2016 Anthem 44B and a Harley

[Flanz]

Okay, since I put out a question to one of the members here about a Hydralift and a Harley on the back of an Anthem I figured I'd start another post....

Not sure if this will get any traction, but I'll ask. We have been doing a TON of research as too which MH we'd like to buy....Done, 2016 Anthem 44B.

Then, since we love to ride and have been doing it for a while the question came up about carry/taking the Road Glide with us. Bought a used Hydralift and this will sit on the back of the 44B....Done, thanks Dave!!

I'll also be towing a 2005 Toyota Tacoma behind everything. Don't see any issues here since we've been RVing since 1992 and have towed a vehicle a lot during that time. Also, looks like the Hydralift has a 10,000lb hitch with the carrier. The only new thing is the Road Glide.

Now, during my research I've learned about carrying capacity and loading with the front/rear axle as well as tire pressure. I think I understand this and once everything has been installed I'm off to the nearest scale to have her weighed. Then I'll adjust tire pressure to the loads per the manufacturers tire inflation chart specification. After this, I'll adjust items in the bays accordingly.

Since we've signed up for the Spartan/Entegra training for next year, I'll have the coach weighed again and I'll have the ride height checked and tweaked if needed. I don't think we'll have a lot of things within the MH, outside of the ordinary stuff needed to live. We're not "pack rats" and believe in less is more....

So, sorry for the long thread, is there anything else I should be looking at or into to make sure I'm as safe as possible out there on the road?? I ask because I got a little nervous reading the threads about axle loading here and over on the Newmar site.

Thanks.....

-paul

[hogdriver]

My recommendation. Load your Anthem as desired. Follow the instructions Spartan sends out for their course and show up on day one with full fuel , water, and empty waste. Get weighed at Spartan, then change your tire pressures and/or weight distribution

[brobox]

Paul, you sound fine. I have yet to find a working or able to setup at the rallys 4 corner weight. At the truck stops there is a metal divider in the scales that splits the rear axles giving you weight for the tag and drive axle separate. If you just pull on the scales you will get the total weight of the rear end. You will need a long device to push the button on the call box once your are in place and sitting in the drivers seat. I used the handle on a fly swatter as it was close

I also use the State Truck scale just as I get on I-75 when we are leaving for a weight "as loaded" for that trip then adjust my tire pressure the next morning. Nice to have that and it's "free" paid for by our fuel tax.

If using State Truck scales pull into the parking area first, go in and tell them you want a weigh ticket. Most scale are computerized now and some will have to turn the printer on to print a ticket. Most of the scales I have stopped at think it's great that I weigh for safety and wish more RV'ers would do that. Don't feel intimidated, it's our fuel tax $ and most enjoy the change of an RV stopping in. The scales are there to keep the highways safe from overloaded vehicles.

Any front axle overload on an Entegra that I have heard about has been a simple ride height adjustment and it doesn't take much. Another one I heard of was driver error, all of his heavy items were loaded close to his door for easy access.

[brobox]

My other post was getting to long As far as the Newmar forum.....all tile slides and "any custom feature I want" does need to be considered for weight. However many do not and we get the posts about over loaded axles. I noticed on that post nobody asked for a build sheet. What was installed up front when that coach was built? Many are fast to blame the manufacture, but never share if they overloaded the coach with "custom any way I want it". Just my thoughts on that post.

[DSL417]

Paul, I did weigh with the Harley, I just don't remember the numbers and I don't have any of that paperwork. The thing I remember most was I added 10#s of pressure in the tag axle and ran it at 85 as I ran the drivers. But note, prior to the Harley on back, I do remember my weights on the rear was 7000#s and the tire charts recommended 70#s of pressure and I ran them at 80 simply because 70 didn't sound sufficient. A number of folks at that time found that while towing flat (and without the MC on back) that their tag load was relatively low.

My first and only alignment on the Anthem was done at JoSams in Orlando. When I went through the class at Spartan, the old guy that does the air brakes section of the course and has been around forever, checked my alignment (by his hand across the treads of the treads)and ask who did the alignment, saying that they did a very good job (very smooth across the tread after thirteen thousand miles.

The only time the ride was poor, was right before the alignment at JoSams during the first month. After adding the MC, the quality of the ride never changed, and at trade, all tires looked like new...as I said, only added a little air, based upon reweighing with the MC aboard and checking the weight...as best I can remember, I had added a little over 800#s to the tag at that point. I just don't remember the change on the steer other than it wasn't that much. Remember, the total add for the Hydalift and Full Dress is only about 1200#s.

Hope that helps.

[Hayman]

Any other used HYDRA-LIFTS for sale ? Could not resist asking !

