2000 Transcraft Eagle

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: FLATBED TRAILERS. THE WRONG MATERIAL SPECIFICATION WAS FURNISHED FOR THE VERTICAL GUSSETS OF THE BUMPER. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE BUMPER TO FAIL BY FOLDING UNDER THE TRAILER AT LOWER IMPACT FORCES THAN ALLOWED. THESE BUMPERS DO NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 223, "REAR IMPACT GUARDS."

Risk. FAILURE OF THE REAR BUMPER COULD ALLOW VEHICLES INVOLVED IN FRONT END COLLISION WITH THE REAR END OF THE TRAILER TO RUN UNDER THE REAR END OF THE TRAILER CAUSING VEHICLE DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER/VEHICLE AND COULD RESULT IN BODILY INJURY TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL ADD TWO STEEL BARS TO THE VERTICAL GUSSETS OF THE REAR BUMPER.

FRAME FAILURE,CRACKS UNDER NORMAL OPERATION. AIR DELIVERY PIPES FROM AIR TANK CRACKING. TS A KNOWN CONCERN, ESPECIALLY ON 1999 & 2000 MODEL TRAILERS. THE COMPANY HAS A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM, BUT WILL DO NOTHING UNTILL FRAME CRACKS. ONCE THE FRAME CRACKS , IF YOU DONT CATCH IT IN TIME THE ENTIRE AXLE ASSEMBLY WILL COME LOOSE, SENDING 40 TONS OF MASS OUT OF CONTROL. THE FRAME IS WARRANTIED FOR FIVE YEARS, BUT IF YOU DONT SEE THE CRACKS IN TIME AND EXCESSIVE DAMAGE IS DONE, TRANSCRAFT WILL NOT COVER ALL DAMAGE UNDER WARRANTY. SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A VOL. RECALL ON EQUIPTMENT. SINCE THERE WAS'NT I THINK THE FEDERAL GOV. SHOULD GET INVOLVED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. THE AIR PIPES FROM THE AIR TANK HAVE CRACKED THREE TIMES ON MY TRAILER. LOSS OF AIR WILL CAUSE ALL THE BRAKES TO LOCK UP. SINCE I DRIVE IN THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN THE WINTER. LUCKILY, I HAVE;NT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR INJURED FROM EITHER PROBLEM. I CAUGT THE FRAME CRACKS IN TIME AND REPAIRED THE AIR LINES. THE ONLY LOSS TO ME IS INCOME AND REPUTATION OF A RELIABLE CARRIER. TRANSCRAFT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED, FINED, AND FORCED TO INSTALL FRAME MODIFICATIONS BEFORE FAILURE ACTUALLY OCCURS. AFTER TALKING TO OTHER TRANSCRAFT OWNERS AND REPAIR FACILITIES, THESE ARE NOT ISOLATED INCIDENTS.*AK