OK, OK, Ok! ;D
My curiosity got the better of me and I decided to take a look at the underside of the MH. Haven?t been under a truck in close to 40 years! My goodness, things have changed! :
To start with, no series of leaf springs. Just two leaves, really heavy duty! One of them is attached by a bolt, both front and rear, similar to the old fashioned springs I am used to. But, there is only the one leaf. It?s maybe 5/8 of an inch thick.
The second leaf resembles our old ?overload springs.? But, it is attached at the front. Couldn?t see well enough to tell on the rear of the ?overload,? if that?s what it is. Couldn?t wrap myself that direction around the duals. (Did get a picture!)
There is a sizeable separation between the two that would bear most of the weight on the main spring. The second would come more into play with heavier weight. It is touching, at both ends
Ah, but there was a third spring. (A bumper?) It looks like a coil, encased in hard rubber. It is mounted above the axle, to the frame. It is also touching, both ends, axle and frame.
So, both ?overloads? or whatever they are, are touching all points.
Does that mean I am overloaded? Don?t think so.
Last scaled the unit on June 8, this year. At that time it weighed 19,260. That was loaded for travel, the next day, with food, clothes, people and dogs. Black and gray tanks empty. 75 gal of water, full. Full gas and propane, just topped off, minutes before weighing. My GVWR is 20,700. I had 1,440 lbs of excess capacity.
Today, it is now winterized. Empty holding tanks, including no water. Empty 75 gal water tank, about 600 lbs off of weight slip. Gas and propane just topped off, last week, full. Food and most clothing removed. No people or animals on board.
I have more than a ton of excess capacity left, at this time. And, the coil is touching the axle and the frame. Rides nice. Don?t think I have a problem.
Pictures:
0030 shows the front of the springs, attached. Sorry about the light burnout. Best I could do.
0031 shows the coil/bumper. Sorry, no better angle available. Too tight in there. You can, however, see that it is touching.
0032 shows the rear attachment for the springs. Can?t tell if the second spring is actually attached, or just sitting, touching the mount.
Bottom line, whether that ?bumper? is touching, really isn?t definitive. 40 years ago, it was kind of a gauge. No more! Need a weight slip, or two.
I yield the floor. ;D
Ray D ;D