I have a 95 non slide and just got it weighed today. Steer 15260 lbs, drive 20500 lbs, tag 8740.
My axle limits are 14000 steer, 23000 drive, and 10000 tag. I have a normal 265 gal tank fwd the rear wheels, and 175 gal. water tank fwd of that. Running about 200 gals in rear tank and full water, empty sewage, and normal gear for traveling. I believe my problem is the front [behind the front wheels] 85 gal generator tank, which has about 70 gals in it. My aqua-hot is in the compartment behind it.
I know I could run the generator tank empty, and drop about 500 lbs, but it appears my gen and aqua-hot suction and return lines only go into fwd tank. My tag is not adjustable, but even if I lower the pressure on those bags, do not think it will make enough difference and may overload the drive axle. Just bought new 24.5 11r h range for the front. [7100 lbs a 120 psi] so axle, and tires, are overloaded.
Any suggestions?
I'll offer some thoughts from a country boy...I'm not an engineer and don't play one on TV.
My '93 has the water and waste tanks just forward of rear axles with both fuel tanks in the front Hmmmm.
Evidently your coach has lasted for 20 years with no apparent ill effects.
I would take it to a GOOD REPUTABLE truck shop and have thorough inspection of front axle etc.
Run with water tank low and very little fuel in front tank. Install a separate fuel line to front from rear tank for gen and AH.
Install an air regulator to allow adjustment of tag bags.
The guys with slides are running larger 365/22.5 tires on the front.
Plan to rotate your current tires to rear and install new (Michelin is best IMO) tires on the front every 4-5 years.
1993 Newell (316) 45' 8V92,towing an Imperial open trailer or RnR custom built enclosed trailer. FMCA#232958 '67 Airstream Overlander 27' '67GTO,'76TransAm,'52Chevy panel, 2000 Corvette "Lingenfelter"modified, '23 Grand Cherokee.
Wow, those tank capacities are far greater than the 95 I owned. To the best of my feeble memory. Fuel was 200, Water was about 120, and there was no separate gen tank. Again, from memory, the front axle with coach fully wet and loaded was about 13700.
I also really looked into fitting the front of that coach with the wide 365 tires but found that the rim would hit the steering arm on that axle setup. So that may not be an option.
None of the above helps you, I just provided data from another 95. Water weighs 8.35 lbs/gallon, and diesel weighs about 7.3 lbs/gallon. So, Dean is spot on with the easiest options of running with less in the tanks and eliminating the gen tank if you can.
I would monitor my speed very cautiously in hot weather.
You could raise the front by adjusting the height control valve, but it's not going to shift more than a couple hundred pounds. I agree with you that lowering the tag pressure isn't going to shift enough weight.
What does the placard say?
What I don't understand is how the back end can be "light" with the big tanks and the front so heavy.
Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home )
[attachment=3765 Wrote:Richard pid='26191' dateline='1462404165'][attachment=3765]Wow, those tank capacities are far greater than the 95 I owned. To the best of my feeble memory. Fuel was 200, Water was about 120, and there was no separate gen tank. Again, from memory, the front axle with coach fully wet and loaded was about 13700.
I also really looked into fitting the front of that coach with the wide 365 tires but found that the rim would hit the steering arm on that axle setup. So that may not be an option.
None of the above helps you, I just provided data from another 95. Water weighs 8.35 lbs/gallon, and diesel weighs about 7.3 lbs/gallon. So, Dean is spot on with the easiest options of running with less in the tanks and eliminating the gen tank if you can.
I would monitor my speed very cautiously in hot weather.
You could raise the front by adjusting the height control valve, but it's not going to shift more than a couple hundred pounds. I agree with you that lowering the tag pressure isn't going to shift enough weight.
What does the placard say?
What I don't understand is how the back end can be "light" with the big tanks and the front so heavy.
Got the tank sizes from Tommy at Newell.
(05-04-2016, 05:24 PM)jcus Wrote:
(05-04-2016, 04:22 PM)Richard Wrote: Wow, those tank capacities are far greater than the 95 I owned. To the best of my feeble memory. Fuel was 200, Water was about 120, and there was no separate gen tank. Again, from memory, the front axle with coach fully wet and loaded was about 13700.
I also really looked into fitting the front of that coach with the wide 365 tires but found that the rim would hit the steering arm on that axle setup. So that may not be an option.
None of the above helps you, I just provided data from another 95. Water weighs 8.35 lbs/gallon, and diesel weighs about 7.3 lbs/gallon. So, Dean is spot on with the easiest options of running with less in the tanks and eliminating the gen tank if you can.
I would monitor my speed very cautiously in hot weather.
You could raise the front by adjusting the height control valve, but it's not going to shift more than a couple hundred pounds. I agree with you that lowering the tag pressure isn't going to shift enough weight.
What does the placard say?
What I don't understand is how the back end can be "light" with the big tanks and the front so heavy.
Got the tank sizes from Tommy at Newell.
(05-04-2016, 05:24 PM)jcus Wrote:
(05-04-2016, 04:22 PM)Richard Wrote: Wow, those tank capacities are far greater than the 95 I owned. To the best of my feeble memory. Fuel was 200, Water was about 120, and there was no separate gen tank. Again, from memory, the front axle with coach fully wet and loaded was about 13700.
