365 Tires

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Jack,

Unless your hitch and steer axle are equidistant from the tag/drive axles a 1000 pound weight on the hitch will not reduce the weight the same amount on the steer. When you do apply 1200 pounds to the hitch you do shift the CG towards the rear, but I seriously doubt if it is 1000 pounds worth.

Joel,

I freely admit to wanting to keep all my tires the same size so if one fails I can rob a replacement from the tag, or put a readily available odd size on the tag and not have to worry about getting a special tire due to the oversized rim. But what I can't understand is if weight is such an issue such large tires are required, how do you know you haven't exceeded the weight limits of air bags, brakes, bearings and other associated components. If I recall you are towing a trailer that is exceptionally heavy, likely stressing the entire coach. Maybe its the pilot in me that considers weight and balance a serious issue.

[jack14r]

Jon,I did not weigh on the same day with and without the trailer,but I have weighed the coach 4 times,each time the steering axle weight is within a range and with the trailer it is more than 1000 Lbs less.I am weighing at Cat Scales.I understand what you are saying but I think that the scales are accurate.

[joelselman]

I don't THINK weight was an issue with the blown tag tire, but I'm going to recheck. The 455/55 are rated @11000# each, 2 315's are 18000#. When I originally weighed my coach with 315's on the drive, the axle weight was about 20,500 and the tag was (from memory) about 14,000. The 315's on the tag SHOULD be more than adequate but since my first ever Michelin blowout, I'm going to re-weigh just to insure the rear axle geometry, and therefore weights, haven't changed. Drive axle weight should have decreased by 300 due to the wheel/tire change. Weights were taken without passengers, normal coach interior loading, and full fuel and water.

Incidentally, my big trailer (21000# gross) has a ft steer axle and exerts virtually 0 tongue weight.