Weight-How am I doing?

[RV4us2]

We are just a couple weeks from leaving the S&B behind and beginning our FT travels. As I have been hauling and hauling stuff out to the Redwood 38GK, my aching back has told me to get the rig weighed, which I did today. Here was my data:
Steer Axle 5020 lb
Drive Axles 7300k lb
Trailer Axles (both) 13,100 lb

Truck alone w/driver & hitch 8460 (weighed on different scale when delivering metal salvaging)
Based on this, am I correct in the hitch weight is 3860 lbs ? 12,320 - 8460
Adding the 3860 to the trailer axle of 13,100, the 16,960 total is almost 400 lbs over the rated GVWR of 16,600. We have most supplies, tools, clothes loaded but no food yet. Should I be concerned? Stock GoodYear G's
Will be at the Rally and considering the upgrade to IS.

[piper guy]

Ken - I was at that point a few years ago. That was when we decided on 8k IS and disc brakes. We then added H rated tires.

[atom ant]

Assuming you have the 7K axles, you are close, but not over yet. Your GVWR is what it is, and upgrading axles won't change that now because they would be after market. However, if you were to upgrade, 8K suspension would technically give you more safety margin and peace of mind, even if you exceed the stickered GVWR.

We had the factory 8K axles on our 36RL and a GVWR of 17,500, but I honestly never was over 12,900 on the axles. If you think about it, all the 8K axles did for us was give us the higher GVWR, but the weight went to the 4,300 lb pin, not the axles. For us, it was probably an unnecessary option, but for you going full time, something to consider. As your only home, it would be hard not to collect additional things and weight as time goes forward.

[mhs4771]

We were like Vaughan, we were at 17K on our 36RL, but we also had the 8K IS and H tires

[travelin' texans]

Ken & Patty, we've been fulltime for 10 years as of this July 1st, great lifestyle BTW, & I think as time goes by you'll find that a lot of that STUFF you thought you absolutely needed will hardly ever get used & you'll be wondering why you ever loaded it.
We had an annual ritual of culling through our STUFF, if it hadn't been used in a year it was gone, buy new shirt/pants one has to go, when looking to buy ANYTHING consider where it will go 1st.
Ours only had 7k axles with 16.5k GVW, had it weighed a couple different times & the most was 16525, so my point being you'll be good cause I'm guessing if you're anything like us you'll get lighter not heavier from this point.

[XCMARK]

your factory axel weights are slightly higher then my 2015 RL38 so keeping that in mind your laiden weights are right in line with that I found last fall . I started a thread call Morryde IS owners? take a look at that , its still a current thread. I think your over by fair amount on tires load rating and axle max rating so give a 8K morryde 8K IS some serious thought . I feel for us its in our future , the 17.5" tires are at my house waiting for the wheels to ship. Disk brake kit most likely in july again 8K rated on my 7 k factory axel then IS late fall or spring. they are 45-60 days out on booking now

[RV4us2]

Mark, I was able to schedule the IS upgrade with MorRyde today for July 30, so you were right on with the lead time. Keeps us in the Elkhart area for another week after the rally, but that's okay.

[XCMARK]

Originally Posted by RV4us2

Mark, I was able to schedule the IS upgrade with MorRyde today for July 30, so you were right on with the lead time. Keeps us in the Elkhart area for another week after the rally, but that's okay.

I really want to get this done this year but not sure if my wife will go for it. We are not full timers and have only day camped in this unit since purchase last year around Oct 30 . So we leave tomorrow for Niagra Falls for 6 nights maybe this will help my cause. I plan on doing the disk brakes myself , its not a big job . I would say 14 hours with out help give or take a few hours . just wish it wasn't in a dirt driveway. Doing it myself save $900~1000 dollars.

I think after loading our RL38 tonight she has pushed out axle weights up a solid 800~1000 lbs . I must have made 30 trips from the house to the camper...……

I see 8K IS for sure , I don't think there would be any margin for overload with 7K like the factory has these sitting on.

If you could send out a post on your thoughts after you get a day or two travel once its upgraded.

