2012 Forest River Rockwood

LIPPERT CHASSIS FAILURE - THE CHASSIS OF OUR TRAVEL TRAILER BUCKLED WHILE TOWING IT FROM CA TO AZ. THE FAILURE BECAME SO CATASTROPHIC THAT THE FRONT END OF THE TRAILER ACTUALLY TOUCHED THE HIGHWAY SURFACE WHILE IN TOW. MY WIFE AND 2 KIDS COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED HAD I NOT CAREFULLY TOOK US OFF THE HIGHWAY WHEN I DID. LIPPERT COMPONENTS INC OF INDIANA MANUFACTURES THE CHASSIS FOR FORREST RIVER, INC. IN THE CASE OF MY TRAILER, IT APPEARS THAT THEY USED A 1/8 INCH THICK C-CHANNEL TUBING IN THE AREA THAT BUCKLED. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY RV EXPERTS WHO BELIEVE THIS IS NOT ADEQUATE FOR THE SIZE AND WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER. I HAVE CONTACTED AND TRIED TO GET LIPPERT, (LCI) TO TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY. I EVEN SENT THE OWNER OF THE COMPANY PERSONALLY A 3 PAGE LETTER ASKING FOR THEIR SUPPORT, TO WHICH I DID NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. IN A LETTER SENT TO THEM FROM MY ATTORNEY, THEY ADVISED ME THAT THEY DO NOT OFFER A WARRANTY TO THE END PURCHASER OF THE VEHICLE. THIS TO ME SEEMS UNACCEPTABLE. IN RESEARCHING LIPPERT'S HISTORY OF CHASSIS FAILURES ONLINE, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH MINE IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THEIR ARE NUMEROUS BLOGS, POSTINGS AND EVEN YOU TUBE VIDEOS SHARING SIMILAR ISSUES. MY CONCERN IS THAT A 30 FOOT OR LONGER VEHICLE TRAVELING DOWN A US HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH SHOULD NOT JUST BEND IN HALF FOR NO REASON. MY VEHICLE WAS IN PRISTINE CONDITION, LESS THAN 5 YEARS OLD. NOT ONLY COULD THIS HAVE CREATED A DEVASTATING ACCIDENT, IT RUINED OUR FAMILY VACATION AND LEFT A SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL BURDEN. GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR SERIOUS CHASSIS ISSUES FROM LCI, I BELIEVE IT'S TIME SOMEONE ADDRESSES THIS BEFORE INNOCENT PEOPLE DIE. ADDITIONALLY, LIPPERT APPEARS TO BE THE PRIMARY MANUFACTURER OF CHASSIS' FOR THE ENTIRE RV INDUSTRY. I AM TOLD THEY MAKE UP TO 1600 CHASSIS PER DAY. GIVEN THEIR DOMINANCE IN THE INDUSTRY, TOO MANY PEOPLES LIVINGS ARE RIDING ON THEIR PRODUCTS.

WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH MS IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT SOMETHING WAS RUBBING ON THE TIRE ON OUR FIFTH WHEEL. UPON INSPECTION WE COULD SEE A BOLT AND A PIECE OF METAL, WHICH WERE ATTACHED TO THE SLIDE UNIT, RUBBING AGAINST THE TIRE. WE PROCEEDED TO A RV CENTER IN HAMMOND, LA TO HAVE FURTHER INSPECTION ON THIS ISSUE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BOLT WOULD HAVE TO BE SHORTENED AND THE RAM FACE WOULD HAVE TO BE CUT BACK TO ALLOW FOR FREE ROTATION AND REDUCE THE RISK OF DAMAGE TO THE TIRE. THEY CUT THE BOLT AND RETHREADED IT TO WHERE IT WAS SHORTENED ENOUGH NOT TO COMPROMISE THE TIRE. THEY ALSO CUT BACK THE RAM FACE END TO ELIMINATE THE CHANCE OF IT RUBBING THE TIRE ANY FURTHER. WHILE THEY WERE REPAIRING THE TIRE ISSUE THEY ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS HAD BEEN RUBBED THROUGH AND HAD EXPOSED THE BARE WIRES. THE EXPOSED WIRING HAD TO BE CUT OUT AND REPLACED. THE NEW WIRING AND HARNESS WERE REATTACHED IN A MORE SECURE FASHION. AGAIN, WE ENDURED STRESS, DELAY, EXPENSE AND APPREHENSION WITH THIS 5TH WHEEL. WE ARE ALWAYS WAITING FOR THE NEXT SHOE TO DROP! WHAT NEXT? INCIDENT #4 OF 5 WE WILL BE POSTING. SERIAL#: RL1844723 UNIT MODEL#: 8289WS