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Old 10-16-2017, 09:07 AM   #1
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Name: Patricia
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side to side balance?

J am nearing the end of the reno on my trailer and I have made some changes in the layout from the original. I Have read about balancing from side to side in the axle/wheel area but am interested in actual numbers. Obviously no difference between the sides is optimal but what would be an acceptable/safe?
20 lbs, 50 lbs, 75 lbs ?
Since most of the imbalance will be caused by the water reservoirs and portapotti on the driver's side, could I offset that with water jugs as ballast on the curb side?
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Old 10-16-2017, 09:59 AM   #2
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Patricia,

I had some 90 to 160 lbs of imbalance in our Casita under different conditions. It may have even exceeded this at times.

Escape places their spare tire off center; I suspect this is to offset imbalance.

One criteria is to make sure that a tire is not over its individual load-rating. Other than that, I don't know that it's a super-critical concern. I'll be interested to see what others have to say here.
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Old 10-16-2017, 10:34 AM   #3
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I suspect you'd want to look at the imbalance as a percentage rather than a fixed weight. A 100# difference on a 10,000# trailer is one thing. A 100# difference on a 1000# trailer is another.

It's a good question.
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Old 10-16-2017, 11:13 AM   #4
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balance....

I think my specific model trailer, BF17CB, came out of the factory unbalanced side to side. I found this out after breaking a spring (rough roads) and looking more into the balance issue...

the CB model was/is an evolution on the G model...except for the sink and stove all other elements stayed on the left side of the trailer... the fridge got a LOT heavier as well as the heater....I believe the imbalance was there the day the trailer came out of the factory (If you look closely at a G...there's hardly anything on the right side so it too must have started left side heavy)

turns out, in my case, the DPO made and existing problem/issue worse by going to two six volt batteries and locating them inside under the LEFT dinette seat.

I have since moved the batteries to the right side of the trailer but that did not, from what I could see, solved the problem entirely....So now ANYTHING that comes into my trailer either goes right side if it's heavy....anything that is light in weight gets stored left side....I do this all the time as much as possible.

I thought of shifting the center mounted fresh and grey water tanks....moving/shifting one or both was very doable but the resulting plumbing work needed to do that made it a "bridge too far" for me right now...so they remain where they are.
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Old 10-16-2017, 01:19 PM   #5
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Good topic, and one we've been thinking about, too. When we had Peanut weighed, we noticed the sides are considerably different; neither tire is over its weight limit, but still...

We "try" to pack heavier now on the right, but it's just not configured for that to be the heavier load. Still, we've shifted some things. We can do a bit more and this inspires me to think harder about what we can do.

Glad to read people's experiences and thoughts on this.

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Old 10-16-2017, 01:52 PM   #6
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I load trucks for a living. The reason most of these trailers come out of the factory with the driver side heavier is to counter-act the crown ofnthe road. We usually load the big rigs a little heavier to the drivers side for the same reason. Most rigs that tip over are on unbanked corner turning to the left.
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Old 10-16-2017, 02:14 PM   #7
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The designers do take side to side balance in consideration when designing RVs.
What the balanced weight of an trailer that rolls out the factory door is not what the only consideration in their design. They are absolutely design wise considering the balance for when it is loaded with typical supplies, water, food, clothes, etc.

The issue is you might not fit into that "typical use" box for what you take along, I know I don't So I use the storage space in my tow vehicle to compensate for my own particular needs that might throw off the side to side or front to back balance.
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Old 10-16-2017, 06:30 PM   #8
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Mine is a single axle torsion bar sprung trailer of about 1100 lbs dry. Had a neutral balance as made, mainly because there was not much in it. Was 900 lbs and I've added a chest freezer and air conditioner centered in the front.

I have now put my four batteries, 60 lbs each for a total of 240 lbs, over the axle just inside of the passenger side wheel well.

This would balance for the 250 lbs of potential clean water that could be carried in the 30 gallon fresh water tank that now sits over the axle just inside the driver's side wheel well.

I don't always carry water, though, because lots of places have hook up or a place to fill on your way in when you arrive.

Your thread has me thinking about carrying a full water tank anyway, to have a balanced load.

My old long long trailer was loaded with appliances all along the passenger side and I never noticed a problem pulling it. Probably because of the percentage observation of the earlier post by St Stefan - that thing weighed a million pounds!
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Old 10-16-2017, 09:30 PM   #9
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stefans

daang I never thought about this so simple an answer!!


