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Old 08-23-2010, 09:08 PM   #1
banjobill
 
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2000 30' Limited
battle ground, , Washington
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1995 Excella 1000 classic sway trouble?

I recently sold my 85 excella and bought a 95 one owner. I have made 3 trips with it, and have used 5 different hitch settings all to no avail. I am wondering if anyone else with this or very similar model has had same troubles?

1) after seeing too much sway, I have embarked on a weighing endeavor. total weight of the unit minus any water is 7120. That is all ready to go camping, minus water and a little food.
2) tongue weight is the problem; I have only 500-550 lbs on the tongue.
3) I have removed the spare tire and spare mount, probably ~80-85lbs. this has exacerbated the problem, but where the heck is the appropriate tongue weight?
4) I have removed all cargo from the under rear queen bed storage compartment, as well as the under bumper compartment.
5) we have very little in the rear wardrobes, using the middle curbside wardrobe for our heavy clothes.
6)PO placed a good heavy mem foam topper on the queen, making for a little weight, but surely not much.
7) gaucho and "cocktail chair" are in place, actually, there are no mods to the interior at all, it was a one owner trailer when I purchased it, and it is 100% original.

anyone have similar problems?

I will look at/measure the axles, tomorrow-I am wondering if they are shot causing an unusual weight shift?

Thanks in advance for any insight.
bill
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Old 08-23-2010, 09:22 PM   #2
Rivet Master
 
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From the Airstreamweight.pdf thats been circulating around for years...

1995 EXCELLA 30', dry-6350, hitch-750, GVWR-8300, hitch ratio dry - 11.8%
1995 EXCELLA 34', dry-7100, hitch-800, GVWR-8900, hitch ratio dry -11.2%

Your 500+ extra pounds source need to be revealed.

How are your axles? Has one taken a set so it fulcrums weight back?

I'd hate to think there was sixty gallons of water in your fiberglass
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Old 08-23-2010, 09:25 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wmarsha View Post
I recently sold my 85 excella and bought a 95 one owner. I have made 3 trips with it, and have used 5 different hitch settings all to no avail. I am wondering if anyone else with this or very similar model has had same troubles?

1) after seeing too much sway, I have embarked on a weighing endeavor. total weight of the unit minus any water is 7120. That is all ready to go camping, minus water and a little food.
2) tongue weight is the problem; I have only 500-550 lbs on the tongue.
3) I have removed the spare tire and spare mount, probably ~80-85lbs. this has exacerbated the problem, but where the heck is the appropriate tongue weight?
4) I have removed all cargo from the under rear queen bed storage compartment, as well as the under bumper compartment.
5) we have very little in the rear wardrobes, using the middle curbside wardrobe for our heavy clothes.
6)PO placed a good heavy mem foam topper on the queen, making for a little weight, but surely not much.
7) gaucho and "cocktail chair" are in place, actually, there are no mods to the interior at all, it was a one owner trailer when I purchased it, and it is 100% original.

anyone have similar problems?

I will look at/measure the axles, tomorrow-I am wondering if they are shot causing an unusual weight shift?

Thanks in advance for any insight.
bill
Torsion axles, can create unusual towing problems.

Each end of each axle, is a separate suspension system.

In a tandem setup, all 4 ends of the axles, must work together.

Rubber being rubber, it is possible for one end of one axle to have a failure with one or more of its 4 rubber rods.

If that happens, then strange towing results can become an issue.

Bill, in your case, I would very carefully check out all 4 wheels, independent of the others.

I would suggest that you jack up each side of the trailer, and observe the distance that each tire drops. I would mark them individually with chalk before jacking them up, so that you had an absolute fixed measuring point.

Additionally, with all the weight on the ground, check the position of the torsion arms, to make sure their position is equal.

Lastly, if you can get to a truck scale, measure the weight on each axle separately.

Tongue weight can be increase by sliding some flat steel bars into each side of the A-frame. Several can be added to each side.

Airstream did that with the front kitchen models that had very little tongue weight, sometimes so low that the electric jack could be retracted, and the trailer would stay balanced on just the 4 tires touching the ground. Strange sight to witness, I assure you.

Post the results of your tests, if you would.

Andy
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