# Tyre question



## The-Cookies (Nov 28, 2010)

This may have been brought up before, but if your motor home is fully loaded up to its weight limit, you then park up and go to bed, this being over the rear axle, as in fixed beds or rear lounges, then surely the weight over the rear tyres and suspension is well over what it should be, in our case about 160kg and then if the dog goes to the rear of the van that's another 38kg.


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

I take it that little puppy has grown a bit. :lol:


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

But you should be static.
The flat bit at the botom will disapear when you move again.
Dave p


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## Bob45 (Jan 22, 2007)

Wind down the corner steadies to support the rear end.
If you have them, ofcourse!
But don't forget to wind them up before moving off - as I did once.

Bob


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## JeanLuc (Jan 13, 2007)

You could be correct but I'm not sure it matters that much as you are static. It might become an issue if you did not move for several days (or weeks) I suppose, thereby increasing the strain on the rear springs and tyres.
The fact that you are fully loaded when travelling does not mean that the rear axle limit has also been reached. It depends upon the fore and aft weight distribution. You will note that the sum of the axle limits exceeds the GVW. If your loaded condition matches both the GVW AND the rear axle limit, then your presumption is correct. However, that would mean that the front axle is relatively lightly loaded and the steering may feel a little 'vague'. I think it is better, if possible, to have both axles running below their maximum limit by moving some gear forward. Then you will have a degree of tolerance on the rear axle to allow for night time loading (if you are concerned about it). The only way to check this of course is to load up and then weigh each axle individually. I guess you would need a very tolerant weigh bridge operator to allow you to settle down for the night and then check the rear axle weight again! :lol: :lol:


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

Bob45 said:


> Wind down the corner steadies to support the rear end.
> If you have them, ofcourse!
> But don't forget to wind them up before moving off - as I did once.
> 
> Bob


I've started to use my steadies more since having the Glomex dome fitted. A bit of stability.

The last time I drove off with the steadies down, it took an hour to refit them... they were only screwed in place.

Since learning that lesson, I try to remember to put the winding brace across my brake/clutch pedals, just in case my memory deserts me!!   :roll:

As Jean-Luc says however, the fact that you are stationary means that no real stress is applied to your tyres. :wink:


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## BillCreer (Jan 23, 2010)

If you think about it the loads imposed when you blast over all the humps and bumps in the road will far exceed anything you can impose during the night. Unless you're doing something extraordinary.

It is not a good idea to use steadies to support any weight as they are are not designed to do so. They are there to stop the van rocking and if you jack the van up on them then you may damage them and or your chassis extensions.


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

BillCreer said:


> Clipped:
> It is not a good idea to use steadies to support any weight as they are are not designed to do so. They are there to stop the van rocking and if you jack the van up on them then you may damage them and or your chassis extensions.


Spot on Bill. The number of times we have seen caravans actually supported by the corner *STEADIES*, with the jockey wheel raised!!!

But I don't think anyone was suggesting *supporting *the MH on the steadies, just using them as an aid to steady the ship. :wink:


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## JeanLuc (Jan 13, 2007)

You have raised an interesting point Bill & UncleNorm.

In the 4+ years that we have had our motorhome (better not refer to it as the Hymer in view of the angst expressed in a recent extensive thread!) I think I have used the steadies 3 or 4 times. The movement of the van on its springs doesn't bother us too much and the only time we may have been tempted to wind down the steadies is in a strong wind. However, I am of the view that it is not a good idea to prevent the suspension allowing free movement in such conditions. As the steadies are bolted to the rear extension sub-chassis, I am concerned that preventing this from moving can only put stress, either on the body panels or on the whole chassis assembly if the wind is strong enough.

What do you think?


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## BillCreer (Jan 23, 2010)

Philip,
The forces acting on your chassis and body during normal driving over the humps and bumps in the road will be far greater than the wind can exert. 
If, however, you jack up the whole of your vehicle on one or two points that are not the jacking points you will cause damage.


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