Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Gulf Stream Owners RV Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 12-22-2011, 06:44 PM   #1
kenm09
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 7
Default 19 Ft Visa GVW Concern

I have been looking into the Gulf Stream Visas, in particularly the 19RSD. We were looking at a unit that had a UVW of 3109 lbs and the GVW is 3900. Here me out, and try to explain to me the reasoning of this:

These units are equipped with 14" tires that each read a maximum load capacity of 1750, totaling 3500 lbs max. How can the GVW of the trailer exceed the rating of the tires?! I called Gulf Stream directly and they informed me that the remaining 400 lbs rests on the tongue.

Question 1 to the forum: Has anyone else heard of a company separating tongue weight from the weight on the axle to come up with the GVW?

Taking this one step further, lets say you load up your trailer with all the odds and ends, and reach the 3900 lbs GVW (which is not hard to do when you only have less than 800 lbs to work with). How many Visa owners use a weight distribution hitch? Since the Visa line of campers is marketed to the "mini-van/SUV" crowd, I would assume that much of them are. In fact, every dealer that I have called to inquire about a price for this camper has asked me if I already have a weight distribution hitch, thus signifying to me that it is highly recommended. Using a weight distribution hitch takes weight off the tongue and redistributes it to the trailer axle and the front of the vehicle. Right there you are exceeding the 3500 lb weight capacity of the tires on the trailer.

So Question 2 to the forum: How do you justify a 3500 lb axle on the Visas and state the Maximum Gross Vehicle Weight is 3900 lbs when you are marketing your product to a population of people that are most likely using weight distribution hitches?! I asked this question to Gulf Stream today and they said they would "get back to me."

I am not trying to bash these trailers because I think they are absolutely awesome. However, I don't think I will every consider the 19 models, only the 23. Unless they upgrade the axle to accept 15" tires with a higher rating.

Thoughts?
kenm09 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2011, 10:02 AM   #2
KristinU
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 70
Default Re: 19 Ft Visa GVW Concern

I think that's kind of the name of the game in the ultra-light travel trailer industry. I remember finding something very similar in the Forest River Flagstaff Micro Lite/Rockwood Mini Lite trailers we were seriously considering prior to buying our Visa. Same case there where GVWR is over the axle weight rating. I didn't really push the research any further than that, though, since the 23BHD got on our radar and gave us the double axle.
__________________
Cheers!
Kristin

2012 Visa 23BHD
2007 Toyota Tundra
My camping party: Me ('71), DH ('70), DS ('04), DK9 ('11)
https://www.visaadventures.blogspot.com
https://www.visacampers.proboards.com
KristinU is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-24-2011, 08:21 PM   #3
Timothy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 393
Default Re: 19 Ft Visa GVW Concern

The weight is usually calculated figuring tongue weight too. The tongue usually carries at least 10% of the load.
__________________
Tim
Timothy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-25-2011, 10:54 AM   #4
charby
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 32
Default Re: 19 Ft Visa GVW Concern

This is an interesting topic, and hope they have engineered a buffer load into their axle calculations. There could be better tires with a higher loading values which could provide a safety factor. I guess it comes to knowing what your loading, and do a weight check at a local weigh station. The WDH will transnsfer 1/3 of the hitch weight to the trailer axle.

Merry Christmas to all!
__________________
Charby
Visa 19 RGU - Towed by 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland V6
charby is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-25-2011, 12:45 PM   #5
kenm09
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 7
Default Re: 19 Ft Visa GVW Concern

Quote:
Originally Posted by charby
This is an interesting topic, and hope they have engineered a buffer load into their axle calculations. There could be better tires with a higher loading values which could provide a safety factor. I guess it comes to knowing what your loading, and do a weight check at a local weigh station. The WDH will transnsfer 1/3 of the hitch weight to the trailer axle.

Merry Christmas to all!
Merry Christmas to you!

This definitely is my concern, and I know that a lot of people with these 19 ft trailers are having bent axles and blowouts at 3000 miles. There is no "buffer" with the axle, and it clearly states in their specifications that it is a 3500 lb torsion axle. This seems like quite a problem. I don't see how putting nearly 3800 lbs on the trailer tires is that far fetched. I would really like to see if more people have weighed just their axles on a scale that are using a WDH in a fully loaded trailer. Why wouldn't Gulft Stream just put 15" tires on these units?!
kenm09 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2011, 10:20 AM   #6
kenm09
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 7
Default Re: 19 Ft Visa GVW Concern

Quote:
Originally Posted by Timothy
The weight is usually calculated figuring tongue weight too. The tongue usually carries at least 10% of the load.
Yes, this is true but why would they put an axle on a trailer that is rated less than the GVW? The hitch weight of the unit is 400 lbs when dry. This means when the unit is loaded in front of the axle of the trailer, some of the weight goes onto the tongue. Using a weight distributing hitch, it then puts some of that weight back on to the trailer axle.

I don't think it's too hard to put 3700 lbs on an axle rated at 3500, when using a weight distributing hitch.
kenm09 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2011, 07:47 PM   #7
Timothy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 393
Default Re: 19 Ft Visa GVW Concern

The trailer GVWR is both the axel and tongue weight, while its true you can overload the axel this can happen with any trailer. My 5th wheel has a 15500 GVWR and only has two sets of 7000 pound axels. The rest of the weight is on the hitch. When the trailers are built the engineers determine axel placement so that the hitch will carry it's share of the load. Make sense? I think you'll find this true of all trailer manufactuers, the GVW rating almost always exceed just the axel rating.
If you use a WD hitch the installer will adjust it so the load is placed correctly on the tow vehicle.
On a side note you can sometimes order the trailer with larger axels as an option. I think they just use the cheapest they can get by with to keep costs down.
__________________
Tim
Timothy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:44 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
×