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Old 10-17-2017, 06:59 AM   #10
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My Scamp 13 came from the factory nearly balanced, within 20 pounds. After 40k miles under various loading, with and without fresh water, holding tanks at various levels, I have never noticed any handling issue that I could attribute to side to side balance.

Now if the tongue gets too light, that's quite different and I learn all about sway.

The pic is of some folks I met at Grand Teton National Park.
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Old 10-17-2017, 07:01 AM   #11
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hey

john some idiots in st Louis were taking selfiess of themselves with elks they got gored.

did they get what they deserved? crazy people today!

bob
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Old 10-17-2017, 08:34 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by k0wtz View Post
john some idiots in st Louis were taking selfiess of themselves with elks they got gored.

did they get what they deserved? crazy people today!

bob
Agreed Bob, I favor keeping far away and using my point and shoot's 20x zoom. Not to mention trying to not disturb the wildlife. We saw a dad encouraging his 5 year old kid to stand next to a bison at Yellowstone for a picture. Kid didn't want to. Dad kept saying get closer. Bison flexed his muscles and shook his shaggy coat. Kid nearly passed out and must have not been worth much the rest of the day. All were very lucky.

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Old 10-17-2017, 09:27 AM   #13
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wowser

there are just no limits today! those are the same folks who get upset over about anything!

bob
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Old 10-17-2017, 09:35 AM   #14
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john I really am going outside but I have to post this. We are waaaay to serious it gets in the way of enjoyment. One day I saw a 13f Scamper going east on I70 a semi was close to it.


It really looked funny so I started posting below my sig a 13f Scamper looks ridiculous wow did I get it! Then people didn't like my spelling, my grammer and finally just didn't like me. It made no sense? But in our new day we have to watch everything we do again makes no sense!


Life is for fun as you get older that is all that is left. I got skunked the last 2x trouting its not the end I will be back next year for more fun. I want to catch a lunker been close but no lunker yet. I go there and people have 100s in their gear. Are they really having fun? I wonder? I have maybe 25bux in my stuff!!


bob


life is good in a 13f Scamper but they do look ridiculous!!!!
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Old 10-17-2017, 09:54 AM   #15
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John and Bob, I once saw a Ford Super duty with Duellies towing a Teardrop trailer. I wish I could have taken a picture. It was just hilarious! Now that was ridiculous looking!
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Old 10-17-2017, 11:10 AM   #16
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funny

that is funny as h! one trouting trip a guy turns up with a canam towing a teardrop can you top that one?

bob
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Old 10-17-2017, 11:11 AM   #17
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casreful

I have to be very careful too much fun you know!!

bob


a 13f Scamper looks ridiculous

oh we got to do some tours mon!!!!
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Old 10-17-2017, 04:42 PM   #18
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John and Bob, I once saw a Ford Super duty with Duellies towing a Teardrop trailer. I wish I could have taken a picture. It was just hilarious! Now that was ridiculous looking!
On the other end of the spectrum, a few years ago we saw a T@B teardrop being towed by a Mustang, with matching colors. That piqued our interest and we ended up buying a fiberglass trailer.
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Old 10-18-2017, 08:35 AM   #19
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side to side balance?

So, summarizing what has been said... some left/right imbalance is acceptable or possibly even desirable, in which case it may be better to have the street side heavier than the curbside (opposite of most side dinette layouts). It can be mitigated by how you load.

But the original question- how much is too much?- remains open. Based on the limited data that's been shared, a difference of 5-6% of GAW is not a cause for concern. 10% seems like it might be reaching a danger zone- that would amount to a 275 pound difference on a typical Casita 17.

A target of 5% of GAW or less seems reasonable, assuming neither side exceeds the tire rating or half the axle rating. I'm not making a pronouncement here, just throwing a number out for discussion.

I wonder if axle manufacturers might have something to say?
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Old 10-18-2017, 01:38 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ststefan View Post
I load trucks for a living. The reason most of these trailers come out of the factory with the driver side heavier is to counter-act the crown ofnthe road. We usually load the big rigs a little heavier to the drivers side for the same reason. Most rigs that tip over are on unbanked corner turning to the left.


So they tip over toward the right?

I absolutely dread the idea of tipping over--the van, the trailer, both... so being heavier on the driver's side is a good thing? Whew! 'Cause Peanut is.

Peanut seems to be designed to balance and tow very well, and our van feels more stable when towing Peanut...but this is interesting to know anyway.

Thanks!
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