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crazeevw · 12-29-2012, 11:23 AM

Hi,
Looking to see if anyone has ever gotten an individual weight of each tire on their 345? Looking for Left Front, Right Front, Left Drive, Right Drive, Left Tag, and Right Tag axle weights.
I know how the 'most' I can carry, but had wondered if the 345's weighed more each year or not.
Found some really neat appliances, know their weights, but don't know if I'm able to add them or not. Closest scales for me is over 45 miles away. Funny, a county that is practically all developed, doesn't have a truck scale ANYWHERE, lol
Thanks, Derek

Keyair · 12-29-2012, 01:18 PM

You are talking about the Load on each tire?

I do not know, but its a good topic!

Just an FYI...
Variables...
1 gallon of water weighs 8.35lb..
If the OEM 80 gallon freshwater tank is full... that is 668lb!

What if the grey and black tanks have something in them... 60 gallons and 40 gallons respectively...

Oh, and just for fun...
Gasoline weighes about 8.66lb per gallon..
If your gas tank is full... another 693lb possibly...

crazeevw · 12-30-2012, 10:51 AM

Hi Steve,

Really looking for unloaded weight at each tire, or as close to that weight as possible. Thinking of different Dometic fridge, as well as possibility of a couple more add-ons.
Want to be sure the additional weight won't put me too close to GVWR.
Thanks, Derek

streamquest · 12-30-2012, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keyair

You are talking about the Load on each tire?

I do not know, but its a good topic!

Just an FYI...
Variables...
1 gallon of water weighs 8.35lb..
If the OEM 80 gallon freshwater tank is full... that is 668lb!

What if the grey and black tanks have something in them... 60 gallons and 40 gallons respectively...

Oh, and just for fun...
Gasoline weighes about 8.66lb per gallon..
If your gas tank is full... another 693lb possibly...

Key,

Not to start an argument, but I think our cultural backgrounds and Gallon sizes are muddying the water. I've always been under the impression that a US Gallon weighs exactly eight US pounds. A friend who works in the Fusion Lab at M.I.T. was always fond of saying " a pint weighs a pound, the world around". I believe the weight of water is the basis of US weight/volume measurement. A fluid ounce of water weighs exactly an ounce. I believe a US gallon of gasoline weighs a bit over six pounds at S.T.P. which is why gasoline floats on the surface of water, and why water settles to the bottom of your fuel tank.

Charly

crazeevw · 12-30-2012, 05:40 PM

Not really concerned with 'loaded' weight (water, propane, etc). Just looking for approximate load at each tire. Will look for a Rally close-by that offers weighing of individual wheels and axles.
Thanks, Derek

buckwheat · 12-31-2012, 07:24 PM

Derek, you're in luck! Here's a full weight diagram of our '87 345 taken years ago, don't remember the loading but it should give you what you need.

Airslide · 12-31-2012, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buckwheat

Derek, you're in luck! Here's a full weight diagram of our '87 345 taken years ago, don't remember the loading but it should give you what you need.

Impressive!

crazeevw · 01-01-2013, 05:08 AM

Buckwheat,
Thanks so much for posting your photo.
Derek

wxbuoy · 01-01-2013, 05:52 AM

"Derek, you're in luck! Here's a full weight diagram of our '87 345 taken years ago, don't remember the loading but it should give you what you need."

Very impressive. How did you arrive/get this information? I was thinking about heading to the scales for unloaded weight.

buckwheat · 01-01-2013, 06:54 AM

This weight info was cropped from a full page scan of a weigh receipt that came with our MH from the PO. The weighing was done somewhere in Indiana (sorry no address) by a shop affiliated with RVSEF (Recreational Vehicle Safety Education Foundation) on 3/3/02 for $35.00. Their site is here: RV Safety & Education Foundation

raveson · 01-01-2013, 07:07 AM

Derek,
I'm pretty sure that you can go to the closest county dump where they weigh you in and out to charge for the trash dump. Check it out. Hopefully will see you in Sarasota next month.

wxbuoy · 01-01-2013, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raveson

Derek,
I'm pretty sure that you can go to the closest county dump where they weigh you in and out to charge for the trash dump. Check it out. Hopefully will see you in Sarasota next month.

