Adding weight to rear and door side of a 310GKR

[ajg617]

As delivered from the factory, the weight on the off door side was over 600lbs more than the door side. After loading refrig, pantry, cabinets I'm guessing it's closer to 1,000 lbs difference. With the genset and W/D up front, I suspect I'm very light in the rear, especially on the door side. There is no place in the New England that I can find that can do 4 corners weight measurements but wondering if there are any in Elkhart? I've been cautioned not to add weight to the retracted main slide on the door side as it isn't fully supported unless extended. Any truth to that caution? I suspect I am very light on the RR wheel which is where the spring disconnect occurred last August.
Thanks,
John

[Country Campers]

At the National Rally in Goshen Indiana there is a company that weighs all wheels seperately, truck and rv. They weigh you when you arrive, might be an option if you attend this year.

Brian

[howson]

I've been cautioned not to add weight to the retracted main slide on the door side as it isn't fully supported unless extended. Any truth to that caution?

John,
It's true that slides without additional structural support on the inboard floor edge when retracted must be used cautiously. Let me clarify.

Your Solitude's layout is very similar to my Reflection 315RLTS. When the kitchen or dinette slides are retracted, the floor edge facing inboard is unsupported ("hangs in space"). The "1" arrows are pointing to the area I'm referencing (though the pic shows the slides extended).



The kitchen slide is not much of a concern as there's very little of the top inboard floor's surface area exposed to step on or store items on. The dinette slide, however, could be damaged when retracted if stepped on. Thus the caution to not use the dinette slide's table (at a rest area, etc) unless the slide is fully extended.

In my 315RLTS, the DW and I utilize the floor space where the dinette used to reside (our table was tossed for a number of reasons) to store items during transit. Common sense applies here. The floor could be subjected to too much stress if 50 cases of water is stacked under the dinette table, but there shouldn't be any problem with dog beds, folding chairs, other other relatively light bulky items.

There's no concern (again, other than common sense) when utilizing the OEM storage cabinets in any of the slides.

Finally, and in my opinion, the bedroom slide in our two units can be utilized when either fully extended or fully retracted. This is because the slide's floor is stabilized with the box frame GD has built for the mattress. We've used our bed many times over the years when it is fully retracted during heavy storms or even for brief naps on the road when the weather turns sour.

Remember I'm just an owner like you and others may (will?) have a different perspective. That's perfectly OK on this forum.

Howard

P.S. Hopefully TucsonJim comments on this thread as he now has a 310GK.

[Cate&Rob]

Reflection 303 and 337 models have this same weight difference side-to-side. These models do not have a roller system under the curb side slide. This slide moves across a plastic slider strip because it is a relatively light weight slide box. This slide is not designed to carry additional weight. By comparison the opposite slide has a series of rollers to carry the additional weight. Does you Solitude have this same combination of roller vs non-roller slide support systems? If so . . . adding weight to the curb side slide is likely not a good idea.

Rob

[ajg617]

At the National Rally in Goshen Indiana there is a company that weighs all wheels seperately, truck and rv. They weigh you when you arrive, might be an option if you attend this year.

Brian

Thanks Brian,
Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), we are scheduled for an appt with GD factory service April 22nd. Two major items they will be looking at are the status of all suspension parts and front frame flex. I don't plan on loading anything up (they asked us to unload as much as possible prior to dropping it). Not sure we'll be able to make it to National Rally - I hear spots sell out fast.

[ajg617]

Reflection 303 and 337 models have this same weight difference side-to-side. These models do not have a roller system under the curb side slide. This slide moves across a plastic slider strip because it is a relatively light weight slide box. This slide is not designed to carry additional weight. By comparison the opposite slide has a series of rollers to carry the additional weight. Does you Solitude have this same combination of roller vs non-roller slide support systems? If so . . . adding weight to the curb side slide is likely not a good idea.

Rob

Honestly don't know Rob. I've pulled the linoleum overlap up to clean the dirt underneath but I can't honestly say I've seen rollers. Our bedroom Schwintek does have rollers.

[ajg617]

John,
It's true that slides without additional structural support on the inboard floor edge when retracted must be used cautiously. Let me clarify.

In my 315RLTS, the DW and I utilize the floor space where the dinette used to reside (our table was tossed for a number of reasons) to store items during transit. Common sense applies here. The floor could be subjected to too much stress if 50 cases of water is stacked under the dinette table, but there shouldn't be any problem with dog beds, folding chairs, other other relatively light bulky items.

There's no concern (again, other than common sense) when utilizing the OEM storage cabinets in any of the slides.

