The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ALL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH EATON DRIVE AXLES AND AXILOK SPINDLE NUTS. THE DRIVE AXLE HOUSINGS CONSIST OF A PLATE STEEL CENTER SECTION AND TWO FORGED SPINDLES, ONE OF WHICH IS WELDED TO EACH END OF THE CENTER SECTION. EACH SPINDLE CONTAINS A KEYWAY SLOT IN WHICH THE LOCKING TAB FOR THE WHEEL BEARING NUT LOCKING MECHANISM IS INSERTED. THE LENGTH OF THE KEYWAY SLOT MAY NOT BE LONG ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE THE TAB CAUSING THE TAB TO BE DEFORMED OR DAMAGED DURING INSTALLATION.
The risk
THIS LOCKING TAB PREVENTS THE WHEEL BEARING NUT FROM LOOSENING DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. IF THIS TAB IS DEFORMED, THE NUT CAN LOOSEN ALLOWING THE WHEEL TO SEPARATE FROM THE AXLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVE AXLE HOUSING NUTS WITH A CONVENTIONAL WHEEL NUT HARDWARE SYSTEM.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Freightliner Century | 1996 |
| Freightliner Conventional | 1996 |
| Freightliner FL-60 | 1996 |
| Freightliner FL-70 | 1996 |
| Freightliner FL-80 | 1996 |
Components: SUSPENSION:REAR
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freightliner Century | 1996 | 0 | 7 |
| Freightliner Conventional | 1996 | 5 | 1 |
| Freightliner FL-60 | 1996 | 2 | 2 |
| Freightliner FL-70 | 1996 | 2 | 2 |
| Freightliner FL-80 | 1996 | 0 | 1 |
Other suspension recalls in 1996
25 of the 297 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1996 concerned the suspension; FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION filed 151 campaigns in all.
| 96V252000 18 Dec 1996 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 96V233004 2 Dec 1996 | VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA INC |
| 96V240000 27 Nov 1996 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
| 96V233002 22 Nov 1996 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
| 96V227001 15 Nov 1996 | ELDORADO NATIONAL |
| 96V188000 25 Sept 1996 | KARAVAN TRAILERS |
| 96V124006 10 Sept 1996 | MAXIM TRUCK COMPANY, INC. |
| 96V159000 28 Aug 1996 | OSHKOSH TRUCK CORPORATION |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1996