Weight, slides vs no slides

[Grizz]

There surely must be threads covering this topic, but I can't find one specifically to my question.

My coach weighs in a 54k pounds full fuel, water, supplies and occupants. It has two slides installed by HWH. It's at 18k on the front axle.

Can anyone tell me the difference in weight between the slide side and curb side. I wonder if there is a significant difference or if Marathon was able to balance it out by placement of heavy items. I realize that loading has an effect on that, but what I'm really interested in is average difference.

The Prevost owner's manual states a tire pressure. Of course that pressure was calculated before slides were installed. The Marathon owner's states exactly the same pressures, apparently not taking into consideration the weight of the slides.

Michelin states different pressures based on the actual axle weight (CAT scale). Michelin's specs are higher for the front and lower for the drive end. I use the higher of all recommended pressures, but even so if one side is significantly heavier than the other even more pressures could be required.

The previous owner had a lot more weight in the coach (I carry only the bare minimum) and ran only the Prevost/Marathon pressures all around without a problem.

[coreygrubb]

Joe, as far as I know the only way to know that is individual wheel scales or if you're near Jeff Rowe, have him lift your bus. His lifts automatically give you individual wheel weights. Marathons with slide(s) of your vintage are known to be heavy and side to side all over the place. Geo.

[Grizz]

Thanks George: I know that weighing each wheel position is the proper way, but in the mean time I wanted to get a rough idea from someone who might have done that on a similar coach.

I'm in the Melbourne FL area and that's a long way from Jeff. There's a tire dealer here who has portable scales, but I won't let him touch anything of mine.

[coreygrubb]

Well, he really doesn't have to touch anything....just guide you up on the scale. Geo.

[Grizz]

It goes deeper than that. I won't patronize the place. :(

[coreygrubb]

Joe, go to FMCA website and click on forums. Go to Motorhome forum and scroll down to Technical and go to Weights. There are some places in Fla that are listed to do individual wheel weights. Geo.

[garyde]

On my Liberty, there is only a small difference between the front right and left side. Between the two sides its around 14700.
I do have 365's on the front.

[Gil_J]

Hopefully, Marathon has the as built weights to share. That will be unloaded.

Check with your local moving companies and see if any have a scale, many do. Some of these scales are installed in such a way that you can park just one side of the coach on the scales, while still sitting near level. If you can get either side weighed and the whole coach then it's easy to figure out tire pressures. The correct MINIMUM pressure is twice the heaviest side of an axle, if you are using the axle weight scale, otherwise use the heaviest side to set both sides. Michelin used to have a different scale for 315s mounted on narrow wheels. Many inner drive wheels are these narrower wheels. If still the case, use the pressure needed for the narrower wheel for all tires on the drive axle.

When in doubt, or to err on the side of safety over ride comfort, use pressures above the minimum but not above the maximum tire pressure. I run my steers 10-15 pounds above the minimum. I can't feel the difference in ride and I won't chance the pressure on the steers.

[Grizz]

Thanks for following up!

I don't think Marathon or any other coach converter who overloaded the front axels, will ever put the details in writing. The earlier Hs were rated at 16500 (mine), but with no personal items my coach front axle carries 18k. Even my 96 XLV was over weight under the same conditions without slides. (I think it was rated around 14K.)

When I bought the 96, I contacted Prevost Car about the weight and they told me (in writing) not to worry about it as there is always a 10 to 15 percent 'fudge factor' built in. So a 16500 rated axle should safely carry up to about 19k. Of course the stock tires would probably blow, but that's a different conversation.