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20.000 lb. Axle Wt. Rating

Yahoo Message Number: 10299
Hi all, I'm sorry that this is not tied to the posts refering to coach wt., but darn, this form formate or setup, what ever, is so hard for me to nav I gave up, another subject I guess.

With ref to the posting by someone about the max axle wt. of 20,000 lbs. does this not concern you? I exceed that wt in the rear at a storage wt, not loaded to go, and would be close to 22,000 loaded to go.

I don't have a tag but I'll bet there are many on this forum that don't, and may not be aware of the restrictiion.

I guess I was very surprised that this subject received very little discussion here. Over on another forum this subject is still active.
Just odd, or maybe it's that this forum is more potpourri than it is thread orientated.

I would like to hear from others how you handle this restriction.

Thanks, Larry
'99 Affinity

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10300
Larry, I guess I missed the earlier reference you mention re the " 20,000 lbs. axle weight." what was the source and what is the problem?

Walt Rothermel
03Allure30811

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10302
Hi all, I'm sorry that this is not tied to the posts refering to coach wt., but darn, this form formate or setup, what ever, is so hard for me to nav I gave up, another subject I guess.

With ref to the posting by someone about the max axle wt. of 20,000 lbs. does this not concern you? I exceed that wt in the rear at a storage wt, not loaded to go, and would be close to 22,000 loaded to go.

I don't have a tag but I'll bet there are many on this forum that don't, and may not be aware of the restrictiion.

I guess I was very surprised that this subject received very little discussion here. Over on another forum this subject is still active.
Just odd, or maybe it's that this forum is more potpourri than it is thread orientated.

I would like to hear from others how you handle this restriction.

Thanks, Larry
'99 Affinity

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10306
Walt, I can't remember who, but someone posted that 20,000 lbs. is a federal max for axle wt. I have a rear axle wt of 22500 lbs. and this concerned me. I have since discovered that this is not 'enforced' on RV , this from another web site. I am still looking into the legal interpretation but I seem to be hindered in that quest by bureaucrats.
Larry

'99 Affinity

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10308
Ray, I asked the DOT state of Washington today and they tell me that the 20,000 lbs.. limit is for ALL vehicles but that it is not 'checked' on RVs.
I have read many post on this subject on another forum and it seems split as to commercial vehicles or RV so I really would like a 'for sure answer' which is probably not going to happen. As you correctly stated one can be kicked off toll roads and others with restrictions, I guess I really didn't want that to happen to me, the old 'better dead than look bad' thing.
I was concerned that I was going to be restricted from using as much weight as my coach is rated for. My coach is placarded at 22500 lbs. for the rear although I don't plan to load it to the gills, I was already over the 20,000 lbs. at storage loading.
Thanks, Larry
'99 Affinity
I

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10309
Larry, I guess I knew about the 20,000 # limit. It seems CC and others have gone to tag axles because of this law, which is odd if rv's are exempt. ???

Walt Rothermel
03Allure30811

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10310
they are not exempt.only garbage trucks, farm crops from field to first delivery point, and equipment that builds roads.

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10312
Larry,

There is no way to handle the problem but reduce the load. Axle weights were revised to 21,000 pounds several years ago but nothing changed. The manufacturer

did not change the axle just raised the rating. There are no axles made above 21,000. In the trucking industry when they need more weight carring load they add an axle and that's what the RV industry did but in some cases to late. So you need to carry less or live with the restriction which know body does and then they blame the coach manufacturer when they have a problem.

Bill G. 2001 Magna #5998

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10313
The manufacturer also rates the axle at 21000 pounds, who cares about the law, that is what the axle is rated to carry. It was upped from 20,000 a few years ago. If the law were 30,000 pounds that would not change the load the axle would carry. The

law is what the government will allow you to carry on the road, the weight restriction is what the axle will carry. Now we all know the axle will not fall apart at 22,000 poiunds because the manufacturer builds in a safety factor but if he told us the rating was 23,000 pounds we would put on 25,000 pounds.
Just like our tires will not come apart when we drive 70mph but most of our front tires are only rated at 65mph.

