What axle is on Coleman Santa Fe

[Vortec62]

Does anyone know what axle is used on a Coleman Santa Fe.  I think it is a 2000, 2001, or 2002 model year.  I forget :confused:.  I worked on the brakes this weekend and they still don't work that well.  I need to figure out what I have so I can go get parts.

Thanks,
M.

[flyfisherman]

Most Coleman/Fleetwoods I've been familar with do have the Dexter axle. To be sure, on the axle, about midway and on the back side, there should be an I.D. label (usually stamped aluminum) that is attached to the axle and that will give all the details ... like the manufacturer, the weight rating and model number ... maybe even the date it was manufactured.



Fly

[Vortec62]

Most Coleman/Fleetwoods I've been familar with do have the Dexter axle. To be sure, on the axle, about midway and on the back side, there should be an I.D. label (usually stamped aluminum) that is attached to the axle and that will give all the details ... like the manufacturer, the weight rating and model number ... maybe even the date it was manufactured.



Fly

Thanks Fly.

I poked around on the dexteraxle website and found some brakes that look like mine (have same mount clips and round magnet)...but they are on the 1000-2200lb D20 axle.  I'm pretty sure my PU weighs more than 2200 lbs dry. hmmmm.  I supposedly have 7" x 1-1/4" brakes.  I'll look for the ID plate and do some measuring before I buy anything.  If I do have a 2200 lb axle it seems that it is way underated for the trailer.  The brakes themselves are only rated for 2200 lbs.  I bought the trailer new so I know it is the original axle.

[flyfisherman]

I've got a 2000 model brochure for the Coleman/Fleetwood line and there it shows for the SantaFe -
base axle wt = 1,506
base hitch wt = 183
total base wt = 1,689
GVWR = 2500



Fly

[Vortec62]

I've got a 2000 model brochure for the Coleman/Fleetwood line and there it shows for the SantaFe -
base axle wt = 1,506
base hitch wt = 183
total base wt = 1,689
GVWR = 2500



Fly

That gives me a little comfort.  The axle rating is still a little close to being maxed out for my personal taste.

I had been looking at fleetwood's 2006 Santa Fe which appears to be identical to my coleman...except for the roof.  It has a dry weight of around 1700 with a GVWR of 3000 and can carry 1200 or so of extra weight.  I believe the tounge weight is the same 183.  Maybe they upgraded the design to the next size axle.

Maybe I'll upgrade the whole axle...I mean that can only be a small fortune...right?

[Tim5055]

That gives me a little comfort.  The axle rating is still a little close to being maxed out for my personal taste.

If you look close, you will find that the max weights on almost all pop ups are either set by the axle weight or the tire weight (X 2).  If you upgrade the axle you may need to replace the tires.  To gain any real "breathing room you may need to change the spring set, orat least add a leaf.

[flyfisherman]

Remember ... even IF the axle rating was 3000 lbs, the camper's tire weight carrying  capicity is what the real bottom line is. Say for example that the max tire weight rating for each tire was 1300 lbs (I'm just grabbing this number out of the air), then the weight carrying capacity for the camper is 2600. True, it can be argued that some of the weight will be carried by the hitch (in this case 183 lbs), but there others who say this is hooey ... and not to exceed the carrying capacity of the tires, and I side with this view.


Fly

[mike4947]

As for tongue weight it's not debatable. It is NOT carried by the axle so that's why ALL trailer manufacturers give GAWR and GVWR for trailers. The difference between the two is the tongue weight.
But the others are correct in that virtually all trailers come through with axles and tires rated for the maximum axle weight. If they had heavier ones then the'd raise the GAWR. That's what the gross axle weight rating is, the limit of the axle/tires.
BTW increasing to a new higher rated axle does raise the GAWR, but it does NOT raise the GVWR. You can gain so margin of "comfort" but not any "useable" capacity.
 
AND yes over the years many trailers have had higher capacity axles added from one model year to the next. It's called weight creep. Over the years trailers have been getting heavier. Two manufacturers during the 90's found that all of a sudden most all their trailers were coming off the dealer's lot already over the weight limits and upgraded to heavier axles across the board the following year.
My 1970's 12 foot trailers with all the goodies but air conditioning had gross weight limits of just under 2000 pounds, the same brand and apx models today go with a 3600 pound limit. Why, who knows. Both have apx the same CCC when totally equipped.

