ENOUGH TO TEAR THE ALUMINUM MATERIAL AT THE CORNERS BUT FORTUNATELY DID NOT FAIL COMPLETELY. THIS COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT. THE PROPANE VALVES WERE IN THE OPEN POSITION AND THE GAS PIPE FEEDING THE REFRIDGERATOR DRUG THE GROUND. OUR GRANDCHILDREN WERE STRAPPED INTO THEIR CAR SEATS AND LIKELY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN EXTRICATED IN TIME HAD THE TRAILER CAUGHT FIRE AND TANKS EXPLODED. THIS WAS DIRECTLY A RESULT OF POOR DESIGN. WALL THICKNESS OF THE TONGUE WAS .100" TO .110" ON MY 2005 24' MODEL. THE THICKNESS OF A 2008 18' MODEL HAD A WALL THICKNESS OF .180 TO .200". *DT;