matched to the actual axle weight of your coach and you can eliminate the air bags
when done properly.
One improvement you might want to consider for the rear is installation of a rear
track bar. This will help with that “tail-wagging-the-dog” feeling you might be
experiencing, this is a good modification if you tow something heavy.
Weight
Wait a second. Before you start throwing new springs, bags, etc. at the motorhome, have you
checked its weight? You're looking for the GAWR. At a minimum, you should be able to
find the label that gives the rating for your motorhome for the front and the rear axle. Front
4,300 lbs. and rear 7,500 lbs. is a common combination for a short chassis motorhome with
a 137 inch wheelbase. Add them up and you come up with the GVWR (Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating) of 11,800 lbs for our example.
That 4,300 lbs. for the front means that each tire is expected to carry 2,150 lbs. In other
words, the front is expected to be balanced side to side. Same goes for the rear. 7,500 lbs.
means that each dual pair of tires is expected to carry 3,750 lbs. (that's 1,875 lbs. per tire).
This means these are the MAXIMUM weights at each corner of the motorhome. It was
designed for these weights. You can't simply put on a 'better' tire or overinflate the tire or
airbags to compensate for higher weight at one corner. Could be that the wheel bearings,
springs or the axle are the limiting factor and you might crunch something if you exceed a
corner weight.
Anyway, get it weighed. Preferably each corner separately. You might check with your local
police and find out if they will help. They stop large trucks on the highway and conduct
random weight checks – so they have the equipment and may be willing to help you since
you are pursuing a safety aspect of driving your coach.
Once weighed, you may find your handling problem real quick. First, you cannot exceed the
maximum for the corner. Second, you really want to be balanced side-to-side on each axle
for best handling. Move stuff around until you can achieve this. Incidentally, weigh with the
same maximum configuration that duplicates how you travel. Full fuel tank, full fresh water.
If you travel with much in the holding tanks, you should also take that into consideration
and try to duplicate it – maybe even fill them up too. Load up with all the clothes, tools,
passengers, etc. that you normally carry. Make sure you are in the driver's seat or a
representative amount of weight has been placed there. You're not going to be graded on
this by anyone but yourself (well, maybe your spouse). You may find you have to change
some habits and dump tanks more often, carry less goodies, carry less water, lose some
weight.........
At this point, worn parts are taken care of and the motorhome is within weight parameters.
We are almost ready to head to the alignment shop. Maybe you have even added some of
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