Bill G. 2001 Magna #5998

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10315
Here are the facts:
1. The federal bridge law limits EVERY vehicle made to a limit not to exceed 20,000 on any axle.
2. RVs are NOT exempt
3. Federal funding provided when new toll roads are built requires that "rolling" scales measure each axle weight as they approach a toll booth
4. If you are over 20,000 pounds on any axle, you will be caught and may be denied access
5. If you exceed the manufacturers weight rating for any axle, you
may be fined and stopped from proceeding any further
I have a friend who has an older non-tag Affinity. His rear axle is rated by Country Coach at 23,000 pounds, but the federal law limits this to 20,000 pounds for access to interstate and toll roads. He got stopped last year when trying to enter the Ohio turnpike. Ohio now has the new rolling scales built with federal funds. His rear axle weighed 22,900 - within the manufacturers safety limit, but exceeding the federal bridge law limitation. He was denied access and had to drive on all back roads across the state of Ohio until he got to a state where they had older toll booths that didn't have rolling scales. According to the federal law, no vehicle (including trucks, RVs, etc.) can have any axle that exceeds 20,000 pounds.
That's why you see some newer trucks that will have 3, 4, 5, or even 6 rear axles now-a-days. Highway specifications for determining how thick to pour the concrete and how to build bridges are all based on the 20,000 pound specification. Vehicles that exceed that specification damage the highway system. The federal government is now enforcing the 20,000 pound limit by forcing states to do so with federally funding.

Moral of the story - you may get away with it for a while, but as more and more rolling scales are being built with federal funds, more people are getting caught. The federal government is enforcing the law more tightly than ever.

A word to the wise is sufficient.

Quote from: tbeer45
Hi all, I'm sorry that this is not tied to the posts refering to > coach wt., but darn, this form formate or setup, what ever, is so > hard for me to nav I gave up, another subject I guess.

With ref to the posting by someone about the max axle wt. of

20,000

Quote
lbs. does this not concern you? I exceed that wt in the rear at a > storage wt, not loaded to go, and would be close to 22,000 loaded

to

Quote
go.

I don't have a tag but I'll bet there are many on this forum that > don't, and may not be aware of the restrictiion.

I guess I was very surprised that this subject received very

little

Quote
discussion here. Over on another forum this subject is still

active.

Quote
Just odd, or maybe it's that this forum is more potpourri than it

is

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10316
You wouldn't care to share the reference where you got the "facts", would you? There is so much disinformation on this subject I would like to read it for myself. Perhaps you could be kind enough to explain why several brand new morothomes are rolling off the assembly lines with axles rated at 23k? Does Monaco as an example not have a legal department that is aware of this? Why would they knowingly violate federal law?

Per

95 Affinity with a 22.5k rear axle!

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10317
No axles made above 21,000? Blatantly not true--my axle is 22,500, and 23,000 are common on many new motorhomes!!

Per

95 Affinity

gablerwh@... wrote:

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10319
in reguards to axles, just because the axle is rated to 23,000lbs doesn't meen you need to load it to that point.
it can mean that the chassis is not pushed to it's limit, you should actually like the fact that they put an axle that can carry more than you place on it....this is a good thing.

this is better on the tires, the suspension and the overall ride.
i myself would feel much better knowing that the chassis under me is not being pushed to the limits.
example: your rear axle could only weigh 19,500lbs, meaning you have an axle that is capable of carring 3500lbs more.....i like that.
so many motor coaches are leaving factories right now that have vertually no carring capacity...let face it we are all going to put 1000-2000lbs of junk in out coaches, with some leaving the factories with 1800lbs CC.......i'll take the extra safety factor anyday.

billb

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10321
Gee whiz Per!!! I started researching the weight limitation laws back about 6 or 7 years ago when we first started looking at diesel pusher coaches. I think it was an instructor at Life on Wheels who first gave me the hard core facts about the federal bridge laws back in July 2000. Since then, I've done lots of digging on the web and reading government publications.

I recall seeing a Monaco Dynasty in 1999 (non-tag) with a CCC of 3480 pounds. Then I looked at the rear axle rating and saw it was 23,000 pounds (3000 over the federal laws). When I subtracted the 3000 pounds from the posted CCC, I realized that I could only carry 480 pounds legally - and that assumes that everything was balanced perfectly between the axles. That's when I started looking seriously at tag axle coaches.

