Tag Axle-Pluses and Minuses

[midasman]

Still looking for my next rig. Wondered if you guys with tag axles would buy one again. Does anybody feel they are not worth the trouble? Would you guys with tags ONLY buy a rig with the tag?

Repeating my question about Aquahot. Is the maintenance/repair worth it to have heated floors and instant hot water? My 2 Propane furnaces and gas/120 volt water heaters all work VERY well from a reliability standpoint. I do NOT winter where it is COLD...
I am actually looking at the Entegra Aspire so far--2010--2013. Dutch Star w/ Spartan, IFS and Comfort Drive also looking good, if not more expensive...
Thanks in advance, guys.
Pete

[Kayteg1]

Since we are downsizing, I am trying to sell old Prevost.
You can see pictures HERE

[Mr_Mark1]

Kayteg1 wrote:

Mr.Mark wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
My vintage Prevost has liftable tag, but it is only 15 tons conversion, so tag is "not must".
I lift the tag for sharp turn from the storage.
Once it took me 100 miles drive to realize my tag was still up.
No noticeable difference in handling.
From what I remember from no-tag 40-footer - crossing ditches at angle was pretty unpleasant, but how often you do that?

Kayteg, what converter Prevost do you have?

Our tag will lift but will still touch the ground to carry a little weight.

We are probably about 53,000-54,000 lbs. (26.5-27 tons).

MM.

I believe my conversion was build before Country Couch was born.
Have no idea who did it, but the interior after 43 years is 85% original, so they did good job.
I am still scratching my head what converters put on newer coaches to make them over 25 tons.
My coach has full ceramic tile bathroom, full ceramic countertops and still scales 15 tons.
I do have 120 gallons propane tank though as I figure out RV propane tanks did not exist at the time and they used household tank in my coach.
Sure don't have generator that can power small city nor, 5 AC.
The tag axle is all mechanical as digital controls come on the market about 20 years later.
I have lever valve under my dash to control it.

Kayteg1, wow, a 1972 bus, it would nice to see it sometime! Are you a member of www.prevostcommunity.com ? Lots of info there about Prevosts.

I can tell you how the shell grew to over 25 tons... 4 SLIDES! And, everything is larger..... cooling systems, larger chassis (height and length)., larger holding tanks, DEF tank, etc.

MM.

[Kayteg1]

Mr.Mark wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
My vintage Prevost has liftable tag, but it is only 15 tons conversion, so tag is "not must".
I lift the tag for sharp turn from the storage.
Once it took me 100 miles drive to realize my tag was still up.
No noticeable difference in handling.
From what I remember from no-tag 40-footer - crossing ditches at angle was pretty unpleasant, but how often you do that?

Kayteg, what converter Prevost do you have?

Our tag will lift but will still touch the ground to carry a little weight.

We are probably about 53,000-54,000 lbs. (26.5-27 tons).

MM.

I believe my conversion was build before Country Couch was born.
Have no idea who did it, but the interior after 43 years is 85% original, so they did good job.
I am still scratching my head what converters put on newer coaches to make them over 25 tons.
My coach has full ceramic tile bathroom, full ceramic countertops and still scales 15 tons.
I do have 120 gallons propane tank though as I figure out RV propane tanks did not exist at the time and they used household tank in my coach.
Sure don't have generator that can power small city nor, 5 AC.
The tag axle is all mechanical as digital controls come on the market about 20 years later.
I have lever valve under my dash to control it.

[Mooshaker]

I think the tag helps eliminate the effect of big truck passing. Seems I don't get pushed around with the.

Also I like the fact of no propane with the aqua hot. Propane can be a safety hazard. Also the problem of finding a reasonable place to fill the propane tank on the road. My diesel tank is 150 gallons, enough top run the aqua hot for months.

[DanTheRVMan]

Tag is the ultimate for CCC and stability, but I think people should try a 24k rear axle and motion control units (MCU) to improve stability.

The increased axle and much better handling due to MCU will surprise you. This combination will come closer than you think for many buyers.

[DSDP_Don]

My previous coach was a 36' DP and didn't need a tag. A must have for my new coach was a tag axle. I love the addition of the tag and all the benefits. The extra carrying capacity was low on the list for me. I primarily wanted it for the straight line stability, extra brakes, ride enhancement and it looks cool.

After purchase, I found some extra benefits. One, it turns sharper than my 36' and it gave me a place to rotate my front tires to. So even though you're buying two more tires, I've found that I can get extra miles out of my tires by being able to rotate the fronts with the tag. On my previous coach, if you had any wear issues, or just the normal front end wear, there wasn't much you could do about it.

[Mr_Mark1]

I'm going to a Prevost seminar next weekend and I have a list of questions that I will get answers for.

Holstein13, as I mentioned too, our tag releases pressure but doesn't lift all the way. We have the H-3 chassis and while I was at Prevost in Nashville recently, I saw a couple of passenger XLIII chassis's where their tags lifted all the way up. I guess we are too heavy, like you.

MM.

On edit: Looking at the owner's manual, it doesn't tell me if the tag will lower on it's own. There is a audible warning if it's up and you go over 12 mph.

