United States 00V025000
Wabash National Corporation
The problem
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SEMI-TRAILERS. THESE SEMI-TRAILERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH SUSPENSION BOGIES THAT CAN SLIDE FORWARD AND AFT TO CHANGE THE AXLE POSITIONS. THE BOGIES SLIDE ALONG A PAIR OF BODY RAILS THAT ARE WELDED DIRECTLY TO THE BOTTOM FLANGE OF THE I-BEAM CROSSMEMBERS THAT MAKE UP THE FLOOR SUPPORT STRUCTURE. THE FRONT STOP PIPES WERE INADVERTENTLY WELDED TO THE BODY RAILS SEVERAL INCHES BELOW THE BOTTOM OF THE CROSSMEMBERS.
Risk
CYCLIC TENSION LOADING WILL RESULT IN THE OUTSIDE GUSSET WELD CRACKING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
What owners should do
THIS CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED BY CAMPAIGN NO. 02V-295. DEALERS WILL CUT AWAY THE VERTICAL CONNECTION OF THE GUSSET TO THE RAILS ELIMINATING THE GUSSET CRACKING IN THE AREA WHERE THE STOP PIPE IS SOLIDLY WELDED INTO THE BODY RAILS.
Units 6233