This Problem Across All Years
The steel Frame of the 5th wheel trailer developed broken welds and cracked metal tubing. This information should be included in the following current investigation. ODI PE24029
The steel Frame of the 5th wheel trailer developed broken welds and cracked metal tubing. This information should be included in the following current investigation. ODI PE24029
The contact owns a 2017 Grand Design Solitude RV. The contact stated that while driving, the rear axle suspension separated from vehicle. The contacted noticed that the rear axle shifted three inches towards the driver’s side. The vehicle was taken to a rest stop where an independent mechanic replaced the left and right leaf springs. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 8,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Grand Design Solitude RV. The contact stated that while driving, the rear axle suspension separated from vehicle. The contacted noticed that the rear axle shifted three inches towards the driver’s side. The vehicle was taken to a rest stop where an independent mechanic replaced the left and right leaf springs. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 8,000.
NOTICE - LATE EMAIL.... 11/13/17 GRAND DESIGN RV 11333 COUNTY ROAD 2 MIDDLEBURY, IN 46540 GREETINGS, THIS LETTER IS REGARDING OUR 2017 SOLITUDE 375RES, VIN #[XXX]. WE PURCHASED THE UNIT IN FEBRUARY OF 2017 FROM LAZY DAYS RV IN TUCSON, AZ. WHEN WE ARRIVED IN UTAH WE FOUND THAT WE A BROKEN LEAF SPRING ON DRIVERS SIDE REAR AXEL AND THAT THE TIRE HAD BEEN DAMAGED. WE HAD THOSE REPLACED AT LES SCHWAB TIRES IN PROVO, UTAH AT OUR EXPENSE. THIS OCCURRED ON JUNE 14, 2017. I THEN CONTACTED THE FACTORY AND SPOKE WITH [XXX]. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THE PROBLEMS AND HE SAID THAT GRAND DESIGN WOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR REASONABLE COSTS. THE FOLLOWING DAY WE LEFT UTAH AND WENT CALDWELL, ID. AFTER ARRIVING THERE WE FOUND THAT THE OTHER THREE LEAF SPRINGS HAD COLLAPSED. I CONTACTED THE FACTORY AGAIN AND SPOKE TO [XXX] WHO SAID THAT HE COULD UNDERSTAND HAVING ONE BAD SPRING BUT TO HAVE ALL FOUR GO BAD WAS UNLIKELY AND THAT WE SHOULD HAVE IT WEIGHED. I AGREED. IN THE MEAN TIME I HAD THE WORK DONE AGAIN AT MY EXPENSE AND I THEN PARKED THE UNIT UNTIL WE COULD GET IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR OTHER WORK. ONCE THERE WE FOUND THAT YET ANOTHER SPRING HAD COLLAPSED. I HAD THE DEALER WEIGH THE UNIT AND IT WAS FOUND TO BE WITHIN THE PUBLISHED WEIGHTS FOR THIS UNIT. AS OF THIS WRITING THE DEALER SAYS THAT THEY ARE STILL WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM GRAND DESIGN. SO IN CLOSING WHILE WE AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE, I CAN'T HELP BUT TO CONSIDER THE BIGGER PICTURE AND THAT IS, ARE THESE AXEL/SPRINGS UNDERSIZED FOR THIS SIZE RV AND IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE THE HIGHWAYS? [XXX] CELL- [XXX] CC:FILE NHTSA GRAND DESIGN FORUM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
NOTICE - LATE EMAIL.... 11/13/17 GRAND DESIGN RV 11333 COUNTY ROAD 2 MIDDLEBURY, IN 46540 GREETINGS, THIS LETTER IS REGARDING OUR 2017 SOLITUDE 375RES, VIN #[XXX]. WE PURCHASED THE UNIT IN FEBRUARY OF 2017 FROM LAZY DAYS RV IN TUCSON, AZ. WHEN WE ARRIVED IN UTAH WE FOUND THAT WE A BROKEN LEAF SPRING ON DRIVERS SIDE REAR AXEL AND THAT THE TIRE HAD BEEN DAMAGED. WE HAD THOSE REPLACED AT LES SCHWAB TIRES IN PROVO, UTAH AT OUR EXPENSE. THIS OCCURRED ON JUNE 14, 2017. I THEN CONTACTED THE FACTORY AND SPOKE WITH [XXX]. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THE PROBLEMS AND HE SAID THAT GRAND DESIGN WOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR REASONABLE COSTS. THE FOLLOWING DAY WE LEFT UTAH AND WENT CALDWELL, ID. AFTER ARRIVING THERE WE FOUND THAT THE OTHER THREE LEAF SPRINGS HAD COLLAPSED. I CONTACTED THE FACTORY AGAIN AND SPOKE TO [XXX] WHO SAID THAT HE COULD UNDERSTAND HAVING ONE BAD SPRING BUT TO HAVE ALL FOUR GO BAD WAS UNLIKELY AND THAT WE SHOULD HAVE IT WEIGHED. I AGREED. IN THE MEAN TIME I HAD THE WORK DONE AGAIN AT MY EXPENSE AND I THEN PARKED THE UNIT UNTIL WE COULD GET IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR OTHER WORK. ONCE THERE WE FOUND THAT YET ANOTHER SPRING HAD COLLAPSED. I HAD THE DEALER WEIGH THE UNIT AND IT WAS FOUND TO BE WITHIN THE PUBLISHED WEIGHTS FOR THIS UNIT. AS OF THIS WRITING THE DEALER SAYS THAT THEY ARE STILL WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM GRAND DESIGN. SO IN CLOSING WHILE WE AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE, I CAN'T HELP BUT TO CONSIDER THE BIGGER PICTURE AND THAT IS, ARE THESE AXEL/SPRINGS UNDERSIZED FOR THIS SIZE RV AND IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE THE HIGHWAYS? [XXX] CELL- [XXX] CC:FILE NHTSA GRAND DESIGN FORUM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
NOTICE - LATE EMAIL.... 11/13/17 GRAND DESIGN RV 11333 COUNTY ROAD 2 MIDDLEBURY, IN 46540 GREETINGS, THIS LETTER IS REGARDING OUR 2017 SOLITUDE 375RES, VIN #[XXX]. WE PURCHASED THE UNIT IN FEBRUARY OF 2017 FROM LAZY DAYS RV IN TUCSON, AZ. WHEN WE ARRIVED IN UTAH WE FOUND THAT WE A BROKEN LEAF SPRING ON DRIVERS SIDE REAR AXEL AND THAT THE TIRE HAD BEEN DAMAGED. WE HAD THOSE REPLACED AT LES SCHWAB TIRES IN PROVO, UTAH AT OUR EXPENSE. THIS OCCURRED ON JUNE 14, 2017. I THEN CONTACTED THE FACTORY AND SPOKE WITH [XXX]. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THE PROBLEMS AND HE SAID THAT GRAND DESIGN WOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR REASONABLE COSTS. THE FOLLOWING DAY WE LEFT UTAH AND WENT CALDWELL, ID. AFTER ARRIVING THERE WE FOUND THAT THE OTHER THREE LEAF SPRINGS HAD COLLAPSED. I CONTACTED THE FACTORY AGAIN AND SPOKE TO [XXX] WHO SAID THAT HE COULD UNDERSTAND HAVING ONE BAD SPRING BUT TO HAVE ALL FOUR GO BAD WAS UNLIKELY AND THAT WE SHOULD HAVE IT WEIGHED. I AGREED. IN THE MEAN TIME I HAD THE WORK DONE AGAIN AT MY EXPENSE AND I THEN PARKED THE UNIT UNTIL WE COULD GET IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR OTHER WORK. ONCE THERE WE FOUND THAT YET ANOTHER SPRING HAD COLLAPSED. I HAD THE DEALER WEIGH THE UNIT AND IT WAS FOUND TO BE WITHIN THE PUBLISHED WEIGHTS FOR THIS UNIT. AS OF THIS WRITING THE DEALER SAYS THAT THEY ARE STILL WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM GRAND DESIGN. SO IN CLOSING WHILE WE AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE, I CAN'T HELP BUT TO CONSIDER THE BIGGER PICTURE AND THAT IS, ARE THESE AXEL/SPRINGS UNDERSIZED FOR THIS SIZE RV AND IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE THE HIGHWAYS? [XXX] CELL- [XXX] CC:FILE NHTSA GRAND DESIGN FORUM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
