Equipment
- Component
- Equipment
- Manufacturer
- SOMERSET WELDING & STEEL, INC.
- Vehicles affected
- 284
- Reported to NHTSA
- 2009-10-08
- Owners notified
- 2009-10-23
Defect description
SOMERSET WELDING AND STEEL IS RECALLING CERTAIN J&J TRUCK BODIES MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 DUMPTRUCKS MANUFACTURED WITH LIGHTWEIGHT CROSSMEMBERLESS ULTRALIGHT (LWCUL) BODIES WITH MAILHOT FRONT MOUNT HOISTS. AFTER REPEATED CYCLING OF THE DUMP BODY, THE WELDS HOLDING THE UPPER HOIST MOUNT SUBASSEMBLY BACK PLATE TO THE BULKHEAD MAY UNDERGO FATIGUE AND FAIL. THE LOWER WELD MAY SEPARATE FROM THE BULKHEAD AND EVENTUALLY THE CRACKING WILL PROPAGATE THROUGH THE VERTICAL WELDS ALONG THE TWO SIDES OF THE PLATE ALLOWING THE PLATE TO SEPARATE FROM THE BULKHEAD.
Safety risk
THE SEPARATION OF THE BACK PLATE FROM THE BULK HEAD MAY CAUSE THE HOIST TO FALL DOWN AND FORWARD, POTENTIALLY STRIKING THE BACK OF THE TRUCK CAB, CAUSING THE DUMP BODY TO RAPIDLY FALL. THE RAPID FALLING OF THE DUMP BODY INCREASES THE RISK OF INJURY TO SURROUNDING PERSONS AND, IF FAILURE OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH FAILURE.
Manufacturer remedy
SOMERSET WELDING AND STEEL WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE OR REPAIR THE NECESSARY COMPONENTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 23, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOMERSET WELDING AND STEEL AT 1-814-443-2671.