I recently purchased a 40' 2006 Beaver Monterey and knew in advance that the available CCC and the axle weight loads could be an issue as they are with many (most) DPs on the road today without tag axles. Without any additional load, the front axle is at 11,880# and the rear axle is at 20,860#. With the federal weight limit for a single axle at 20,000#, it appears that I will need to dump 860# from the rear axle to even be legal!!! I have confirmed that the 295/80/22.5 tires at 100 psi have enough load capacity to tolerate these weights but I'm very concerned that when loaded for travel and when I connect a car trailer with a few pounds of tounge weight, I will be significantly over the federal axle limit of 20,000# on the rear axle.
What am I missing? I see DPs like mine going down the road every day loaded for travel and pulling trailers of some sort (cars, snowmobiles, ATVs, etc.) and somehow they are getting by.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
The legal rear axle weight is 20K/axle, which is set by the US Government for highway safety. Will it affect you, probably not, unless you travel on the Ohio Turnpike, where there are scales at every toll both. Their scales are supposedly set at 21,400#/axle and they will refuse to allow you on the turnpike/I-80, if you are over that weight. Our coach is the same as yours and I have traveled the road with a 24' boat and trailer without being denied passage.
Bob & Betsy - USN Ret'd '78 & FL LEO Ret'd '03 & "Oath Keeper" '05 HR Endeavor 40PRQ, 400 Cummins W/ 405w/35A solar system -Pulling an '05 GMC Sierra LT, CC, Z-71, w/ 2010 Silver Rzr riding in the toad. Where the wheels are stopped
Most states have a 20K max on a single axle. A few are more such as Florida which is 22K plus there is a bridge formula that uses tire size. Some say we fall under the commercial bus exemption which allows for more weight than the normal legal max. Some say we are not commercial vehicles so we will not have to stop at the scales. Others say it must be OK because some use a 23K dive axle so they will have 3,000lbs of CCC instead of none if they used a 20K axle. It is true that many of the NE toll roads weigh you and will turn you away if you are over the 20K single axle weight by approx 5%. Not sure why we RVer's think we are so special that the weight laws will not apply to us? Granted I've never been weighed in my RV but this concern is why I went with a tag axle DP. With 10% of your trailer's weight on the tongue and with a overhang on a DP you are going to be well over 20K. You are not missing anything other than hopefully we will not have to line up with the trucks to get weighed.
Quote: What am I missing? I see DPs like mine going down the road every day loaded for travel and pulling trailers of some sort (cars, snowmobiles, ATVs, etc.) and somehow they are getting by.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts
Your not missing anything. Many 40' non tag multiple slide coach's are over 20,000lbs on the drive axle. It's an issue that few know enough about to really care.
Most states don't check RV's at scales and your not a commercial vehicle. Check the axle ratings for your coach, they should be right behind the drivers seat. Monaco did put some 23,000lb. rear axles in some coachs and rated them as such. My 2002 Patriot Thunder has a 21,000lb. rear axle and it also is rated for 21,000lb. If you have the higher rated axle just drive and enjoy the view. If you don't I would shift the weight. Marty
These are NOT commercial vehicles, hook up your trailer and go enjoy. Just go by what your manufacture rates the tounge weight and tow capacity for and you'll be fine...
2006 Allegro Bus, 42QDP, 4 Slides, Tag axle, Spartan, 400ISL.
Progressive Ind.PT50C
TST TPMS
Assorted toads,trailers and toys.
And Zoie the Doberman.
The max weight per axle by law depends on where you are, what season it is and.. The rating of the axle.
Alas, that's way more research than I can do this week
But check both the standard weight limits and, if in a state that has 'em the "Frost law" limits which are usually found at somewhere like www.michigan.gov (Sub your state for michigan)
And for your axle ratings. find the sticker in the rig.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
bkd148 wrote: Most states don't check RV's at scales and your not a commercial vehicle. Check the axle ratings for your coach, they should be right behind the drivers seat. Monaco did put some 23,000lb. rear axles in some coachs and rated them as such. My 2002 Patriot Thunder has a 21,000lb. rear axle and it also is rated for 21,000lb. If you have the higher rated axle just drive and enjoy the view. If you don't I would shift the weight. Marty
The only scales I've visited are the unmanned ones in Oregon. We ran our 04 HR Imperial thru one with full fuel, propane and water tank. The holding tanks were empty and the weight showed up as 12,500 on the front and 18,900 on the rear. The axles are rated 14,k+ on the front and 23K on the rear. The tires are rated at 15,660 on the front and 27,760 on the rear. With those number, fully loaded I thing we're pretty safe. Our Imp is a two slide, which is lighter than the three or four slide models. That's why I bought a two axle MH in that weight class. The tires and axles are both running a comfy margin for safety and wear.
Did the same process at a moving and storage company in Corona, Ca last year, same results. In fact the MH is now a bit lighter as I keep dumping non-essential "junk" out of the bays and the closets. DW and I have a seance about every 6 mos, "do we really need this?" and when was the last time you used this? Lightened us up about 500 lbs in a few sessions.
"Federal weight limits" only apply on the Federal Interstate and other Federally designated routes. You can find them listed in the Rand McNally Motor Carriers' Road Atlas. The individual state weight and size limits (on state and US routes) are also listed in the same atlas.
Some states only allow 18,000 lbs on a single axle and others allow as much as 24,000 on a single axle. Some states only allow 12,000 lbs on the steer axle.
Generally speaking, weight limits are just that and it does not matter what you are driving. I have never seen a motorhome pulled over to be weighted. But have heard of motorhomes being removed from the Ohio Turnpike for being overweight.
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