Our axle ratings are:
Front: 19,000 lbs.
Drive: 22,500 lbs.
Tag: 14,000 lbs.

[bluwtr49]

holstein13 wrote:

Mr.Mark wrote:
Holstein13, Prevost coaches have a manual lever to raise the tag. On our coach, an icon illuminates in the instrument cluster (picture of tires raised) to let us know it's up.

I'll have to verify, but I think the tag stays up until we push the lever back to lower the tag axle.

I'm going to guess that the light is a reminder so that when you slow down the tag doesn't go back up. I'd be very, very surprised if you could operate your coach with the weight on the rear axle only at highway speeds. I don't think it would pass the regulations.

On Edit: On further thought, you may be right. Since the Prevost actually lifts the tire off the ground, it could be dangerous to lower it while moving. That's probably why they have the alarm (to remind you to stop and put the tag down). My tag doesn't actually lift, it just releases the air pressure and automatically adds it back when I reach a certain speed.

FYI, while I don't have a Prevost, my tag lifts off the ground but, if the speed exceeds ~15 mph, automatically lowers. It's OK to leave it in the "UP" position but every time you slow down or stop it raises and that takes a lot of air.

[holstein13]

Mr.Mark wrote:
Holstein13, Prevost coaches have a manual lever to raise the tag. On our coach, an icon illuminates in the instrument cluster (picture of tires raised) to let us know it's up.

I'll have to verify, but I think the tag stays up until we push the lever back to lower the tag axle.

I'm going to guess that the light is a reminder so that when you slow down the tag doesn't go back up. I'd be very, very surprised if you could operate your coach with the weight on the rear axle only at highway speeds. I don't think it would pass the regulations.

On Edit: On further thought, you may be right. Since the Prevost actually lifts the tire off the ground, it could be dangerous to lower it while moving. That's probably why they have the alarm (to remind you to stop and put the tag down). My tag doesn't actually lift, it just releases the air pressure and automatically adds it back when I reach a certain speed.

[Mr_Mark1]

holstein13 wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
...I lift the tag for sharp turn from the storage.
Once it took me 100 miles drive to realize my tag was still up.
No noticeable difference in handling...

I'm guessing you didn't notice the difference because your tag was probably down. With most tag axles you can only lift them under a certain speed limit and it will automatically lower when you go above that speed limit.

Holstein13, Prevost coaches have a manual lever to raise the tag. On our coach, an icon illuminates in the instrument cluster (picture of tires raised) to let us know it's up.

I'll have to verify, but I think the tag stays up until we push the lever back to lower the tag axle.

MM.

[Mr_Mark1]

creeper wrote:

Mr.Mark wrote:
Obviously a tag axle is there to carry extra weight. I don't know of many coaches that offer it as an option. The weight dictates a tag axle.


MM.

I was told that the law has changed or is changing and anything over 40 feet will now have a tag axle. The down side, that's a lot of tires.

A coach over 40 ft. should have a tag for stability in my opinion. The tail swing on a coach over 40 feet without a tag is rather huge. I didn't know about the law changing and it's probably a good thing.

Two more tires is not a big deal. I think the advantages out-weigh the extra coast of buying two extra tires every 7 yrs. or so. You really don't need to do anything to the brakes..... we never did in 70,000 miles on the previous coach.

MM.

[Ivylog]

creeper wrote:
I was told that the law has changed or is changing and anything over 40 feet will now have a tag axle. The down side, that's a lot of tires.

I guess you did not believe what I posted above about the
increased in MH axle weight to 24,000 lbs. This will help the bigger MHs have enough CCC without going to a tag axle, BUT two more tires is well worth it to me for how much better one handles with the tag. Having to buy two more tires is a minus and you do loose some basement storage, but you can put way too much stuff in a coach with a tag without worrying about being over weight.
Based on MM's 54,000 lbs he already has a 24K drive axle and probably a 16K front and a 14K tag.

[creeper]

Mr.Mark wrote:
Obviously a tag axle is there to carry extra weight. I don't know of many coaches that offer it as an option. The weight dictates a tag axle.


MM.

I was told that the law has changed or is changing and anything over 40 feet will now have a tag axle. The down side, that's a lot of tires.

[holstein13]

Kayteg1 wrote:
...I lift the tag for sharp turn from the storage.
Once it took me 100 miles drive to realize my tag was still up.
No noticeable difference in handling...

I'm guessing you didn't notice the difference because your tag was probably down. With most tag axles you can only lift them under a certain speed limit and it will automatically lower when you go above that speed limit.

[Mr_Mark1]

Kayteg1 wrote:
My vintage Prevost has liftable tag, but it is only 15 tons conversion, so tag is "not must".
I lift the tag for sharp turn from the storage.
Once it took me 100 miles drive to realize my tag was still up.
No noticeable difference in handling.
From what I remember from no-tag 40-footer - crossing ditches at angle was pretty unpleasant, but how often you do that?

Kayteg, what converter Prevost do you have?

Our tag will lift but will still touch the ground to carry a little weight.

We are probably about 53,000-54,000 lbs. (26.5-27 tons).

MM.