Have some wandering while driving my Itasca Spirit

[SeilerBird]

I have never weighed all four corners on any of my RVs. Just the front and rear axle. That will be good enough to solve your problems. I am very confident that getting the tire pressure set properly will solve all your problems. This is a very common problem around here and the proper tire pressure usually does the trick.

 

[OldGuyOnTheRun]

Thanks for the research, Gene. As I read this, I get 40psi in front and 55psi in back.


My actual load in front is 1580lbs/side and rear is 3630/side or 1815/tire.


Does 40 and 55psi sound right to you?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The psi in the tables are the minimum for the listed weight, so I'd go up a 5-10 psi more.  Also, did you make an allowance for uneven weight distribution (side-to-side) when you calculated the tire corner weights? It's common for one end of an axle to be 5-10% more than the other, and the psi should be set for the heaviest potential load.

 

[OldGuyOnTheRun]

Thanks Gary and everyone.. I am new to all this so still trying to absorb it.

It's easy enough to start off with some chosen pressures based on the chart. Say, 55 front and 60 rear. Regarding the balance of the load side to side is less clear. The front does not seem to have any obvious big lumps of mass to give me reason to vary the pressure one way or the other. And even in the rear as I think about most of my driving, the most likely scenario would be with a somewhat full fresh water tank and same with the fuel tank. If anything I think the right rear, closest to the water tank might be more likely to have a bit more than the left side. So, in the rear maybe 5psi less on the left than the right.


So as a starting point, with the knowledge I have now, I think that's the best I can do.

Thanks all.

 

[Dragginourbedaround]

If anything I think the right rear, closest to the water tank might be more likely to have a bit more than the left side. So, in the rear maybe 5psi less on the left than the right.


So as a starting point, with the knowledge I have now, I think that's the best I can do.

Thanks all.

Your tires should be the same pressure on both sides. If your known weight is higher on the left rear, then that?s the weight you would use for setting the pressures on both sets of rear tires. That?s the advantage of four corner weighing as opposed to axel weighing.

 

[John From Detroit]

There are several things that affect "Wandering" as you call it.
Tire pressure is one and many have talked about it
Leaf spring suspension and one piece axles.  Short story (one line)
I'm old enough to remember when the big news in pickups was independent front suspension. prior to that Pickups had solid one piece front axles...  (end story. logic follows)

Leaf springs allow not only up/down movement but a bit of side to side.  Well if the front moves RIGHT while the rear moves LEFT you think you are headed into the ditch so you compensate. then the ends swap and now you think you are headed into the left lane. so you compensate. Then the ends swap and (We have now looped) so you zig zag down the road because you THINK you are zig zaging down the road. had you not compensated you woudl be going straight.

HOw to fix it 100%.. Track bars one may fix it. Two WILL  The independent axles on the pickup one end hooks to the wheel the other to a pivot on the frame. no side to side movement. same as a track bar.

Another issue is "Rocking" (like fans at a concert holding up their BICs) called SWAY.. Beefing up the sway bar helps here.

ANd the last addition is a steering stabilizer. this 'Assists' you in going straight.  I like the Blue-Ox Tru Center and the Safe-T-Steer with the OPTIONAL remote re-center device.

I once pushed the button on my blue ox while in motion.
YOu ever see the movies or tv shows were a novice it taking over an aircraft and when he turns off the Auto Pilot he dang near looses it....... Well I'm a believer.