Important Safety Recall

August 10, 2022

Dear Valued L.L.Bean Customer,

Our records show you may have purchased or received a Malone trailer sold by L.L.Bean. The manufacturer, C.E. Smith, has advised L.L.Bean of a product safety recall affecting certain model trailers manufactured with specific serial numbers that were sold beginning in 2021. The process used in welding the wheel spindle to the axle tube could potentially cause the weld to be weaker than designed. There is a possibility that the wheel spindle could disconnect from the axle during use, causing the spindle, wheel, and tire to disconnect from the trailer resulting in a loss of control of the trailer and potential crash.

For your safety, please immediately stop using the trailer.

Please review the attached document from C.E. Smith and follow the instructions, as described. The attached document includes the specific trailer models and serial numbers impacted. If you have a trailer with an affected serial number,C.E. Smith is asking that you contact them to obtain a replacement axle free of charge. L.L.Bean’s Bike, Boat, & Ski Store, 57 Main Street, Freeport, ME 04032, can also obtain this part and facilitate this repair for you, free of charge. Please call us at 800-555-9717 if you would like to make arrangements through L.L.Bean.

If you purchased this product as a gift, please pass on this information or contact us and we will send this letter to the gift recipient.

As always, we stand behind our products. If you prefer to return this product under our return policy, please contact us for assistance.

All of us at L.L.Bean are firmly committed to providing our customers with the best products and service. We regret any inconvenience this has caused; however, your safety is most important to us. Please call us at 800-555-9717 or email us at prodsupport@llbean.com if you have any questions regarding this safety notification.

Sincerely,

Raina Maxwell
Vice President
Customer Satisfaction

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL

This notice may apply to your boat trailer

August 10, 2022
RE: C.E. Smith Co. Recall: Axle Replacement

Models Nos.:
MPG460 Malone Auto Racks MicroSport Trailer,
MPG585 Malone Auto Racks EcoLight Trailer,
48810, 48870, 48815 C.E. Smith Multi-Sport and Multi-Sport Plus Trailers

Dear Customer:

This notice is being sent to you in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

C.E. Smith Company, Inc. (“C.E. Smith”) has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety may exist in certain 2021 and 2022 trailers. According to Malone Paddle Gear LLC’s (“Malone Auto Racks”) records, you purchased a trailer that may have been equipped with a potentially defective axle that was manufactured and supplied to C.E. Smith by Sure Trac, Inc. (“Sure Trac”). Testing has determined that the process used in welding the wheel spindle to the axle tube could potentially cause the weld to be weaker than designed. This could result in the wheel spindle becoming disconnected from the axle. If this happens during use, the spindle, wheel, and tire would disconnect from the trailer resulting in a loss of control of the trailer and potential crash.

C.E Smith has initiated a product recall affecting the C.E. Smith Multi-Sport trailers with the model numbers 48810, 48870, and 48815; as well as C.E Smith Trailers sold under the Malone Auto Racks brand: the MPG460, Malone Auto Racks MicroSport Trailer, and MPG585, Malone Auto Racks EcoLight Trailer, which utilize the same axle hardware provided by Sure Trac manufactured during the period that the welding issue has been identified. It has been determined that these trailers may be unsafe.

The serial number on the affected axles begins with the following numbers: 2109, 2111, or 2201. Please check the serial number for the axle currently on your trailer to see if it begins with those four numbers. The serial number can be located by looking at the sticker on the middle of the square axle tube. If the serial number on your trailer’s current axle is begins with those numbers, please contact C.E. Smith at recall@cesmithco.com or 1-800-334-2490 and provide your serial number or VIN number to request a replacement axle.

If you contact C.E. Smith to notify us that your trailer contains an axle with one of these serial numbers, we will send a replacement axle. The replacement part can be swapped out for the potentially defective hardware and will include instructions for doing so. This replacement part is covered by your warranty, and you will not be charged for the replacement axle. It is estimated that it will take approximately 60 minutes or less for you to swap out the potentially defective piece with the new piece. You should not operate your trailer until the defective piece has been replaced.

This recall has been initiated to serve the best interest of you as a C.E. Smith customer. We recognize that this may be an inconvenience to you, and we ask for your patience and understanding regarding the recall.

Federal regulations require that any vehicle lessor receiving this notice must forward acopy of this notice to the lessee within ten (10) days.

If you have sold your trailer to another party, please contact us at recall@cesmithco.com or 1-800-334-2490 with the name and address of the new owner.

We regret any inconvenience that this action may cause you. However, we are concerned about your safety. If C.E. Smith fails to remedy this defect without charge and within a reasonable time, you may submit a written complaint to the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E., Washington, D.C. 20590, or call the toll free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1 888-327-4236; (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov. Refer to recall number 22V-398.

Please accept C.E. Smith’s sincerest apologies for the inconvenience caused by the implementation of this recall. We remain committed to providing you excellent service and products and to keep you as safe as possible while enjoying our products. Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

C.E. Smith Company