Left-side weight imbalance on stock Mini 18' ?

btheo_TrailMini · 08-06-2022, 05:14 AM

Hi all. I just purchased my first camper, a 2010 Mini 18', and I'm a little confused about the layout. The water tank is in the far front left. Followed by the water heater, then the battery, then the furnace. Then the bathroom, which presumably has a weight skew to the grey and black water tanks. All of this is on the left side. The only thing on the right side is the fridge.

This strikes me as about a 4-500 lb imbalance, depending on tank loads. That seems like an issue, but I have no context.. Is this a reasonable offset?

Thanks for reading,
Blase

Shane826 · 08-06-2022, 07:22 AM

Pack a cooler full of beer and ice on the right side and call it macaroni.

**Bill** · 08-06-2022, 08:02 AM

Imbalance is present in most RVs, including TMs, and usually for the reasons you describe. Aside from the beer and ice solution, there isn't much you can do about it, aside from traveling with empty tanks. Can you lug water in big blue tanks in your tow vehicle, and fill the TM tanks when you arrive? Walmart has some nice 7-gallon units (a size you can lift by hand). I'm sure there are others.

Your observation should emphasize the importance of weighing the sides of your ready-to-camp TM individually, and comparing the weights to the capability of the tires. It also suggests that you should rotate the tires every year, to even up the wear

Bill

Kmikesell · 08-08-2022, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by btheo_TrailMini

Hi all. I just purchased my first camper, a 2010 Mini 18', and I'm a little confused about the layout. The water tank is in the far front left. Followed by the water heater, then the battery, then the furnace. Then the bathroom, which presumably has a weight skew to the grey and black water tanks. All of this is on the left side. The only thing on the right side is the fridge.

This strikes me as about a 4-500 lb imbalance, depending on tank loads. That seems like an issue, but I have no context.. Is this a reasonable offset?

Thanks for reading,
Blase

I made this same observation about 6 mos ago...and most replied that there has been no observable "uneven" wear on their tires.... So I guess we are concerned for no reason.

btheo_TrailMini · 08-09-2022, 03:23 PM

AH ok, good to know. Thanks guys!

Good idea on the water, Bill..

MiniMe · 08-16-2022, 11:11 AM

I also have a 2010 Mini! Mine is the 18L with the sofa, not dinette. I've had mine since 2011 and have never noticed uneven tire wear between left/right, but we don't put a lot of miles on it either.

Is your calculated weight offset including items loaded on the right side? Like is your fridge loaded, drawers full of clothes/dishes, exterior storage full?

I've never tried towing it with only the tanks full and nothing else in the trailer, but when it's all loaded it tracks very well with no visible leaning to the left.

btheo_TrailMini · 08-16-2022, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiniMe

I also have a 2010 Mini! Mine is the 18L with the sofa, not dinette. I've had mine since 2011 and have never noticed uneven tire wear between left/right, but we don't put a lot of miles on it either.

Is your calculated weight offset including items loaded on the right side? Like is your fridge loaded, drawers full of clothes/dishes, exterior storage full?

I've never tried towing it with only the tanks full and nothing else in the trailer, but when it's all loaded it tracks very well with no visible leaning to the left.

Great to know, thanks!

Tireman9 · 08-16-2022, 01:43 PM

Side to side un-balance can be an issue that might affect tire life if you just assume a 50/50 split for tire loads of the axle weight. We have seen some axles with the un-balance of 500 to 1,000# and that can mean you might be significantly overloading a tire which could lead to early failure.

Learning individual axle loads is relatively easy as you can get those numbers at any truck stop scale by just paying attention to which axle is on which scale pad. You can get the two readings by asking for a re-weigh.

Learning the load on the ends of each axle is more involved and unless you can get to Escapees or RVSEF weighing location you are not likely to find a place that can give you individual tire position weights.

Here is a worksheet. Next, you will need to call around and check at a building supply or sand & Gravel pit or similar to see if there is a scale that you can get just one side weighed. CAT scales do not want you to do the one-side weight measurement so that is why they have a guard rail so close to the scale pad.