KZ Connect Safety Recall

[Bowtie Jim]

I'm with you frankjc.
I'd cut my losses now rather than a year or two from now.
There are lots of choices for a replacement.

[JillandBud]

Tomahawk wrote:
As a side note, you could figure out much they are trying to correct the tongue weight if you measured the current tongue weight, measured the trailer weight, and measured the distance from the center of the axles to the ball. For example, if the trailer weighs 7000lb and the TW is 500lb and the ball to axle center is 200 inches, the trailer CG is 500*200/7000 = 14.3 inches in front of the center of the axles. Moving the axles back 7.5 inches would make the new TW = (14.3+7.5)*7000/(200+7.5) = 735lb none of those numbers are real, just things I made up. Just checking the TW and comparing it to 13% of the GVWR should give you a good idea of how much they should be correcting TW.

Thanks for this information Tomahawk. We had weighed our hitch and trailer a while ago, so yesterday I got under the trailer and made measurements. Results:

Trailer (partly loaded) 7780lbs. Tongue weight 840lbs. Distance from ball to center of axles 225 inches.

840*225/7780=24.3

New Tongue weight should be

(24.3+7.5)*7780/(225+7.5)= 1064

This is 13.6% of the trailer weight.

I find this result encouraging. We will get the unit repaired and see how it tows. We will point out the uneven tire wear to the repair shop and have them check the axle alignment. (Our measurements don’t indicate misalignment, but crawling around on the ground isn’t the most accurate.)

My husband is looking for reasons to trade. I would rather not take the loss. We’ll see. I will post our progress.

I appreciate this forum. Great not to feel so alone dealing with this.

[mikemcbsr]

Originally Posted by JillandBud

Tomahawk wrote:
As a side note, you could figure out much they are trying to correct the tongue weight if you measured the current tongue weight, measured the trailer weight, and measured the distance from the center of the axles to the ball. For example, if the trailer weighs 7000lb and the TW is 500lb and the ball to axle center is 200 inches, the trailer CG is 500*200/7000 = 14.3 inches in front of the center of the axles. Moving the axles back 7.5 inches would make the new TW = (14.3+7.5)*7000/(200+7.5) = 735lb none of those numbers are real, just things I made up. Just checking the TW and comparing it to 13% of the GVWR should give you a good idea of how much they should be correcting TW.

Thanks for this information Tomahawk. We had weighed our hitch and trailer a while ago, so yesterday I got under the trailer and made measurements. Results:

Trailer (partly loaded) 7780lbs. Tongue weight 840lbs. Distance from ball to center of axles 225 inches.

840*225/7780=24.3

New Tongue weight should be

(24.3+7.5)*7780/(225+7.5)= 1064

This is 13.6% of the trailer weight.

I find this result encouraging. We will get the unit repaired and see how it tows. We will point out the uneven tire wear to the repair shop and have them check the axle alignment. (Our measurements don’t indicate misalignment, but crawling around on the ground isn’t the most accurate.)

My husband is looking for reasons to trade. I would rather not take the loss. We’ll see. I will post our progress.

I appreciate this forum. Great not to feel so alone dealing with this.

I measured our pin weight (tongue weight) with two 30lb propane tanks and 2 batteries and the cupboards filled with our usual stuff and it weighed 654lbs. The sticker on the door lists it at 615lbs. I would have thought that a bell would have rung that a tt over 7000lbs had a measured tongue weight of only 615lbs. (less than 10%). I am satisfied with the repair procedure and engineering and if done by competent people it should be fine. I have asked to be present when the work gets done. I'll take triangulation measurements when it's done. I want to video the work as it happens.
I am curious JiilBud, what does the sticker on your door list the tongue weight at?

[JillandBud]

Our door sticker says:
HW 650 lbs
UVW 6940 lbs
Max. Cargo 2300 lbs

So yes, HW<10% Didn’t anyone notice?

[Tomahawk]

I bet the 650 and 615 are the calculated numbers (incorrectly calculated). The two 30LB tanks and 2 batteries should added 240 pounds to the published TW. On my TT the published TW is 350LB for 5000LB GVWR trailer. I measured it at 650 with two batteries, one 20LB tank and the trailer loaded to about 4200 LB.

