2005 Reinke Trailer

Defect. ON CERTAIN COMBINATION STEEL/ALUMINUM FLATBED, DROPDECK, AND ALUMINUM FLATBED TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH MOUNTED TOOLBOXES, EACH TOOLBOX IS ATTACHED TO THE TRAILER WITH A MOUNTING SYSTEM THAT INCLUDES TWO ALUMINUM BRACKETS WHICH MAY HAVE DEVELOPED FATIGUE CRACKS ALONG THE BEND RADIUS LINES. SMALL CRACKS MAY FURTHER DEVELOP BASED ON TRAILER USAGE. THE BRACKET MAY BREAK CAUSING THE TOOLBOX TO SEPARATE FROM THE TRAILER.

Risk. IF THE TOOLBOX SEPARATES FROM THE TRAILER WHILE THE TRAILER IS IN MOTION, VEHICLES ON THE ROAD ARE AT RISK OF COLLISION WITH THE TOOLBOX AND ITS CONTENTS.

Remedy. REINKE WILL LOCATE A CERTIFIED WELDER FOR OWNERS OF THE AFFECTED TRAILERS TO HAVE THE REMEDY PERFORMED. REINKE IS PROVIDING THE ALUMINUM GUSSETS ALONG WITH DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE WELDER. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 22, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT REINKE AT 1-877-762-1001.

Defect. ON CERTAIN COMBINATION STEEL/ALUMINUM FLATBED, DROPDECK, AND ALUMINUM FLATBED TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH MOUNTED TOOLBOXES, EACH TOOLBOX IS ATTACHED TO THE TRAILER WITH A MOUNTING SYSTEM THAT INCLUDES TWO ALUMINUM BRACKETS WHICH MAY HAVE DEVELOPED FATIGUE CRACKS ALONG THE BEND RADIUS LINES. SMALL CRACKS MAY FURTHER DEVELOP BASED ON TRAILER USAGE. THE BRACKET MAY BREAK CAUSING THE TOOLBOX TO SEPARATE FROM THE TRAILER.

Risk. IF THE TOOLBOX SEPARATES FROM THE TRAILER WHILE THE TRAILER IS IN MOTION, VEHICLES ON THE ROAD ARE AT RISK OF COLLISION WITH THE TOOLBOX AND ITS CONTENTS.

Remedy. OWNERS OF AFFECTED TRAILERS WILL NEED TO FIND A CERTIFIED WELDER TO HAVE THE REMEDY PERFORMED. REINKE IS PROVIDING THE ALUMINUM GUSSETS ALONG WITH DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE WELDER. IF OWNERS OF AFFECTED TRAILERS ARE NOT ABLE TO LOCATE A CERTIFIED WELDER, REINKE WILL ASSIST IN LOCATING ONE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT REINKE AT 1-877-762-1001.

2005 RUFFNECK TRAILER SERIES/MODEL BU-07-01 VIN [XXX]PURCHASED ON 3/22/05 IN NORTH MIAMI FROM RUFFNECK TRAILER CO. ON 5/15/05, WHILE DRIVING HOME ON NORTHBOUND INTERSTATE 275 IN ST PETERSBURG, FL, FROM SARASOTA, FL, THE RIGHT METAL FENDER SUDDENLY FLEW OFF THE TRAILER STRIKING THE ROADWAY AND DAMAGING THE RIGHT TIRE. AFTER LOCATING THE FENDER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY, WE TOOK THE TRAILER TO A LOCAL DEALER THE NEXT DAY, O'DELL'S TRAILERS IN LARGO,FL. ACCORDING TO O'DELL'S, THE RIGHT FENDER WAS NOT PROPERLY WELDED TO THE FRAME CAUSING IT TO SEPARATE. FURTHERMORE, THE LEFT FENDER WAS ALSO LOOSE AND HAD TO BE RE-WELDED TO PREVENT IT FROM SEPARATING FROM THE FRAME LIKE THE RIGHT FENDER HAD DONE. O'DELL'S STRAIGHTENED OUT AND RE-WELDED THE RIGHT FENDER BACK ONTO THE TRAILER FRAME. HOWEVER, THE INTEGRITY OF THE TIRE HAD BEEN COMPROMISED DUE TO THE SHEAR ON THE SIDEWALL FROM THE METAL FENDER EDGE AND A NEW TIRE HAD TO BE PURCHASED. I CONTACTED DAN THATCHER, OWNER OF RUFFNECK TRAILERS, AND HE SAID HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS OCCURRING TO ANY OF HIS TRAILERS BEFORE AND REFUSED TO BELIEVE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. I OFFERED TO SEND DIGITAL PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER AS WELL AS THE REPAIR INVOICE BUT HE REFUSED TO LISTEN. I EXPLAINED TO DAN THAT WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AT APPROX 2200 HRS AND THE ROADWAY WAS CLEAR OF OTHER TRAFFIC OTHERWISE THE FLYING METAL FENDER COULD HAVE EASILY STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE OR PEDESTRIAN OR IMPEDED THE MOTION OF ANOTHER VEHICLE IN