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americanrascal's avatar
americanrascal
Explorer
May 04, 2015

Can't wait to share more weight stuff

We have loaded our 2104 Itasca Sunstar 31KE (F53 Chassis) for our ongoing travel. We've culled everything we don't need from the load out, but have what we need for normal travel.

The chassis is rated at 16000 GVWR, 6500 lbs front, 11000 lbs rear axle.

Last night we took it to the CAT scales for a weight check. Full water, empty black and gray tanks, full fuel. The DW, the 2 dogs and me up front.

Front axle weighed in at 6080 lbs, rear at 10240-- thus under the axle limits. Overall gross weight is 320 over with a gross on the scales shown at 16320.

I know I can run with a lot less water and the gas tank won't always be full, I could probably shift a few lbs to the toad. But other than that theres not much I can take out of the rig to reduce weight.

I thought about suggesting a diet for the DW, but my concern for my personal security came into question as I caught her eyeballing a number 10 frying pan while at the scales. I plan to suggest a diet for the big dog (might get 5 lbs there) and hope there won't be repercussions (dog growling and baring teeth as I write this).

I'm well within range in all my tires- even at lowest pressure limits (I run about 8 lbs over posted pressures for the rig) and i am properly loaded and balanced side to side.

Can't figure why Ford has the gross so low on this chassis when its clear it has the capacity for a few more lbs.

How bad is my problem? Is my exposure (legal I guess) serious being a few hundred over on gross but under on each axle?

Thoughts?
Thanks

Rascal Joe
Class A
  • FIRE_UP's avatar
    FIRE_UP
    Explorer
    May 04, 2015
    americanrascal wrote:
    Dale: Ford placard= 16K. Winnebago Placard= 16K. Axle loading totals = 17500

    Checked the springs. Rig seems "light" and rides VERY high in the rear showing little compression at all on the springs. The Bilsteins help a lot. The MH actually rides pretty well. This is our third MH (and 6th RV) and it rides as good as any we had before.

    Just frustrated over this rating.


    DRIVE IT!!

    Nobodies going to die, the sun and the moon aren't going to fall out of the sky, no ones going to take your first borne, if you're running down the road a couple hundred pounds over weight. Some "weight police" get so distraught over something as small as your issue.
    Scott
  • americanrascal's avatar
    americanrascal
    Explorer
    May 04, 2015
    Dale: Ford placard= 16K. Winnebago Placard= 16K. Axle loading totals = 17500

    Checked the springs. Rig seems "light" and rides VERY high in the rear showing little compression at all on the springs. The Bilsteins help a lot. The MH actually rides pretty well. This is our third MH (and 6th RV) and it rides as good as any we had before.

    Just frustrated over this rating.
  • Dale_Traveling's avatar
    Dale_Traveling
    Explorer II
    May 04, 2015
    Are you sure the coach is built on the 16K Lbs chassis and not the 18K Lbs chassis? I have the bargain basement Thor 31D Hurricane that is built on the 18K Lbs chassis. Granted the various coach brochures list it as the 16K version but check the Ford incomplete vehicle chassis stickers. Should be one on the fire wall. The problem isn't what Ford made but what Itasca chose to build on.

    It's always best to be under the limits, if reasonably possible, just not sure how that is possible with a 31' coach. Looking at the Ford 2014 F53 chassis specifications for the 16K and 18K chassis the axles are identical with front rated at 8000 and rear at 12,000 pounds, same rear gear ratio, same disk brake size and booster, same transmission, same steering equipment. What is different is the capacity of the leaf springs with lighter springs on the lighter chassis. I guess you could add air bags or something like Sumo Springs to supplement the light spring rating as long as your loading stays with the axle limits of 8 and 12K.

    Is your coach a rolling death trap? I don't think so. Your not wildly over loaded. With the only major difference between the 16 and 18K Lbs chassis being the spring capacity you'll probably start bottoming out the suspension on poor roads. Might be a bit noisier and hard on the fillings in your teeth. Another possibility is to shift weight to either a trailor or toad. You do have a full 5000 pounds available there.
  • rcmiller32's avatar
    rcmiller32
    Explorer
    May 04, 2015
    The gross and axle weight problems are not from Ford but the RV builder. The 16,000 lb chassis is cheaper than the 18,000 lb rated chassis. This was one of the first things I looked at when we went looking at our first motorhome. We had been looking at the unit you picked along with the ACE by Thor. Both were on the 16,000 lb rated chassis. I felt the minimum would be a 18,000 chassis, for a unit in the 31 to 34 foot range. We went with the Coachmen Pursuit 31BDP which is 33 feet long has a 7,000 lb front axle and 12,000 lb rear axle. This last August we had the unit weighted at the FROG rally and found with a full tank of water, full fuel tank and all the stuff we purchased shopping all week that we were under the axle capacities. This was with a dolly and car hooked up also.

    Weights were as follows.

    LF-3,125 lbs
    RF-3,000 lbs
    LR-5,500 lbs
    RR-5,550 lbs

    Front axle 6,125 lbs
    Rear axle 11,050 lbs

    If I would have had the choice, I would have gone with a 20,000 lb rated chassis. We have found over the years with the travel trailers they all seem to gain some extra weight as you go along.

    There is a balance between to light of chassis and to heavy of a chassis. To light over loaded and to heavy rough ride.
  • americanrascal's avatar
    americanrascal
    Explorer
    May 04, 2015
    Yep you are so right- 30 years of RV'ing have taught us that!

    But we did a good going over and thinning before we went to the scale as were are so conscious of weight.
  • mpierce's avatar
    mpierce
    Explorer
    May 04, 2015
    Another problem is that as time goes on, you WILL accumulate more stuff. It always happens.

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