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10-24-2017, 10:45 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: NorCal
Posts: 60
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Axles/leaf springs
Why would Forest river put only 3500 lb. axle/springs on a 2013 Salem 27RKSS with a dry weight of 6366 lbs.and cargo capacity not to exceed 1316 lbs. for a total of 7682 lbs. I realized this After discovering a broken leaf spring on one set and the other three sets flattened. This seems unsafe to me. Am I wrong?
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Salem 27rkss
2005 Ram 1500
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10-24-2017, 11:25 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 446
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If your GAWR is indeed 3500# each axle and if your axle is is indeed configured correctly:
2 x 3500 = 7000#
7682 x 12.5%(avg. hitch weight)= 960#
7862 - 960 = 6722#
7000 - 6722 = 278#
Looks fine.
If you found 1 broken leaf and 3 flat spring sets on at the other wheels, seems like misconfigured axles UNLESS you have overloaded your trailer to cause the springs to flatten/break. Or, since it is a 2013, could the springs have fatigued from overloads over the years?
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2016 Microlite 21DS
2014 Ram 1500 QC 6 cyl. 8 spd.
Blue Ox SwayPro
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10-24-2017, 11:31 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 672
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You must subtract the tongue weight from the total to get the true axle weight.
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Retired Auto body teacher
2021 Arctic Wolf 3550 Suite
2019 F-250 Lariat Super Crew 6.2
Having lots of Fun traveling with my wife
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10-24-2017, 01:06 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Pinellas Co.
Posts: 139
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For my Rockwood 2306 I found that each axle was 2200 pounds. So I called Dexter Axle and asked the very same question that you did here. And they told me what others have already replied, that once you take off the tongue weight, the axles are in spec for the trailer.
And that's when I had on of life's "Oh, duh" moments. [emoji1]
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2008 Honda Ridgeline
2013 Rockwood Mini Lite
10k Equali-i-zer WDH
Tekonsha Prodigy P2 Brake Control
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10-24-2017, 02:02 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: NorCal
Posts: 60
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Quote:
Originally Posted by windsurfdog
If your GAWR is indeed 3500# each axle and if your axle is is indeed configured correctly:
2 x 3500 = 7000#
7682 x 12.5%(avg. hitch weight)= 960#
7862 - 960 = 6722#
7000 - 6722 = 278#
Looks fine.
If you found 1 broken leaf and 3 flat spring sets on at the other wheels, seems like misconfigured axles UNLESS you have overloaded your trailer to cause the springs to flatten/break. Or, since it is a 2013, could the springs have fatigued from overloads over the years?
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Thanks I’m a novice so I figured I was missing something. The hitch weight on my trailer is 760# according to paperwork. The numbers still work just barely. Trailer has never been close to overloaded we only go on four day trips less than 6 hours from home and never carry water in any of the tanks. Just clothes,food and normal camping stuff which most of that is in the back of my tow vehicle.
__________________
Salem 27rkss
2005 Ram 1500
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12-10-2017, 11:30 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: El Cajon (Crest)
Posts: 143
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Axles/leaf springs
Once again I found what I was looking for just by seeing what others had to say. So thanks to afff2018 for his asking, and thanks to windsurfdog and old 40ford for answering. I had the same question, and now have the answer. And the light turns on.
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12-10-2017, 11:46 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Big brown desert
Posts: 3,003
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Axles/leaf springs
Now remember that the same logic you just read applies to the tires also. My original LRC tires were within (think over) 200lbs of max weight. Then was told to subtract the tongue weight.
I don’t know about you all but that is too close to the line for me and I upgraded to D’s.
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2014 Stealth Evo 2850- "Woodstock"
2011 Toyota Tundra Rock Crawler TRD 5.7- "Clifford"
2013 Honda Accord Coupe V6 w/Track Pack- "Julia"
Just glad to get away
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12-11-2017, 12:50 AM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 15
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I posted my frustration on this topic several months ago, bent both axles on my 2016 Evo220rbs on trip to Alaska. Most seem to assume overloading, too fast on rough roads,etc. I am careful to do neither, and it does not change the fact that the axles are all at the ragged edge of being maxed out instead of leaving a comfortable safety margin. Now spending thousands to upgrade axles so I don't have to worry about this happening every time I hit a bump. Forest River is no different than any other manufacturer in this regard, but sure wish they all would spec a bit heavier duty on at least the suspension and tires. Way too many people have failures with these components.
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12-11-2017, 06:00 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: ALASKA (World's Biggest Campground)
Posts: 6,594
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Quote:
Originally Posted by windsurfdog
If your GAWR is indeed 3500# each axle and if your axle is is indeed configured correctly:
2 x 3500 = 7000#
7682 x 12.5%(avg. hitch weight)= 960#
7862 - 960 = 6722#
7000 - 6722 = 278#
Looks fine.
If you found 1 broken leaf and 3 flat spring sets on at the other wheels, seems like misconfigured axles UNLESS you have overloaded your trailer to cause the springs to flatten/break. Or, since it is a 2013, could the springs have fatigued from overloads over the years?
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Those figures are too close to the edge of the envelope for me. I had my choice of two Salem 27RKSS's in 2016, and both had 5200 axles underneath. Never looked at a 2017 model, but my dealer has one 2018 and it is equipped with 5200's as well.
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'07 K3500 Silverado LT Crew Duramax (LBZ)
2016 Salem 27RKSS
1984 CHEV SCOTTSDALE K20 2GCGK24J0E1XXXXXX (Chevrolet Legends-Class of 2019)
"...exhaust fluid? We don't need no stinkin' exhaust fluid"
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