[JillandBud]

Our axles were moved by a welding and fabrication shop near us. They decided to weld the new hangers as accessing the underside to cut and thread and bolt was a problem. We are not worried about the welds, these guys work on big rigs all the time and the welds look good. They did find that the spacing of the spring hangers was 3/16 inch too short on the left side of the rear axle. Don’t know if that caused the tire wear, but KZ says we have to take it to a dealer to have it checked and submit a claim.

We haven’t towed it on an interstate or in the wind so can’t report on that. But we did take it back and weighed the tongue again. This time it was 1,020 lbs., which is 13.1% of the total trailer weight as loaded (by the way, we have power stabilizing jacks, which may add weight).

Meanwhile…have you other KZ owners gotten the new safety recall? There’s a possible problem with the seal on the propane regulator. No timeline on the replacement, it’s not available now.

[mikemcbsr]

Originally Posted by JillandBud

Our axles were moved by a welding and fabrication shop near us. They decided to weld the new hangers as accessing the underside to cut and thread and bolt was a problem. We are not worried about the welds, these guys work on big rigs all the time and the welds look good. They did find that the spacing of the spring hangers was 3/16 inch too short on the left side of the rear axle. Don’t know if that caused the tire wear, but KZ says we have to take it to a dealer to have it checked and submit a claim.

We haven’t towed it on an interstate or in the wind so can’t report on that. But we did take it back and weighed the tongue again. This time it was 1,020 lbs., which is 13.1% of the total trailer weight as loaded (by the way, we have power stabilizing jacks, which may add weight).

Meanwhile…have you other KZ owners gotten the new safety recall? There’s a possible problem with the seal on the propane regulator. No timeline on the replacement, it’s not available now.

Our dealer is still waiting for the parts for the axle recall. I haven't received the regulator recall yet.
Does the yellow marker tape covering the hole in the side panel look tacky? How does the new wheel well skirting look?

[JillandBud]

The yellow tape looks like a reflector. It took me a bit to realize the the new reflector was actually covering the hole. The wheel well skirting looks identical to the original. The plain skirting was spliced on the door side under the door, so the steps are in front of it when you’re camped. I really have no complaints about the looks.

[mikemcbsr]

Originally Posted by JillandBud

The yellow tape looks like a reflector. It took me a bit to realize the the new reflector was actually covering the hole. The wheel well skirting looks identical to the original. The plain skirting was spliced on the door side under the door, so the steps are in front of it when you’re camped. I really have no complaints about the looks.

That is good to hear. Have you had a chance to tow it at highway speeds yet?

[frankjc1]

Mine is still sitting in the dealers lot, they've contacted a frame shop in another town to see if they'll do the work and haven't heard back yet. The one question I wanted answered is if the facility has the ability to align the axles to the frame. My concern is that if the alignment were off even just a bit, there would be undo wear and tear on the tires and breaks on both the trailer and the truck. It may haul fine but an off alignment would increase our maintenance and of course KZ/Thor will wash their hands of the problem once the "warranty" expires and place the blame on the repair.

I've had other quality issues with the unit as well. The control panel which is mounted on the paneling along side the refrigerator fell off. There's not enough meat for the screws to hold onto so they just fell out (the newer units have it screwed into the fireplace mantel. Remember I'm a seasonal camper so there isn't much over use. The interior door jams are misaligned enough so that the doors don't stay closed, I had to take the catches off so they would stay shut. Any way the list goes on... Now lets add the latest Recall for the propane regulator which is not available for replacement. Just think all this time we were using the KZ at the risk of either being blown up or never waking up again. Yeah I just love my KZ.

[4everlooking]

I purchased a 2021 22RBS a month ago. Since I'm not the original buyer, is the propane recall specific for a certain model? Will I be notified being the 2nd owner? What should I look for anything visible for propane issue? This is my first RV w/propane. My previous MH was diesel/electric. Thanks in advance for any insight.

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by 4everlooking

I purchased a 2021 22RBS a month ago. Since I'm not the original buyer, is the propane recall specific for a certain model? Will I be notified being the 2nd owner? What should I look for anything visible for propane issue? This is my first RV w/propane. My previous MH was diesel/electric. Thanks in advance for any insight.

