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Topic: tag axle (Read 1227 times) previous topic - next topic

tag axle

When do you raise your tag axle?  Just purchased a 02 with a tag and am getting different opinions.  Trust the Foreforum much more than saleman and mechanics. 
We are only strangers until we meet; however, some of us are stranger than others

Re: tag axle

Reply #1 –
I think you put it up when you hit flight speed!  Oops.....wrong toy!

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George Hatfield

  Never ever use World Line Motors of Nacogdoches for service!

Re: tag axle

Reply #2 –
From what little I know you do it when parking so that the tag tires don't scuff against the pavement.  And I don't know much more than George the other.

George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: tag axle

Reply #3 –
Typically when making a sharp turn, the tag axle will be "scrubbing" the ground causing lateral stress on the tag axle components and tires.  In fact even w/o a tag a sharp turn will scrub the duallies a bit.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: tag axle

Reply #4 –
You might be able to make a turn called SHARP in a 34 footer. But the word "sharp" would never leap to mind turning a 40 ft two axel 1999 U320 ;o) 
Quote
Typically when making a sharp turn, the tag axle will be "scrubbing" the ground causing lateral stress on the tag axle components and tires. In fact even w/o a tag a sharp turn will scrub the duallies a bit.

Peter & Beth Martin
"Forrest" the 1997 Foretravel U270 34' WTBI, Build#5156 2004 Element EX AWD
Cincinnati, OH
1999 U320 40' 1200 watts on roof. 12cf AC/DC Cold plate fridge/freezer. VMS 240 CL Honda Element

Re: tag axle

Reply #5 –
Paul,
Point taken.  Even so, I try not to cut the steering axle to the max whenever possible.  In a manner of speaking, a 45 footer scrubs its tag axle whenever the steering is cut to make the sharpest turn it can make.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: tag axle

Reply #6 –
Jeff/Carol:  I saw a 42 ft coach with tag turn.  He raised the tag and it turned as short as a 34 or 36 ft coach.  The turning radius is less with a tag.  Just lift and turn when you need to make a sharp turn either going forward or reverse.  Dan Stansel
Dan & Shirley Stansel
2002 U295 4020 AGDS Build#6054
Towing Buick Enclave & M &  G Braking
Emerald Bay, Lake Palestine, Texas
MC# 16650

Re: tag axle

Reply #7 –
Lifting the tag shortens the wheeelbase  giving the coach a tighter turning radius, the offset is you now have a BIG tail swing in the ready to hit anything and everything that is close to the curb. Kind of like the happy dog swinging his tail when you come home... Watch that tail...
Ted in Seattle
"97 40' U320 build 5035

The best things in life are not things.... It's fulltiming in a Foretravel.

Re: tag axle

Reply #8 –
For sure when you are making a "tight" turn but I also notice that you have a 2002 U320, the same year as ours and our tag is not a "lifting" tag but one that "relaxes", meaning that it drags without pressure on it.  It will skuff the tires when you make a turn but when released, it does help with turning. 

Have someone watch the tag when you hit the tag dump switch and they can let you know if it's a lifting or "dragging" tag. 

I'm not sure what year FT went to lifting tag axles. 

Tom & Bill

2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Re: tag axle

Reply #9 –
About the only time I dump my tag is when maneuvering into tight campsites, and then it's a real help.  It's hard to miss the beep, beep when you've dumped, but if you have to need to dump the tag while driving, don't go over 5 mph.  Remember it will take several minutes to build up pressure again before you can drive off.
Regards,
Brett

'99 42' Foretravel Xtreme
'14 Brown Motorsports Stacker
'05 Chevy SSR
'02 BMW R1150R

Re: tag axle

Reply #10 –
Lift it in RV Parks where you have lots of tight turns - make sure you are going very slow, especially over the speed bumps.  Lift it anytime you are turning at a very tight intersection.  Lift it anyplace where you have to back in doing a 90 degree tight turn.
1994 U225
build #4514

Re: tag axle

Reply #11 –
Some notes on the lifting tag.

I use it when making a 'sharp' turn, especially when backing in to a site, you can drag the tires a fair amount otherwise and scuff up the campground road as well, especially with dirt/gravel sites.

When we hit the tag dump button on our coach the back end will droop down a bit amount so that's something to be aware of.  Ours needs to dump first, only when complete will it see its out of travel mode height and adjust itself back to travel mode height.  That fancy HWH is just a single tasker ;), probably has a Z80 processor (that's for the geeks amongst us).  That cycle takes about 30 seconds as does the un-dump cycle, let the cycle complete before you level.

When we lift the tag and drive a short distance our ABS warning lights go on since the system sees the coach moving but the tag wheels are not (since they are up in the air on our coach).  Once you put the tag back down it takes a few hundred feet to go out, (OK sometimes thats yards and once in a while miles but it does go out ;) )



2000 / 36' / U320 / WTFE
WildEBeest / "Striving to put right what once went wrong"

Re: tag axle

Reply #12 –
Steve, this is interesting:
Quote
"Once you put the tag back down it takes a few hundred feet to go out, (OK sometimes thats yards and once in a while miles but it does go out"
When I have lifted my tag for maneuvering then lowered it again for driving, the ABS light stays on until I turn off the ignition and, of course, turn it on again.
No RV! Have hung up the keys.
In the past: 2016 Winnebago Era, 1994 Foretravel U240, 1995 Foretravel U240 (wide body), 1999 Foretravel 320, 36 Foot, 2003 Foretravel U320 38 foot,

Re: tag axle

Reply #13 –
Ok you got good information on the tag. Lift it when slowly turning into or out of a camp site or a driveway. I do not lift it pulling into fuel stops or anywhere that I will be driving off soon. 

Now the question is details man.... we want to see the new coach...
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon
 

Re: tag axle

Reply #14 –
Quote
When I have lifted my tag for maneuvering then lowered it again for driving, the ABS light stays on until I turn off the ignition and, of course, turn it on again.
So yours does not reset until you cycle the ignition? 

On ours once the light is on cycling the ignition will not reset it, only driving a short distance as it allows the ABS brain to see that all the sensors are working.  Past that to reset the light takes either hitting the reset switch behind the dash or cycling the connectors on the Wabco box (for those times when it comes on without a tag lift)

Would not be the first time coaches of the same year act a bit differently  :)
2000 / 36' / U320 / WTFE
WildEBeest / "Striving to put right what once went wrong"