2004 Fleetwood Prowler Problems

THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF EVENTS WHERE I HAVE FOUND LARGE STRUCTURAL CRACKS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE 5TH WHEELS FRAME..PARTICULARLY THE FRONT PIN BOX FRAME AND LOWER FRONT SUPPORT FRAME. FROM WHAT MYSELF AND OTHERS HAVE OBSERVED, WE FEEL THAT BOTH POOR WELDS, LOW QUALITY STEEL, INSUFFICIENT CROSS BRACING, AND TOO LIGHT A GAUGE OF METAL TO PROPERLY SUPPORT THE ENTIRE WEIGHT OF THIS AND OTHER TYPES OF TRAILERS. MY FRAME HAS BEEN WELDED IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS, I HAVE LOST AXLES FROM UNDER IT BECAUSE OF BROKEN OR INSUFFICIENT CROSS BRACING ON THE UNDER CARRIAGE, THE UPPER FRONT FRAME WAS RE WELDED AND SUPPOSEDLY RE BRACED A FEW YEARS BACK BY A FACTORY DEALER. WE JUST RETURNED FROM WHAT WAS TO BE OUR VACATION, AFTER PULLING OFF THE HIGHWAY TO TAKE A BREAK ON OUR TRIP WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT OF MY TRAILER HAD TORN LOSE AND WAS ABOUT TO COMPLETELY RIP FREE FROM MY TRUCK..AFTER LOOKING AT WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE STOPPED WHEN WE DID, THE METAL THAT HAD BEEN REPAIRED THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS COMPLETELY TORN LIKE A SHEET OF PAPER, THE WELDS THAT WERE TO BE FIXED LAST TIME WERE LOOKED OVER AND NEVER RE BRACED OR WELDED.. THE FRAME MANUFACTURER I AM SURE YOU FOLKS HAVE HAD PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS COMPANY. THE NAME OF COMPANY IS LIPPERT FRAMES.. LIPPERT FRAMES AT ONE TIME AND STILL DOES MANUFACTURE FRAME FOR PROBABLY 60-75% OF 5TH WHEEL AND OTHER TRAILERS TODAY..OUR CONCERN IS THAT THEY AS A MANUFACTURER WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR POOR WORKMANSHIP, LOW QUALITY MATERIALS,OR STAND BEHIND WHAT THEY BUILD, WE HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT OURSELVES OR ANY OTHER MOTORIST HAS NOT BEEN KILLED OR SEVERELY INJURED IF ONE OF THESE FRAMES COMPLETELY LET LOSE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FLEETWOOD PROWLER RV. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, MODEL NUMBER RM2652. THE REFRIGERATOR WAS NOT COOLING PROPERLY. ALSO, THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF AMMONIA AND YELLOW RESIDUE THAT WAS LOCATED ON THE BOTTOM BOILER TUBE IN THE BACK OF THE REFRIGERATOR. THE REFRIGERATOR WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DEFECT UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08E032000 (EQUIPMENT). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY STATED THE REMEDY CONSISTED OF A PROTECTION SHIELD. THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED WITH THE RECALL REMEDY DUE TO THE REFRIGERATOR BEING INOPERATIVE AND IT WOULD NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE REFRIGERATOR HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FLEETWOOD PROWLER FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WELDS OF THE CROSS MEMBERS ON THE CHASSIS WERE FRACTURED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V289000 (STRUCTURE) BUT THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

