04 Allure 4 Corner Weight Sharing

[Smitty77]

2004 Allure High Cascade, 40' with two slides. SN 31017

From Escapees SmartWeight 3/17/2016

Coach ready to roll with full fuel, water, packed for a trip. Since last weight check, we've added
X's 4 L16 AGM, X's 5 Solar Panels to the Right side of the coach.
Oh, and the under the J-Lounge Wine Storage was stocked for 'extended travels' too. Also Right side.


L Front - 5800
R Front - 6100
(Combined) - 11,900
(Weight to be used for Axle Weight) - 12,200

L Rear Drive - 7800
R Rear Drive - 8250
(Combined) - 16,050
(Weight to be used for Axle) (Drive often called Duals.) - 16,500

L Tag - 3800
R Tag - 4200
(Combined) - 8000
(Weight to be used for Axle Weight ) - 8400


Total Weight - 35,950

Toad Weight - 3475

Combined Weight - 39,425

ISL400 HP is at 90/1 without toad, and just about 100/1 with toad.

======================

All tires 12R 22.5 size, Load Range H

>Steers/Front BF Goodrich ST 230

12,200 = 95 PSI (Line Single Weight of 12,410) - plus - 10% = 9.5 PSI | Use 104.5 rounded to 105 PSI

>Rears/Drives Michelin XZE*

8250 = 75 PSI (Dual Line of 9980 (Their Minimum PSI and listed Weight) - plus - 10% = 7.5PSI | Use 82.5 rounded up to 90 PSI

>Tags are Michelin XZE*

Run the same as the Rear/Drive tires | Use 90 PSI

Note: All of our weights were not too close to the next line on the PSI charts. If they were within 20% or so to the next line level,
I would have bumped up and used it's PSI.

==========

Very important if using my info to factor your specific tires, and confirm their Load Range levels match. I would also add 15% contingency instead of the 10% that I run with. And, I'd only do this if also looking at a say 2003-2005 Allure 40', if you have more then two slides on the driver side, add 200-300 Lbs per slide.

And of course, obtaining Four Corner Weight of your specific coach, is the only real safe way to go. When in doubt, run with the placards PSI, usually 120PSI. IMO, it is never safe to run under inflated, while running over inflated is safe from a tire perspective, if not from a handling and comfort standpoint.

GET YOUR COACHES WEIGHT!

Best to all, be safe, have fun,
Smitty

[BrianGlenn]

Thank you - good info.

Eventually I'll get 4 corner weights, but for now I have individual axle weights. I run similar pressures in my Michelin XZA2 Energy 295/80/22.5.

Interesting you are about 300-400#s heavier on right side on all axles - I assumed similar for my unit (kitchen on right side, stacked washer/dryer on right side). I try to load heavier stuff on left in basement.

Thanks again for sharing.
Brian

[CountryFit]

this is another masterpiece from smitty!! valuable info in all details... thank you mr smitty!!

to knock out 300-400 lbs at your right side? replace the agm's with li's ("i am always delighted to recommend spending someone else's money"...who said that?).

[Smitty77]

Originally Posted by CountryFit

this is another masterpiece from smitty!! valuable info in all details... thank you mr smitty!!

to knock out 300-400 lbs at your right side? replace the agm's with li's

LOL!

And yes, the AGM's and to a lesser degree the Solar Panels all being added to the right side of the coach since our last weight check, sure made a difference. (Of course, I had fun kidding my MIL who was visiting us, I had her remain in the coach and she was sitting on the passenger side. Took her a good two minutes to catch on that I was teasing her for the greater weight on the right side of the coach!.

If you work the percentages, it still relatively well balanced. I could probably offset the extra weight of the X's 4 L16's and SP's, by finding a place on the left side of the coach to store our vino!

But I admit, I may use the 'Now honey, just look at the weight numbers we have here. The only thing we can do is go to Lithium now!' - Suspect that will work as well as my trying to explain to her why I had to buy a tube at a garage sale... The virtues of Tube Pre's and Amp's is completely loss on her. When I say I'll be busy for a few hours as i 'Roll tubes' - she says, 'I'm going shopping!'. So, a no win situation here for poor Smitty.

Oh, and back to weight and PSI. I had been running with 105PSI all around, because I did not know how much total extra weight I had added with all of the changes since the least weight check. I had been running 100PSI all around before the increase in the added gear weight.

I also admit that while I'll try the PSI i reference above, I may just stay at 105 all around. The coach has handled well, and see no real problems with running at that PSI. I'll give the lower in the Drives/Tags a go for a few thousand miles, and see if it makes any difference to how the rig rides. I always feel safe going higher.