The Propane regulator recall affects Winntec brand regulators made from 2017 to 2020. Though not mentioned in the recall that I know of, the Flame King and some Erenco regulators also are identical to this. This is a pic of one, the regulator is upside down but you will know if yours looks like this, the red/green window on the front is a giveaway.

The regulators may have a white plastic cover on the lower half of them as this is a required safety item on regulators.



Look at this Jayco document, specifically page 4. It will show how to find the date code IF A WINNTEC. Date codes on Flame King or Erenco may be different and there is no way of knowing if they are affected (YET) but since they all appear to be made in the same Chinese factory, I would get rid of it if you have one that visually looks like this.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/202...1V425-2996.pdf

Assuming you have a KZ Connect SE 221RBS from your description the NHTSA lists one recall for them, which is the propane regulator recall (other models also may have a propane hose recall)

https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2021/K...2520SE#recalls

August 27, 2021 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V670000
Propane Regulator May Fail and Cause Fire
Increased propane pressure can enlarge the flames in gas appliances, increasing the risk of a fire.

NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V670000

Manufacturer KZRV, L.P.

Components EQUIPMENT

Potential Number of Units Affected 34,345

Summary

KZRV, L.P. (KZRV) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Camplite, Confluence, Connect, Connect SE, Connect Lite, Durango, Durango Gold, Durango Half Ton, Durango Sport, Durango 1500, Quicksilver, Sonic, Sonic X, Sportsmen, Sportsmen FW, Sportsmen LE, Sportsmen SE, Sportsmen Sportster, Sportster, SportTrek, SportTrek Touring, Spree, Stratus, Venom, and Venom V Series recreational vehicles, equipped with Winntec model 6020 two-stage propane regulators. The regulator may fail, causing an increase in propane pressure.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the regulator and pigtail hoses, free of charge. Owners were notified of the defect on October 26, 2021. A second letter will be sent once a final remedy is available. Owners may contact KZRV customer service at 1-800-768-4016 ext. 154 or 153. KZRV's number for this recall is KZ-2021-05.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

125 Affected Products
5 Associated Documents
Recall AcknowledgementRCAK-21V670-9159.pdf 652.831KB https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/202...1V670-9159.pdf

Defect Notice 573 ReportRCLRPT-21V670-5141.PDF 223.319KB https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/202...1V670-5141.PDF

Miscellaneous Document - ChronologyRMISC-21V670-6106.pdf 56.54KB https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/202...1V670-6106.pdf

Recall 573 Report - Amendment 1RCLRPT-21V670-7529.PDF 223.372KB https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/202...1V670-7529.PDF

ISSUED Interim Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)RIONL-21V670-4224.pdf 229.748KB https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/202...1V670-4224.pdf

Interesting to note in the chronology "5/24/21 & 5/25/21 - Meeting with Grand Design, Dehco, Winnspec International, and Chen Fong at Livonia, MI testing facility, to discuss regulator investigation. Chen Fong agrees the regulator is allowing higher pressure than expected with a compromised second stage seal.

5/27/21–Safety Committee Meetings conducted at KZ RV, Keystone RV and Jayco RV. All safety committees decide to move forward with a recall for safety for units built with a defective Winntec Model 6020 regulator."

Charles

[4everlooking]

CharlesinGA, thank you VERY much for that link and insight. We purchased the trailer about 3 weeks before the recall it looks like. I will go to where it is stored and verify the regulator. It looks like the picture as I recall from memory. My wife isn't happy, she is the one who picked this one out and insisted on it.

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by 4everlooking

CharlesinGA, thank you VERY much for that link and insight. We purchased the trailer about 3 weeks before the recall it looks like. I will go to where it is stored and verify the regulator. It looks like the picture as I recall from memory. My wife isn't happy, she is the one who picked this one out and insisted on it.

Take a tape measure and determine the length of the pigtails to the tank. Most likely 15 inch, this will aid in replacing parts. The pigtails are separate parts, however the recall calls for replacement of the pigtails and the regulator together. Get a reliable unit. Marshall Excelsior MEGR-253 is a USA made regulator that can be depended on.

Virtually all brands and locations are out of stock on regulators. There are some 35,000 regulators affected, probably more. If you are not using the RV this winter, I would wait until stocks come back up. Things should settle out by spring.

Charles