2004 FLEETWOOD PROWLER FRONT FRAME AND PIN BOX FAILURE. RESULTING IN HAVING TO DISCONNECT 5TH WHEEL FROM TOW VEHICLE AND WAIT FOR REPAIR SERVICES. 5TH WHEEL HAS BEEN PARKED ON PROPERTY FOR OVER 2YEARS, HAS VERY LITTLE ACTUAL TOWING TIME, THE UNIT WAS NOT OVER LOADED. FRAME WELDS AND LAYUP WERE WHAT I CONSIDER ABSOLUTE GARBAGE. MY WIFE AND I WERE STRANDED AT THE LAKE ON OUR VACATION,AND ARE STILL WAITING FOR A SOLUTION ON HOW TO GET IT TO A REPAIR SHOP. IF I HAD CONTINUED TOWING THIS 5TH WHEEL , ESPECIALLY IN THE HILLS THAT WE WERE TRAVELING IN, I AM QUITE SURE I WOULD HAVE LOST IT OFF THE BACK OF MY TRUCK.. TO DATE I THINK I HAVE READ APPROX. 30 -50 COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE WITH NO RESPONSE FROM EITHER FLEETWOOD OR LIPPERT FRAMES. I WOULD HATE TO THINK THAT IT WOULD TAKE A SEVERE WRECK AND THE LOSS OF LIVES TO WAKE THESE MANUFACTURERS UP...I AM HOPING MY INSURANCE WILL TAKE CARE OF THE REPAIRS ON MY RIG ,I CAN GUARANTEE NEITHER FLEETWOOD OR LIPPERT WILL. *TR

TOWMAX ST225/75R-15/10 DOT NUMBERS ADB4GPB5014,JKLFID2613 AND 83B4GPB4011 700 TO 1000 MILES ON THE TIRES BELT SEPARATED AND TREAD LOSS 2 OF 4 TIRES 80 PSI IN TIRES AT ALL TIMES ACCORDING TO SIDEWALL REQUIREMENTS.

NO FAILURE. THIS IS CONCERNING A 2004 FLEETWOOD PROWLER TRAVEL TRAILER WE BOUGHT NEW. I REMOVE THE ORIGINAL TIRES AND REPLACED WITH HEAVIER TIRES(C LOAD RATING). I DID THIS BECAUSE OF HANDLING PROBLEMS WHEN PULLING THE TRAILER. THE TRAILER WOULD SWAY EXCESSIVELY WHEN I WAS PASSED, ESPECIALLY BY BIG TRUCKS. CHANGING TO HEAVIER TIRES MADE A SOLVED THIS PROBLEM. THE TRAVEL TRAILER CAME WITH B LOAD RATED TIRES WHICH ACCORDING TO THE STICKER ON THE TRAILER ARE CAPABLE OF CARRYING 5920 LBS. MAXIMUM. THE STICKER STATES THE GVWR(GROSS VEHICLE WEIGH RATING) OF THE TRAVEL TRAILER IS 6600 LBS. ACCORDING TO FLEETWOODS' OWN DATA WITH A FULLY LOADED TRAILER THE TIRES THAT CAME ON THE TRAILER ARE OVERLOADED BY 680 LBS. THUS THE TIRES ARE NOT CAPABLE OF CARRYING A FULLY LOADED TRAILER. THE STICKER ON THE TRAILER STATES THAT THE DRY WEIGHT IS 4987 LBS.+384 LBS.(FRESH WATER TANK)+59 LBS.(PROPANE)=5430 LBS. THEN THE TRAILER HAS A 40 GAL. GREY WATER TANK(333.2 LBS. FULL) AND A 40 GAL. BLACKWATER TANK(333.3 LBS. FULL). ALL OF THIS ADDED TOGETHER(6096.4 LBS.) WHICH OVERLOADS THE ORIGINAL TIRES BEFORE WE LOAD ALL OF THE FOOD, CLOTHES, BOOKS, ETC. FLEETWOOD IS RECALLING(NHTSA #05V511000) SOME PROWLER TRAILERS AND REPLACING THE B LOAD RATED TIRES WITH C LOAD RATED TIRES. I WAS TOLD MY TT WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. I DO STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL TIRES TAKEN OFF OF THE TT AND THE ORIGINAL SPARE IS STILL ON THE TT. I FEEL MY TT SHOULD HAVE THE PROPER TIRES PUT ON IT BY FLEETWOOD OR THAT I BE REIMBURSED FOR THE TIRES I REPLACED. *NM

THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF EVENTS WHERE I HAVE FOUND LARGE STRUCTURAL CRACKS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE 5TH WHEELS FRAME..PARTICULARLY THE FRONT PIN BOX FRAME AND LOWER FRONT SUPPORT FRAME. FROM WHAT MYSELF AND OTHERS HAVE OBSERVED, WE FEEL THAT BOTH POOR WELDS, LOW QUALITY STEEL, INSUFFICIENT CROSS BRACING, AND TOO LIGHT A GAUGE OF METAL TO PROPERLY SUPPORT THE ENTIRE WEIGHT OF THIS AND OTHER TYPES OF TRAILERS. MY FRAME HAS BEEN WELDED IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS, I HAVE LOST AXLES FROM UNDER IT BECAUSE OF BROKEN OR INSUFFICIENT CROSS BRACING ON THE UNDER CARRIAGE, THE UPPER FRONT FRAME WAS RE WELDED AND SUPPOSEDLY RE BRACED A FEW YEARS BACK BY A FACTORY DEALER. WE JUST RETURNED FROM WHAT WAS TO BE OUR VACATION, AFTER PULLING OFF THE HIGHWAY TO TAKE A BREAK ON OUR TRIP WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT OF MY TRAILER HAD TORN LOSE AND WAS ABOUT TO COMPLETELY RIP FREE FROM MY TRUCK..AFTER LOOKING AT WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE STOPPED WHEN WE DID, THE METAL THAT HAD BEEN REPAIRED THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS COMPLETELY TORN LIKE A SHEET OF PAPER, THE WELDS THAT WERE TO BE FIXED LAST TIME WERE LOOKED OVER AND NEVER RE BRACED OR WELDED.. THE FRAME MANUFACTURER I AM SURE YOU FOLKS HAVE HAD PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS COMPANY. THE NAME OF COMPANY IS LIPPERT FRAMES.. LIPPERT FRAMES AT ONE TIME AND STILL DOES MANUFACTURE FRAME FOR PROBABLY 60-75% OF 5TH WHEEL AND OTHER TRAILERS TODAY..OUR CONCERN IS THAT THEY AS A MANUFACTURER WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR POOR WORKMANSHIP, LOW QUALITY MATERIALS,OR STAND BEHIND WHAT THEY BUILD, WE HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT OURSELVES OR ANY OTHER MOTORIST HAS NOT BEEN KILLED OR SEVERELY INJURED IF ONE OF THESE FRAMES COMPLETELY LET LOSE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING LOW SPEEDS FRONT SHOCKS PUNCTURED THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE AND DAMAGED THE WHEEL WELL. CONSUMER HAD THE TIRE CHANGED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE SLIDEOUTS CAME OUT ABOUT 8 INCHED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY. THE CONSUMER HAD TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AND PUSH THEM BACK IN BY HAND. *NM

2004 PROWLER LYNX 5TH WHEEL, MANUFACTURED BY FLEETWOOD. WHILE ADJUSTING THE ELECTRIC BRAKES, I FOUND THAT ALL 4 BRAKE ASSEMBLIES HAD BEEN MOUNTED ON THE WRONG SIDES OF THE VEHICLE, I.E., THE ACTUATING ARMS FACED TOWARD THE REAR. THE PRIMARY SHOES FACED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. ASSEMBLIES MARKED L WERE ON THE RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE AND VICE VERSA. I CALLED FLEETWOOD AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM. IF I HAD TO GUESS, IT APPEARS THE AXLES WITH BRAKES AND HUBS ALREADY MOUNTED WERE INSTALLED BACKWARD DURING MANUFACTURING. THIS ASSUMPTIONS IS SUPPORTED BY THE FACT THAT THE WIRE OPENINGS ARE IN THE FRONT OF THE AXLES. I'VE READ THAT THEY ARE NORMALLY IN THE REAR OF THE AXLE TO FACE AWAY FROM TRAFFIC DEBRIS. I'M IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING ALL ASSEMBLIES, BUT THE ASSEMBLIES ON THE REAR AXLE HAVE NOT BEEN CHANGED AND WILL NOT TILL MID MAY. I'LL TAKE PICTURES TO DOCUMENT THE CURRENT CONDITION. THOUGHT OTHER VEHICLES MIGHT HAVE BRAKE ASSEMBLIES (AND PROBABLY THE AXLES ALSO) INSTALLED THE WRONG DIRECTION. THE FLEETWOOD REP (MONICA) I TALKED WITH SAID THE AXLES WERE MANUFACTURED BY QUALITY AXLES, 800-243-4883. *JB