Need to do some work on ours before we try this route.... Hate for them to think we were dropping it off!

wxbuoy · 01-01-2013, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buckwheat

This weight info was cropped from a full page scan of a weigh receipt that came with our MH from the PO. The weighing was done somewhere in Indiana (sorry no address) by a shop affiliated with RVSEF (Recreational Vehicle Safety Education Foundation) on 3/3/02 for $35.00. Their site is here: RV Safety & Education Foundation

Thanks for the info! They haven't put up their 2013 schedule. Might be worth the drive to one of their road shows to get it done.

crazeevw · 01-03-2013, 08:52 AM

buckwheat, can you tell me if this was 'empty' weight or did you have water, gas propane and supplies when weighed?
Thanks, Derek

buckwheat · 01-03-2013, 10:06 AM

Tough call Derek, the weigh sheet was in the maintenance records that came with Belle so I have no idea on her loading at the time of the weighing. Maybe someone on the forums has the empty weights of an unloaded 345. I'll check the records again to see if anything can provide better info and get back to you this evening.

crazeevw · 01-03-2013, 10:09 AM

Thanks buckwheat. Looking at the weigh sheet provided, basically means that there isn't a lot of 'extras' that can be taken along, after having 2 folks, some food and basics in the motorhome. Otherwise, you're overweight.....
Derek

overlander64 · 01-03-2013, 10:29 AM

Greetings Eric!

My inclination is to believe that the weights reflected in the report posted earlier in this thread are probably with the coach loaded. RVSEF and A Weigh We GO, are both companies that often setup at rallys and will weigh your coach for a fee to establish proper balance as well as to reveal any over-load conditions. I have encountered A Weigh We GO as well as other RVSEF partners at a number of WBCCI Rallys, but not any recent ones. I suspect that it may have something to do with the comaratively high cost of vendor spaces at the International Rally. The date cited for the weight ticket would correspond to the time period when I remember vendors with portable weighing equipment being in the Vendor section of the larger Rallys that I have attended.

Based on observation, my guess is that the black tank and gray tank likely had from three to five days worth of contents and the fresh water tank was likely 3/4 or more full. It seemed like most participants weighed upon their departure rather than unhooking and having the weighing done during the rally. If the weigh ticket is dated between June 24 and July 5, that could indicate that the weighing was done with the company's portable equipment at the WBCCI International Rally that year.

Kevin

P.S.: While the weighing may have been done at a shop in Indiana, my guess based on the lack of physical address on the documents points toward a weighing at a Rally with portable weight equipment. The date cited corresponds to the general time frame of the WBCCI Region Rally in Texas.

masseyfarm · 01-03-2013, 10:53 AM

Wow - - You have to be good to get the title Moderator Emeritus!

Dave

buckwheat · 01-03-2013, 11:03 AM

The only other info on the ticket is RVSEF Ticket #13111 dated 3/3/02. The owner's address at the time (Clifton Merrick) is stamped on the back. Cliff sold the 345 to Dr Joe ("Winner" on the forums), and we got her from Winner in Jan 2004. There's a group motorhome picture floating somewhere on the forums where 6 of these rolling wonders were all together at one rally.

Keyair · 01-03-2013, 11:12 AM

Here is what I found digging into my collection of info...

In the 1986 Airstream Motohome Pamphlet I have, Airstream states the following weights:
GVWR:
Wikipedia states that the definition is:
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is the maximum operating weight/mass of a vehicle as specified by the manufacture, including the vehicle's chassis, body, engine, engine fluids, fuel, accessories, driver, passengers and cargo but excluding that of any trailers.

They also quote another figure, the ASW:
Approximate Standard Weight: Which is the "Base" motorhome weight(Inc Fuel, but without water). Add 350lb for diesel engine.

345 is listed as:
GVWR= 16,500lb
ASW = !4,300lb
That means that you should have 2200lb to play with...

Now, in the General Motors P30 Chassis Manual dated 15/95 it states that the P30 Motorhome Chassis with the 454/Auto and 4.56 or 4.88 rear axle ratio, the GCVR(Gross Combination Vehicle Rating) is 19,000lb, or 20,000lb if fitted with the 4L80E transmission. That is maximum weight of MH and trailer. This makes sense of the 2000lb maximum trailer weight that Airstream states.