Weighed RV - My Analysis - Your Feedback - 1st Time

[swduns]

2008 Tiffin Phaeton Cl. A Motor Home 40' DP, pulling Chevy Equinox
Tires new in 2021 275/80 22.5 Michelin Energy Line Z group G
(called Purcell Tire, 3 times discussed tires that I wanted, I wanted group H, not until weeks after install I realized they put on group G )
Full time now pending retirement, hitting the road in Feb 2022
Weighed with 1/2 full FW, full diesel, empty waste tanks, fully loaded for trip
I carry a spare tire only not rim
Weighed first time, my analysis, your feedback

I researched weighing, two scales nearby, Loves CAT & Quik Trip truck stop
CAT I couldn't weigh each tire separate only axels separate
Quik Trip had segmented scale with adjacent room where I could have two wheel on segments with 2 wheels off, weighed drivers side, turned around and weighed pass side. Cost was $12.50 drivers side then $3 reweigh for pass side.

Attached are: weigh slips, tire limits pic, Michelin tire pressure chart, RV tire sticker, RV weight capacity chart, Excel spreadsheet summary

My analysis is:

From a tire standpoint
- all my tires are below max load
- front are evenly balanced side to side
- rear has more weight on pass side but not a major problem
- I will set all tires at max pressure 110#

From a chassis stand point
- Front is below max load
- Rear is exactly at max load

My final analysis is that I am OK as it but I will try to rebalance the rear load in so far as possible. I'll make adjustments and reweigh when I get the opportunity in the future. I will keep track of loading to ensure I don't net net add any additional weight.

My RV is roughly loaded exactly as we will hit the road, maybe has a little more than we will carry when retired full time traveling
We plan to travel full time for several years so we are carrying a lot of stuff needed to live full time, & stuff to support our planned activities. Likely we will cull & reduce stuff.

Did I get it right?

[vseasport]

Originally Posted by swduns

2008 Tiffin Phaeton Cl. A Motor Home 40' DP, pulling Chevy Equinox
Tires new in 2021 275/80 22.5 Michelin Energy Line Z group G
(called Purcell Tire, 3 times discussed tires that I wanted, I wanted group H, not until weeks after install I realized they put on group G )
Full time now pending retirement, hitting the road in Feb 2022
Weighed with 1/2 full FW, full diesel, empty waste tanks, fully loaded for trip
I carry a spare tire only not rim
Weighed first time, my analysis, your feedback

I researched weighing, two scales nearby, Loves CAT & Quik Trip truck stop
CAT I couldn't weigh each tire separate only axels separate
Quik Trip had segmented scale with adjacent room where I could have two wheel on segments with 2 wheels off, weighed drivers side, turned around and weighed pass side. Cost was $12.50 drivers side then $3 reweigh for pass side.

Attached are: weigh slips, tire limits pic, Michelin tire pressure chart, RV tire sticker, RV weight capacity chart, Excel spreadsheet summary

My analysis is:

From a tire standpoint
- all my tires are below max load
- front are evenly balanced side to side
- rear has more weight on pass side but not a major problem
- I will set all tires at max pressure 110#

From a chassis stand point
- Front is below max load
- Rear is exactly at max load

My final analysis is that I am OK as it but I will try to rebalance the rear load in so far as possible. I'll make adjustments and reweigh when I get the opportunity in the future. I will keep track of loading to ensure I don't net net add any additional weight.

My RV is roughly loaded exactly as we will hit the road, maybe has a little more than we will carry when retired full time traveling
We plan to travel full time for several years so we are carrying a lot of stuff needed to live full time, & stuff to support our planned activities. Likely we will cull & reduce stuff.

Did I get it right?

Sounds to me that you are good. Be vigilant about correct tire pressure as seasons and locations change. Unless you take on a load of bricks there should be no further concern.

[weighit]

Couple of things I see, can't really read some of the photos you posted on my computer. But looks to me your tires are running at max load with what your coach weighs. Meaning you have to run max side wall pressures. You were correct in wanting the next load range H tires to give you some leaway in not having to run such high pressures. But you got what you got so your tires are running at 100% load all the time. Second, running the coach side stepping the scale with two tires on the scale and two off somewhere next to it is not how those scales are set up to read weights. Problem is if you had pulled off the scale with whatever number you got and moved your coach a foot or two one way or the other(sideways) and drove back on the scale you would have got a different set of numbers. So how accure is your individule weights? not very. Your numbers are not repeatable, in that configuration. In your travels look for a person with scales that can weigh each wheel position for a much more accurate weight.

[luvlabs]

Your weighing method leaves a lot to be desired. Like, what is your front axle weight? rear axle weight? Trying to weigh each side is often very inaccurate. Put the whole rig (minus your toad) on a regular CAT scale and get the total front and rear axle weights. Then use the following formula:

(axle weight divided by 2 X 1.05) = weight to look up in the single wheel or dually wheel table. Use that pressure + 10 psi = recommended inflation pressure.

Some explanation - the 1.05 is a correction factor for the side to side weight differences. It's remarkably accurate compared to individual wheel weights. The 10 psi is a safety hedge.

What are your inflation pressures now?

[swduns]

Not know the weights I’ve always ran the tires at max so 110

I actually did a third weigh and weighed normally on the scale
Then when I went inside to get my slips the messed up on the third weigh & erased the data so I didn’t get a weigh of the axels
The scale was busy then so I didn’t go back and refrig h

[RonAz]

Tiffin sure has changed things. I have a 2022 Red 360 on order and it's specs are 14,320 front and 23,000 rear. Well above the 2008 Phaeton specs. From what I have seen on the forums , I should never hit these numbers. Most rigs drive and stop better when not at max axle weights.

[luvlabs]

Originally Posted by swduns

Not know the weights I’ve always ran the tires at max so 110

I actually did a third weigh and weighed normally on the scale
Then when I went inside to get my slips the messed up on the third weigh & erased the data so I didn’t get a weigh of the axels
The scale was busy then so I didn’t go back and refrig h

Tires should be inflated to support the load they are carrying.

Running at max inflation can cause some problems you may not be aware of: overinflation wear, poor handling, increased stopping distance, and poor ride are a couple of things that come to mind.

Spend the time and get an accurate weight, use the simple formula I posted for you, and check you weights against the max axle weights Tiffin posted.

Typically your front tires will be at a higher pressure than your rears. This is normal as your rear weight is spread across four tires.

[Crasher]

FWIW, I had our coach weighed at an FMCA rally when it was new. We discovered that the FR and LR were heavier than the other corners. It was due to the left rear ride height valve being out of spec. I had it adjusted and then needed another six position weight. I called the WI State Highway Patrol and asked if I could go to their office and have the vehicle inspection officer weigh it on the portable platform scales that they carry with them. Instead, he came to my home and weighed me in the middle of the street where it was level. I adjusted the proportioning valves to take some weight off the steer axle and we did a second weigh. There was no charge for it and he was glad to help get the weights corrected to what I wanted. I posted this 8 years ago and I recall someone else contacting their State Patrol with the same results. Give it a try. I'd bet most states would be happy to assure that you were safe.

[bigb56]

Originally Posted by luvlabs

Your weighing method leaves a lot to be desired. Like, what is your front axle weight? rear axle weight? Trying to weigh each side is often very inaccurate. Put the whole rig (minus your toad) on a regular CAT scale and get the total front and rear axle weights.

I agree, you need a total with all wheels on the scales. At the Cat scale they won't even let you weigh off to the side like that, the scale won't respond and the attendant will yell at you (ask me how I know). You may find that your total weight with all wheels on the scales is less than the total of both your weight tickets. I think the only accurate way to get corner weights is with individual platform scales like Escapee uses.

[swduns]

- I have a set-up of tools, spares, supplies, etc that I really like
- However after reflection .... I am going to go through everything of mine in the RV and cull it down to the essentials
- I'm an engineer and a hands-on technical guy so I really love my tools but I know I have things that I rarely use and could do without
- after thinking through what I have ... I think I could cut at least 1/4 of my stuff if not 1/3rd ... but is is likely less than a couple of hundred pounds ..
- I'm certain there will be a case where I need a special tool I don't have but I think I can work around it
- reducing weigh would be my driver
- being a technical person I need to recognize that the point is to travel & enjoy the locations ... and not to just do projects & upgrades to the rig ... I do like to tinker ...
- I can always put it back in later ...

[swduns]

I have four golf cart chassis batteries
they weigh a ton
While I could care less about Lithium ... if I swapped the LA batteries for Lithium and did the entire installation properly ... I could probably save 150 lbs

[weighit]

The more you travel the more you can figure out what you "might" really need and what would be great but probably never used. I have whittled down the tools to what fits in my smallish tool box. I figure if I really need some special tool to fix something I will go buy that item, otherwise no sense in carrying that stuff.

[bigb56]

Whoops wrong thread...

[JWA]

Don't know when Tiffin changed to LR-H, but that is what they were using by 2012. I had a tire dealer, part of a chain, try to push me into LR-G and I kept telling him I wanted LR-H, 2 for the front. HE finally told me there were no LR-H (Toyo M177) in his region and was not allowed to do special orders. So, in hope of keeping me as a future customer, he agreed to mount and balance, if I ordered from Walmart.com. All went well, tires less than 4 months old, free shipping to store, and as I later figured out , the FET was built into the price. Thus a total savings of about 70$ per tire.



I would do something to get the weight down to where only 105 psi was required in the tires. My Phaeton weighs out, using 4 corner weight, at 105 front and 90psi rear. This is with 295/75 Toyo versus original 275/80 Michelin.

I went with 295/75 as it is within 1% of the size of the original tire and is available anywhere if I ever need one on the road.