Finally, and in my opinion, the bedroom slide in our two units can be utilized when either fully extended or fully retracted. This is because the slide's floor is stabilized with the box frame GD has built for the mattress. We've used our bed many times over the years when it is fully retracted during heavy storms or even for brief naps on the road when the weather turns sour.

Remember I'm just an owner like you and others may (will?) have a different perspective. That's perfectly OK on this forum.

Howard

Howard,
One thing I've never done is walk on the inner edge with either slide partially deployed - dealer cautioned me at delivery. For our first couple of trips, I was storing 40-pack water bottles (2 or 3) and a few gallons under the rear of the dinette table wedged against the outer edge of the slide wall and recliner but then had second thoughts after a comment I received by GD customer service when I asked about weight distribution (same person said never sleep on mattress if slide isn't fully extended due to lack of support at the wall edge when retracted) . Does your 315 have hydraulic main slides like the 310? I've been hesitant to put anything heavy in the overhead cabinets above the sofa as there does not seem to be very many attachment points (I also have a door that always pops opens - closest cabinet to the RR wheel ironically). There is no weight capacity and GD could not provide any specs on weight so I just put lighter objects in them. Other than that, I can add water to the FW tank and try to load heavier items on the door side of the pass thru but I'm not sure how much that contributes to evening out weight distribution side to side. There is about 5" of space under the sofa where I can put some items but the weight I could add is minimal. My weight distro concern is all stemming from the suspension failure we had and my gut feeling that the right rear wheel is so lightly loaded that it experiences much more up/down movement and therefore wears parts earlier.
Thanks,
John

[Cate&Rob]

Honestly don't know Rob. I've pulled the linoleum overlap up to clean the dirt underneath but I can't honestly say I've seen rollers. Our bedroom Schwintek does have rollers.

If you pull the slide in about 4” and look under the overlap, you should be able to see if there are rollers . . . but, I don’t think you will find any. This is how this slide is kept flush to the main floor, unlike the kitchen slide which stays well above the main floor because of the rollers.

Rob

[Cate&Rob]

Hi John,

I also had the right rear hanger break. I never really thought about the side-to-side weight difference being a factor in this . . . but, you have me thinking . I don’t think the front-to-rear weight difference on the same side will be significant. This is probably affected more by how level the trailer is towing and we have seen that under heavy braking, weight transfers to the rear axle. I have wondered how much affect this braking weight transfer has to do with the rear hangers usually being the ones that break.

Rob

[BlueSky]

Hi John,
We have the same RV other than the generator package. We tend to pack relatively light and attempt to minimize the CS/SS weight difference as well as maximize the weight on the RV axles vs the pin. Any heavier items go in the CS bsmt area including behind the bsmt wall. When loaded I have 700 lbs more on the CS which is about the same as unloaded. I have also scaled the front and rear axle weights and found negligible difference between them (less than 100lbs). I agree with some previous posts that I don’t put any additional weight on the dinette slide nor do I walk on it when retracted. We also put only light items in the cabinets above the couch. I’m curious what suspension failure you had and if GDRV is providing any insight on the failure mode?
Lance

[ajg617]

Hi John,
We have the same RV other than the generator package. We tend to pack relatively light and attempt to minimize the CS/SS weight difference as well as maximize the weight on the RV axles vs the pin. Any heavier items go in the CS bsmt area including behind the bsmt wall. When loaded I have 700 lbs more on the CS which is about the same as unloaded. I have also scaled the front and rear axle weights and found negligible difference between them (less than 100lbs). I agree with some previous posts that I don’t put any additional weight on the dinette slide nor do I walk on it when retracted. We also put only light items in the cabinets above the couch. I’m curious what suspension failure you had and if GDRV is providing any insight on the failure mode?
Lance

Hi Lance,
I think this is all summarized in another thread but I can't put my fingers on it. Somewhere between North Dakota (I94), Billings, Helena, East Glacier last August the RR wet bolt disappeared and the left rear broke. I have no idea where other than between ND and Billings I was absolutely frustrated that I could not set my side view tow mirrors correctly - I was always seeing the entire off-door side of the 310. I pulled over twice to look at the tires and suspension (TPMS didn't show anything wrong) and didn't see anything obvious. At Billings, I re-torqued the lugs and again nothing spectacular happened. First back-in site was in East Glacier and when we were prepping to go to West Glacier that Sunday, wife started torquing the RR wheel and it moved forward to touch the RF. That's when I noticed the rear spring hanger bent really bad, the hole for the wet bolt about an inch long up and down, the spring hanging loose, and the LR wet bolt broken and wedged into the spring. No idea where the wet bolt from RR fell off, not at campsite or roads leading into East Glacier. We were told to move as our spot was taken.