Gerry gave you an exact quote from the California code in posting 10318. You can search on the web and find the same law in most states Department of Transportation web sites. Carol gave you a great answer why some coach manufacturers build coaches with 23,000 ratings on the drive axle - "there is no law that says they can't build it".

Country Coach even covers themselves legally by putting a disclaimer in their brochures that says:

"Country Coach does not represent or warrant that its motorcoaches can lawfully be operated on all roads or in all states. Laws restricting the length, width, and/or weight of vehicles may vary from state to state. ... ... It is the responsibility of each prospective purchaser of a motorcoach to determine any limitations or restrictions on the use of a motorcoach in the states in which the purchaser intends to use it. "

The fact is that most folks don't really want to know the truth about this issue, so they stick their heads in the sand and try to ignore it. As my father taught me many years ago, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse".

The same ignorance applies to driver licensing laws. Most people try to tell you that you don't need a special drivers license to drive a motorhome. Fact is that's wrong in many states! Rather than mix topics, I'll cover what I've learned about licensing laws in a separate posting called DRIVERS LICENSE.

Regards,

Bob Kumza

Quote from: Per Korslund\[br\
]
You wouldn't care to share the reference where you got
the "facts", would you? There is so much disinformation on this subject I would like to read it for myself. Perhaps you could be kind enough to explain why several brand new morothomes are rolling off the assembly lines with axles rated at 23k? Does Monaco as an example not have a legal department that is aware of this? Why would they knowingly violate federal law?

Quote
Per

95 Affinity with a 22.5k rear axle! >

rvrobert2003 wrote:
Here are the facts:

1. The federal bridge law limits EVERY vehicle made to a limit not > to exceed 20,000 on any axle.
2. RVs are NOT exempt

3. Federal funding provided when new toll roads are built requires > that "rolling" scales measure each axle weight as they approach a > toll booth

4. If you are over 20,000 pounds on any axle, you will be caught > and may be denied access

5. If you exceed the manufacturers weight rating for any axle, you > may be fined and stopped from proceeding any further >

I have a friend who has an older non-tag Affinity. His rear axle

is

Quote
rated by Country Coach at 23,000 pounds, but the federal law

limits

Quote
this to 20,000 pounds for access to interstate and toll roads. He > got stopped last year when trying to enter the Ohio turnpike. Ohio > now has the new rolling scales built with federal funds. His rear > axle weighed 22,900 - within the manufacturers safety limit, but > exceeding the federal bridge law limitation. He was denied access > and had to drive on all back roads across the state of Ohio until

he

Quote
got to a state where they had older toll booths that didn't have > rolling scales. According to the federal law, no vehicle

(including

Quote
trucks, RVs, etc.) can have any axle that exceeds 20,000 pounds.
That's why you see some newer trucks that will have 3, 4, 5, or

even

Quote
6 rear axles now-a-days. Highway specifications for determining

how

Quote
thick to pour the concrete and how to build bridges are all based

on

Quote
the 20,000 pound specification. Vehicles that exceed that > specification damage the highway system. The federal government is > now enforcing the 20,000 pound limit by forcing states to do so

with

Quote
federally funding.

Moral of the story - you may get away with it for a while, but as > more and more rolling scales are being built with federal funds, > more people are getting caught. The federal government is

enforcing

Quote
the law more tightly than ever.

A word to the wise is sufficient.

[quote author=tbeer45"

> Hi all, I'm sorry that this is not tied to the posts refering to > > coach wt., but darn, this form formate or setup, what ever, is

so

Quote
hard for me to nav I gave up, another subject I guess.
>

> With ref to the posting by someone about the max axle wt. of > 20,000

> lbs. does this not concern you? I exceed that wt in the rear at

a

Quote
storage wt, not loaded to go, and would be close to 22,000

loaded

Quote
to
> go.
>

> I don't have a tag but I'll bet there are many on this forum

that

Quote
don't, and may not be aware of the restrictiion.
>

> I guess I was very surprised that this subject received very > little

> discussion here. Over on another forum this subject is still > active.

