Potential new 5th wheeler. Have a question about axles.

[Brett]

Looking at a Solitude with gross max wt of 15K. It comes with two 7000# axles. I haven't ever had an RV before but appears that is good for 14000# maximum. But the trailer weight exceeds that. I've noticed the same on other 5th wheel manufacturers as well. Two 7000# axles for weights over 15000. What am I missing here? Seems like a guarantee of premature failure.

[CaptainPalapa]

Seems like a good question. We have a Momentum, triple axle. Each at 7000 lbs. And our max GVWR is 20,000 lbs. So... yeah, what gives on your numbers? You should have the 8000 lb rated axles, one would think.

[fjr vfr]

That's because they are expecting 20% of that 15000# to be the pin weight and supported by the truck. Your pin weight will be right around 3000# Your axles will have 12000# on them. As with any 5th wheel you should have 20% of the gross on the pin for the tv and trailer to have the best handling.
Most of the manufactures do cheap it out and install tires and axles that are just a little more than needed. If you use your trailer a lot, you might look into upgrading your suspension.
And btw the dry weights and hitch weights they list for your trailer are actually a weight taken on the manufacturing floor with no gas bottles, batteries, spare tire, accessories of any sort....so those weights should NEVER be used in figuring out anything. The best thing everyone should do is to drive on the CAT scale at a truck stop and get an actual weight. It only cost $10. Well worth it to know exactly how much you weigh on both tv axles and trailer axles. Until you can weigh it always use the gross weight and 20% for the pin to get a rough estimate.
Hope this helps.

[Brett]

Thanks. Didn't think about the pin taking some of that weight. I did go by the GVWR of 15K instead of the UWR. Still, I agree that it does seem like they're walking that line of bare minimum. I'll probably work an upgraded axle/suspension into my negotiation when the time comes.

[Dave The AV Guy]

And if you do decide to upgrade the suspension, which would be a very good idea, consider the MORryde independent system and also their rubber pin box as well. Those systems combined will give you and your trailer a softer more comfortable ride. If you have lots of cash to spare, look at a Trailer Saver 5th wheel hitch with airbags. We've had the MORryde stuff for many years, but last year did the upgrade to the Trailer Saver hitch, and that provided yet another significant improvement.

[Tenbrooks]

Understand that the axles do not carry the entire weight of the trailer when you are traveling. The tow vehicle carries around 20% at the 5th wheel (pin weight). So, if your axles are rated at 7000 lb. and your total weight is 15,000 lb., you're good to go. Remember that you've got around 3,000 lb of weight on the pin and that should be a part of the total gross weight for towing that your truck is required to pull. That plus, the weight of people, fuel, coolers full of drinks, etc., etc. are all part of the tow vehicle tow weight.

[MTK46]

It may not have 7000# axles. My DRV has 8000# axles that the weight tag shows they rate them at 7500#.
Anyway as others have posted 20%+ will be carried by the pin. My GVRW is 18500 with a pin weight when fully loaded of 4200 lbs.
So don't worry the (2) 7000# axles are just fine.

[TedS]

I had to replace the 3,500 pound axles on my Jayco 27.5RLS twice. Both times were covered under warranty, but still a pain. One thing the dealers don't tell you (and don't do) is that the wheels need to be balanced and aligned. I took the Jayco to a specialty shop for the alignment and to Discount Tires (because I buy all my tires from them) to get the wheels balanced. If you notice the inside edges of your tires wearing faster than the rest, get an alignment done.

BTW, I was told there really should have been 5,000 pound axles on the Jayco, but warranty repairs would only cover original 3,500 pound axles.

[DMW]

Good Day Brett:

You have learned one of the top five lessons of the RV industry. Just about everywhere they can, they get by on the cheap. That includes parts, assemblies, materials, AND workmanship. They know that educated buyers know and believe this. That's why they offer an OPTION of stronger axles with disk brakes on some trailers, for a pretty steep price I might add. They know buyers will pay up for a little more margin.

Even in big toy haulers such as mine, the three, 7,000 lb axles just equaled my Max Trailer Weight of 21,000 lbs. But from that, I put 4,100 lb on my 5th wheel hitch. I paid up for the 8,000 lb axles for the primary purpose of getting the hydraulic disk brakes. Another lesson from the top five is nothing having to do with RVs is cheap to the retail buyers.

Yes, your two 7,000 lb axles doesn't leave you much margin after connecting to your tow vehicle. So if you do go for a trailer in that situation, just slow down and be careful on rough roads. ALWAYS keep the tires inflated properly. They are a very important part of the total suspension equation.

Dave