Old Native American guy with a shop up in Babb put an old head bolt through to allow us to get to West Glacier where mobile techs would come out - nobody would drive over to East Glacier. Took both of us with tire irons to get the spring back into the bent hanger.

GD re-routed one of their factory mobile techs to West Glacier (was on his way to National Rally and in Coeur d'Alene). He welded two new rear hangers on and inspected all the wet bolts - all shot, all spring holes enlarged so all springs and shackles needed to be replaced so he told us not to drive very far until they were replaced. GD sent a pallet of parts out and we had everything but axles and CRE3000s replaced at a local shop. Been about 4,000 miles since and I'm seeing shiny silver flakes of metal covering the surface grease on the CRE3000s and shackles so I'm guessing I have more issues. 20,000 miles on it now, about 15K when it broke down. We have the 8K axle upgrade, 18000 GVWR, and weighed in at 15,600+ lbs at start of last trip.

While at West Glacier, a Momentum came in with the exact same problem at 10K miles (also 8K upgrade). Had wet bolts and bushings swapped out and he couldn't make it back to the Bay Area home without another breakdown. I posted on another forum and there were 6 of us with 8K upgrades that had the same problem - 5 Momentums and our Solitude and we all greased our wet bolts frequently. No root cause identified to date but GD wants me to bring it to Elkhart factory April 22nd. Dexter and LCI told GD officially that they are 'wear' parts. They are also going to check front frame flex since my Goosebox keeps blowing the blow-off valves apart.

[howson]

ajg617

To answer the questions posed in post 7, the 315RLTS has electric thru-frame slides (kitchen and dinette) and the Schwintek bedroom slide.

We've packed the cabinets as needed with all sorts of items, but nothing exceedingly heavy. No issues (>41,700 miles of towing) to report.

Storing items on the dinette slide (within reason) shouldn't be a problem. Definitely do not walk on it when retracted but (again) the DW and I regularly store all kinds of items in the dinette area and even behind the theater seats without an issue.

I understand GD's input regarding the bedroom slide. But IMO they are being too conservative.

Out of curiosity, I measured the height from the floor to the bed's frame (both retracted and extended) and then with the DW on the bed (~115 lbs). The deflection with the bed fully retracted was about 1/16" (first set of pics below).

315RLTS SCHWINTEK BEDROOM SLIDE FULLY RETRACTED



315RLTS SCHWINTEK BEDROOM SLIDE FULLY EXTENDED

If you look closely at the extended deflection (below) it's morethan the retracted deflection (above)!



Not the focus of this thread, so whether or not to climb on the bed when the slide is fully retracted is probably best left at "do what you think is right".

Regarding the suspension concern mentioned in this thread, what's been documented is exactly why I spent the $$$$ on Morryde's IS suspension. I did not want to have a failure on the road. While my experience hasn't been flawless with the IS (lots of documentation on this forum), there's never been an issue due to something breaking while on a trip.

In my mind the IS (and disc brakes) are justified based on towing miles (versus sitting in one spot or infrequent trips) and the fact that my 315RLTS is typically heavily loaded. The trailer regularly weighs over the OEM 10,995 lbs GVWR but well under the frame and tongue capacity of 14K.. The Sailun tires have been excellent, too. (Again, lots of documentation here on the forum. Search using my forum name.)

Bottom line on suspension: if I bought a 310GK (or something similarly sized) an IS upgrade with disc brakes would be installed before the rig left the Elkhart area for the first time. Money spent = way less travel worries.

Howard

[ajg617]

Bottom line on suspension: if I bought a 310GK (or something similarly sized) an IS upgrade with disc brakes would be installed before the rig left the Elkhart area for the first time. Money spent = way less travel worries.

Howard

I am very much hoping that MORRyde will have a cancellation while we are there in April.

[BlueSky]

For very similar reasons to what Howard described I had IS (and disc brakes) installed last Oct. I didn’t arrive at that conclusion until I owned the RV for a few months and then had to wait for 12 months due to the Morryde backlog and my work schedule. It was an 8000km round trip to Elkhardt and the cost in Cdn $$ was significant but it was well worth the time and $$. My experience with Morryde was very positive from start to finish.

Lance

[Crespro]

Hi,

You can create 400# to 600# of load on the rear of the fifth wheel by building a plywood storage box under the couch, a second one under the rear fold-down panel (need to unbolt it for that installation) and building a series of boxes with 3/4 inch maple plywood and 3/4" maple boards in the top storage compartment. The top compartment has a 3/4 inch base, back wall and side walls. I used about 200 screws for the project. There will be many cuts with the table saw because you are building in place. It is fully anchored to the sides and back to support the weight. I store most of my tools in the top box and all the spares under the couch.

Crespro