Project LM 365

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn · Jan 8, 2019

Here are some pictures of my JoyRider top plates. Now I'm almost sure that's what is causing them to brake right past the U-bolt top plate. Tha factory plates are rolled up at each end and mine are square.
I ground this one down today to make it more rounded at both ends.

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CarterKraft · Jan 8, 2019

Good catch, a stress riser on a spring is for sure a failure point.

It would be nice if they would make double eye wrap springs for this application.

Gary521 · Jan 8, 2019

I think that there is a bigger issue than the upcurve on the plate. It is that short piece of spring material under the plate? My springs do not have this short piece under the "U" bolt plate. Unless I am seeing something that is not there in the first picture, I see a short piece under the "u" bolt plate. Grinding this plate does no good if that short piece is there. It also appears that these springs are different than the original springs in your picture of the brake bracket.

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn · Jan 8, 2019

That short piece is my top spring that is broken.

Most of the pictures are my rig. The factory plates are a big horn I think.

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Kathi-27 · Jan 8, 2019

are you going to stay around for the national rally after morryde

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn · Jan 8, 2019

Yes that is the plan

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Kathi-27 · Jan 8, 2019

jesstalkn said:
Yes that is the plan

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great will be great to meet you. did a lot of your mods on our big horn and starting to do some to our lm Newport.

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn · Jan 10, 2019

Kathi-27 said:
great will be great to meet you. did a lot of your mods on our big horn and starting to do some to our lm Newport.

looking forward to it.

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn · Jan 10, 2019

Decided to go weigh the rig today.
The truck was only 1/3 full on fuel. I'd guess I could take 25 to 30 more gallons, about 220 lbs.
All holding tanks are empty. Add 800lbs if I had a full fresh water tank. We take a full tank when we go to the state park on the coast.

Here's the numbers for today

Gross weight 29,360 Truck & RV (Tanks all empty)

Truck weight 9,640 without RV (Low on fuel)

Trailer weight 19,720 RV Gross weight 29,360 - 9,640 Truck weight = 19,720

Trailer axle weight 15,100

Trailer pin weight 4,560 Drive axle weight with RV 9,040 - 4,480 = 4,560 drive axle weight W/O RV

you'll see my front steer axle only went up 60lbs 5,220 - 5160 = 60

Trailer GVWR 17,500

Truck GVWR 32,200 "I think or somewhere around that".

So in conclusion 19720 - 17500 = 2,220 over the GVWR of the RV tag, without water

Not even close to what the truck can handle

billk263 · Jan 11, 2019

jesstalkn said:
Decided to go weigh the rig today.
The truck was only 1/3 full on fuel. I'd guess I could take 25 to 30 more gallons, about 220 lbs.
All holding tanks are empty. Add 800lbs if I had a full fresh water tank. We take a full tank when we go to the state park on the coast.

Here's the numbers for today

Gross weight 29,360 Truck & RV (Tanks all empty)

Truck weight 9,640 without RV (Low on fuel)

Trailer weight 19,720 RV Gross weight 29,360 - 9,640 Truck weight = 19,720

Trailer axle weight 15,100

Trailer pin weight 4,560 Drive axle weight with RV 9,040 - 4,480 = 4,560 drive axle weight W/O RV

you'll see my front steer axle only went up 60lbs 5,220 - 5160 = 60

Trailer GVWR 17,500

Truck GVWR 32,200 "I think or somewhere around that".

So in conclusion 19720 - 17500 = 2,220 over the GVWR of the RV tag, without water
Not even close to what the truck can handle

It’s like what I keep telling Irene, “ time to get rid of some of her shoes”

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danemayer · Jan 11, 2019

Jerrod,

IMO 2,200 lbs over the trailer's GVWR is pretty significant. Even though the truck may be ok, you need to think about the structure of the trailer and the suspension. You have to consider weight as a likely factor in your spring problems. 15,100 on the axles is quite a bit. Also consider that the weight on each wheel may not be 25% of the total.

It's also worth noting that force=mass*acceleration. When you're towing at highway speed, every bump in the road causes acceleration that leads to forces more significant at the higher weight (and at higher speeds).

Might be time to lighten up.

