pupeperson wrote:
Shapeshifter: It sounds to me like your coach needs a tag axle.
That would be nice. Maybe in the next rig, I can't see where it would be worthwhile to try and retrofit something like that. In my case, it's not that big of a deal, at best we're talking a couple hundred pounds. The tag axle would weight lots more than that.
I didn't bring it up to discuss my situation specifically. It was just to make a point that the comment that an RVer never has to worry about the 20,000 pound axle limit is not necessarily true. I agree that most don't have to worry about it, but many do. Just looking at my particular model, 2007 HR Endeavor, which is arguably one of the more popular DP models, it's loaded in the neighborhood of 19,000 pounds on the rear axle as it comes from the factory. That doesn't give you a lot of carrying capacity, especially when you consider the size of the basement storage compartments and the amount of cabinet space.
And that 20,000 pound weight was in 2007. Looking at the 2009 brochure, the rear axle rating has been increased to 23,000 pounds. I can't imagine that they went to larger (and more expensive) rear axle just so that the owner can think they have more cargo carrying capacity. While I don't have the dry weights of the new models, my gut feeling is that they went with the heavier axle because the base weight is now over 20,000 pounds. If that's so, the empty rig would be illegal as it left the factory! And even if that isn't the case, any owner that loaded it up anywhere near the axle rating would be seriously over the federal limit.
And that model is not the only one. From what I've read on here, it's actually quite common in the larger DPs. At the time mine came out with it's 20,000 pound axle, I was reading about rigs that came from the factory with a 22,000 pound axle. I'll bet that if you look closely, it's more prevalent than you think.
My point is not to complain about my rig, or any of these other rigs. All I want to do is make people aware that while everyone should weigh their rigs to make sure they are within their equipment ratings, there are those who also really do need to worry about the 20,000 pound per axle federal weight limit. I only mention my rig to show that concept is not just theoretical.
