85Raderguy Posted May 27, 2018 Author Share Posted May 27, 2018 (edited) Hmmm, okay. Doubt I'm under 4k. I'd have to wager the rig weighs somewhere around 4200 if I had to guess. Where's the best place to get a proper front and rear axle weight measurements? And assuming I end up being in the 4200-4500 range, what then is the best option / permanent solution for this? Edited May 27, 2018 by 85Raderguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted May 27, 2018 Share Posted May 27, 2018 12 minutes ago, 85Raderguy said: Hmmm, okay. Doubt I'm under 4k. I'd have to wager the rig weighs somewhere around 4200 if I had to guess. Where's the best place to get a proper front and rear axle weight measurements? And assuming I end up being in the 4200-4500 range, what then is the best option / permanent solution for this? He said the weight over your rear axle. Your butt doesn't weigh more than 2200 lbs probably less. Plenty of tires can handle that weight. Lots of truck stops have scales. I had my rig weighed at a farmers weigh stop. Just google truck scales with your zip. Something will come up Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted May 27, 2018 Share Posted May 27, 2018 "Certified wet weight: 3650lb." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted May 27, 2018 Share Posted May 27, 2018 Here's what Dolphins were doing in 1978. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85Raderguy Posted May 27, 2018 Author Share Posted May 27, 2018 Nice find Derek! Yea, I had a feeling it didn't weigh much. Being able to cruise 50-55 up passes in 4th gear most of the time and averaging about 18.5mpg. Was the fooly setup something that broke because of the actual weight of campers being too much for it, or because of the design itself? I am curious what those '78 dolphins weighed it at wet. I'm also curious if anyone else with a 78 rear door Sunrader and foolys has had an axle failure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted May 27, 2018 Share Posted May 27, 2018 Not a '78 Sunrader, rear-door, but all smaller lightweight failures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85Raderguy Posted May 28, 2018 Author Share Posted May 28, 2018 Ouch, these look horrible. Is the failure in these on a servicable part like the bearing? or the axle shaft itself snaps? Just trying to determine if my current axle that hasn't yet failed is salvageable insofar as I can get it all serviced, new bearings, and a SRW setup without having to source a new rear axle assembly to do so? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 It's the axle that breaks, which takes the wheel and brake drum with it. Metal fatigue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigersRreal Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 On 5/26/2018 at 11:25 PM, fred heath said: Big thing with singles is the weight of your mh over the rear axle. As long as your under 4K lbs.(est) single D rated tires should carry the weight. Wider track will add stability but with wide singles you’re back to extra stress on those shafts. Hey Fred, following up on this - if you did a swap like yours, though, then the GAWR is 8,600lbs so alllll good, right? -Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred heath Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 1 hour ago, TigersRreal said: Hey Fred, following up on this - if you did a swap like yours, though, then the GAWR is 8,600lbs so alllll good, right? -Neil All is good. I’ll never get near 8,600#. Because I’m running singles, and the max tire diameter I can use is 27” (and still clear the wheel wells and bump stop) puts my over axle rate at about 4K max. My whole rig only weighs 4200 lbs. with me in it. So no danger of popping a tire. This is why you have to have an accurate over axle rate that falls in that 4K or less. If more than that you won’t find singles that can carry the extra weight safely. The track with the singles is just a solid as it was with the duels. Tolls are also way cheaper. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigersRreal Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 2 hours ago, fred heath said: All is good. I’ll never get near 8,600#. Because I’m running singles, and the max tire diameter I can use is 27” (and still clear the wheel wells and bump stop) puts my over axle rate at about 4K max. My whole rig only weighs 4200 lbs. with me in it. So no danger of popping a tire. This is why you have to have an accurate over axle rate that falls in that 4K or less. If more than that you won’t find singles that can carry the extra weight safely. The track with the singles is just a solid as it was with the duels. Tolls are also way cheaper. 🙂 Right on, man, that's great because your '79 is small/lighter than let's say an '84 21ft Sunrader - and so for that rig they wouldn't want to go Singles. And that is because - while the 1-ton FF axle is fine- any single wheel won't be able to hold the weight of a heavy MH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred heath Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 7 minutes ago, TigersRreal said: Right on, man, that's great because your '79 is small/lighter than let's say an '84 21ft Sunrader - and so for that rig they wouldn't want to go Singles. And that is because - while the 1-ton FF axle is fine- any single wheel won't be able to hold the weight of a heavy MH. It’s all based on weight. Sunraders are pretty light. If your rear over axle weight is 4K or less, singles will work. Length has nothing to do with weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigersRreal Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 Just now, fred heath said: It’s all based on weight. Sunraders are pretty light. If your rear over axle weight is 4K or less, singles will work. Length has nothing to do with weight. Okay, I see what you mean- and what I meant is that a longer rig could mean a heavier rig simply because of more materials used/ more space for more stuff inside of the mh. When you refer to rear over axle weight do you mean when I have just the rear axle on a scale? -Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred heath Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 (edited) 27 minutes ago, TigersRreal said: Okay, I see what you mean- and what I meant is that a longer rig could mean a heavier rig simply because of more materials used/ more space for more stuff inside of the mh. When you refer to rear over axle weight do you mean when I have just the rear axle on a scale? -Neil Yes. That’s the weight that’s resting on the tires. They make bigger tires that hold more weight but you’re limited by wheel well clearance. 4K is the most you can put on a 27”diameter tire. A bigger tire will not fit. Just as a post script, I purchased Thunder Rangers 402 from simpletire in size 205/70R-15 rated at 2094lbs each about a year ago. Tires are great. Currently about $84 each. Will buy again when I upgrade the fronts to 15”. Edited March 20, 2019 by fred heath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigersRreal Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 6 minutes ago, fred heath said: Yes. That’s the weight that’s resting on the tires. They make bigger tires that hold more weight but you’re limited by wheel well clearance. 4K is the most you can put on a 27”diameter tire. A bigger tire will not fit. All of this info is opening up my eyes - there are a few axles that could potentially fit in the rear, then. I think I'd like to source a 10.5" Corporate 14 Bolt Differential - seems like a lot of people go that route and it can be a less expensive option as well as easier to find at pick'n'pulls. Thanks for all the good info, Fred. -Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred heath Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 5 minutes ago, TigersRreal said: All of this info is opening up my eyes - there are a few axles that could potentially fit in the rear, then. I think I'd like to source a 10.5" Corporate 14 Bolt Differential - seems like a lot of people go that route and it can be a less expensive option as well as easier to find at pick'n'pulls. Thanks for all the good info, Fred. -Neil No worries. Remember you’ll have to have a new rear driveshaft fabricated. The 14 bolt takes a Spicer 44 u-joint. At the time no shops carried an adapter to fit my factory Toyota driveshaft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigersRreal Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 2 hours ago, fred heath said: No worries. Remember you’ll have to have a new rear driveshaft fabricated. The 14 bolt takes a Spicer 44 u-joint. At the time no shops carried an adapter to fit my factory Toyota driveshaft. Gotcha! Something like this would've come in handy - http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/1310-to-toyota-conversion-ujoint-u-joint-universal-joint-tdi-1310-toyuj.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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