An RV With Adequate Suspension

[RUSSELL5000]

If you scroll down through the pictures on the page in this link:

http://olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_man_8x8.php

you will see a guy that apparently decided that he was not satisfied with the current market offerings and decided to develop his own RV with "adequate" running gear.

I would think that would make it a mile or two.

 

[mwilson]

I bet that it will last....

Took a half day off today to finish making mine like it should have been built from day one. Removing propane feed line and heading for town to get existing pipe re-threaded and enough pieces to get the line away from the equalizer bolts........What a PITA but it beats having a rolling fireball behind me......

 

[RUSSELL5000]

My first travel trailer - a 1995 Jayco - had the black iron pipe for the propane line. My current 2015 - again, a Jayco - has deleted the black iron pipe and there are hoses going everywhere. Nowhere near any suspension parts however (thankfully....)

I was curious, so I ran these numbers for my truck and my travel trailer (before and after trailer updates):

Truck

(1) GVWR 9,600
(2) Tire Capacity 12,780
(3) = (1) / (2) Ratio 75%

(1) GVWR 9,600
(2) GAWR - front 5,500
(3) GAWR - rear 6,000
(4) = (2) + (3) GAWR: 11,500
(5) = (1) / (4) Ratio 83%

Travel Trailer (Stock)

(1) GVWR 9,250
(2) Tire Capacity 10,160
(3) = [ (1) * .90 ] / (2) Ratio (Assumes 10% Hitch Weight) 82%

(1) GVWR 9,250
(2) GAWR - front 4,400
(3) GAWR - rear 4,400
(4) = (2) + (3) GAWR: 8,800
(5) = [ (1) * .90 ] / (4) Ratio (Assumes 10% Hitch Weight) 95%

Travel Trailer (Updated)

(1) GVWR 9,250
(2) Tire Capacity 10,720
(3) = [ (1) * .90 ] / (2) Ratio (Assumes 10% Hitch Weight) 78%

(1) GVWR 9,250
(2) GAWR - front 6,000
(3) GAWR - rear 6,000
(4) = (2) + (3) GAWR: 12,000
(5) = [ (1) * .90 ] / (4) Ratio (Assumes 10% Hitch Weight) 69%

So, after I updated the travel trailer it is much more like the truck than a travel trailer. Stock was not bad, but much better updated. I don't think he is around anymore, but thanks to Harvey Barlow for explaining all this to me, as well as quite a few others.

I assume the manufacturers can produce and design as they do because RVs are luxury items and people are most interested in how little they have to pay.

 

[crispyboy]

Russell,
Being that you have upgraded the axles and springs to very heavy duty how does the trailer ride? Does it throw things around, ride smoother or the same as the stock suspension?
How close are you to the GVWR when loaded and ready to camp?
Just curious with my questions.

When I installed new axles on my Airstream I only upgraded the spring rate capacity from 4000 to 4500 lbs (torflex axle). The trailers GVWR is 8400 lbs. It did make a difference in the ride but I think this is more to the old suspension being worn out (aged out). Part of my winterization process is to take the weight off the suspension.

 

[RUSSELL5000]

crispyboy,

One of the things I thought on hard was springs. Based on an earlier thread, I wanted the trailer to have the same type of capacity built in as the truck. I looked at 5,200 lb axles but the price difference to 6,000 lb was negligible; I really liked that I went from a 10 inch diameter brake drum to a 12 inch diameter brake drum as well as being able to have 16 inch LT tires. The shackles were replaced with the thick links, bronze bushings, wet bolts; already had the Mor-Ryde 3000 equalizer.

I did NOT replace the springs - was concerned that going to a higher capacity spring would results in excessive shock to the trailer. Trailer seems to ride the same.

The trailer GVWR is 9,250 lb; trip to the Cat scale loaded up showed 8,600 lb (no appreciable amounts of water in tanks).

I am in study on the question of disc brakes now.