2011 Keystone Outback Problems

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, I EXPERIENCE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THESE TRAILER TIRES. TIRES WERE INFLATED TO MANUFACTUER INSTRUCTIONS 65 PSI. PRE TRIP INSPECTION SHOWED NO CRACKS OR DRY ROTTING. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY DEFECT. VEHICLE WAS NOT OVERLOADED. AFTER REPLACING THE FIRST BLOW OUT, A SECOND TIRE CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED WITHIN 30 MILES OF THE FIRST. CAMPER SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL WELL, EXTERIOR TRIP, SOME LIGHTING WIRING AND PUT A HOLE IN THE FLOOR FROM UNDERNEATH.

POWER KING TOWMAX STR235/80R16 DOT 83B5 GPB DATE CODE 1410 TRAILER TIRE BLOWOUT. WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 55 MPH AND LESS THAN AN HOUR AFTER A BLOWOUT OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL OF TIRE, OUR FIFTH-WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER'S RIGHT REAR TIRE MADE A LOUD BANG AS IF IT POPPED, THE ENTIRE TREAD AND STEEL BELT PORTION OF THE TIRE CAME OFF AS IF PEELED, AND CONTINUED THE DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRAILER THAT THE FIRST BLOWOUT BEGAN. THE TREAD/BELT PORTION SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE AND TORE MORE OF THE WEATHER BARRIER, TORE OUT MORE INSULATION, FURTHER BENT SUPPORTS FOR THE DECKING AND SKIRTING, PINCHED PROPANE LINES NEARLY CLOSED, BEAT THE PLYWOOD DECKING ABOVE THE WHEELS, TWISTED THE METAL SKIRTING ABOVE AND BEHIND THE WHEELS, TORE OFF THE FENDER, AND DAMAGED THE SLIDE-OUT'S FIBERGLASS TRIM. THE TIRE HAD BEEN THE SPARE, HAD NEVER BEEN USED PRIOR TO THE BLOWOUT LESS THAN AN HOUR EARLIER, HAD BEEN COVERED WHILE NOT IN USE, AND LOOKED NEW PRIOR TO USE. THE SPARE'S TIRE PRESSURE HAD BEEN CHECK PRIOR TO THE TRIP, THE LUG NUT TORQUE HAD BEEN SET WHEN MOUNTED AFTER THE PRIOR BLOWOUT, THE BRAKES AND ALIGNMENT HAD BEEN CHECKED IN THE FALL, AND A TRIP HAD BEEN MADE IN THE FALL AFTER THE BRAKE AND ALIGNMENT WORK WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE RIM WAS NOT HOT, THERE WAS NO APPARENT MECHANICAL ISSUE WITH THE TRAILER, AND THERE WAS NO OBJECT IN THE ROAD THAT COULD CAUSE A BLOWOUT. THE SPARE'S TREAD AND THE PRIOR BLOWOUT'S TREAD SHOWED NO SIGNS OF UNEVEN WEAR AND NEITHER TIRE SHOWED ANY VISIBLE SIGN OF A PROBLEM. NEITHER TIRE HAD VISIBLE SIGNS OF DRY ROT. THE FIRST BLOWOUT FORCED US TO CHANGE THE TIRE ON A BUSY TWO-LANE HIGHWAY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO PLACE TO PULL OFF. THIS BLOWOUT, LESS THAN AN HOUR LATER, FORCED US TO PULL OFF ON A NARROW SHOULDER WITH HIGH-SPEED TRAFFIC FAILING TO CHANGE TO THE LEFT LANE AND INSTEAD FORCIBLY ROCKING THE TRAILER AND TRUCK WHILE ZOOMING BY. *TR

POWER KING TOWMAX STR235/80R16 DOT 83B5 GPB DATE CODE 1410 TRAILER TIRE BLOWOUT. WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 55 MPH AND LESS THAN AN HOUR AFTER A BLOWOUT OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL OF TIRE, OUR FIFTH-WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER'S RIGHT REAR TIRE MADE A LOUD BANG AS IF IT POPPED, THE ENTIRE TREAD AND STEEL BELT PORTION OF THE TIRE CAME OFF AS IF PEELED, AND CONTINUED THE DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRAILER THAT THE FIRST BLOWOUT BEGAN. THE TREAD/BELT PORTION SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE AND TORE MORE OF THE WEATHER BARRIER, TORE OUT MORE INSULATION, FURTHER BENT SUPPORTS FOR THE DECKING AND SKIRTING, PINCHED PROPANE LINES NEARLY CLOSED, BEAT THE PLYWOOD DECKING ABOVE THE WHEELS, TWISTED THE METAL SKIRTING ABOVE AND BEHIND THE WHEELS, TORE OFF THE FENDER, AND DAMAGED THE SLIDE-OUT'S FIBERGLASS TRIM. THE TIRE HAD BEEN THE SPARE, HAD NEVER BEEN USED PRIOR TO THE BLOWOUT LESS THAN AN HOUR EARLIER, HAD BEEN COVERED WHILE NOT IN USE, AND LOOKED NEW PRIOR TO USE. THE SPARE'S TIRE PRESSURE HAD BEEN CHECK PRIOR TO THE TRIP, THE LUG NUT TORQUE HAD BEEN SET WHEN MOUNTED AFTER THE PRIOR BLOWOUT, THE BRAKES AND ALIGNMENT HAD BEEN CHECKED IN THE FALL, AND A TRIP HAD BEEN MADE IN THE FALL AFTER THE BRAKE AND ALIGNMENT WORK WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE RIM WAS NOT HOT, THERE WAS NO APPARENT MECHANICAL ISSUE WITH THE TRAILER, AND THERE WAS NO OBJECT IN THE ROAD THAT COULD CAUSE A BLOWOUT. THE SPARE'S TREAD AND THE PRIOR BLOWOUT'S TREAD SHOWED NO SIGNS OF UNEVEN WEAR AND NEITHER TIRE SHOWED ANY VISIBLE SIGN OF A PROBLEM. NEITHER TIRE HAD VISIBLE SIGNS OF DRY ROT. THE FIRST BLOWOUT FORCED US TO CHANGE THE TIRE ON A BUSY TWO-LANE HIGHWAY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO PLACE TO PULL OFF. THIS BLOWOUT, LESS THAN AN HOUR LATER, FORCED US TO PULL OFF ON A NARROW SHOULDER WITH HIGH-SPEED TRAFFIC FAILING TO CHANGE TO THE LEFT LANE AND INSTEAD FORCIBLY ROCKING THE TRAILER AND TRUCK WHILE ZOOMING BY. *TR

