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Old 10-26-2016, 10:30 AM   #1
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Can the F53 chassis be modified to carry more weight?

Just wondering if the F53 chassis can be modified to safely carry more than 13500 on the drive axle? With minimum loading for travel, and most cargo forward, with full fuel we are 13460. And that is with no water in any tanks. Note: we drive with the tanks empty and only use them when we are parked. Except when we are nearing a dry camp destination.
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Old 10-26-2016, 10:39 AM   #2
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Can only be legally certified by the RV manufacturer and they would most likely not do it. The weight ratings are determined by the lowest rated component on the vehicle, could be tires, wheels, brakes, axle rating, springs, frame or anything else connected.
Now, as for safety, well of course you can go up in tire size/capacity, but might need new wheels, then is the braking capacity needing upgrading?
My experience with it comes from our '02 DSDP that was overweight on the front axle by 50#'s before we ever loaded it or even got onboard if the fuel and propane tanks we full and nothing in the water or waste tanks. Newmar had Spartan fix it with a new front axle and wheels.
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Old 10-26-2016, 11:51 AM   #3
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PB,

Not a bad question and what you have read so far is correct. No owner can really change the weight certification of any frame. There's just way to much dependent on how the unit is constructed. Yes you can beef up some areas but your are always looking to answer this question. If I do this or that now where is my weak link??

Another way of looking at it is this. In what way can I increase my, "Margin of error?" In other words if you are at the front or rear tire LOAD capacity you could move up to a higher LOAD range capacity. You are not doing it so you can carry more weight. You are doing it so you can SAFELY carry the expected load.

We had a TT a few years ago. The carrying capacity of the tires was just barely over the maximum weight of the TT. When we replaced the new tires with the next LOAD range we increased the total carrying capacity of the tires by about 600lbs. That made it a safer unit to pull. I was not as worried about being over loaded but we still used caution and common sense when we did load the TT.

Another point to consider. Again this was when we had a TT. The maximum weight of the TT was 7,000 lbs. The two axles were rated at 6,000lbs. Yes some of the weight (maybe 600 lbs of tongue weight) was resting on the truck. Then if fully loaded we were only 400 lbs over the maximum. It stands to reason there is or at least should be a decent margin of error built into the systems.

I'm not saying that we can or should overload anything that we drive on our highways. Ask this one simple question. How many times in our travels have we seen a pickup truck with the rear bumper almost resting on the ground while transporting a load of fire wood home, or carrying 20 bags of concrete mix??

Probably not done that often but yet it is done and usually the truck survives and is none the worse for the wear. Lets just use some CS (common sense) with the max weight capacity issue.
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Old 10-26-2016, 02:29 PM   #4
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TeJay, the interesting thing is we are nowhere near the maximum load for the tires. It is the GV and GRA for the CHASSIS for which we are approaching limit. If the chassis can take extra weight beyond rated, the tires are no problem.
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Old 10-26-2016, 06:01 PM   #5
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Start by comparing your chassis to the next model up. Ford published specs can be found at - https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas...9_SB_specs.pdf
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Old 10-26-2016, 08:57 PM   #6
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PB,

I just used the tires as an EXAMPLE. There are many items that are part of the chassis that would have to be updated if an onwer wanted to increase the load capacity. Like brakes, springs, etc, etc. I just figured tires were easier to understand. All other chassis related items would apply as well.
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Old 10-26-2016, 10:29 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TeJay View Post

How many times in our travels have we seen a pickup truck with the rear bumper almost resting on the ground while transporting a load of fire wood home, or carrying 20 bags of concrete mix??
I did that several times. Loaded my heavy half Chevy with a little more than 1 ton of gravel (I know that because I had to o across the scale at the gravel pit).
The bed was resting on the bum stop. The drive home (only about 10 miles or so) did feel unsafe and uncomfortable, but nothing broke!
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Old 10-27-2016, 10:04 AM   #8
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IMO,

If increasing carrying capacity is possible, it would have to be centralized between the front and rear axles. Many F53 chassis carry a very long rear overhang and I would think that adding any additional weight to the overhang would increase the complaints of rear-end "waggling."
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Old 10-27-2016, 10:31 AM   #9
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It looks like the Dana S130 rear axle (15,000 lbs) will bolt in with associated spring leafs.
The 20,500 lbs and 22,000 lbs chassis use the same frame rails. It would probably be better to buy a new coach than two have this mod done, if cost matters.
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Old 10-27-2016, 11:19 AM   #10
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It looks like the Dana S130 rear axle (15,000 lbs) will bolt in with associated spring leafs.
The 20,500 lbs and 22,000 lbs chassis use the same frame rails. It would probably be better to buy a new coach than two have this mod done, if cost matters.
If one could find a reasonable priced rear axle, this could be done. Swapping the axle is not that difficult.
I wonder if one could put a tag axle underneath the coach and increase the carrying ability that way?
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Old 10-27-2016, 01:30 PM   #11
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If one could find a reasonable priced rear axle, this could be done. Swapping the axle is not that difficult.
I wonder if one could put a tag axle underneath the coach and increase the carrying ability that way?
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Old 10-28-2016, 09:20 AM   #12
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Interesting! In the 60's was quite common the get a 1/2 ton pickup, load a 9' slide in, add overload spring's, then tow a 20' boat with no brakes.
To the OP if the third member can take the extra 600-800# possibly overload spring's or adding a leaf.
Got my flame suit on, go for it!

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Old 10-30-2016, 12:47 AM   #13
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OP you can thank Newmar for using the lightest weight frame setup they could. But I have to ask, you really need and use everything that you put in the MH. Did you weigh it EMPTY and then full of junk to see if you are really putting that much stuff in there???? Maybe you need to re-evaluate what you are carrying if you actually putting that much stuff in there.
I have traveled across country with my MH and the bays are less than half full and some of the stuff that is in there actually needs to come out because I have not used it at all and I'm no where near the limit. But I guess that's just me.
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Old 10-30-2016, 07:02 AM   #14
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OP you can thank Newmar for using the lightest weight frame setup they could. But I have to ask, you really need and use everything that you put in the MH. Did you weigh it EMPTY and then full of junk to see if you are really putting that much stuff in there???? Maybe you need to re-evaluate what you are carrying if you actually putting that much stuff in there.
I have traveled across country with my MH and the bays are less than half full and some of the stuff that is in there actually needs to come out because I have not used it at all and I'm no where near the limit. But I guess that's just me.
That is superior advice. Stripping it down was the first thing we did after we weighed the coach and realized there was a problem. Our maximum allowable weight of cargo (including occupants and water) is only 1269#. DH (also a former submariner), dog and I take up 351# of that. Spare tire is another 70#. We added the weight of a surge protector, TPMS, trickle charger, jack pads, wet bay hoses and connectors, basic tools and safety gear, and two lightweight lawn chairs. Minimum foodstuffs, kitchen gear, clothes, bedding, personal supplies, the RV logs came next and, yes, there is now a LOT of empty space in the bays and cupboards. On re-weighing we are 140# under GVWR but that is without water in any of the tanks. And even after shifting everything forward that we can, on the drive axle we are only 40# under maximum rating. That does not allow for much water at 8.43#/gal.

Our particular model has unusually low CCC, which is probably why it was discontinued. (We were clueless about weight issues when we bought it and would still be clueless if not for this forum.). It has a fabulous floor plan with two sofas, and that second sofa eats up a lot of allowable weight. Newmar gave me the build sheet with the factory weights for our particular coach and when I read it, for the first time I realized that all the options added at the factory had also reduced the originally available (brochure) CCC by about 900 lbs.

Hence our exploring if we can change out the drive axle.
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