2008 Heartland Cyclone

DEAR REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NHTSA AND GOOD SAM CLUB, 1) ON 5/23/08 WHILE IN TRAVELING ON A CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY OUR CYCLONE'S SPARE TIRE WINCH FAILED, RELEASING THE SPARE TIRE WHILE IN TRANSIT. FORTUNATELY NO INNOCENT BYSTANDERS WERE INADVERTENTLY HARMED. ACCORDING TO RICHARDSON'S SERVICE CENTER MY ENSUING COMPLAINT WAS NOT THE FIRST OF THIS EXACT NATURE. HEARTLAND AUTHORIZED THE REPLACEMENT OF MY FAULTY WINCH AND THE REPLACEMENT OF MY SPARE TIRE ON 6/12/08; HOWEVER, AS OF THIS WRITING I AM STILL WAITING ON THESE PARTS, INCLUDING A SPARE TIRE. THOUGH HARTLAND ALLEGEDLY IS COVERING THIS MATTER UNDER WARRANTY, THEY HAVE NEVER EMPHASIZED ANY CONCERN OVER THE ACCIDENT OR ELUDED TO ANY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SAKE OF SAFETY. 2) ON 7/4/08 WHILE IN TRANSIT ON A UTAH HIGHWAY MY CYCLONE'S DRIVER-SIDE FORWARD TIRE BLEW OUT, CONSEQUENTLY CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE SIDE OF OUR TOY HAULER (SEE ATTACHED PHOTO). SOME OF THE SURROUNDING FACTS THAT HAVE CAUSED ALARM WITHIN VARIOUS TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITIES (NHTSA) AND MOTOR CARRIER SPECIALISTS (DOT/FMCSR), INCLUDING WITHIN FAMILY, IS AS FOLLOWS. THE ORIGINAL TIRES WERE GOODYEAR MARATHON ST225/75R15D (DATED 0107), RATED AT 2540 LBS. AT 65 PSI, WITH A COMBINE LOAD RATING OF 15,240 LBS. MY CYCLONE HAS A GVWR 18,000 LBS., WITH A DRY WEIGHT OF JUST UNDER 14,000 LBS, A (DRY) HITCH WEIGHT OF JUST UNDER 3,000 LBS (OR < 15% OF THE GVW), AND A GARAGE CARGO CAPACITY OF 2,500 LBS. CONSIDERING THIS WE WERE NOT ABLE TO LOAD 2,500 LBS. IN TO THE CARGO AREA (GARAGE) OF MY CYCLONE, WHILE NOT EXCEEDING THE TIRES COMBINED LOAD RATING OF 15,240 LBS., WITH THE TRAILER AT A LOGICAL LOAD (E.G. ENOUGH WATER/FOOD/CLOTHES FOR A WEEKEND FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR); NOT UNREASONABLY ABOVE ITS DRY WEIGHT. NOT TO MENTION THE ABSENCE OF ANY SAFETY FACTOR. FURTHERMORE, WE'VE ALSO REALIZED THAT HEARTLAND'S CURRENT CYCLONE SPECIFICATIONS NOTE FOR TIRES A ST225/75R16D, WHICH OBVIOUSLY HAVE A FAR MORE SUPERIOR LOAD RATING THAN DO THE 15" TIRES. *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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HEARTLAND CYCLONE, MODEL 3795. THE VEHICLE HAS MISSION TIRES, SIZE ST2257515 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, A PASSENGER SEATED IN THE REAR NOTICED SMOKE AND RUBBER FLYING PAST THE WINDOW. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR CENTER TIRE BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND THE CONTACT REPLACED THE FAILED TIRE WITH THE SPARE. THE CONTACT DROVE SIX MILES TO THE NEAREST REPAIR SHOP. WHEN HE ARRIVED, THE TIRES HAD BUBBLES AND WERE VERY SOFT. ALL SIX TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. NO VEHICLE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HEARTLAND CYCLONE MODEL # 4012. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHICH CAUSED A TIRE TO BLOWOUT. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S REPORT THE TIRES SHOULD BE 16 INCHES TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT'S TIRES ARE 15 INCHES. THE DRY WEIGHT OF THE COACH WAS 13,696 LBS, UNLOADED. THE TIRE ID NUMBER WAS 225/75/R15. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE 400 LBS MORE THAN THE RECOMMENDED WEIGHT. THE TOYHAULER CARGO'S CAPACITY WAS 2,500 LBS. THE FUEL CAPACITY WAS 50 GALLONS WITH A WATER WEIGHT CAPACITY OF 100 GALLONS. THE TIRES WERE UNDERRATED AND POSED A SAFETY CONCERN. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE INSUFFICIENT FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE UNACCEPTABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE NORMALLY. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT HAVE THE TIME TO REDESIGN AND REPOSITION THE AXLE ON THE TIRE. ALSO, THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER BLOWOUT FAILURES. THERE WAS PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE ELECTRICAL WIRES WERE VISIBLE IN THE VEHICLE, AND THE SHEET METAL WAS REPLACED. THE REPAIRS COST $1,700. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 300. *AK