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

[creeper]

time_to_go_now wrote:

My Buddy just took delivery of a 45" Newmar King Aire. And he is beside himself with the Comfort Drive! He says I need to get one. Yea...as soon as $1.1m lands in my bank account!

The comfort drive is really something. Our next coach will have comfort drive. Adjusting it is really easy and works well.

[time_to_go_now]

DSDP Don wrote:
I had narrowed my choice down to an Allegro Bus and the Dutch Star. The Dutch Star tag is standard equipment. I really wanted to stay at 40' for licensing and campground issues, but I also wanted a tag, so Newmar was my only choice. The Comfort Drive was also a major factor.

My Buddy just took delivery of a 45" Newmar King Aire. And he is beside himself with the Comfort Drive! He says I need to get one. Yea...as soon as $1.1m lands in my bank account!

[DSDP_Don]

I had narrowed my choice down to an Allegro Bus and the Dutch Star. The Dutch Star tag is standard equipment. I really wanted to stay at 40' for licensing and campground issues, but I also wanted a tag, so Newmar was my only choice. The Comfort Drive was also a major factor.

[time_to_go_now]

DSDP Don wrote:
"time_to_go_now".......You make a good point that I have made in the past. Certain lengths will force you into a tag. Before the rear axle weight was increased several years ago, many 38' and 40' coaches pretty much overloaded from the factory. Those that were not, didn't have much CCC.

With that said, one of the reasons I bought my Newmar, was that it came with a tag in a true 40' coach. Mine is exactly 40' long, bumper to bumper.

And that may be another point; could you get your Newmar model 4018 without a tag? Meaning, it was an option and you could order it either way. I agree with everything you said. Once you get to 40', depending on slide outs and distribution, it is very easy to overload the back axle. A tag axle would help.

My point is that it is not typically an option. You get what you get. If you really wanted a 40' coach, and you really wanted a tag axle, I guess you would be heading to Newmar!

[creeper]

Mr.Mark wrote:

creeper wrote:

Mr.Mark wrote:

Two more tires is not a big deal. I think the advantages out-weigh the extra cost of buying two extra tires every 7 yrs. or so. .

$1200 is not a big deal. Hmmm.... I certainly wouldn't run them out 7 years.

$1,200 is only $171.42 per year cost, then, you can get $50 each for the take-off's. On our previous 2008 Monaco Dynasty, I went through the FMCA program and bought 8 new 295/80R/22.5, out the door, about $6,600 (if I remember correctly). They gave me $400 for the take-off's which were 7.5 yrs. old (date codes ranged from 2006-4206). The tires had 57,000 miles on them.

How far would you run a set of new Michelin's?

Our new coach has Michelin 365's on the front and tag, 315's on the drive axle. My plan is to run them for 7 yrs.

MM.

You don't pay for your tires @ $171.42 a year, you drop it down right on the spot plus installation. $1200 is never chump change.

I'd run a new set of Michelins 5 years. Common theme of blow outs that is not caused by damage is that they are nearly all over 5 years old. You run yours as long as you like.

[Mr_Mark1]

creeper wrote:

Mr.Mark wrote:

Two more tires is not a big deal. I think the advantages out-weigh the extra cost of buying two extra tires every 7 yrs. or so. .

$1200 is not a big deal. Hmmm.... I certainly wouldn't run them out 7 years.

$1,200 is only $171.42 per year cost, then, you can get $50 each for the take-off's. On our previous 2008 Monaco Dynasty, I went through the FMCA program and bought 8 new 295/80R/22.5, out the door, about $6,600 (if I remember correctly). They gave me $400 for the take-off's which were 7.5 yrs. old (date codes ranged from 2006-4206). The tires had 57,000 miles on them.

How far would you run a set of new Michelin's?

Our new coach has Michelin 365's on the front and tag, 315's on the drive axle. My plan is to run them for 7 yrs.

MM.

[Ivylog]

DSDP makes a good point about lack of CCC without a tag. It started around 2002 when DPs started gaining weight (slides/tile/corian/AquaHot) which decreased the CCC to less than 1000lbs without a tag. Monaco did use some 23K axles (before the law changed) so they would have 3,000 lbs of CCC around 2003-7.
Used 40' buyers beware of lack of CCC in that era without a tag axle.

It's easy to get plenty of traction... raise the tag and keep it out of third gear.

[DSDP_Don]

"time_to_go_now".......You make a good point that I have made in the past. Certain lengths will force you into a tag. Before the rear axle weight was increased several years ago, many 38' and 40' coaches pretty much overloaded from the factory. Those that were not, didn't have much CCC.

With that said, one of the reasons I bought my Newmar, was that it came with a tag in a true 40' coach. Mine is exactly 40' long, bumper to bumper.

[creeper]

Mr.Mark wrote:

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. .

$1200 is not a big deal. Hmmm.... I certainly wouldn't run them out 7 years.

[Kayteg1]

time_to_go_now wrote:
It is not like a tag axle is really an option. It comes on the larger, heavier coaches. It is not needed on the smaller, lighter coaches..

Tag was really needed on 20' ClassC that weigh 5000lb I used to own.
The manufacturer stretched compact Toyota pickup to 20' and main axle was in front half of the coach.
Tag axle was pretty annoying as it had electric brakes with manual adjustment.
You always had skidding rubber on sharper turns.
When I understand tag is a must on 25 tons motorhome, lot of lighter motorhomes have tag added for the same reason old ClassC had.

[time_to_go_now]

It is not like a tag axle is really an option. It comes on the larger, heavier coaches. It is not needed on the smaller, lighter coaches.

I will never want a 42-45' coach. So, I will probably never have a tag axle.

I can't see myself getting a larger coach than I want or need just to get a tag axle.

So, find the floorplan of your dreams. If it has a tag axle, fine. If not, that is fine too.

Good luck.

[Kayteg1]

Add that on CA bridges 2 axles cost you $4-5, while 3 axles $15

[holstein13]

Pros:
More capacity CCC
Extra touch points on the ground
Extra stopping power with two more brakes
More stable in crosswinds / passing trucks
Reduced wheelbase from steer to drive tires for sharper turns
Looks cool. Chicks dig it. (ha, ha)

Cons:
Extra cost of tires
Much higher tolls.
More maintenance of air in tires
Less storage space
Potentially reduced traction at drive tires when off road.
Extra complication of air brakes, air suspension, bearings, tires.
Extra weight

On edit: added the higher tolls to the Cons list.

[Mr_Mark1]

Kayte1, thanks for sharing. Looks like a fun coach!

MM.