2009 Wildcat 510

Defect. WILDCAT IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2009 510 AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 510LT TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH AN ADJUSTABLE LENGTH TONGUE ASSEMBLY. THE PINTLE EYE USED IN THE TONGUE ASSEMBLY DOES NOT HAVE AN ADEQUATE VERTICAL OR HORIZONTAL LOAD RATING FOR THE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE.

Risk. THE PINTLE EYE COULD FAIL RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF THE TONGUE FROM THE TOW VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. FIELD KIT MODIFICATIONS ARE CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 18, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WILDCAT AT 800-627-3954.

TOWING A FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER.11,400 LBS GVW. APPROX SPEED WAS 55-60 MPH. TIRES AT RECOMMENDED PRESSURE. 80PSI. TIRES ON TRAILER WERE ST225/75/15. FOUR TIRE FAILURES WITHIN 100 MILES. 3 BLOWOUTS AND 1 WITH BUBBLED SIDEWALL. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER. THE TIRES WERE BCT BRAND. INSTALLED MARCH OF 2013. APPROX. 2000 MILES ON TIRES.

SPECIALTY TIRES ON TRAILERS, TIRES BLOW OUT AT CURRENT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING VEHICLE DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL RESULTING IN INJURY TO OCCUPANTS, VEHICLE AND OTHER VEHICLES. MY INCIDENT RESULTED IN PROPERTY DAMAGE ONLY TO THE TRAILER, BUT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORST. INTERNET RESEARCH SHOWS ST (SPECIALTY TIRES) TO BE OF LOWER GRADE AND COMMON TO BLOW OUTS, RESULTING IN DAMAGE AND TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. EVEN GOODYEAR HAS PUBLISHED A CONSUMER WARNING THAT ST TYPE TIRES ARE NOT RATED FOR SPEEDS OF 65 MPH OR GREATER. ST TIRES SHOULD HAVE TO MEET THE SAME HIGHWAY STANDARDS AS LIGHT TRUCK TIRES. I REPLACED ALL FOUR OF MY ST TIRES AFTER THIS INCIDENT WITH A LIGHT TRUCK TIRE. VENDORS RECOMMEND REPLACEMENT, THEY CALL ST TIRES (CHINA BOMBS), ADVISING THE QUESTION IS NOT IF THEY WILL FAIL BUT WHEN! MY TIRES AND TRAILER WERE JUST THREE YEARS OLD, AND THE RECOMMENDED AIR PRESSURE WAS AT 80PSI AS DIRECTED BY THE TRAILER MANUFACTURER. I HAD TIRES FILLED WITH NITROGEN TO HELP KEEP TIRES COOL AND TRAILER WAS WEIGHTED TO INSURE GVW WAS NOT EXCEEDED. GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING IS LISTED AT 12,115 LBS. AT TIME OF FAILURE THE TIRES WERE CARRYING APPROXIMATELY 9,800 LBS. THIS WEIGHT IS DISTRIBUTED OVER FOUR TIRES ON THE TRAILER. THE BRAND WAS POWER TOWING, TRAIL EXPRESS OF THE FAILED TIRE BUT I HAVE FOUND THAT BRAND DOES NOT SEEM TO BE THE ISSUE. ALL ST TIRES BY DESIGN ARE PRONE TO FAILURE. STANDARDS IN DESIGN OF THESE TIRES NEED TO CHANGE TO REDUCE THESE FAILURES AND THE RES