POWER KING TOWMAX STR235/80R16 DOT 83B5 GPB DATE CODE 1410 TRAILER TIRE BLOWOUT. WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 15 MPH, OUR FIFTH-WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER'S RIGHT REAR TIRE MADE A LOUD BANG AS IF IT POPPED, THE ENTIRE TREAD AND STEEL BELT PORTION OF THE TIRE BEGAN TO COME OFF AS IF PEELED, AND THE TREAD BEGAN TO CUT UP THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRAILER AS IT SPUN AROUND WITH THE TIRE. THE CIRCULATING TREAD TORE THROUGH THE WEATHER BARRIER, TORE OUT THE INSULATION, BENT SUPPORTS FOR THE DECKING AND SKIRTING, BENT PROPANE LINES, AND BEAT THE PLYWOOD DECKING ABOVE THE WHEELS. THE TREAD/BELT REMAINED BARELY ATTACHED TO THE REST OF THE TIRE. THE TIRE WAS STILL HOLDING SOME AIR AND WAS HISSING FROM A LEAK THAT WAS NOT READILY VISIBLE. THE TIRE HAD ABOUT 4273 MILES ON IT. THE TIRE PRESSURE AND LUG NUT TORQUE HAD BEEN MAINTAINED BEFORE EVERY TRIP, THE BRAKES AND ALIGNMENT HAD BEEN CHECKED IN THE FALL, AND A TRIP HAD BEEN MADE IN THE FALL AFTER THE BRAKE AND ALIGNMENT WORK WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE RIM WAS NOT HOT, THERE WAS NO APPARENT MECHANICAL ISSUE WITH THE TRAILER, AND THERE WAS NO OBJECT IN THE ROAD THAT COULD CAUSE A BLOWOUT. THE WHEEL WAS SWAPPED OUT FOR THE SPARE, WHICH HAD ALSO HAD THE AIR PRESSURE CHECKED PRIOR TO THE TRIP, AND THE LUG NUT TORQUE WAS SET IN THE PROCESS OF MOUNTING THE SPARE. *TR

WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 2011 KEYSTONE OUTBACK TOY HAULER-STYLE TRAVEL TRAILER. IT HAS A SIDE-ENTRY GARAGE ON THE FRONT OF THE TRAILER. KEYSTONE ADVERTISES THE TRAILER AS CAPABLE OF TRANSPORTING A FULL-SIZED MOTORCYCLE IN THE GARAGE. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S A DEFECTIVE DESIGN IN THE LOADING RAMP THAT MAKES GETTING A MOTORCYCLE IN THE GARAGE VERY DANGEROUS AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE ANGLE OF THE LOADING RAMP WHEN IT'S OPENED. IT'S SO STEEP, MOST STREET MOTORCYCLES BOTTOM OUT ON THE FRAME. MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE DEFECT WAS WHEN I TRIED TO RIDE MY 2009 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXD SUPER GLIDE UP THE RAMP INTO THE GARAGE. THE FRONT TIRE MADE IT INTO THE GARAGE, BUT THE FRAME OF THE MOTORCYCLE BOTTOMED OUT ON THE TRAILER, CAUSING ME TO LUNGE FORWARD ONTO THE HANDLEBARS. I THEN ROLLED BACK DOWN THE RAMP, SKIDDING THE FRONT TIRE WITH THE BRAKE ON. I WAS VERY LUCKY NOT TO LOSE MY BALANCE AND COME OFF THE BIKE. THERE'S AN OWNER'S FORUM ONLINE FOR KEYSTONE OUTBACKS CALLED "OUTBACKERS.COM" AFTER REVIEWING COMMENTS FROM OTHER OWNERS OF KEYSTONE OUTBACK TOY HAULERS, IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT THIS IS A WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM. APPARENTLY KEYSTONE RAISED THE RIDE-HEIGHT OF THE TRAILERS BEGINNING WITH THE 2010 MODEL YEAR, BUT DIDN'T CONSIDER THE WAY IT WOULD INCREASE THE ANGLE OF THE LOADING RAMP TO A DANGEROUS DEGREE. THE WEBSITE SHOWS MANY DIFFERENT WAYS PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO WORK AROUND THE STEEP ANGLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM THEMSELVES. SOME APPEAR QUITE INGENIOUS. HOWEVER, I THINK KEYSTONE NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM THEMSELVES, THEN INITIATE A RECALL, BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR