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pgchin · (This post was last modified: 09-19-2013 11:22 by pgchin.)

Chuck,
Good info,many thanks. I'm on a phone so this will be short. For diagnostic to see what you have. For a 14.6 axle, the bluebird part number is 1789866, the Dana # is 140bn103-2 ,the Spicer # is 94308rrtio-I40. If you have a 16k axle the Dana # should have a 161 in it like David's and Kurt's.The Spicer should be a I-16 or 60 or 61. A replacement axle should have the correct #'s an upgraded axle with parts swapped out, who knows.......:-)
Ps...If you do not have the upgraded cradle like David has, then no matter what axle, tires, or rims you have you are stuck at 14.6 for safety reasons.

davidbrady · (09-21-2013)

Folks,

Here are the LXi chassis serial numbers (CSN), cut-over dates, and BB part numbers, for the factory transition from a 14600# steer axle to a 16000# axle:

My 2002 LXi is chassis serial number: 10080350

I160 Spicer: CSN 10052121 03/06/00 thru 10092855 09/02/01
tie rod end (BB part no): 26480 (left) 26481 (right)
Beam (BB part no): 0026449

I146 Spicer: CSN 0999765 06/16/97 thru 10052120 03/05/00
tie rod end (BB part no): 4325957 (left) 4325965 (right)
Beam (BB part no): 8305799

(09-19-2013 11:07)pgchin Wrote: Ps...If you do not have the upgraded cradle like David has, then no matter what axle, tires, or rims you have you are stuck at 14.6 for safety reasons.

Pete, as far as I can tell the cut-over chassis serial number (CSN) for the new Ridewell steer axle cradle was: 10035425

pgchin · 09-21-2013, 11:35

David,
Fabulous detective work! That should help out the LXI owners out with the transition. Many thanks.....

RangerStrider · 05-05-2015, 20:45

I know this is a really old thread but we recently bought a 2003 LXI and one of the very helpful forum members strongly suggested I check the front axle rating. Happy to find it has the 161BN208 label which based on my understanding is rated at #16000 lbs.
Getting ready to travel but it doesn't mean I'll be loading down the front bay either.

halkading · 06-17-2015, 15:57

David,

Newcomer here. I have a just acquired double slide 2003 LX 40 that was weighed with numbers similar to Kurt's - steer 14,780, drive 14,920 and tag 12,300, for a gross of 42,000. Coach build date of 7/2002. Front axle is Dana # 161BN2081. Haven't checked tie rod ends yet. Coach data plate shows Steer axle rating at 14,600, drive at 23,000 and tag at 13,200 for a total of 50,800.

What change would you suggest to get the steer axle and tag axle loads down and the drive axle up? Also, we are looking forward to removing the anti sway bar, softening the shock settings and changing the caster for a better driving experience.

Hal Kading
2003 40LX
Las Cruces, NM

(09-19-2013 11:06)davidbrady Wrote:
(09-19-2013 00:20)cmillsap Wrote: David,

The PO's maintenance notes on my bus indicates the 14600# axle was completely removed and replaced with a new 16000# axle. But who knows for sure? It reads as follows:

08/15/2000 to 08/24/2000. Invoice # 1181-Replaced new front axle 16000# from 14600#. New tires and rims all around 315/80R/22.5

Chuck

Hey Chuck,

We'll compare steer axle setups at the WaGu rally. Mine's slightly complicated because my bus was shipped with the 220TR115(116) tie rod ends, which incidentally are rated for 22,000lbs, but I swapped them out for a drop socket assembly to lower the tie rod cross-bar. I don't know if you remember that thread, but way back I had an issue with the cross bar making contact with a frame member when the suspension is dumped. Lowering the cross-bar solved the issue. Dana Spicer set me up with a new tie rod assy: cross-bar and tie rod ends.

(09-17-2013 23:43)Kurt Ickler Wrote: We are way out of whack...15,300/steer..15050/drive...13010/tag...need to adjust airbag height and tag axle pressure for major weight distribution...

Kurt, for every pound of load removed from the tag axle you should gain approximately 1.333x that on the drive axle and lose approximately 0.333x that on the steer axle; i.e., 1000# off the tag adds 1333# to the drive and removes 333# from the steer.

This formula came about by calculating your LX's center of gravity and assumes a wheel base of 248" and a distance between tag and drive wheels of 48"

davidbrady · (This post was last modified: 06-17-2015 20:44 by davidbrady.)

(06-17-2015 15:57)halkading Wrote: David,

Newcomer here. I have a just acquired double slide 2003 LX 40 that was weighed with numbers similar to Kurt's - steer 14,780, drive 14,920 and tag 12,300, for a gross of 42,000. Coach build date of 7/2002. Front axle is Dana # 161BN2081. Haven't checked tie rod ends yet. Coach data plate shows Steer axle rating at 14,600, drive at 23,000 and tag at 13,200 for a total of 50,800.

What change would you suggest to get the steer axle and tag axle loads down and the drive axle up? Also, we are looking forward to removing the anti sway bar, softening the shock settings and changing the caster for a better driving experience.

Hal Kading
2003 40LX
Las Cruces, NM

Hi Hal,

Short of moving around heavy components, all you can do to add weight to the drive and remove weight from the steer and tag is to bleed air pressure from the tag. This will have the desired effect. This is done by adjusting the air pressure on your tag axle air spring pressure regulator. On the LXi the air pressure regulator is located on the c-channel cross member just forward of your tag axle. I believe it's in the same location on your LX. Your drive axle is very light which isn't good because most of your traction, both in motive force and braking, is done by your duel drive axle tires. I'd definitely want to get some weight on the drive axle. My quick calcs show that if you drop your tag axle to 9000# your steer axle will come down to roughly 13500# and your drive axle will go up to roughly 19500# putting approximately 32% of your weight on your steer axle which is reasonable.

halkading · 07-08-2015, 15:38

David,

Do you know how many psi reduction you get for each 360 degrees rotation of the adjuster on the tag axle regulator? If not who the manufacturer of the regulator is? I'm assuming I need to drop it from 60 - 65 psi to around 45.

Shouldn't this thread be renamed to include the LX?

Hal Kading
2003 LX40 2 Slide
Las Cruces NM

davidbrady · (This post was last modified: 07-08-2015 21:11 by travelite.)

Hi Hal,

Something like 5 psi per flat. Six flats would give you one full rotation or around 30 psi, but it's been a long time since I adjusted mine. Our Document Library->Models->LXi->LXi Print Package->LXiPrintPackage#4.pdf says this is it: Bendix 288084

cmillsap · (07-09-2015)

Just reducing the Tag pressure regulator a couple turns and assuming all is well is not the correct way to adjust your axle weights.

The best way to get the axle weights correct is go to a scale and reduce the tag pressure incrementally and weigh the axles each time until you get to the axle weights close to those weights that David posted above.

You will be amazed at how well your LX will drive with the axle weights proportionally correct.

halkading · 08-09-2015, 23:18

Making some progress with our LX 40 ride and drive-ability. Disconnected the anti sway bar. Reset the alignment for max caster. The eccentric bolts did not have welded washers and they turned without driving them out 1/2". Set adjustable Koni's to soft plus 1/2 turn (one ended up at3/4 turn as it was off 90 degrees at minimum setting) Adjusted tag axle pressure to 45 psi. Your number of 5 psi per flat was right on. As expected counter-clockwise lowered the pressure. Will get back to the scales later this week to see how we ended up for weight distribution.

Hal Kading 2003 LX 40 Las Cruces NM