Tag axle adjustment

[Hardtrigger]

Wow to much whiskey in the casino last night @ crap table!!Head hurts. Kinda hard to read my threads above and apologize. If anyone is able to comprehend what I was trying to ask above and have any resolution I would be appreciative of both getting through that mess and having a solution. Thanx in advance

[GORDON HUMMEL]

http://www.newellclassic.com/forum/s...ht=AXLE+WEIGHT

When you are feeling better, you might want to review the above thread. I have a similiar coach to yours with similiar issues. Mine was fixed with changing to "H" rated steer tires, 14,400 lbs @120 psi. While this is greater than the listed cap for the coach, I believe, the tag on the coach is incorrect. If you stop @ Newell, you might want to ask them about that.

I can't for sure answer as to why the tag axle pressure does not return to the previous setting after being dumpted. If it wasn't new, I would say it is the regulator & considering it came from HF that is probably the problem.

I don't understand how reducing the tag axle air pressure will increase the weight on the front axle. This is backward to my way of thinking.

In all honesty, I like your weights @ 60lbs in the tag; better than mine with 30 lbs.

Have you checked the ride height? There are a few recent threads discussing that topic.

All in all I suggest a trip to Miami, to establish a valid base line.

As to front axle capacity limited to 12K, most if not all the Mack trucks I am familiar with have a 20K front axle, & need it. New Newells also use a 20k axle !

My 2 cents

[fulltiming]

I concur with Gordon. I had access to a full set of wheel scales in Kerrville, Texas several years ago and I found that it can be challenging to get the numbers to make sense when shifting the tag axle pressure as it takes some time and movement of the coach to get it to readjust to the new air pressures. I did find that as the tag pressure was DECREASED the major change was a redistribution onto the drive axle and off of the tag axle AND a much smaller DECREASE in the load on the front end. The weight on the front axle is controlled much more in the early 1990's coaches by the amount of fuel on board. Fuel is just behind the front axle so almost the entire load is transferred to front axle with a small amount added to the rear.

I also found that moving heavy objects (like tool boxes) from the bays close to the front axle into the bays toward the rear of the coach helped.

I don't think you will find any way to get the front axle weight close to 12,000 lbs on a 1990 or newer Newell. Typically a tag axle early 90's Newell had a front axle rated at 14,200 lbs because that was the limit of the tires rather than the axle or the brakes. While no one advocates overloading tires, the 11R24.5 H rated Bridgestones (I do NOT recommend using G rated Bridgestones on the front axle) gave excellent service even if somewhat overloaded. If you are running the front axle significantly over the limit, change the front tires to 305/75R24.5 tires which carry a rating of about 1400 pounds more per front axle. In California, for example, 12,500 pounds is the maximum weight for the front axle. However, there are numerous exceptions including buses and motor vehicles that are non-commercial (such as RV's).

Having an axle over 20,000 pounds will cause you grief on some of the weight controlled toll roads in northeast with in road scales so playing with the tag pressure to insure you stay below 20,000 on the drive axle is important. The front axle weight of 14-15k will not likely cause you problems.

[Hardtrigger]

Thanks for the replies guys. The scale house was closed but the weight board outside was on and I was able to park the coach on the scale and with the tag on the scale I was able to add and delete air out of the tag and noticed that when I added air to the tag it added weight to the tag also but at the same time the steer axle would subtract 200-300lbs every 10 lbs or so! Havindg the experience with class 8 trucks we would adjust our fifth wheel slide to add or subtract weight off of the steer axle sort of the same way I guess. The more weight one axle takes on would reflect less weight of the opposite axle! Kid you not sliding the fifth wheel on class eight truck each inch over the drive axle would alter steer axle weight couple hundred pounds. Im fine with tag axle at 8000 lbs. or so if the steer axle is engineered to handle the 14000 lb. weight and great advise with upgrading the load rating on the tires. I was reading somewhere on this board that Newell suggest running 130 lbs. in the steer axle tires which I am hesitate on doing for the manufacture suggest 110lbs. What are your thoughts guys on having 20lbs. over manufacturer specs. I mean if that is cool than I would add air right away. Thanx again, Robert

[fulltiming]

See this thread, posts 20 and 22, for some additional tire information. http://www.newellclassic.com/forum/showthread.php?t=987

If you are running H rated tires, they should show a max inflation of 120 psi rather than 110 psi. If you are running G rated tires on the front, they should be changed out for H rated tires as soon as you can. The G rated tires will not take the weight you have on them safely.

For everyone reading this thread, please remember that inflation advice for the 11R24.5 or 305/75R24.5 is NOT relevant for the Newells with the newer, heavier models that changed to 22.5" wheels and 315/80R22.5 tires.