I am requesting that NHTSA investigate a potentially serious and recurring safety defect involving Lippert trailer axles, wheel bearings, hubs, and inadequate factory lubrication. My original cargo trailer, equipped with Lippert axles, experienced repeated wheel-end, bearing, and axle-related problems. In March 2026, it suffered a catastrophic wheel-end/hub/bearing failure while traveling on the highway. The incident caused the tow vehicle and trailer to jackknife, damaged the trailer, tow vehicle, and cargo, and...
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ultimately resulted in the trailer being declared a total loss.A replacement Lippert axle was subsequently installed. After only approximately 1,400 miles, the wheel end began smoking. Inspection revealed severely blackened/burnt grease, indicating excessive heat and another potential bearing/lubrication problem.Because of these repeated failures, when I purchased a brand-new 2026 36-foot enclosed cargo trailer in June 2026, also equipped with Lippert axles, I specifically requested that the bearings, hubs, spindles, and grease levels be inspected BEFORE I took possession or operated the trailer.That pre-delivery inspection revealed very little grease in the wheel-end assemblies and at least one bearing was already damaged. These conditions were discovered before I operated the new trailer, eliminating normal wear, mileage, or my maintenance as potential causes. My understanding is that Lippert supplies these axle assemblies to the trailer manufacturer already assembled. I therefore believe NHTSA should investigate Lippert's manufacturing, bearing installation, lubrication, assembly, and quality-control procedures. These conditions create a serious highway safety risk. Inadequate lubrication or defective bearings can cause overheating, bearing seizure, hub/spindle failure, wheel separation, fire, trailer instability, jackknifing, loss of control, serious injury, or death. This is now more than one Lippert-equipped trailer with serious bearing/lubr