Kathi-27 · Jan 11, 2019

thought lm gvw was 18000

carl.swoyer · Jan 11, 2019

danemayer said:
Jerrod,

IMO 2,200 lbs over the trailer's GVWR is pretty significant. Even though the truck may be ok, you need to think about the structure of the trailer and the suspension. You have to consider weight as a likely factor in your spring problems. 15,100 on the axles is quite a bit. Also consider that the weight on each wheel may not be 25% of the total.

It's also worth noting that force=mass*acceleration. When you're towing at highway speed, every bump in the road causes acceleration that leads to forces more significant at the higher weight (and at higher speeds).

Might be time to lighten up.

Dane,
Great point! I've been home here in Spring Hill FL since November and I have removed a lot of weight from the Landmark. My previous Trailer weight was 16240 pretty close to the MFG max .
It seems like as we travel we think we need to bring this, that, and those. As soon as I get back on the road I'll hit the scales again. Bouncing around the country on horrible roads ( I 81 in Pennsylvania) plays havock on the fifth wheel chassis never mind doing so overweight. I wasn't over the factory specs but close. It will be interesting to see how much weight I actually got rid of.

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Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn · Jan 11, 2019

danemayer said:
Jerrod,

IMO 2,200 lbs over the trailer's GVWR is pretty significant. Even though the truck may be ok, you need to think about the structure of the trailer and the suspension. You have to consider weight as a likely factor in your spring problems. 15,100 on the axles is quite a bit. Also consider that the weight on each wheel may not be 25% of the total.

It's also worth noting that force=mass*acceleration. When you're towing at highway speed, every bump in the road causes acceleration that leads to forces more significant at the higher weight (and at higher speeds).

Might be time to lighten up.

I agree Dan but with the gen and a few other things we were close to that 17500 weight when we picked it up from the dealer. I'll have to find that scale tag, I know I have it. We can shed a few things out but not 2k

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travelin2 · Jan 11, 2019

What did your rig weigh off the production line? Yellow tag on door frame...

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Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn · Jan 11, 2019

travelin2 said:
What did your rig weigh off the production line? Yellow tag on door frame...

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It's wrong anyway.
The tag says 14,661lbs
I had the Gen and solar installed at my dealer before we picked it up then went and weighed it on the way home.
The real dry weight is 15,760lbs

You can see from this old tag from day 1 that we have added 2k over the axle.
And some more on the pin box.
I think my GMC was 8,440 back then.
My 2017 F350 is 9,640 low on fuel.

I will go through and trim some stuff to lighten the load but I can't amagin what the Full timers must be weighing in at. I just have a few things I might need in there. Some people have everything in theirs. :/

FYI all of those weights are without Zoey in the truck, just incase some of you were wondering.

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travelin2 · Jan 11, 2019

The tag is not wrong... of course dealer added options are in addition to off the production line weights. It’s been said many times on this forum that a rig’s weight and height are unknown unless/until it’s weighed and measured
Now you know what your outfit weighs and appropriate changes determined

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danemayer · Jan 11, 2019

And of course we all remember Lucy's collection of rocks in The Long Long Trailer.

porthole · Jan 11, 2019

Eh ... it's just numbers .........

When the very first Newport showed up in Urbanna Virginia in 2014, a full tank of water and nothing else in the trailer put it over the GVWR.

mlpeloquin · Jan 11, 2019

jesstalkn said:
I believe you have the original version of the U-bolt top plate brackets. Mine are the new bigger heavier ones. I will post a picture later today.

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I have seen your post of pictures of the U-bolt top plate brackets. You are correct, I do not have the newer heavier ones.

We have been to two national rallies in Goshen and Los Vegas. I had my setup weighed at each. Both fully loaded without any fresh water. I am within 100lbs of max weight on each axle and within 100lbs side to side. I weigh everything going in and remove equal weight to keep it just under the maximum weight on long trips. Short trips are not a problem, because we do not pack it up. That being said, I had asked, in Goshen, about rigs being over weight. I was told that some were 3 to 4klbs over weight!

Since the first rally I added a washer/dryer combo. We stayed under the max weight because we do not pack the close in it like we used to. The second weight taken in Los Vegas confirmed what I was hoping for.

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