2008 Heartland Cyclone

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HEARTLAND CYCLONE TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL WAS LEANING INWARD. THE CONTACT DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A BROKEN LEAF SPRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,000. ..UPDATED 09-28-12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS ALSO FAILURES WITH THE FRONT LIFTING JACKS. THE FIRST TIME THEY FAILED, THE WERE REPAIRED. AFTER THE SECOND FAILURE, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD, BY BEST RV, THAT THE TRAILER WAS TO HEAVY TO HEAVY FOR THE MOTOR ON THE JACKS. THE JACKS WERE NOT REPAIRED. THE CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE AXLES LOOKED AT TO SEE IF THAT COULD BE THE CAUSE OF THE TIRE BLOW OUTS. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE AXLES WERE TO LIGHT FOR THE TRAILER AND THE BEARINGS NEED TO BE PACKED. THE BEARINGS WERE PACKED. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED ON THE JACKS,AXLES, AND LEAF SPRINGS, AFTER A (1)YEAR. IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE TRAILER EMPTIED IS OVER THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT. UPDATED 10/01/2012 *JS UPDATED 9/26/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED HE RECEIVED A LETTER IN THE MAIL FROM THE MANUFACTURER, STATING THE AXLES DID NOT HANDLE THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT OF WEIGHT HE WAS TOLD, WHEN HE PURCHASED THE TRAILER. THE CONSUMER WAS PROVIDED STICKERS, TO PLACE ON THE TRAILER AS A REMINDER. UPDATED 10/09/12

I HAVE AN 2008 HEARTLAND CYCLONE MODEL 4012 (41 FT LONG) 5TH WHEEL TOYHAULER RV TRAILER. IT CAME WITH 3 AXLES WITH 15" LOAD RANGE "D" TIRES ON IT. EVERYTIME I USE THE TRAILER I HAVE A BLOWOUT SCATTERING TIRE CARCASS AND TRAILER DEBRIS ALL OVER THE ROAD BEHIND ME. IT HAS COST ME TIME AND MONEY EACH TIME AND I AM AFRAID IS EVENTUALLY GOING TO LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. AFTER CONTACTING [XXX] (SERVICE DEPT. AT HEARTLAND) CONCERNING IF A RECALL FOR HEAVIER TIRES AND AXLES HAD BEEN MADE, HE SAID A NEW "STICKER" HAD BEEN ISSUED TO ORIGINAL OWNERS DROPPING THE AXEL RATINGS DOWN. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT BY DOING THIS THEY RECOGNIZE THEY HAVE A PROBLEM BUT INSTEAD OF RECALLING THEIR VEHICLES AND RE-FITTING THEM WITH AXLES AND TIRES APPROPRIATE TO CARRY THE WEIGHT THESE UNITS ARE DESIGNED TO THEY SEND OUT A .25 CENT STICKER AND REDUCE THE WEIGHT CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE UNIT. OVER HALF OF MY BLOW OUTS HAVE BEEN WITH NO CARGO WHAT SO EVER IN THE TOY HAULER AREA. [XXX] ALSO WANTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH WATER I WAS CARRYING ON MY LAST BLOW OUT, IT DOESN'T MATTER, HECK IF YOU CAN'T PUT WATER IN YOUR FRESH WATER HOLDING TANKS THEN WHY PUT THEM ON THE CAMPERS? HE WANTS ME TO TAKE MY TRAILER AND HAVE IT WEIGHED NOW THE WAY IT WAS LOADED DURING MY LAST BLOW OUT, HECK I AM AFRAID I WILL HAVE A BLOW OUT ON THE WAY. I KEEP NEW TIRES ON THIS THING ALSO AND ALSO HAVE UPGRADED TO LOAD RAGE "E" TIRES WHICH HAVEN'T HELPED. THE NEWER MODELS ARE COMING WITH 8 LUG AXLES AND HEAVIER TIRES, HEARTLAND KNOWS THEY HAVE A PROBLEM BUT SOMEONE NEEDS TO FORCE THEM TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM THEY HAVE NOT PUT A .25 STICKER ON THE FRAME AND SAY, ITS FIXED!!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR

