Axles

When I look at the specs for your trailer on Keystone's web page the primary number is the 9000# GVWR. Unlike a lot of other Keystone trailers, yours has reserve load capacity in the OE axles (GAWR 4400#) and more than adequate load capacity with the OE tires, (ST235/75R15D) at 2540#. Your cargo capacity listed at 910# is going to present the real problem. There are only two factions having authority to increase your GVWR. The vehicle manufacturer or a certified modifier. The statement below is verbatim from a NHTSA document.

"The FMVSS have requirements for the manufacturer to use proper tires and rims for the gross axle weight rating (GAWR) and the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). The manufacturer may determine the GVWR by adding cargo capacity (if any) to the curb weight of the vehicle as manufactured. The wise consumer, before purchase, will determine if the vehicle has sufficient cargo capacity to carry the weight of water, additional equipment (such as televisions, and microwave ovens), and luggage. The manufacturer’s certification label must show the GVWR. The GVWR must not be exceeded by overloading the vehicle. There is little the government can do to assist a consumer who has purchased a vehicle that has insufficient cargo capacity for its
intended use."

Somewhere in your trailer there is a cargo label. It would be interesting to see what it has listed as cargo capacity.

FastEagle

jmtandem wrote:

GVWR (lbs/kgs) 9000 / 4082.4

If your gross is 9000 pounds, then you will have about 1170 on the tongue (13 percent of gross). Be sure to get spring bars that are up to that amount. That leaves 7830 or so on the axles. If your axles are 4400 pound axles you have 8800 pounds axle capacity and the math aproximately says that leaves around 1000 pounds for all your stuff and water. Water is 8.3 pounds per gallon.

It becomes a little more than just changing the axles. Tires and springs are an issue as well. You will need to be able to have the carrying capacity in the tires to match the new axles, wheels to accommodate the new tires/pressures and probably upgraded springs.

I did order the Equalizer 1200/12000 model....will get it this week sometime. Right now, using a Husky system rated for the same.

Copy all on the springs and tires, saw where Dexter has a system called EZ-Flex, looks pretty nice. The axles are AL-KO (a division of Dexter? I think), Not wanting to go crazy with weight, I may be Chicken Little...when my wife got to the campground after I set up Saturday, she started making an inventory of where this and that was going to go....I just sat there and said crap, 800lbs goes quick. When we PCS'ed across country a few months ago, we had about 2k lbs in the TH. If I had about 1500-1800lbs, I would be happy.

Not too stressed about changing tires and wheels, they are Towmaster, so will be looking to ditch them anyway.

We want this trailer to last 10-12 years, so doing this will benefit us in the long run....I hope.

Cale

GVWR (lbs/kgs) 9000 / 4082.4

If your gross is 9000 pounds, then you will have about 1170 on the tongue (13 percent of gross). Be sure to get spring bars that are up to that amount. That leaves 7830 or so on the axles. If your axles are 4400 pound axles you have 8800 pounds axle capacity and the math aproximately says that leaves around 1000 pounds for all your stuff and water. Water is 8.3 pounds per gallon.

It becomes a little more than just changing the axles. Tires and springs are an issue as well. You will need to be able to have the carrying capacity in the tires to match the new axles, wheels to accommodate the new tires/pressures and probably upgraded springs.

Here is the trailer sticker...

JaxDad wrote:
I agree with the hitch weight point, in fact the spec's I found for that unit looked like this;

Dry Weight (lbs/kg) 8035 / 3644.7
Payload Capacity (lbs/kgs) 965 / 437.7
GVWR (lbs/kgs) 9000 / 4082.4
Hitch Weight (lbs/kgs) 910 / 412.8

To me that's not only extremely confusing, but flat out wrong. If the dry weight is 8,035 and the hitch weight is 910 then the axles should be carrying 7,125 pounds.

That would make the CCC about 1,875 pounds.

If the CCC was truly 1800lbs, then I would not worry about this at all...I would be one happy camper.


I did crawl under the trailer to verify the axles....they are stamped with 4400lb. So I took it as meaning that I could only have 8800lbs on the trailer axles when I go to the scales.

Cale

I agree with the hitch weight point, in fact the spec's I found for that unit looked like this;

Dry Weight (lbs/kg) 8035 / 3644.7
Payload Capacity (lbs/kgs) 965 / 437.7
GVWR (lbs/kgs) 9000 / 4082.4
Hitch Weight (lbs/kgs) 910 / 412.8

To me that's not only extremely confusing, but flat out wrong. If the dry weight is 8,035 and the hitch weight is 910 then the axles should be carrying 7,125 pounds.

That would make the CCC about 1,875 pounds.

I would definitely replace the axles, wheels and tires. Definitely, go for it.

johnrbd wrote:
Attempted to get spec info, but could not find your model number. What is the GVWR, hitch weight, model year and is your model number correct as listed on your post? Thanks

Sorry, did not proof my writing. Should be 323BH.

My guess is he meant to put 323BH not 23BH.

You are at the upper limit on those axles but remember 1-1.2K pounds are going to be tongue weight.

Paul

Attempted to get spec info, but could not find your model number. What is the GVWR, hitch weight, model year and is your model number correct as listed on your post? Thanks