> Just odd, or maybe it's that this forum is more potpourri than

it

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10337
Just recently got back on line and have been reading this thread with interest. Just my opinion......I think what many refer to as a Federal mandate of a 20,000 lb axle weight limit has nothing to do with the capability of the vehicle, but the limits set for highway loads to the pavement. Granted, the axles are physically limited to carry weight and is limited by the limits of the systems weakest link. Whether it be tires, suspension/chassis components or the actual axle. On a large coach I would assume a design engineer would build to the federal highway limits or higher.

Jim

2000 Allure #30511

Quote from: Larry and Teddy Beer
> Walt, I can't remember who, but someone posted that 20,000 lbs. is
a federal max for axle wt. I have a rear axle wt of 22500 lbs. and this concerned me. I have since discovered that this is not 'enforced' on RV , this from another web site. I am still looking into the legal interpretation but I seem to be hindered in that quest by bureaucrats.

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10340
Jim, I think you agree with what has been posted to date. The question remains, why would a coach be designed to weight more than can be legally driven on the nation's highways ? If one of the coach axle weight is over 20,000 lbs. empty sitting in the showroom, what good is it? That coach is 'out of limits' if you will, before loaded to travel, of course it maybe well within the structural limits of the design but not legal to be on the road.

Larry '99 Affinity

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10346
wrote:

Quote
Jim, I think you agree with what has been posted to date. The
question remains, why would a coach be designed to weight more than can be legally driven on the nation's highways ?

As one of the neighborhood cynics, I can tell you why they corporations build coaches that are designed to be over the legal weight...because they want us to buy them and as said in another post in this thread, the only way they can get us to do so is to give us the Cargo Carrying Capacity that we want. So they do that, KNOWING that the coach will be over the legal weight, but caring not at all. Nothing will happen to the corporation if you or I were to be stopped at a weigh station or at one of the moving weigh spots before the toll roads. We will be inconvenienced or given a ticket for being overweight. Think CC will pay the ticket? LOL This is just another good example of "buyer beware" and now that we know, we can't do anything about it because we have thousands invested in the coach built on a lie....no you cannot carry 3000 pounds of stuff in it if you want to be withing the bounds of the law.

Carol

'04 Inspire Genoa
'03 Explorer
Fulltimer

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #17 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10348
Carol, down by my left foot on the side wall, next to the placard for tire size and axle weight is another small placard. It has the coach ID number, the VIN number and a statement that is something like ' this coach is built in compliance of Federal regulations in effect at the time of manufacture' .
What do you think that means? I sure don't know, but if the coach is at say for example, 21,000 lbs. on the rear axle rolling out the door, it sure can't be in compliance of federal regulations, can it?
I'm confused, makes me wonder if this 20,000 lbs. was not originally intended for RVs and things have changed, who knows.

Larry '99 Affinity

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #18 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10369
And somewhere else, it says that you may not be able to drive your coach on all highways and byways. LOL

Carol

'04 Inspire Genoa
'03 Explorer
Fulltimer

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #20 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10388
From: "Larry and Teddy Beer" beerlt@...> Carol wrote ...

Quote
And somewhere else, it says that you may not be able to drive your > > coach on all highways and byways. LOL
> Carol, I sure don't doubt that, but I have never read it. Where did you

see it ?

I'm not Carol (not that that's bad ), but she's probably referring to the prohibition based on motorhome width, which is commonly stated in advertising and owner's literature.

Dick (& Geri) Campagna
'98 36' Intrigue #10571
Mfd: 11/97

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #21 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10393
Dear Per; The FMCA table that I just posted to the Country Coach Owners Yahoo web site shows at least 15 states (or more) that have "special" drivers license requirements to drive motorhomes over 26,000 lbs. It is difficult to tell from the table exactly how many more do, but I had heard that the number was approaching 50% of states.
Bob

Quote from: Per Korslund\[br\
]
You wouldn't care to share the reference where you got
the "facts", would you? There is so much disinformation on this subject I would like to read it for myself. Perhaps you could be kind enough to explain why several brand new morothomes are rolling off the assembly lines with axles rated at 23k? Does Monaco as an example not have a legal department that is aware of this? Why would they knowingly violate federal law?

