Interior weight distribution

[cliffy23]

How serious of an issue is weight distribution inside of an AS? I have been doing a restoration for my 31' Excella and feel that one side of the trailer is going to be heavier than the other. Yes, I have added some heavy weight items on the drivers side maybe more than the drivers side... By how much, I don't know exactly but wanted to see what the consensus is these days about how big of a deal that is?

Someone brought up a possible towing concern as a result on turns and what-not with it heavier on the passenger side.


Thoughts?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by cliffy23

How serious of an issue is weight distribution inside of an AS? I have been doing a restoration for my 31' Excella and feel that one side of the trailer is going to be heavier than the other. Yes, I have added some heavy weight items on the drivers side maybe more than the drivers side... By how much, I don't know exactly but wanted to see what the consensus is these days about how big of a deal that is?

Someone brought up a possible towing concern as a result on turns and what-not with it heavier on the passenger side.


Thoughts?

Heavier on one side by a few hundred pounds is ok, as long as the axles are good.

Torsion axles last about 25 years.

Your coach is 30 years old.

You can kick up the axle rating should you decide to replace them.

Andy

[dkottum]

Airstream distributes the heavy appliances and storage tanks over the axles on most models, and in a way to keep similar weights side-to-side.

I would think a trailer loaded heavy on one side would tend to lock the brakes and skid the tires on the light side while the other does not. The trailer may also swerve when braking, and try to push the truck out of alignment.

The tires would wear faster on the heavy side, and tend to have a slightly higher rolling resistance pulling the truck to one side somewhat, depending on the load difference.

Could you be overloading the tires or axles on one side.

It would seem to be good practice to keep the side-to-side load even as possible and concentrated over the axles. You may hardly notice the difference of a heavy side on normal driving, but if on slick roadways or during emergency stopping or maneuver the braking and handling may be compromised.

Maybe you could move something around to balance it out. Can you weigh it to see what you have?

[HowieE]

The thing to keep in mind is the tongue weight. Keep it between 10 and 12 % of the total weight of the trailer.

Use the original manufacture weight as a guide and check the tongue weight as you go. Unless you place the frig. and kitchen sink way forward or rearward you should be OK.

As for side to side you can take the trailer to the scales after completion and check these weights. a couple hundred lbs side to side will most likely be as good as the factory did.

When determining the tire pressure use an inflation guide and you may want to adjust the tire pressure side to side by the weight carried.

[cliffy23]

Got it. With this renovation I probably am adding a few hundred lbs extra on the trailer and that is a decision I am ok with. The passenger side may be up to 200 lbs more heavy than the driver.


No, haven't weighed it yet, but that is a great idea.


I assume you are saying that I would increase the tire pressure on the heavier side?


Thanks

[dkottum]

Just looked at your blog, nice style and work Cliff. There's some additional weight going in there, I would try to get individual wheel weights as well as the tongue weight at this point to see what you have. You could add some weight to represent storage and tank weights to see how it might look for travel. Try to keep it evenly distributed as you continue the remodeling. Although I doubt many are traveling with even distribution, the closer the better.

Personally I wouldn't consider uneven tire pressures as a fix for uneven trailer weights due to remodeling.

[PharmGeek]

checked your blog really quick as well....REALLY cool!! good luck!

[HowieE]

You are doing a beautiful job.

Considering the age of the trailer anf that it is only 2 axles you might want to look at the axles when you are done. Look at the angle of the trailing arms. Odds are they needed replacement before you started. If you have added some weight consider slightly heavier axles if you replace the old ones.

[switz]

I used individual wheel scales on both the 2013 25FB International Serenity and our 2014 Classic model 30. A common finding was that the curb side rear tire had 250 to 300 pounds more load than the other three tires individually. A friend with a 2005 25' RB has replaced that location tire far more often due to wear than the other three.

Despite the individual tire load variance, the axle loads are within 25 pounds of each other.

[andreasduess]

That's a beautiful trailer you're putting together there - can't help with the weight distribution, but looks stunning.

[cliffy23]

Originally Posted by switz

I used individual wheel scales on both the 2013 25FB International Serenity and our 2014 Classic model 30. A common finding was that the curb side rear tire had 250 to 300 pounds more load than the other three tires individually. A friend with a 2005 25' RB has replaced that location tire far more often due to wear than the other three.

Despite the individual tire load variance, the axle loads are within 25 pounds of each other.

Thank you for this information. It makes me feel better that this may be more common than I originally suspected and will keep an eye out for tire wear. I do have new tires to purchase as well so I am starting off all nice and even...

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by cliffy23

Thank you for this information. It makes me feel better that this may be more common than I originally suspected and will keep an eye out for tire wear. I do have new tires to purchase as well so I am starting off all nice and even...

Cliffy.

For you possible future planning, keep an accurate tab as to the weight your adding.

Add to that the maximum pay load that you think you will be carrying.

If and when you may decide to change the axles, the weight ratings you have right now are 3200 pounds each.

With a modest change to the chassis, that is not expensive, you would be able to kick those ratings up to 4500 pounds each.

Andy