STARCRAFT TRAVEL TRAILER SPARE TIRE MOUNT FAILED. HIGH POTENTIAL OF SEVERE OR FATAL ACCIDENT TO FOLLOWING VEHICLES. 2016 STARCRAFT AR-ONE 15RB TRAVEL TRAILER THE TRAILER'S FULL-SIZED SPARE TIRE IS MOUNTED ON A BRACKET BOLTED TO THE BACK BUMPER. THE BRACKET IS A SQUARE U SHAPED, APPROXIMATELY 2 INCH BENT BAR WELDED TO A VERTICAL BAR THAT ATTACHES TO THE BUMPER. THE U BRACKET COMPLETELY BROKE AT THE TOP U CORNERS AT THE BEND. THE WELD DID NOT BREAK - THE STEEL SEVERED AT THE BEND. FORTUNATELY, THE OTHER PART OF THE BRACKET DID NOT BREAK, BUT THE SPARE TIRE WAS FLOPPING ABOUT FOR AN UNKNOWN DISTANCE ON THE ROAD, ESSENTIALLY "HANGING BY A THREAD". IT IS EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT THE WHOLE BRACKET DID NOT BREAK, RESULTING IN A HEAVY SPARE TIRE BOUNCING DOWN THE ROAD, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A SEVERE OR FATAL ACCIDENT TO FOLLOWING TRAFFIC. THE SPARE TIRE MOUNT IS CLEARLY UNDER-ENGINEERED AND UNDERSIZED FOR A FULL SIZE SPARE TIRE. OUR OPINION IS THAT STARCRAFT MUST RECALL ANY AND ALL OF THEIR TRAILERS THAT USE THIS SPARE MOUNTING BRACKET AND REPLACE IT WITH A MUCH HEAVIER DUTY MODEL BEFORE THERE IS A FATALITY ON THE HIGHWAY. THE SPECIFIC TRAILER WAS AN AR-ONE 15RB, BUT IT SEEMS VERY PROBABLY THAT THE SAME SPARE TIRE BRACKET IS USED ON ALL AR-ONES, AND POSSIBLY OTHER STARCRAFT TRAVEL TRAILERS. THIS WAS ON A BRAND NEW TRAILER, SO THERE WAS NO TIME FOR RUST OR OTHER PROBLEM TO AGGRAVATE THIS PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS INHERENT TO THE DESIGN, AND RESULTS FROM USING UNDERSIZED STEEL BARS.
- NHTSA ID
- 10733945
- Incident
- Jul 13, 2015
- Mileage
- 400 mi