Tag axle

[Larrysr1957]

I recently bought a Fleetwood Bounder 34V with a tag axle is this a good coach and are there benefits to the tag axle or just extra tires to buy. The coach is in emaculate condition also I'm new to the class A family what cruising speed do you recommend for highway driving for fuel mileage I'm currently running between 60-65 MPH

[Passin_Thru]

There is no advantage in snow. You get a smoother ride with a tandem and 20K more load capacity as long as you don't exceed tire capacity. 65-67 usually seems good but your mileage may vary. Beside's Out west speed limits are 75 MPH and I refuse to let a Schneider Pumpkin pass me.

[tropical36]

Larrysr1957 wrote:
I recently bought a Fleetwood Bounder 34V with a tag axle is this a good coach and are there benefits to the tag axle or just extra tires to buy. The coach is in emaculate condition also I'm new to the class A family what cruising speed do you recommend for highway driving for fuel mileage I'm currently running between 60-65 MPH

More info on your coach, will get you more and better answers, but I'm guessing you have one of the older gas dinosaurs. The Chevy P30 was a little weak for greater than 15Klb rigs, but most manufactures put the tag on the Ford's as well. This provided and extra 4500lbs of carrying capacity and yes did serve for better handling, as well, which also entailed having less tail behind the axle to wag the dog.
As for speed, I like 57mph, which keeps me in top gear and pretty much stays there, over hill and dale and for better fuel economy, if it might be any factor at all with overall cost of ownership. Also provides for some decent stopping distances and turning emergencies. I mean this behemoths aren't sport cars, ya know and blowing a front tire, isn't a pretty thing, either.

[RLS7201]

MrWizard wrote:

Blaster Man wrote:
You have a novelty, there are not many tag axle gassers.

They used to be very common
I see them a lot
I think you have been seeing them and just assumed they were diesel, when you saw the tag axle
You never gave it a second thought

Exactly!

Richard

[MrWizard]

Blaster Man wrote:
You have a novelty, there are not many tag axle gassers.

They used to be very common
I see them a lot
I think you have been seeing them and just assumed they were diesel, when you saw the tag axle
You never gave it a second thought

[RLS7201]

Larrysr1957 wrote:
It's a F-53 chassie with a Ford 460 34V 35 ft. Length
Thanks to everyone for your response

Larry, those old Bounders were well built. The F53 Ford chassis had a couple of items that you'll need to keep an eye on. The rear bolt on the right exhaust manifold has a habit of breaking. You'll hear a tic, tic, tic on start up if it breaks. The brake caliper slide pins need biennial service. IE removed, cleaned and lubed with special synthetic grease. Also check the caliper boots for cracks and tears.
If you feel like you need to make you coach drive better, make sure the toe-in is set to 1/16"-3/23" toe-in before you start buying stuff. There is a bunch of front end stuff marketed to Rvers that hides various alignment problems. MY 95 F53 drives great with only the toe-in set correctly and a front pan hard bar.
Ford put the most expensive tires they could buy on those old F53 chassis. Michelin 235/85R16 XPS all steel cord. The steel cord in the side walls makes the side walls less flexible and makes the coach more controllable in corners.

Richard

[Bumpyroad]

Blaster Man wrote:
You have a novelty, there are not many tag axle gassers.

my BILs 99? allegro 34? ft 36? maybe had one. he replaced the stock tag with some special thing that could be adjusted for amount of lift or something.
bumpy

[Blaster_Man]

You have a novelty, there are not many tag axle gassers.

[Larrysr1957]

It's a F-53 chassie with a Ford 460 34V 35 ft. Length
Thanks to everyone for your response

[tommy_g]

Tntman wrote:
My take on tag axles.
Sometimes a tag is added to a SMALLER chassis to bring it up to 22,000 lbs. My National Tropical was on an 18,000 lb chassis. By adding the tag axles to a 36 foot coach made it 22,500 lb chassis. A Ford technician told me that was bad because the braking systems were different for the 18,000 lb and the 22,500 lb chassis had bigger, better brakes.

When they added the tag, they put a separate brake system on the tag.

[Bumpyroad]

my chieftain was built on the first 1999 "new" ford chassis and had two slideouts, no dual axles, and had several thousand lbs. of CCC. if it is a Ford and has the 16 inch wheels I would be skeptical.
bumpy

[tommy_g]

Mondooker wrote:
This is all news to me. I never heard of a tag axle on a Bounder or a gasser for that matter. And a 34’, I don’t get it? How could 34’ motorhome of any style or type require a tag axle?

Look at my picture. It's 37'.

[Tntman]

My take on tag axles.
Sometimes a tag is added to a SMALLER chassis to bring it up to 22,000 lbs. My National Tropical was on an 18,000 lb chassis. By adding the tag axles to a 36 foot coach made it 22,500 lb chassis. A Ford technician told me that was bad because the braking systems were different for the 18,000 lb and the 22,500 lb chassis had bigger, better brakes.

[MrWizard]

It's all about weight
Does that 34v have a bedroom slide out?
Where are the fuel tank and fresh water tank
Black tank grey tank behind the wheels in the basement?

[RLS7201]

Mondooker wrote:
This is all news to me. I never heard of a tag axle on a Bounder or a gasser for that matter. And a 34’, I don’t get it? How could 34’ motorhome of any style or type require a tag axle?

The slide overloaded the early F53 17,000# chassis and the first V10 chassis.
Early on Fleetwood built 38' & 40' Bounders on the early Ford & Chevy chassis, all with tag axles.
Now you know.

Richard