FRAME CRACKS ON FRAME FRONT TUBE (CROSS MEMBER), LIPPERT PART # 124022. FRAME CRACKS FOUND DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE OF THE 5TH WHEEL TRAILER. PER LIPPERT (LCI) REPRESENTATIVE, FRAME CRACKS DEVELOPED OVER TIME THAT ALLOWED THE FRONT TRAILER HITCH PIN TO FLEX. COMPLETE BREAKAGE OCCURRING DURING HIGHWAY TRAVEL COULD LEAD TO TRAILER BREAKING FREE FROM TOW VEHICLE AND BECOMING AN OBSTACLE IN THE HIGHWAY THEREBY ENDANGERING THE OCCUPANTS OF THE TOW VEHICLE AND ANY OCCUPANTS OF VEHICLE(S) TRAVELING NEAR THE TRAILER AT THE TIME OF BREAKAGE.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11044632 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

THE FRONT LEVELERS (AKA, FRONT LANDING GEAR) ARE LEAKING DOWN, ESPECIALLY NOTICED WHEN TRAVELING ON THE ROAD (CITY OR HIGHWAY - DOESN'T MATTER). WHEN TRAVELING, THESE HYDRAULIC LEVELERS WILL SLOWLY DROP TOWARDS THE ROAD, AND IF THE RIG IS NOT STOPPED AND THE FRONT LEVELERS NOT MANUALLY RETRACTED WHEN THIS IS NOTICED, THE LEVELER LEGS COULD MAKE CONTACT WITH THE ROAD WHILE THE 5TH WHEEL RV IS MOVING, POTENTIALLY CAUSING, AT THE VERY LEAST, A LOT OF DAMAGE TO THE RV AND QUITE POSSIBLY CAUSING A SERIOUS TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. THE PREVIOUS OWNER (ACTUALLY ORIGINAL OWNER) ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE BEFORE WE BOUGHT IT FROM THEM AND HAD "SAFETY" CHAINS WELDED ONTO EACH LEVELER, SO WHEN THEY WERE ATTACHED THEY WOULD PREVENT THEM FROM CONTINUING TO EXTEND DOWNWARD TO A DANGEROUS LENGTH. THIS METHOD REQUIRES THE RV OWNER/TOW VEHICLE DRIVER TO EXPLICITLY REMEMBER TO ATTACH THE CHAINS WHENEVER THE RV IS BEING TOWED, THEN DETACHED WHEN IT'S READIED FOR UNHITCHING AND USE. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL TASK FOR TOWING AN RV AND COULD BE OVERLOOKED AS ONE GOES THROUGH THE NORMAL ROUTINE FOR MAKING IT READY TO TOW.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11056133 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov