Motorhome weight

[maypo050770]

From time to time I read a post that implys motor homes are sometimes at there max weight or close to it while it is still at the dealer. I recently read somewhere that dutch stars for example are at their max weight on the front axle before you even load it up. Im just wondering do the dealers have the actual weight on the front axle or rear axle (s) that they can furnish upon request? Can you test drive one to a weight station if they dont? Seems to me that would be something you would want to know before shelling out a quarter mil.

[Jim_HiTek]

When buying something from a dealer, you automatically know if their lips are moving or if their printer is printing, they're lying.

I'd not worry about it, if they can legally sell a vehicle that's overweight driving it off the lot, then you have legal recourse and grounds for a lawsuit...but only if you're harmed by that in some way.

But I would weigh it asap after purchase.

[nothermark]

If it's on the lot a trip through a local scale could be a part of the offer.

[Nana25K]

The is a very long post about the Newmar issues on their owners thread on this forum. Yes its possible for a !H to be maxed out before you add your stuff. We looked at a couple when on our search. Pretty Scary. !!! Do you homework

[FIRE UP]

Well,
Much of what you say is true. Many coaches are close to their axle weight limits, right at the dealer. Not all, just many. However, ANY DEALER who would prevent a perspective buyer from obtaining ACTUAL WEIGHTS, front, rear and total, before signing on the dotted line, quite possibly should be eliminated from the buyers list of potential places to buy from.

Of the four coaches we've owned, only one was purchased from a dealer. And that was a rental company at that. But, they were willing to bend over backwards to accommodate our requests in order to complete the sale.

If you are REALLY interested in one in particular, or, even a couple different models on a dealer lot and, you're at that point where you're close to making a deal, then the dealer/sales person should have no issue in helping you with getting the actual weights of the front, rear and total. Don't worry about the four corner thing, that's not a concern right now. Just the basic weights is of importance at this point in the deal.

If the dealer/sales person should reject your request and tell you that you can do it AFTER the sale, then I'd go straight to the owner of the dealership or, the highest ranking person I could get my hands on and demand your request be fulfilled.

Because, in my opinion, they're trying to hide something if they won't allow something as simple as a weight measurement.
Scott

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Originally Posted by Jim_HiTek

When buying something from a dealer, you automatically know if their lips are moving or if their printer is printing, they're lying.

I'd not worry about it, if they can legally sell a vehicle that's overweight driving it off the lot, then you have legal recourse and grounds for a lawsuit...but only if you're harmed by that in some way.

But I would weigh it asap after purchase.

The problem with the above course of action is that you may not BE overweight driving it off the lot, but if you add FILL THE GAS TANK, Fill the water tank, and put any "stuff" in the cargo bays, you may THEN be overweight . . . .so, you see, it wasn't the manufacturer that caused it to be overweight, it was the NEW OWNER, who UNKNOWINGLY added stuff, or passengers to the coach that NOW CAUSED it to be overweight . . . .

Weighting (pun intended) until you PURCHASE a coach to find out that even with only 30% of the ADVERTISED CCC (cargo carrying capacity) you have overloaded it, is too late in my opinion.

Go ahead and make it a condition of the sale that it will be weighed prior to sale. Better yet, bring a u-haul with all the stuff you plan on putting in it, fill the water tank, fill the fuel tank, put your stuff in it, add a few innocent bystanders to simulate your friends going on a trip with you, and THEN weigh it!

If they balk at your doing that, find another manufacturer.

[Twomed]

Originally Posted by nothermark

If it's on the lot a trip through a local scale could be a part of the offer.

x2...weighed both of mine before purchase... your dollars, spend them wisely.

[Harry B]

Each Thor Tuscany is weighed at factory upon completion and the dealer should have with the coach a weight sheet. Mine didn't have on but I was provided the info per corner when I contacted Tuscany tech support with the VIN number. End of guessing game :-) I am sure some other manufacturers do the same

[Crasher]

When shopping for a motor home, you are in the drivers seat (pun intended). You are in charge of any questions to be asked and conditions to be met. If the sales person can not answer questions to your satisfaction or if he will not meet certain conditions including weighing the coach in loaded form, walk out the door and take your money somewhere else. This means that you the buyer needs to know the right questions to ask and what to beware of. Once you sign the check, you give up the drivers seat to the dealer. (pun intended again) After the sale, corrections and adjustments can be much more difficult to get done. Do your home work and stay in charge of the process until you are ready to let go.

