Revised GVWR after axle upgrade??
We have a 2014 TT that came with two 3,500 lb axles/springs and very little payload capacity. By the scales the axle/springs run at 96% of capacity at trip weight and within the GVWR. The springs w...
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I really appreciate your thoughts and comments. For clarification, here are the exact modifications:
Replaced the two 3,500 lb lippert axles with 5,200 lb Dexters. Brakes went from 1.5"x10" to 2"x12". Old brakes were self adjusting which over tightened, so I went with manual adjustment on the new axles.
Replaced the 1,750 lb each springs (3,500 per axle) with 3,500 lb each springs (7,000 lbs per axle). No reasoning for this mismatch other than this is what this shop "usually puts" on travel trailers. The Lippert equalizer between the 2 springs was re-used, as were the hangers.
Wheels were previously 15" and I stayed with 15", but the new axles had 6 lugs so got 5 new wheels.
Previously had 205/75-15 tires and could have kept those, but was due for tires now anyway. The 5,200 lb axle calls for 225/75-15 tires and that is what I went to, in a 10 ply Maxxis. I had steel valve stems installed to enable higher pressures and running now at 65 PSI (still playing with that).
Height increased exactly 3" so I had to re-adjust the EQ hitch. Also a work-in-progress but almost there.
I researched the weight of each component before and after, and know that the new suspension added 200 lbs of weight (axles, springs, tires). This added weight is all "unsprung weight" and should only be relevant to brake capacity but not GVWR, therefore at this point I have only increased my old GVWR by this 200# addition.
EVERYTHING below the spring hangers is new, and of significantly higher capacity. The limiting factor below the spring hangers is the new axles at 10,400 lbs capacity.
WHAT DO I WANT? Before the change and trip ready we typically weighed 7,600 lbs against a 7,698 GVWR (we were 7660 as we left for Utah, trip of a lifetime). We want to replace two rocker chairs with recliners + haul 4-5 gallons of water in the tank + transfer 50-100 lbs of stuff from the truck to the trailer. With extra unsprung weight of the new suspension I figure new limit is now 7,898, but that just covers what I was already hauling. So with the extra weight listed above I'm looking to rationalize my way to a limit in the ballpark of 8300-8400 lbs.
AND, I want to carry what I have with much more confidence, which I have accomplished anyway.
Replaced the two 3,500 lb lippert axles with 5,200 lb Dexters. Brakes went from 1.5"x10" to 2"x12". Old brakes were self adjusting which over tightened, so I went with manual adjustment on the new axles.
Replaced the 1,750 lb each springs (3,500 per axle) with 3,500 lb each springs (7,000 lbs per axle). No reasoning for this mismatch other than this is what this shop "usually puts" on travel trailers. The Lippert equalizer between the 2 springs was re-used, as were the hangers.
Wheels were previously 15" and I stayed with 15", but the new axles had 6 lugs so got 5 new wheels.
Previously had 205/75-15 tires and could have kept those, but was due for tires now anyway. The 5,200 lb axle calls for 225/75-15 tires and that is what I went to, in a 10 ply Maxxis. I had steel valve stems installed to enable higher pressures and running now at 65 PSI (still playing with that).
Height increased exactly 3" so I had to re-adjust the EQ hitch. Also a work-in-progress but almost there.
I researched the weight of each component before and after, and know that the new suspension added 200 lbs of weight (axles, springs, tires). This added weight is all "unsprung weight" and should only be relevant to brake capacity but not GVWR, therefore at this point I have only increased my old GVWR by this 200# addition.
EVERYTHING below the spring hangers is new, and of significantly higher capacity. The limiting factor below the spring hangers is the new axles at 10,400 lbs capacity.
WHAT DO I WANT? Before the change and trip ready we typically weighed 7,600 lbs against a 7,698 GVWR (we were 7660 as we left for Utah, trip of a lifetime). We want to replace two rocker chairs with recliners + haul 4-5 gallons of water in the tank + transfer 50-100 lbs of stuff from the truck to the trailer. With extra unsprung weight of the new suspension I figure new limit is now 7,898, but that just covers what I was already hauling. So with the extra weight listed above I'm looking to rationalize my way to a limit in the ballpark of 8300-8400 lbs.
AND, I want to carry what I have with much more confidence, which I have accomplished anyway.