Quote
Per

95 Affinity with a 22.5k rear axle! >

rvrobert2003 wrote:
Here are the facts:

1. The federal bridge law limits EVERY vehicle made to a limit not > to exceed 20,000 on any axle.
2. RVs are NOT exempt

3. Federal funding provided when new toll roads are built requires > that "rolling" scales measure each axle weight as they approach a > toll booth

4. If you are over 20,000 pounds on any axle, you will be caught > and may be denied access

5. If you exceed the manufacturers weight rating for any axle, you > may be fined and stopped from proceeding any further >

I have a friend who has an older non-tag Affinity. His rear axle

is

Quote
rated by Country Coach at 23,000 pounds, but the federal law

limits

Quote
this to 20,000 pounds for access to interstate and toll roads. He > got stopped last year when trying to enter the Ohio turnpike. Ohio > now has the new rolling scales built with federal funds. His rear > axle weighed 22,900 - within the manufacturers safety limit, but > exceeding the federal bridge law limitation. He was denied access > and had to drive on all back roads across the state of Ohio until

he

Quote
got to a state where they had older toll booths that didn't have > rolling scales. According to the federal law, no vehicle

(including

Quote
trucks, RVs, etc.) can have any axle that exceeds 20,000 pounds.
That's why you see some newer trucks that will have 3, 4, 5, or

even

Quote
6 rear axles now-a-days. Highway specifications for determining

how

Quote
thick to pour the concrete and how to build bridges are all based

on

Quote
the 20,000 pound specification. Vehicles that exceed that > specification damage the highway system. The federal government is > now enforcing the 20,000 pound limit by forcing states to do so

with

Quote
federally funding.

Moral of the story - you may get away with it for a while, but as > more and more rolling scales are being built with federal funds, > more people are getting caught. The federal government is

enforcing

Quote
the law more tightly than ever.

A word to the wise is sufficient.

[quote author=tbeer45"

> Hi all, I'm sorry that this is not tied to the posts refering to > > coach wt., but darn, this form formate or setup, what ever, is

so

Quote
hard for me to nav I gave up, another subject I guess.
>

> With ref to the posting by someone about the max axle wt. of > 20,000

> lbs. does this not concern you? I exceed that wt in the rear at

a

Quote
storage wt, not loaded to go, and would be close to 22,000

loaded

Quote
to
> go.
>

> I don't have a tag but I'll bet there are many on this forum

that

Quote
don't, and may not be aware of the restrictiion.
>

> I guess I was very surprised that this subject received very > little

> discussion here. Over on another forum this subject is still > active.

> Just odd, or maybe it's that this forum is more potpourri than

it

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #22 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10415
Why don't we all stop bitching about weight and just admit that we don't do much research when we buy the coach. No one ever told me I could carry a motor cycle, and tow a Hummer with my CC. I checked everything before I purchased the coach and knew what I could carry. That's why I go to rallies and have purchased a 2005 Magna 40 foot. Most people don't check things out before they buy but thats not CCIs fault, it's in the specs. and most of this is our fault. We demand everything from the biggist engine to the kitchen sink and then we bitch that the coach is to heavy.
Several years ago a commuter plane went down because it was over loaded and above the weight limits. Was that the plane manufacturers fault or the airlines fault? We need to take some responsibility for what we do in life and not always blame the other guy.
Back in the mid ninties a company called Safari built a very nice MH that was simple, with hydrulic brakes and a spring system. It was light and simple and had aluminum and stainless steel on the outside. But people wanted more so they sold out to Monoco and now they have all the goodies and are the same weight we are. They also now look like a Monoco. The point is that we are the problem as much as the manufacturer.

Bill G. 2001 Magna #5998

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #23 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10425
Bill G. I for one have been trying to glean a little insight from this group as to how it is that there is a 20000 lbs. single axle limit on a lot of the nations highways then how is it that coaches are rolling off the line empty with axle weights greater that 20000 lbs. not just at CC but other manufactures as well, check out the Prevost. You or no one else has answered this question. Now if that is Bitching, then I am surprised you feel that way

Larry

'99 Affinity

Re: 20.000 lbs axle wt.

Reply #24 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10427
Quote from: Larry and Teddy Beer
> Carol, I sure don't doubt that, but I have never read it. Where
did you see it ?

Quote
Larry
Oh, Geez, Larry, I don't remember! LOL I guess I need to leave a little more of the post generating my response so I can remember if someone questions me. 8-) I think I was quoting one of the previous posters.

Carol