NOTICE - LATE EMAIL.... 11/13/17 GRAND DESIGN RV 11333 COUNTY ROAD 2 MIDDLEBURY, IN 46540 GREETINGS, THIS LETTER IS REGARDING OUR 2017 SOLITUDE 375RES, VIN #[XXX]. WE PURCHASED THE UNIT IN FEBRUARY OF 2017 FROM LAZY DAYS RV IN TUCSON, AZ. WHEN WE ARRIVED IN UTAH WE FOUND THAT WE A BROKEN LEAF SPRING ON DRIVERS SIDE REAR AXEL AND THAT THE TIRE HAD BEEN DAMAGED. WE HAD THOSE REPLACED AT LES SCHWAB TIRES IN PROVO, UTAH AT OUR EXPENSE. THIS OCCURRED ON JUNE 14, 2017. I THEN CONTACTED THE FACTORY AND SPOKE WITH [XXX]. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THE PROBLEMS AND HE SAID THAT GRAND DESIGN WOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR REASONABLE COSTS. THE FOLLOWING DAY WE LEFT UTAH AND WENT CALDWELL, ID. AFTER ARRIVING THERE WE FOUND THAT THE OTHER THREE LEAF SPRINGS HAD COLLAPSED. I CONTACTED THE FACTORY AGAIN AND SPOKE TO [XXX] WHO SAID THAT HE COULD UNDERSTAND HAVING ONE BAD SPRING BUT TO HAVE ALL FOUR GO BAD WAS UNLIKELY AND THAT WE SHOULD HAVE IT WEIGHED. I AGREED. IN THE MEAN TIME I HAD THE WORK DONE AGAIN AT MY EXPENSE AND I THEN PARKED THE UNIT UNTIL WE COULD GET IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR OTHER WORK. ONCE THERE WE FOUND THAT YET ANOTHER SPRING HAD COLLAPSED. I HAD THE DEALER WEIGH THE UNIT AND IT WAS FOUND TO BE WITHIN THE PUBLISHED WEIGHTS FOR THIS UNIT. AS OF THIS WRITING THE DEALER SAYS THAT THEY ARE STILL WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM GRAND DESIGN. SO IN CLOSING WHILE WE AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE, I CAN'T HELP BUT TO CONSIDER THE BIGGER PICTURE AND THAT IS, ARE THESE AXEL/SPRINGS UNDERSIZED FOR THIS SIZE RV AND IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE THE HIGHWAYS? [XXX] CELL- [XXX] CC:FILE NHTSA GRAND DESIGN FORUM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
OUR TRAILER HAS A LIPPERT SUSPENSION ORIGINALLY WITH 7,000# AXLES THAT HAVE BEEN UPGRADED TO 8,000# AXLES JUST 4,200 MILES AGO. ONE OF THE FOUR SPRING PACKS CAME APART ON THE INTERSTATE CAUSING THE AXLE TO BECOME MISALIGNED AND NEARLY CAUSING US TO DRIVE OVER THE EDGE OF A GUARDRAIL ON A NARROW BRIDGE WITH TWO LANES AT 50MPH. THIS IS THE 3RD LIPPERT SPRING FAILURE WE HAVE HAD, BUT THE 6TH SUSPENSION FAILURE. UPON INSPECTION WE ALSO HAVE DISCOVERED THAT EACH TIME THE BRONZE BUSHINGS ARE PREMATURELY, COMPLETELY, WORN THROUGH SO THAT THERE IS NO ANTI-FRICTION SURFACE REMAINING. PICTURES ATTACHED.
OUR TRAILER HAS A LIPPERT SUSPENSION ORIGINALLY WITH 7,000# AXLES THAT HAVE BEEN UPGRADED TO 8,000# AXLES JUST 4,200 MILES AGO. ONE OF THE FOUR SPRING PACKS CAME APART ON THE INTERSTATE CAUSING THE AXLE TO BECOME MISALIGNED AND NEARLY CAUSING US TO DRIVE OVER THE EDGE OF A GUARDRAIL ON A NARROW BRIDGE WITH TWO LANES AT 50MPH. THIS IS THE 3RD LIPPERT SPRING FAILURE WE HAVE HAD, BUT THE 6TH SUSPENSION FAILURE. UPON INSPECTION WE ALSO HAVE DISCOVERED THAT EACH TIME THE BRONZE BUSHINGS ARE PREMATURELY, COMPLETELY, WORN THROUGH SO THAT THERE IS NO ANTI-FRICTION SURFACE REMAINING. PICTURES ATTACHED.