2002 Fleetwood Bounder

OWNING THIS COACH SINCE 2003 NEAR NEW I HAVE HAD HUNDREDS OF EPISODES OF ROCKING, TRACKING AND STEERING CONTROL PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN NEAR MISSES AND ROLL OVER ACCIDENTS. I HAVE OWNED THE SAME BRAND IN OTHER RVS PREVIOUSLY THROUGH THE YEARS BECAUSE I BELIEVED IN THE MANUFACTURED BRAND. THE SUSPENSION IS WELL KNOWN AS A "FLEETWOOD ROCKER" INSTEAD OF A FLEETWOOD BOUNDER BY ALL THE MOTORHOME DEALERS THAT CARRY OTHER FRAMES AND CHASSIS. THEY OBVIOUSLY KNOW THE PROBLEMS WITH IT BEING DEALERS AND NOT ENGINEERS. I REPLACED THE SHOCKS TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM ONLY TO FIND OUT THE SHOCKS WERE NOT BAD, THEY ARE UNDERSIZED FOR THE COACH BEING TOO TOP HEAVY , AND THE CANTILEVERED COACH WEIGHT THAT IS REAR TO THE AXLES. THE SAME PROBLEM LIES WITH THE SUSPENSION ON SWAY AND STEERING PROBLEMS. THERE ARE NO TRACKING OR STEERING CONTROLS ON THE FRAME TO COUNTERBALANCE THE ADDED WEIGHT OF A COACH ON A FORD WORKHORSE CHASSIS. A STABILIZER ON THE FRONT DOES NOT HELP DUE AGAIN TO BEING TOP HEAVY AND ALL THE WEIGHT REAR OF THE BACK AXLE. THIS COACH SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO BE BUILT ON THAT PARTICULAR FRAME OR CHASSIS WITH THAT MUCH REAR AXLE TAG WEIGHT, WITHOUT ADDED CONTROLS FRONT AND BACK TO STABILIZE THE SUSPENSION AND STEERING OR AT LEAST LENGTHENED WHEEL BASE. BRAKES ARE SAME ISSUE, UNDER SIZED AND CAUSED SEVERE HEATING PROBLEMS TO THE POINT THAT A DESIGN CHANGE HAS SINCE BEEN MADE. THANKS TO SOMEBODY, I JUST WISH THE SUSPENSION AND STEERING WOULD GET THE SAME ATTENTION BY THEM ACCEPTING OWNERSHIP OF THEIR MISTAKE OR BEFORE A FATALITY OCCURS. *JS

2002 FLEETWOOD BOUNDER 36 S PURCHASED NEW 4-APRIL-2003 DEALER HAS REFUSED WARRANTY SERVICE SINCE 5-APRIL-2003,VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER THE ORIGINAL NEW VEHICLE 12/15 WARRANTY AND NOW HAS ONLY 1500 MILES,IT HAS TAKEN OVER 8 MONTHS TO GET SELLING DEALER TO TAKE VEHICLE IN FOR WARRANTY REPAIRS,VEHICLE HAS AS SEVERE REBOUND BOUNCING PROBLEM SUCH AS WHEN HITTING UNVEN PAVEMENT CROSSING A BRIDGE AT ROAD SPEED THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE BOUNCES AND FEELS AS IF THE VEHICLE IS ROCKING ACROSS THE REAR AXLE PULLING THE FRONT UP.I AM TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE 228 WHEEL BASE VEHICLE WITH THE LONG OVER HANG APROX 14 FT PAST THE REAR AXLE.THE DEALER PARTS MGR SID WAS TIRES NEED BALANCED,THIS DIAGONOSIS WAS MADE WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE AND THAT IT WAS MY PROBLEM,I DO NOT BELIEVE TIRE BALANCE WILL SOLVE THIS ,I HAVE ASKED THE MANFACTURE TO RESOLVE THE FRONT SUSPENSION PROBLEM AS IT IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE IN THE CURRENT CONDITION THEY REFUSE.

THE UNIT IS "TOPPING OUT" AGAINST THE SHOCKS WHEN THE VEHICLE GOES OVER A SERIES OF BUMPS. IT SEEMS AS IF THE UNIT IS TOO LIGHT IN THE FRONT END. THERE IS A 14 FOOT OVERHANG FROM THE BUMPER TO THE CENTER-REAR AXEL. WHEEL BASE IS 228 INCHES AND THE TOTAL LENGTH OF THE COACH IS 37'11". THE BRAKING SYSTEM SHAKES LIKE CRAZY AND DOESN'T SLOW THE UNIT DOWN. THIS FAILURE IS RANDOM AND THERE ARE NO CONSISTENT CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THIS FAILURE OCCURS. THE DEALER HAS INVESTIGATED THIS PROBLEM AND CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES.