Community Forums

D Lindy · 09-22-2013, 07:32 AM

I had a question in the Winnebago section on rear axle weight limits. I've since found that the 20000 lb. weight limit on my rear axle might be DOT driving. At the time of mfgr. of my coach the DOT limit was 20000 for the rear axle, but has since been upped to 23000 lb. I'm trying to find out if Freightliner had to change their rear axle ASM to get the 23000 lb. or if their axles were just de-rated for the lower DOT 20000 lb. limit at the time my coach was made. My 4 rear tires have a combined weight limit of 26000+ lb. and the rims have a combined weight limit of 28000+ lb.

RickO · 09-22-2013, 08:45 AM

Good question. I wasn't aware that the DOT 20K limit had been raised.

I would think a call to FL would get you an answer, but I would suspect that liability concerns might lead them to tell you it's only 20K.

Rick

D Lindy · 09-22-2013, 11:30 AM

RickO; That's my thought, hoped I could get an independent axle ASM part/model # form someone who has a unit with the 23000 lb rear axle rating, then I could verify it against mine.

Pigman1 · 09-22-2013, 12:28 PM

Find the manufacturer and model/serial number of your rear axle and look it up through the axle manufacturer's site. We had a 2008 Tiffin Allegro Bus on a Freightliner chassis. It had a Meritor rear axle that was only rated for 17,000 pounds. After a trip to Camp Freightliner, I found from Mike that this axle was specified by Tiffin and then Meritor was asked to waive the 17,000 to 20,000, which they did. The only issue I had with that was that the dry coach was 19,700 or so and loaded I was 22,000.

Wasn't much I could do about it after I finally got it sorted out, but I did voice my displeasure about it to Tiffin, LOUDLY. I also made it a personal project to CLOSELY inspect the entire rear axle/suspension welds, bushings and components at each major maintenance cycle. Never found a problem, but I was never totally at ease until I traded the coach.

motohomer · 09-28-2013, 12:12 PM

Heres a VIN from a 2014 Meridian
4UZACUCY6ECFR1282
You can use accessfreightliner to do a part comparison.
I would, but Im driving now...

docj · 09-28-2013, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickO

Good question. I wasn't aware that the DOT 20K limit had been raised.

It's not that the DOT limit was raised, but, rather, that MH's were given the same exemption as buses to be able to have as much as 24,000 lbs on their rear axles.

Our coach is similar to the OP's in that we are over the axle's rated weight even without any cargo due to the weight of our C12. Our tires also have thousands of pounds of additional load capability and my Michelin dealer said the tires I replaced a year ago had none of the wear patterns characteristic of an overloaded axle. Like the OP I speculate if the manufacturer was hesitant about selling a vehicle that violated a DOT weight spec so they simply "defined it" as weighing less.

powerboatr · 09-28-2013, 12:47 PM

last year i had the same concern because at meritor my axle model was listed at a lower rating than what f/l had it listed for
turns out they were given a blessing from meritor to up the rating and this included all warranties as well

i was just reading in motor home a rig they tested had a rear axle rating of 23k lbs i had to read it twice to be sure i wasnt loosing my mind

I think meritor rates them based on OTR use or the like, we must be granted additional weights based on a number cruncher somewhere that predicted it was ok
who knows.
but we run right at 20k out back every trip
with the axle rating being the lowest
I also asked fl for a build sheet spec on the rear suspension and again the axle rating was the lower of everything
so i felt safe eerrrrr

targaboat · 09-28-2013, 01:00 PM

Tire capacity are really the most important aspect of vehicle weight. You are all really wasting your time wearing your shoes from the inside out worrying about axle rating since MH use is probably the lightest because of low time and smooth road use of all the locations which use that axle. As a check look at the axle diameter and the outboard axle shaft bearings to determine if there are any changes from one year to the next.

kaymfischer · 09-28-2013, 08:57 PM

I too have interest in this topic. My coach is manufactured in a 340 HP and a 360 HP version (both Cummins engines, but Allison 2500 tranny on the 340 HP and Allison 3000 on the 360 HP).

After reviewing a rear axle Bill of Materials for BOTH models, it appears to me that the axles are identical.

Yet, the coach manufacturer lists the 360 HP RA capacity at 19000 lbs and the 340 HP RA capacity at only 17500 lbs.

I have the 340 HP unit, and MAY someday need the extra 1500 lbs on the rear axle to keep from being overweight on that axle.

I contacted Freightliner customer service asking them to possibly verify that the axle is really good to 19000. Then flatly refused to even talk to me about it, unless I paid for an "engineering study" to review my question at a MINIMUM cost of $250 up front and $100 per hour for each hour spent in answering this simple question.

I've heard that the coach manufacturer PURPOSELY has the RA downgraded from 19000 to 17500 (on paper only) to allow them to advertise a max toad weight of 5000 lbs.

I have purposely not mentioned the name of the manufacturer, since I don't think it is germane.

My only concern here is to know accurately, what the actual carrying capacity is on my rear axle.

Comments/Advice appreciated.

Thanks

KMF

targaboat · 09-29-2013, 07:46 AM

Go to the web site of the manufacturer of the axle and determine what they rate that axle for over the road applications. Use that number. As you eluded to the MH people play games with the ratings. Then be done with all of the senseless concern about the axle capacities.

kaymfischer · 09-30-2013, 10:25 AM

If I knew who the manufacturer of my axle is I would call them. I am not able to "crawl" underneath and figure that out. My "senseless" concern as you call it is based on the fact that if I am overweight on the rear axle when I am traveling down the road and heaven help me have an accident that is not my fault, the fact that I am overweight can make me partially liable. I don't understand the secrecy that FL has about this. They know the chassis and they still won't tell us what the actual weight load is for our axle. All the secrecy and hemhawing concerns me about this.

I am trying to be responsible and be legal on my motor home. Right now with the lower rating I was 900 lbs over on the rear axle based on what the sticker says. I changed things around and am now okay. It would help to know for sure what I can carry and what I have to move around to get around a limit that is not valid to begin with

targaboat · 09-30-2013, 08:53 PM

Senseless? What exactly is the concern? It is not a legal issue. The DOT does not set the capacity of the axle. Is it that you are afraid that you will be more prone to losing a law suit if you are over the "rating". Where does that idea come from? You bought a unit in good faith for lots of money and if you load it reasonably and are not carrying something heavy and not normal for a residential RV which puts you over the rating, you have done nothing wrong. Do you have knowledge of any legal precedence which would support this concern? I just do not understand the logic in play here.

VanDiemen23 · 09-30-2013, 09:42 PM

My axle has a tag on it with the rating. someone ought to go under and have a look. If you are dry and empty, is it still over?

targaboat · 10-01-2013, 07:10 AM

Yes, all axles have tags. Come on people, if you can not get under the coach, ask a young guy to get under and copy the info off the tag and give us that info. We can give you help if we had that info. Looking for manufacturer name, model number, and serial number and possibly other data which may be helpful. The coach manufacturer can read you off most of that info from their parts list.