Hi there.New to FTEF ,but have been active on LOA (Lance Owners ),and NATCOA (North American Truck Campers Owners).On both best known as the guy with the Tag Axle. Include my wife and you have The Tag Team. Been truck camping for 53 years which makes me 83 years young.
My current Ford is a 2015 250 SD,142"WB,6.2 gas,3.73 EL,XLT.Fire Bronze GVWR 10,000#,GVW 10,400# but that includes about 880# on the Tag Axle,so very legal. The Tag as currently adjusted takes about 1000# off the rear axle,puts about 300# of that on the front axle,and about 880# on the Tag Axle,including the weight of the tag and storage.

The tag guy
Roy

 

Pure Genius!

 

Way cool!!

Steve

 

Welcome to FTE ! Great to have members here with so much life experience. I love your tag axle. Nice, innovative approach.

I do have a few questions...

Why bolted instead of welded? Easier to home build ?

How do you adjust the weight it bears? Can it be easily adjusted during a camping trip?

Do you get charged for the extra axles on toll roads ?

 

Bolted for adjustment with shims,been on 01 GMC 1500 originally built for. A 91 GMC 2500 4x4 and the current 2015 F 250 SD.


Not easily adjusted during a trip.
Yes on the most,not all tolls.Most you pay by the axle. Pure crazy logic.Should be weight.
With the new drive through scales,and a credit card scan and go.
Roy

 

I'm curious as to why you need it? It's neat and all, but is it really necessary?

I see the value of the steps and the extended hitch mount for the boat, but other than that I'm not following the need?

The only reason I can think of is your registration?

How do you keep the rear tires from scrubbing in a turn?

 

I built the tag in 2002 after my wife purchased the Lance.My pickup at the time (still have it) was a 2001 GMC 1500, GVWR of 7200#. I had owned two tag axles (one was a BORN FREE)in the 60s,70s, and 80s. The GMC HAD to have help, I could not find a tag axle, new or used,so I was retired and had time. For the GMC, it was necessary.
In April 2015 when I took delivery of the 250 SD,my wife says she must have the steps. I must have the storage and the must improved DRIVE ABILITY, especially in the wind that a tag adds to a pickup. IMO a pickup campers weight will be about 90% to the rear axle.making the front end light.
Be registration I assume you mean the 10,000#GVWR, Yes,I will not exceed a truck GVWR. The tag axle is another vehicle.
The tires DO scuff or scrub and that is not always a bad thing,like wanting to drive straight down the road, not wandering. The first set of tires came off at 22000 miles because of age,12 years old.
Thanks for your interest and comments.
The Tag Axle Guy
Roy

 

Cool, I thought your comments would be around the need of the GMC.

Most tend to gravitate towards air bags and improved shocks. Nice to see invention born from necessity.

 

This is really cool. Have you ever taken this across a CAT scale? Are you saying it helps distribute load back to steering axle like a WDH? Sure would help put trailer tongue weight stay off the truck rear axle. Any pictures of the truck mounting points? What are the specs of the tag axles? All awesome.

 

Air bags aren't going to move weight to the front axle though

 

I live about four miles from a truck stop with Cat scales. I'm guessing about about eight trips there over the years. The scale operator cannot see the tag,so it's confusing to them.
Yes like a WDH. On the 250 the tag axle is 58" behind the rear axle of a 142" WB truck
So,when I adjust to take 1000# off the rear,about 300# of that is transferred to the front axle and 700# goes to the tag.Which the DOT treats as another vehicle,with it's own weight restrictions up to 18,000# on a concrete truck.Mine is a 2000# axle,but 1840#
tires.I normally shot for 1000# on the tag ,and settle for 800# too 1200#.
The trucks three mounting points varies with the different trucks. On the GMC I used the front bolt holes of the OEM receiver hitch to the main frames.

 

Thanks for the info Roy. I don't know how all the CAT scales are set up, but on the one near me, that tag axle wouldn't be far enough back to get a proper three axle weight all at once, you'd have to do the hokey-pokey procedure and move the truck between axle weights to do it. I've heard some commercial straight trucks with trailers require that.

I can't see myself ever needing this, but I'm always impressed with anyone who has put this much thought and effort into something, and I have to admit, it looks like it works really well for you.

 

Yes, on the hokey-pokey move the truck thingee.

 

Wow, that is really cool !

Could that allow you to put a longbed camper on a shortbed truck?

Anybody make these things commercially?

Reason I ask, is that a longbed won't fit in my garage (it would be really.really tight), but I want a bigger camper ....

 

I have a Mfg. partner who is working with the DOT for certification.
They will not MFG without DOT cert.
Your thinking makes a lot of sense to my. The Tag will have its own
payload rating of about 1500# on the base model.
My 250 is a 142"WB.The tag adds 58". When I took 1000# off the
rear axle,300# went to the front and 700# went to the tag.
As my good friend (a retired General) says "You do the Math".
The garage thing gives me another marketing angle.Thanks.

PACK4TAG

Roy