5TH WHEEL TRAILER GVWR STATED BY MFGR IS 18,000. THE 3 INDIVIDUAL AXLES ARE RATED AT 5200# EACH TOTALING 15,600# MAX.. TIRES ARE GOODYEAR MARATHON ST225/75R15 D-RATED MAX LOAD IS 2540 AT PSI 65 COLD TOTALING 15,240# MAX. UNIT HAS HAD TIRE SEPARATION AND BLOW OUTS. REMAINING TIRES ON UNIT WERE INSPECTED BY GOODYEAR WINGFOOT COMMERCIAL TIRES AND 4 OF 6 ON THE GROUND WERE SUSPECTED OF SUFFERING BELT BREAKDOWN/SEPARATION AFTER LESS THAN 6,000 MILES. INITIAL INCIDENT RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO RV TRAILER IN THE AMOUNT OF APPROXIMATELY $2,800. ADDITIONALLY, REPLACING FAILING/SUSPECT TIRES COST $636. AXLES PROVIDE 2,400# AND TIRES 2,760# UNDER THE MANUFACTURES STATED GVWR OF 18,000# . *TR

THE FOLLOWING IS CONCERNING A 2007 HEARTLAND, CYCLONE RV. THIS THREE AXLE UNIT HAS MISSION 225/75R15 TIRES .DEC. 2006 - UNIT PURCHASED. JAN. 2007 TRAVEL TN TO CA. UPON RETURNING IT WAS FOUND THE TIRES ON THE UNIT WERE WEARING TO THE BELTS. FEB. 27 TO APRIL 05, 2007 UNIT AT TENNESSEE RV FOR REPAIR. REAR AXLE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE TIRES. AUG. 09, 2007. TRAVEL FLORIDA FROM TN. PASSENGER SIDE CENTER TIRE SUFFERS A BLOW OUT. ROADSIDE SERVICE CALLED AND THE SPARE MOUNTED. AUG, 2007 TRAVEL FLORIDA TO TN DRIVERS SIDE SUFFERED A BLOWOUT. SERVICE WAS CALLED AND A NEW TIRE OBTAINED. AUG 17, TO DEC. 04, 2007. UNIT AT TENNESSEE RV FOR REPAIR TIRES AND DAMAGE RESULTING FROM BLOWOUTS. REPAIRS MADE, FRONT & CENTER AXLES REPLACED. TIRES CHANGED DUE TO WEAR. SPEAKING WITH HEARTLAND RV'S THE UNIT WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED SCALE AND THE TOTAL WEIGHT WAS 14,640. HEARTLAND ADVISED THAT AN ADDITIONAL 2000 POUNDS WAS AVAILABLE FOR EQUIPMENT. DEC. 31,2007 TRAVEL TN TO CA. UNIT TAKEN TO A SCALE AND CERTIFICATE 13,360 TRAILER AXLE WEIGHT. A TIRE PRESSURE SYSTEM INSTALLED TO MONITOR TIRES. ARRIVAL IN CA, FOUND REAR AXLE AGAIN WEARING TIRES. JAN. 28, 2008 TRAVEL CA TO AZ.,13,540 REAR AXLE WEIGHT. JAN. 31, 2008 EMAIL REQUEST SENT TO HEARTLAND RV'S STATING THE TIRES WERE AGAIN WEARING. HEARTLAND ADVISED REAR PASSENGER TIRE AT 50% LOSS, DRIVERS TIRE AT A 25% LOSS IN TREAD. HEARTLAND ASKED TO RESPOND WITH RECOMMENDATIONS. FEB. 06, 2008 A SECOND EMAIL SENT TO HEARTLAND AS NO RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED FROM FIRST REQUEST. FEB. 13, 2008 TRAVEL AZ TO TX.,13,840 REAR AXLE WEIGHT. FEB 17, 2008 TRAVEL TX TO GA., 14,020 REAR AXLE WEIGHT. IN KENTWOOD, LA DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE SUFFERED BLOWOUT WITH DAMAGE TO THE UNIT. ROADSIDE SERVICE CALLED. ALL TIRES WERE CHECKED FOR PRESSURE LEVELS. DRIVERS FRONT 69LBS, DRIVERS CENTER 67 LBS, PASS. FRONT 70LBS, PASS. CENTER 70LBS, PASS. REAR 69LBS. MEASUREMENT TAKEN AFTER THE BLOWOUT SO EACH TIRE WAS STILL HOT FROM 4 HOURS OF TRAVEL ON THE ROAD. *TR