NHTSA Investigation EA88002

DRAWBAR

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:THE MANUFACTURER STATES THATTHE TRAILERS AND DRAWBARS WERE BUILT TO A CUSTOMER'S SPECIFICATION.ALLEGEDLY A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OCCURRED DUE TO A DRAWBAR BREAKING.DELTACONTACTED THE ODI STAFF TO CLARIFY WHO HAS THE LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY TOCORRECT THE PROBLEM.ANALYSIS:DURING CERTAIN JACK KNIFE TURNS IN CLOSE QUARTERS MANEUVERS,THE DRAW BAR MAY HIT A REINFORCING WING PLATE ON THE PINTLE HOOK STRUCTURE,WHICH CAUSES THE DRAW BAR TO BEND RESULTING IN THE REAR TRAILER NOTTRACKING TRUE.IN SOME INSTANCES THE DRAWBAR BECOMES KINKED, SETTING UPCONDITIONS FOR A CRACK TO GENERATE.DELTA FOUND THAT WHEN THE REINFORCINGPLATES WERE REMOVED, DAMAGE TO THE DRAWBARS CEASED.DELTA REMOVED THETRAILERS FROM SERVICE ON APPROXIMATELY JUNE 5, 1987, AND BEGAN MAKING THENECESSARY REPAIRS.IT APPEARS THAT DELTA IS REPAIRING THE DRAWBARS TOPREVENT INCURRING ANY FUTURE LIABILITY AS THE RESULT OF A DRAWBAR FAILURE.A RECALL REQUEST TO LEGITIMIZE DELTA'S CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS SENT ONJULY 30, 1987.DELTA HAS NOT RESPONDED TO THE LETTER, NOR HAVE THEYRESPONDED TO TELEPHONE MESSAGES.STATUS:DELTA CLAIMS TO HAVE RESPONDED TO OUR RR LETTER ON DECEMBER 8,1987, DELTA WAS CONTACTED AND THEY AGREED FURNISH A DUPLICATE COPY OF THEPREVIOUS RESPONSE.IT HAS YET TO APPEAR.===

An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.