And last bit of info. When I was talking with a Michelin Tech Support rep 5 or so years ago. He confirmed that the PSI Charts (Which gang remembers, provides the 'minimum' PSI for a specific weight.) did have some 'Contingency Margin' added to them. He said he did not know the specific %, but informally, he said he felt it was probably a 10-15% safety margin. So, my contingency of 10%, is on top of their already baked in contingency....

ONE LAST REPEATED CAUTION: Please if using this as reference for you situation, be sure to confirm that your tires Load Ratings are also H. Major differences in PSI for the same size tires with different Load Ratings.

Enough, best to all.
Smitty

[mike brez]

Originally Posted by BrianGlenn

Interesting you are about 300-400#s heavier on right side on all axles
Thanks again for sharing.
Brian

"Oh, and the under the J-Lounge Wine Storage was stocked for 'extended travels' too. Also Right side."

It's the wine.

[Smitty77]

Originally Posted by mike brez

"Oh, and the under the J-Lounge Wine Storage was stocked for 'extended travels' too. Also Right side."

It's the wine.

And dang as I try to keep the 'stock down' - DW is always finding a 'killer deal' on vino's.

She makes a game out of going into places like Trader Joe's, and grabbing bottles under $10 to try. She has found some real gems of unknown to us makers. But probably a 2-3 bottles out of 10 are real finds. Those less the 'ideal' bottles - she's been known to re-cork, and then they become my responsibility to dispose of... So, one good glass to start the evening off, and then Smitty will sometimes go into 'disposal of non gem' vino mode... Really makes me appreciate the nicer vintages when we uncork them!

Of course, if we had not kicked our addiction to crack/coke/LSD/reef's - we would not have this weight problem under the J-Lounge!!!! (Sorry, I may have left out some of the current buzz words for street drugs. I'm told I should learn the latest lingo, once we finally watch Breaking Bad... Which is our next series to start streaming!)

Back on the tires... I have been in denial since my first coach weight check-up 5-6 years ago on how under loaded the Rear Axle is... I've always run higher PSI then needed for the Drive's/Tag's just because it seemed just too strange to have under 100PSI on these huge 22.5 tires.... The gent at Michelin Tech Support said to trust the weight and the PSI charts, and to give the lower PSI settings a try to see if I liked the ride any better. He said plenty of safety in the stated PSI on the chart, and with me adding a bit more, for sure more then covered... Admit old habits are hard to kick!

We'll see how things go...

Best to all,
Smitty

[Mr_D]

Here is what our CC manual states:

Tire Industry Changes
The tire industry, as a whole, has changed its traditional stance on adjusting cold tire inflation pressure for RV tires installed on recreational vehicles and buses. Previously, tire manufacturers supported a policy where tire inflation could be adjusted according to the actual loaded weight of the vehicle. Now, the major tire manufacturers recommend that medium duty truck tires be maintained at the pressure that corresponds to the Gross Axle Weight Rating for the axle to which they are mounted. To make this recommendation uniform across the industry, tire manufacturers strongly urge the consumer to keep all tires inflated to the pressures recorded on the Federal Tire Label.

Tire Inflation
Country Coach recommends that the cold tire inflation pressures should at all times be maintained at the inflation pressure(s) recorded on the Federal Tire Label. There are no acceptable circumstances where tire inflation pressure(s) should be reduced below that pressure recorded on the Federal Tire Label.

I added the bold.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by mike brez

"Oh, and the under the J-Lounge Wine Storage was stocked for 'extended travels' too. Also Right side."

It's the wine.

Did that, have now removed all of it. When a person is on the National Liver transplant list you are prohibited from drinking any alcoholic beverages, taking any "recreational drugs" or doing pot. And they test for it too, right now only monthly, later it goes to weekly.
And we had just found a really good wine that we both liked!!

[mike brez]

Breaking Bad

[Smitty77]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Here is what our CC manual states:
I added the bold.

Thanks Mr D for sharing that.

I feel it is up to each owner to decide what they feel comfortable doing. I should have pointed out CC's view.

Me? I feel going with the Tire Manufactures PSI Charts is right for us. I have mentioned my added contingency PSI margins. I run way under 120PSI, and appreciate the ride comfort and improved handling too.

Important for others to make their on decisions on the proper PSI for their rig.

Best,
Smitty

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Smitty77

Thanks Mr D for sharing that.

I feel it is up to each owner to decide what they feel comfortable doing. I should have pointed out CC's view.

Me? I feel going with the Tire Manufactures PSI Charts is right for us. I have mentioned my added contingency PSI margins. I run way under 120PSI, and appreciate the ride comfort and improved handling too.

Important for others to make their on decisions on the proper PSI for their rig.

Best,
Smitty

I agree so I ignore CC's stance since I think it's a CYA after the overloading problems CC had some years ago.