[piper guy]

Ken - you will hear this from all of us that have the IS, you will love it. The difference in handling of the rig plus the ride in the coach is nothing short of remarkable.
One suggestion I would make I see to plan on taking a couple hundred mile round trip right afterwards and stay in the Elkhart area. In our case, we went up to South Haven Michigan for the weekend, had a great time and then headed back. Reason for this is to see how the coach rides. If all is correct, very little should move around. If you get to your destination and stuff has moved a bunch like it used to, then the spring rate isn't too high. They have something like 30 different durometer (stiffness) springs and will pick the one they think is best depending on weight. It's not an exact science though. In our case we had to change to a lighter one (now that we're fulltime, should probably go heavier, Lol ).

[Tom's38GK]

Originally Posted by XCMARK

I really want to get this done this year but not sure if my wife will go for it. We are not full timers and have only day camped in this unit since purchase last year around Oct 30 . So we leave tomorrow for Niagra Falls for 6 nights maybe this will help my cause. I plan on doing the disk brakes myself , its not a big job . I would say 14 hours with out help give or take a few hours . just wish it wasn't in a dirt driveway. Doing it myself save $900~1000 dollars.

I think after loading our RL38 tonight she has pushed out axle weights up a solid 800~1000 lbs . I must have made 30 trips from the house to the camper...……

I see 8K IS for sure , I don't think there would be any margin for overload with 7K like the factory has these sitting on.

If you could send out a post on your thoughts after you get a day or two travel once its upgraded.

Mark, I would wait on the disc brake conversion until you transfer to the 8000 pound set up. The reason for this is the disc brake caliper hardware and mounts are different from the 7000 pound mounts and you will end up paying for the extra mounts and your old ones will just sit around. I did install the 7000 Titan disc conversion and was going to go to 8000 pound axles when I found this out. As a result I am going with the heavy duty 7000 pound axles and 8000 pound springs to give me some extra cushion.

My stituation is very different from normal since I have an HDT. I made a custom straight up and down pin box bringing my pin weight up quite a bit and also shortening my total length to 62 ft. I am also running a Hensley air ride hitch on the truck which helps the ride with the MorRyde 4000s I installed. I set a roll of toilet paper on the edge of the counter in the bathroom and over 950 miles it never moved. My pin weight is 4850 and axle weight down to 12700. Still not enough bumper for my liking so in will go the heavy duty 7000 pd axles this Winter saving having to purchase the mounting hardware.

There are many ways to go with your decision in upgrades had I not already spent big money on upgrades I would have probably gone with the IS system. Since I already invested 2 grand into the disc brakes I can't see throwing any more money at it than I have to. Good luck with your choices either way they can and will work. Also I installed my brake conversion and had it done in 2 days not that bad of a job with the right tools and jacks. At least most of the job can be done in the shade....LOL

[Elliott & Vicky]

Changing the Titans to an 8k axle only requires a new backing plate, or so I was told by Ron.

[Ford truck guy]

I added the Titan 7K system on my stock 7K lippert axles...The following year I went to Indiana and added the 8k IS ... Elliott is correct, only different plates were needed....

[Tom's38GK]

Yes like I said in my post above still the cost is around 50 Bucks per brake to change the mounts to 8000 pound axles. I would rather use that money for the final install than throw it out pieceing it together little by little. Had I known this before I upgraded my suspension I would have seriously considered the IS system. But then I did break 2 defective springs forcing me to start fixing the problem. Hard to justify now when your 1800 miles from the nearest install location and dumped a grand into it to make it road worthy.

We all love our RW's if RW would have put a decent suspension under the frame to begin with this subject would be a mute point. I get it our RW's fall into a very fine line of upper high end rigs that the numbers had to be manipulated to justify towing them with a 3500 truck ratings today. The numbers are to close unless you only haul a couple of changes of underwear and socks. As full-time rigs we all wanted what the DRV, Spacecraft, Mobile Suites offer but didn't want to have to purchase a special tow vehical to handle it. So what do we do we purchase them anyway and then modify them to what we have to have to make them safe for our personal choice. In the end we have forums like this to find options that will work for us. Depreciation is a nasty thing so yes everyone has a line drawn in their personal budget what they are willing to spend. The RV industry could care less about what they put out as long as it sells to the widest audience they can manipulate.....

I remember my parents first RV a16ft Trailblazer that trailer was bullet proof never had to fix anything like today. We packed every nook and cranny for a family of 5 and saw both coasts of this country via Summer vacations. Metal roof rock solid frame. Yep the good old days!!! The only thing that was bad was no air conditioning yep that was not fun at all but we survived......