... speaking of crappy vehicles, here‘s something from today‘s Ottawa Citizen (I found it most interesting that "... Both DND and Western Star declined to release results of the vehicle‘s 1994 re-test conducted at the Nevada Automotive Test Centre ):
Military forced to recall ‘life-threatening‘ trucks
Fires, hazardous tire carrier reported
Patti-Ann Finlay, Citizen Special
TORONTO -- The backbone of the Canadian army‘s transportation fleet has been recalled for a second time after a series of vehicle fires, reports of a defective tire carrier and lawsuits by injured personnel.
Canadian Forces bases across the country have rounded up 2,815 Light Support Vehicle Wheeled (LSVW) trucks, manufactured by Western Star in Kelowna, B.C., and sold to the federal government in 1992 for $225 million, to fix the fire hazard.
"We‘ve had fires that have ranged from about $300 (in damages) to a complete vehicle loss" worth as much as $80,000, said Gus MacDonald, a civilian engineer with the Department of National Defence, who is overseeing the recall.
The Department of National Defence estimates average fire costs at $18,674 per damaged vehicle.
Western Star is replacing the vehicle‘s starter, believed to be the source of the 28 vehicle fires reported since the LSVW went into service in 1995, through a four-month "retrofit" of the entire fleet that will cost an estimated $1 million, said Mr. MacDonald. The Defence Department said there have been no injuries resulting from the fires.
While the repair work is being performed by Western Star, the project is being paid for by DND and Bosch, the subcontractor that manufactured the starter, said Dennis Umrysh, director of support vehicles, project management, for DND.
Internal DND correspondence from 1998, before the first recall, concluded the initial series of 12 fires was the result of a manufacturing defect or design deficiency with the solenoid component of the starter. Briefing notes to the defence minister dated May 22, 1998, said the entire LSVW fleet was at risk of catching fire.
Western Star paid to replace the solenoid during the first recall at an estimated cost of up to $2 million.
"We‘ve all come to the conclusion that the first program didn‘t work," said Mr. MacDonald.
Western Star, recently acquired by Freightliner LLC in Oregon, referred to the current repair project as an "upgrade."
"It‘s a fleet enhancement," said John Sauer, Western Star‘s purchasing manager for defence and specialty products.
Mr. MacDonald said DND is also tendering bids for another repair project intended to fix the LSVW‘s spare tire carrier -- a plan that will require another estimated $1 million.
Some soldiers have been hurt while using the truck‘s spare tire carrier. "The scope of injuries has been anything from a facial laceration to a severe facial laceration with a loss of an eye," said Mr. MacDonald.
Western Star and Dew Engineering, a subcontractor and the manufacturer of the spare tire carrier, face two lawsuits by former Forces members for injuries allegedly related to a design flaw with the carrier.
Former privates Daniel Rummery of Winnipeg and Brendan Wornes of Calgary were discharged from the military as a result of injuries sustained from their accidents.
"They don‘t want to have to admit that this thing -- this tire carrier -- this truck is a very dangerous, life-threatening piece of equipment," said Mr. Rummery.
The 26-year-old former combat engineer lost his right eye while changing a tire on the support vehicle during the Winnipeg flood in April 1997.
"The tire mechanism failed and swung back and struck my face," said Mr. Rummery.
Lawyers representing Western Star and the Department of National Defence refused to comment on the litigation.
In its statements of defence, Western Star denies any responsibility for the injuries and claims they are the result of soldier carelessness and/or improper training.
The truck is one of the Forces‘ mainstay non-combat vehicles. Used in a variety of military operations, including the transportation of troops and emergency medical services, the vehicle is deployed in civilian emergencies as well as peacekeeping operations.
The truck‘s recall is the latest episode in a long-standing list of LSVW problems faced by DND and endured by the army‘s rank and file -- the primary users of the cargo truck.
After Western Star, a newcomer to the defence industry at the time, secured the contract with DND in 1992, the vehicle was tested in 1993 and, following unfavourable results, again in 1994.
The first report, based on a seven-month test at the now dismantled Land Engineering Test Establishment near Ottawa, shows the LSVW truck did not pass four of six categories. Failure in one category would have been enough to fail it.
The executive summary of the report states that "in excess of 150 fleet shortcomings were discovered."
National Defence claims modifications were made and that the LSVW passed subsequent testing, requested and paid for by Western Star, before it went into mass production at the Kelowna plant.
The vehicle has been widely criticized by the army‘s 20,000 soldiers.
"I‘m scared to drive it," said one non-commissioned officer who asked not to be identified. "I don‘t feel safe at all in that truck."
Mr. Rummery concurs with that assessment.
"That thing is the worst piece of equipment they‘ve ever used. I think it‘s one of the worst pieces of hardware for its age," he said.
Mr. Wornes, 30, said problems with the vehicle date back to its earliest days.
"When it came into service (in 1995) ... you couldn‘t walk into any shop on the base ... without seeing a massive amount of LSVWs sitting on the hoist for one reason or another," said Mr. Wornes, a former vehicle technician with the army.
He was injured preparing a demonstration with the tire carrier and underwent reconstructive surgery to the left side of his face following his March 1995 accident.
He still suffers chronic headaches and facial pain.
The truck manufacturer cites DND‘s "failing to conduct appropriate tests to ensure the carrier was fit for purpose," in naming the federal government as a third party in the lawsuits.
Both DND and Western Star declined to release results of the vehicle‘s 1994 re-test conducted at the Nevada Automotive Test Centre.
"We don‘t have any authority to release that report," said National Defence Headquarters spokesman Lt.-Cmdr. Philip Anido. "The tests were done for Western Star, ordered by Western Star, and I was told directly that they were not the property of DND."
Donna Olson, Western Star‘s in-house lawyer, said: "I just can‘t see what would be Western Star‘s interest or incentive -- or why we would want to release those results."
DND officials said they are not worried about the vehicle‘s performance or maintenance record. The LSVWs are expected to be used by the army for another 10 to 15 years, said Mr. Umrysh.
He added that problems are common in the early years of any fleet.
Yard Ape
