Festus2,
For at least the last 5 years I've been trying to get my hands on a complete document from RVIA which details the requirements manufacturers must comply with to attach the RVIA sticker to the side of their products (and charge us $135+ at last purchase). All I've ever been able to find is an offer to "purchase the current guidelines" for the tidy sum of $800.
The RV technician course taught by RVIA affiliate centers "gives" each candidate for certification a copy of the guidebook, but I don't have the "luxury" of enrolling in a course in Indiana, which is the nearest I can find.
I'm sure that RVIA has some "great requirements" that much be followed, but I'm also sure that there are some that simply don't reflect "sanity" in the build process.... Take for example, the requirement to have an overhead smoke detector within 10 feet all every heat producing appliance. That's why all of us "CURSE" the smoke detector every time we use the stovetop in our RV.
I've searched the NHTSA website for pinbox failure, recreational vehicle fifth wheel failure, travel trailer frame failure and then I did a detailed search for all years of Keystone products. The only two open investigations are possible glass breakeage of shower stalls and possible undervehicle wiring problems.
There are 8 complaints that are documented: Goodyear tires, IOTA transfer switch (x3), Reese 16K hitch, Dometic refrigerator and "wheel loss on several occasions by the same operator. There also is one complaint in 2003 regarding "noxious fumes in the interior"
There are also two "service bulletins, one for "tail gater repair" and one for the "slide out supplemental breaker"
I can find no action from NHTSA regarding pinbox failure in Keystone products that has been investigated, recalled or issued a service bulletin. There is no action by TC as well.
While I can't say there is "NO" documentation regarding pinbox failure, we've had members complain of problems with welds on pinboxes. Researching the past posts on this forum, there have been issues with 2 Outbacks, 2 Cougars, Sprinter, and Copper Canyon. There were two reports included in the above problems where the owners stated they were using gooseneck adapters.
There's no way for me to do any meta-analysis with the limited information available, but if we use the "guesstimate" of half our membership (11,000) owning fifth wheels, that would be about 5500 fifth wheels with a failure of 6 pinboxes for a failure rate of about 0.001%. That calculation is HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS and probably low as there is no confirmation that half the membership owns fifth wheels nor that all the pinbox failures have been reported in the forum. So, there's little "meat" in the numbers, but I'd still not worry about looking up as Chicken Little screams.... I'd seriously be much more concerned with blown tires, wheel bearing wear, brake failure or even light bulbs burning out than with pinbox failure.
I'd wager that in February when I pull mine out of the pole barn to head to warmer weather, as cold as it will be, I'll spend just enough time under my fifth wheel pinbox to make sure it's connected to the truck and the umbilical is plugged in before we start towing. I will, however, check the tire pressure before we tow and the brakes as we're pulling out of the drive.....