[96 Wideglide]

Originally Posted by Hit_the_Rhod

The problem with the above course of action is that you may not BE overweight driving it off the lot, but if you add FILL THE GAS TANK, Fill the water tank, and put any "stuff" in the cargo bays, you may THEN be overweight . . . .so, you see, it wasn't the manufacturer that caused it to be overweight, it was the NEW OWNER, who UNKNOWINGLY added stuff, or passengers to the coach that NOW CAUSED it to be overweight . . . .

Exactly!
And legally, I dont think you will have a leg to stand on !

[TQ60]

It should be a simple question to the dealer.

When you have picked one ask them to get an axle weight from a cat scale or other local place.

Then assume empty as they are not going to have full tanks.

They also should be able to provide manufacturer data regarding expected weights.

If they cannot do that then how would they be able to provide after sale support if they cannot figure out published data or read the stickers inside mh...

They should be able to determine the weight of full tanks based on size and material so you only need to know what your stuff weighs.

[Gary RVRoamer]

New rigs will have a sticker that shows the actual unladen weight (UVW) for that specific vehicle. Just the total, not axle weights.

There are occasional examples of coaches that are at or near overweight on one axle or another at delivery. It's usually a particular model & floor plan, not a general trait of a manufacturer or brand. Hard to imagine why coach builders don't pay better attention to that, but it happens regularly with all makes. They add some features or rearrange the floor plan and don't bother to check the effect on weight distribution. Dumb!

[jerichorick]

As I glanced down through this thread I see many good comments. But, as for the dealer... They only sell the things. They have no input as to the engineering design specs are going to be for the chassis. This is limited to the coach manufacturer and is tempered by the chassis builders recommendations. As was stated in another thread on this forum, the chassis manufacturer is not responsible for how much weight the coach builder puts onto the chassis. One coach builder, commenting on the front axle being overloaded from the get-go, said that the coach was designed to be towing a 15,000# trailer with a 1500# tong weight. Hey, folks. Is that your normal? Not mine for certain.

I had my coach weighed at the Freightliner factory. The rig was overweight as far as I could tell but the techs seemed to think that all was fine. I was not satisfied and I have shed some weight from the rig by disposing of those things accumulated over the years that rarely, if ever, have been used since joining us or are just overkill for the intended purpose as was the case of the 50# tool chest I was carrying. Then I upgraded the front tires so I would not be running at max cold tire pressure.

No, I have not been back to the scales since I made these changes but just by the handling of the rig and the improved fuel mileage I know I have made progress.

Back to the main topic. Many new rigs come off the lot with the front axle being at or above the axle manufactures recommended weight limit. How the DMV allows this to be I have no clue. But, this is what we have to work with. We have two choices. Live with this situation as wisely as we can or simply don't buy the models with this built-in problem. I can't think of another solution if we are going to live this lifestyle.

Personally I have not encountered class A rigs being disabled, as a common failure, because of a failed front or rear axle. The more common problem is with tire failure. And, from personal experience, this is a good thing to avoid. That is why I am upgrading my tires when replacing them. My next set of rear tires will be the Toyo M-154 model (if I recall this model number correctly).

So, that is my bucks worth of comment. Happy trails all.

Rick Y

[rdelcamp]

Having been in the heavy duty truck business for forty years (a MH is just a truck chassis) I have seen front and rear axles run hundreds of thousands of miles loaded 10 to 15% over loaded and have seldom seen any type mechanical failure that could be attributed to the loads being carried. I don't what over load factor the manufactures design into there axle and suspension systems, ( they don't want you to know for obvious reasons) but I have been told it is more than this. I doubt that many of us haul that much around that we exceed the axle ratings buy that much. You tire capacity's and inflation should be your biggest concern.
Ron D