[Flanz]

Originally Posted by hogdriver

My recommendation. Load your Anthem as desired. Follow the instructions Spartan sends out for their course and show up on day one with full fuel , water, and empty waste. Get weighed at Spartan, then change your tire pressures and/or weight distribution

That's part two of the plan. We'll have the coach all loaded up and ready to roll about 4 months prior to the class, but the goal is to have Spartan/Entegra comfirm that we're ready to roll safely.

-paul

[Flanz]

Originally Posted by brobox

Paul, you sound fine. I have yet to find a working or able to setup at the rallys 4 corner weight. At the truck stops there is a metal divider in the scales that splits the rear axles giving you weight for the tag and drive axle separate. If you just pull on the scales you will get the total weight of the rear end. You will need a long device to push the button on the call box once your are in place and sitting in the drivers seat. I used the handle on a fly swatter as it was close

I also use the State Truck scale just as I get on I-75 when we are leaving for a weight "as loaded" for that trip then adjust my tire pressure the next morning. Nice to have that and it's "free" paid for by our fuel tax.

If using State Truck scales pull into the parking area first, go in and tell them you want a weigh ticket. Most scale are computerized now and some will have to turn the printer on to print a ticket. Most of the scales I have stopped at think it's great that I weigh for safety and wish more RV'ers would do that. Don't feel intimidated, it's our fuel tax $ and most enjoy the change of an RV stopping in. The scales are there to keep the highways safe from overloaded vehicles.

Any front axle overload on an Entegra that I have heard about has been a simple ride height adjustment and it doesn't take much. Another one I heard of was driver error, all of his heavy items were loaded close to his door for easy access.

Good idea Chuck!!! Never thought to take advantage of all of those scales out there on the road while we're travelling. It'll give me the opportunity to really understand and become familiar with how we load and drive the coach. Since we'll be full-timers, I'll be able to fine tune how and where we store items. Appreciate the input.

-paul

[brobox]

I forgot to add, there is usually a scale on the back side of the building for those of us that are not on the trucker computer system so we are not tying up or have to get in the truck line. At my local truck stop, it is right in front of the parking lot.

[Flanz]

Originally Posted by DSL417

Paul, I did weigh with the Harley, I just don't remember the numbers and I don't have any of that paperwork. The thing I remember most was I added 10#s of pressure in the tag axle and ran it at 85 as I ran the drivers. But note, prior to the Harley on back, I do remember my weights on the rear was 7000#s and the tire charts recommended 70#s of pressure and I ran them at 80 simply because 70 didn't sound sufficient. A number of folks at that time found that while towing flat (and without the MC on back) that their tag load was relatively low.

My first and only alignment on the Anthem was done at JoSams in Orlando. When I went through the class at Spartan, the old guy that does the air brakes section of the course and has been around forever, checked my alignment (by his hand across the treads of the treads)and ask who did the alignment, saying that they did a very good job (very smooth across the tread after thirteen thousand miles.

The only time the ride was poor, was right before the alignment at JoSams during the first month. After adding the MC, the quality of the ride never changed, and at trade, all tires looked like new...as I said, only added a little air, based upon reweighing with the MC aboard and checking the weight...as best I can remember, I had added a little over 800#s to the tag at that point. I just don't remember the change on the steer other than it wasn't that much. Remember, the total add for the Hydalift and Full Dress is only about 1200#s.

Hope that helps.

Hey Dave - One thing, how was the bar crawl....That's one thing I'm looking forward to when we get out on the road. I think it's been 15+ years since I've been in the big easy. Really enjoyed the the Cajun food as well as the Zydeco music while there. Didn't have enough time for the Jazz, since I was on a business trip, but it's on the list!!!

No worries on the paperwork for the '13 Anthem. I'm basically running things thru my head and making sure that I'm not over looking anything. There's a lot of experience out there and I'm just trying to tap into it. Any and all insight to what I'm looking to do is very much appreciated and welcome.

My plan for when I pick up the coach is to run the tire pressure based on the numbers provide by Entegra using whatever weighing documentation they provide. Then, once we get the coach home and loaded up, I'll make another trip to the scales and get new weight numbers and adjust tire pressure. The next weighing will come with the MC and lift and I think your numbers and observations will most likely be spot on. I'm planning on somewhere between 1200 and 1300#'s with the lift and the Road Glide, same as you. The Spartan/Entegra training will hopefully confirm everything that I've done with some minor tweaks. Then were on the road using Chuck's solution to spot check the weight and tire pressure until I feel comfortable.

I've never owned and/or equipped a beast like this before, so they'll be a BIG learning curve here and I'd like to do it as safely as possible.

Thanks for the response......

-paul