[Vortec62]

My Santa Fe is a 2001 with GVWR of 2550 and a GAWR of 2200...leaving 350 for the tounge.

All I could read on the axle id plate was "Dexter Axle P-11 Model SLR" and "SN D6292637"

It's a 5 lug wheel and I measured the bolt circle at 4" but that must be wrong as all I can find for parts is 5 on 4.5".  Tires are ST175/80D13 load range C rated for 1360# and 50psi.

The brakes have a lot of lining left on them so I rather suspect a bad connection somewhere that is causing a voltage drop and poor braking.

I adjusted them until I can just hear them dragging on the drum so they should be working.  I've always had wierdness with them.  Usually when I first hook up and leave they will skid the tires on our gravel driveway twice...after that they seem pretty marginal.  I haven't worried about it too much as I am towing with 3/4 ton truck.  I have a prodigy brake controller.

FYI parts for this axle:
Seals are CR14840
Bearings are L44610/L44649 at all 4 locations

[flyfisherman]

My Santa Fe is a 2001 with GVWR of 2550 and a GAWR of 2200...leaving 350 for the tounge.

All I could read on the axle id plate was "Dexter Axle P-11 Model SLR" and "SN D6292637"

You could go over to Dexter's web site and send them an e-mail with the info on that ID plate and I'm sure they will give you all the specs on the axle and springs. The sure did so for me with my Starcraft.


Fly

[flyfisherman]

As for tongue weight it's not debatable. It is NOT carried by the axle so that's why ALL trailer manufacturers give GAWR and GVWR for trailers.

Well, it is debatable ... Starcraft for one is taking a different view. If you will go over to their web site and pull up the specs for the Starcraft line you will note that they list the GVWR as per the carrying capacity of the tires. For example, models with 5:30 X 12" (1045 + 1045) tires have a GVWR of 2090 lbs; and those sporting ST175/80D13 tires (1360 +1360) have a GVWR of 2720 lbs.

In an attempt to lighten their units awhile back, Starcraft, on some of their 8' & 10' models, went from a 2200 lb axle/ 1400 lb springs set-up to a 2000 lb axle/1000 lb sprinngs combo; and with nothing but trouble as the lighter combo just could'nt cut the mustard - so Starcraft went back to the heavier 2200 pound capacity axle with 1400 lb capacity springs. Plus, with different point of view about the dry hitch weight and GVWR - they list what it is, for sure, but they do not add that weight over and above the weight carrying capacity of the tires.

Since I happened to have one of those under-sprung models and had a spring break while driving down the road (which the cost of replacement was covered by Dexter), I have had a few conversations with the tech folks at Starcraft regarding axles and springs and weight carrying capacity. And they are adamant about not exceeding the load capacity of the tires, regardless of having axle and spring weight capacity to spare. They consider the weight being carried by the hitch as so much of a saftey margin.  Since they (Starcraft) have years and years of experience with tent trailering and are such great folks for sharing information and standing behind their products, I'm going to go along with their thinking ... I do not exceed the weight carrying capacity of the tires.

[mike4947]

While they do use the tire ratings for some trailer's GVWR they do not use it across the board. For example their standard trailers show 8 models with 13" tires. There are 6 different GVWR's for them. There are not 6 different weight ratings for 13 inch ST tires.

Likewise in the RT series they have trailers with the same tires and different GVWR's.
 
Industry standard design spec's have the tires just at or above the the GAWR, and list GVWR's as the GVWR + the tongue weight.
 
JMHO but what they attempted to do is to make up for the uninformed/ignorant RV'er that thinks when you are hooked up, you just put the trailer axle on the scale and that give you the total trailer weight, but they haven't used it across the board.

[flyfisherman]

While they do use the tire ratings for some trailer's GVWR they do not use it across the board. For example their standard trailers show 8 models with 13" tires. There are 6 different GVWR's for them. There are not 6 different weight ratings for 13 inch ST tires.

Likewise in the RT series they have trailers with the same tires and different GVWR's.
 

13" tires ratings run the range of something like 1360 (2720) to 1730 (3740) and that covers all the other Starcraft models with 13" tires. Plus the RT series runs 15" tires and I do believe those are radials, or at least the one I've seen have; and the Centennial series is running 14". Obviously, there could be some other factors involved on these bigger units, but when the tire weight rating and the axle suspension values are close, you can bet the GVWR favors the tires. The point is, as I've already stated, Starcraft is insistent about not exceeding the tire weight ratings.