Wt. per Axel / Which most owners do not know: Do You

[MDTdriver]

Hi I have a 2000 4700 and 2004 Prowler Reagl AX6

When I bought truck used, with 2 people a full fuel 120gals.Wt. was
Solo: Front Axel 7620 Rear Axel 5720
GAWR: Front Axel 10,000 Rear Axel 15,000 Air bags 17,500

Loaded whith 2 people/dog :P /electric scooter(no back seat) full storage bay and 3 storage boxes on bed.
Solo: Front Axel 7900 Rear Axel 6640
With 5er Front Axel 8200 Rear Axel 9700
5ER Axels 13,000 (GAWR 4,000lbs. each) (Spring Rating 4,000each)

Now for tire pressure for Michelin 245x70x19.5 The minimum tire pressure stated by Michelin Costomer Service 75lbs. for all tires Front or Rear

A front axel load of 7,900lbs air pressure 95lbs. which has a load carry of
8,200lbs. a 300lb reserve for load transfer due to braking

A rear axel load of 6,640lbs air pressure 75lbs. which has a load carry of 12,840lbs in dual setup on rear

So in my truck I can run air at the same pressure loaded or unloaded

I am on Escapee MDT FORUM AND RV NET FORUM also

[glav]

Hello name here is Gene. I too am full timing since Mar 2003. Have a Dodge 1 ton dually with a 1998 AutoMate Fifer. With this truck I am concerned about GCWR. I have two questions for you.

1) Does MDTs have such a spec?

2) With the front axle at 5000 lbs and 10000 lbs with the rear axle, what is the GVW?

Thanks

[Motor31]

Glav,

Yes MDT's have a gcvw limitation and it should be a part of the truck documentation and posted on the truck.

As to the second question. I'm not sure if you are just asking for the current weight of the vehicle you wrote about or are asking what the max weight would be. The axle weights you listed shows the truck weighs 15,000 lbs. at the time you weighed it. It does not mean that is it's max weight. The factory determines that.


Just a comment. Considering 300 lbs for "weight transfer in braking" is a very miniscule amount. The weight transfer will be far more than that, but I believe the manufacturer took that into account when they designed the unit. Otherwise we would see vehicles broken down on the street all over the place just because they hit the brakes.

[MDTdriver]

Hi Gene
My 4700 has a gcvw of 45,000 lbs.
I should have put that in my first post.

[glav]

Hi MDTdriver, what I want to know is "What is your life style?" I know you are full timing in your 5er. Do you tour areas after you arrive at your campsite? How do you see the local sites? I have not seen many posts from MDT owners that say they drive those larger trucks around to the local sites. I think they must as not too many have another vehicle for touring. Do you have any advice, pros and cons, about owning and maintaining an MDTs. Do you change your own oil changes? Do you rotate your own tires? Can you go to a local WalMart and get an oil change? These are the things that drive me crazy! Can't seem to get MDT owners to talk about these items. I have always done my own maintenance and repairs in my past. I am trying to change over to have the work done at good dealers. But finding them is a big problem for me. Can you go or what kind of stores/shops do you go to, to buys toys for your truck? This is one of the reasons I would like to stay with a 1 ton. It is these kinds of things I wished some MDT owners would discuss. I already know the benefits of the larger trucks with the bigger 5ers, tell me about the rest of your life style owning the larger trucks.
Take Care and Travel Safely

[MDTdriver]

Hi Gene
I will send you a pm and try to give you some reply to questions.
Happy New Year
Larry & Kathy

[CampingCaptain]

MDTdriver,

Gene asked a lot of the same questions I have had. We're going to be going full time in a Mobile Suite (I think) sometime in 2007. I know an MDT will do a better job of pulling the heavy Mobile Suite 5er, but wonder about things such as driving everyday and trying to park, etc. If possible, could you post your experiences here on the forum? Or, I'd love to hear from you directly by pm if that is the way you'd prefer to go. Thanking you in advance.

[jayc]

MDTdriver,
I'm sure that there are lots of us that would love to have an MDT, especially one that is as good-looking as yours is, but I can't justify one to the wife to drive to the Wal Mart. Our plans are to go to take the trailer to Colorado or somewhere else where the weather is nice during the summer and then return to Texas for the winter. We will likely make a couple of trips while in Texas, but nothing else to explain the big truck.

[MDTdriver]

Hi jayc
We were fulltime for 3 1/2 years before we desided an MDT was what we should have. We only run 12 to 20,000 miles a year, but we do cross the country 6 to 8,000 mile round trip plus side trips North & South. So we believe it is a saftey factor for us. And since we bought it used the cost was about 1/3 more than our first 1 ton dually with utility bed 8x8ft.
Which makes both trucks about the same length and for me about the same width the MDT just taller. I do drive it the same places I drove the 1 ton. So it does work for us but not everyone.

Larry & Kathy plus Mojo