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**sourdough** · 11-19-2014, 06:04 PM

This is an interesting discussion and one that folks, myself included, need to take to heart.

When I bought my Cougar High Country 319rls at the end of Feb. this year I went and checked the tires on the unit....thanks to this forum. My RV has a GVW of 10,000lbs. I have 225/75D15 tires rated at 2550lbs (from memory). Total carrying weight was 10,200 lbs. Hmmm, so close to the GVW. Then I looked at the total axle weights, hmmm, 5600lbs each. Axles and tires equal exactly the same thing? What a coincidence.

I initiated a long dialogue with Keystone and included the NHTSA. Keystone's technical manager (Garett Carolus - for Keystone/Dutchmen) told me their axles are rated by the weight rating of the tire? (really). When I told him the legislation I had read said they were supposed to at least give a 15% safety margin he said that had been proposed..but hadn't happened yet. I asked if he didn't think that is something that should be mandatory...he said we meet the law.

I could go on but suffice it to say that whatever you have on your trailer from Keystone will be the BARE minimum to meet the law...not keep you safe.

And by the way, when Keystone says the tongue weight should be deducted from the total trailer weight....the NHTSA guy told me that was incorrect. The tires/axles are supposed to meet or exceed the GVW of the trailer........

11-19-2014, 06:04 PM	#27
sourdough Site Team Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: W. Texas Posts: 17,692	This is an interesting discussion and one that folks, myself included, need to take to heart. When I bought my Cougar High Country 319rls at the end of Feb. this year I went and checked the tires on the unit....thanks to this forum. My RV has a GVW of 10,000lbs. I have 225/75D15 tires rated at 2550lbs (from memory). Total carrying weight was 10,200 lbs. Hmmm, so close to the GVW. Then I looked at the total axle weights, hmmm, 5600lbs each. Axles and tires equal exactly the same thing? What a coincidence. I initiated a long dialogue with Keystone and included the NHTSA. Keystone's technical manager (Garett Carolus - for Keystone/Dutchmen) told me their axles are rated by the weight rating of the tire? (really). When I told him the legislation I had read said they were supposed to at least give a 15% safety margin he said that had been proposed..but hadn't happened yet. I asked if he didn't think that is something that should be mandatory...he said we meet the law. I could go on but suffice it to say that whatever you have on your trailer from Keystone will be the BARE minimum to meet the law...not keep you safe. And by the way, when Keystone says the tongue weight should be deducted from the total trailer weight....the NHTSA guy told me that was incorrect. The tires/axles are supposed to meet or exceed the GVW of the trailer........