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Bucky1320 · 10-25-2015, 06:42 AM

I have a 99 Harney on a Magnum chassis. It says by SMC on the tag, which I think I have figured out is Spartan.

It has been great, but when it is windy, the front seems to get re-aimed a lot. Kind of like the front just doesn't have enough weight on it. It is a bit worse when we have the trailer hooked up.

Here are the weights:
Front: 4660 lbs
Rear: 15,420 lbs

That is with 1/3rd tank of fuel and 1/2 tank of water. So I think I could have 700lbs or so more on the front axle full. I am way below the front capacity. I am sure I have too much air in the front tires, as I was assuming that I had more weight up there until I recently weighed.

Is this a pretty low front weight percentage? Anyone ever mount ballast up front or find room for a tank up there? My generator is in the back, so I miss out on that weight in the nose.

Bucky1320 · 10-26-2015, 09:59 AM

Nobody?

Gasman 2 · 10-26-2015, 03:29 PM

That 4660 on the front seems light to me. I would expect 6500 to 7000 would give you better ride and handling. I have no ideal how you could get there.
What is your front axle rating?

Sorry not much help.

Bucky1320 · 10-26-2015, 07:53 PM

8900/17000

Gasman 2 · 10-27-2015, 09:28 AM

Must be a short wheelbase to only have 4660 on front.
I don't think you have a Spartan Chassis.

Bucky1320 · 10-28-2015, 12:10 PM

It's a 38.5' long coach with long wheelbase. Just not much in the front really.
The tag says Magnum by SMC. This is on the chassis. My assumption that it was Spartan appears to be incorrect!

Bucky1320 · 10-28-2015, 12:58 PM

Safari I find after further research!

Gasman 2 · 10-28-2015, 07:09 PM

You're saying that it has a 8900 lb. rated front axle but actual weight of 4660. Those numbers just don't sense. It appears the mfg did a poor job of weight distribution.

bcbounders · 10-29-2015, 01:16 AM

It sounds like your ride heights might be off... or something else in the suspension geometry isn't quite right. Maybe a place like Brazels RV Performance (WA) or Redlands Truck & RV (CA) could take a look at it and figure something out?

Bucky1320 · 10-29-2015, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcbounders

It sounds like your ride heights might be off... or something else in the suspension geometry isn't quite right. Maybe a place like Brazels RV Performance (WA) or Redlands Truck & RV (CA) could take a look at it and figure something out?

Ride heights checked and slight corrections made. I'm in Illinois, so the West Coast is out for help. Light in the front is light in the front. Just trying to figure out how to add ballast at this point.

bcbounders · 10-29-2015, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bucky1320

Ride heights checked and slight corrections made. I'm in Illinois, so the West Coast is out for help. Light in the front is light in the front. Just trying to figure out how to add ballast at this point.

Hi Bucky,

Sorry those shops are so far away... but it's still worth looking for one similar in the midwest. I certainly don't know anything specific about your Magnum chassis... but I do know that on Spartan/Freightliner chassis it is possible to adjust the weight load front/rear and side-to-side by adjusting components in the suspension. I've mostly read about it in the context of decreasing the load on the front axle (for several manufacturers/models that rolled off the assembly line at or over max capacity on the front axle), but I would assume the reverse would apply as well.

In the case of people looking to lighten the load on the front axle (or even one side of the front axle), they were able to drop anywhere from 500-700 pounds. Reverse that, and you could see improvement in your ride.

Just my $0.02. Hope you find a solution!