I also really looked into fitting the front of that coach with the wide 365 tires but found that the rim would hit the steering arm on that axle setup. So that may not be an option.
None of the above helps you, I just provided data from another 95. Water weighs 8.35 lbs/gallon, and diesel weighs about 7.3 lbs/gallon. So, Dean is spot on with the easiest options of running with less in the tanks and eliminating the gen tank if you can.
I would monitor my speed very cautiously in hot weather.
You could raise the front by adjusting the height control valve, but it's not going to shift more than a couple hundred pounds. I agree with you that lowering the tag pressure isn't going to shift enough weight.
What does the placard say?
What I don't understand is how the back end can be "light" with the big tanks and the front so heavy.
Got the tank sizes from Tommy at Newell.
(05-04-2016, 05:24 PM)jcus Wrote:
(05-04-2016, 04:22 PM)Richard Wrote: Wow, those tank capacities are far greater than the 95 I owned. To the best of my feeble memory. Fuel was 200, Water was about 120, and there was no separate gen tank. Again, from memory, the front axle with coach fully wet and loaded was about 13700.
I also really looked into fitting the front of that coach with the wide 365 tires but found that the rim would hit the steering arm on that axle setup. So that may not be an option.
None of the above helps you, I just provided data from another 95. Water weighs 8.35 lbs/gallon, and diesel weighs about 7.3 lbs/gallon. So, Dean is spot on with the easiest options of running with less in the tanks and eliminating the gen tank if you can.
I would monitor my speed very cautiously in hot weather.
You could raise the front by adjusting the height control valve, but it's not going to shift more than a couple hundred pounds. I agree with you that lowering the tag pressure isn't going to shift enough weight.
What does the placard say?
What I don't understand is how the back end can be "light" with the big tanks and the front so heavy.
I had the same issue 10 years ago with the front end weight of my 1992. After talking with Newell's then Engineering VP, it was suggested that I might want to change the front tires to 305/75R24.5 tires. Newells with the 11R24.5 H tires were weight limited by the front tires. The front axles, brakes, etc were all rated to handle greater loads than the front tires, although the 11R24.5 Bridgestones that were used seem to hold up very well. The 11R24.5 tires have a max load rating of 7160# each or 14,300# for the front. The 305/75R24.5 is J rated and has a max load rating of 8270# each or 16,500# for the front.
Although I have the 8V92, my weights and tank capacities are similar to yours but I have been running 305/75R24.5 Michelins for the past 9 years (2 sets) and I feel comfortable with the load ratings. I believe that the last, or one of the last Newells built with an 8V92 was #376 so yours appears to have been ordered with the 8V92 dual fuel tank layout. BOTH of my fuel tanks are next to each other and are located not far behind the front axle with capacities of 245 gallons and 85 gallons. My water tank and waste tank are near the rear axle and are 165 and 175 gallons respectively.
I have found that decreasing the tag axle pressure has just slightly less than 1 to 1 impact on increasing the weight carried by the drive axle with only a small impact on reducing the weight on the front axle.
Run 305/75R24.5 Michelins at 120 on the front and get some piece of mind knowing that the 11R24.5's have worked but now you have the extra margin of safety on the front tires. They fit fine under the front wheel wells on my coach. The other recommendation is slow down, especially during the summer in hot climates. Tires are more likely to fail under the stress of high speeds and high temperatures and old age. I don't believe your front axle is overloaded, only your front tires.
I had a similar issue with my '93 and like Michael I spoke with the head of engineering (who is now retired). He said that mine along with others of that genre were rated based on the tires available at that time and that the coach was able to handle the weight. He sent me a new vin tag with the higher ratings based on H rated tires available today. That solved my overweight issues.
Might be worth a call to Newell.
One more thing that has not been mentioned. A tire monitoring system might be a life-saver..Here is a link to Q/A's on one brand. I am currently trying to decide which brand is best for my Newell.
(05-05-2016, 06:46 AM)encantotom Wrote: the first time i weighed my 90, it was the same thing.
the vp of engineering at newell told me the same as forest. he sent me a new vin plate.
tom
Thanks guys for all the good info. Thought Newell might be under rating the front axle, after comparing it to my 14000 lb front axle on my Foretravel 320, the Newell components look about 50% bigger.
I feel better about it, however I do want to get some 305's. Calling around Houston, nobody can find the Michelins, they can find Goodyear G152's but they have to be shipped from the east coast, and no way to know the dates. If they are too old, I am stuck with shipping them back.
Plan on going to Ruidoso next month and would like to have some good tires, so if anyone knows of some Michelins in the south Texas area, please let me know. Jim
On a happier [cheaper] note, pulled my bad alternator, expecting to pay $600 for a Penntex rebuild, only to find po had replaced it with a Bosch lh160, $200 with free shipping from Amazon!
Jim, call Herman Power Tire Co. here in Nacogdoches. Their # is 936-564-8751. They are a Michelin dealer and do a lot of motor homes. Ask for either Frank or Greg.
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