Weighed my camper today...

wildwest450 · 08-18-2015, 07:08 PM

Holy crap, do I have a lot of "stuff" in there. 500lbs worth without 2 bicycles, clothes or food in the fridge. And that's just for 2 people.

I also got to see a super old mechanical scale in action at the CO-OP, the guy weighing me wasn't as impressed with it as I was.

**wahoonc** · 08-18-2015, 11:16 PM

I DON'T want to weigh mine. Several years ago a buddy of mine weighed his Airstream, he was right at gross weight with the tanks empty

So we started emptying cabinets. His wife had full china place settings for 12, cast iron cookware, etc. He was doing some wiring and plumbing so EVERYTHING came out. After he was done with the repairs he weighed the trailer again. He was right on the unloaded numbers. He told his wife that everything that went back in had to go on the scales first.

I only have about 700# of cargo capacity, and if I max that out I am going to over my tire ratings.

If I had to guess I would say we run around 500# of cargo, we put A LOT in the bed of the truck for that reason. Next trailer will have a bit more carrying capacity.

Aaron

wildwest450 · 08-18-2015, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahoonc

I DON'T want to weigh mine.

I hear that. I didn't really want know, but i'm seriously considering getting a GMC Canyon and wanted to know how close I was cutting it for towing.

**wahoonc** · 08-19-2015, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawniewest

I hear that. I didn't really want know, but i'm seriously considering getting a GMC Canyon and wanted to know how close I was cutting it for towing.

I made a couple of strategic decisions a while back. I am ONLY going to tow with a 1/2t Ford and it has to have a tow package rated around 7500# or better. My trailers ARE NOT going to exceed 6500# GVW. Other than my bride getting the wrong engine back in 2003 we have done pretty well.

She bought a 2003 F150 Lariat with the 4.6 instead of the 5.4, it works but we are pushing it. The truck has 240,000 miles on it right now. We will get a replacement in the next couple of years along with the upgrade on the trailer. Lance has the lead position at the moment.

Back when we had our monster Coleman popup I made the mistake of weighing it with race car scales and found out just why it was eating left side tires. It was offsided by almost 400# left to right bias.

talk about crap engineering!

Aaron

EricNSTL · 08-19-2015, 01:26 AM

So help me out here... Is the weights with the truck also. what the empty weight of the trailer and how much does the truck weigh?

wildwest450 · 08-19-2015, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricNSTL

So help me out here... Is the weights with the truck also. what the empty weight of the trailer and how much does the truck weigh?

Yeah, the first is the truck and trailer, which I didn't really need but the scale guy offered it. The second is the trailer weight with all my stuff in it. The trailer is supposed to weigh 4890 empty.

If you subtract the two the truck is 5070, that's with me (170) a quarter tank of gas and a tool box that weighs about 40lbs.

MartyG · 08-19-2015, 04:56 AM

Dawnie, was the trailer unhitched from the truck? Otherwise, some of the tongue weight is on the truck. Otherwise, 5430-4890=530 lbs which seems like a very small amount, given tanks, propane, battery, hoses, jacks, extension cords, blocks/chock, etc, not even to mention what you have in the interior cabinets.

wildwest450 · 08-19-2015, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartyG

Dawnie, was the trailer unhitched from the truck? Otherwise, some of the tongue weight is on the truck. Otherwise, 5430-4890=530 lbs which seems like a very small amount, given tanks, propane, battery, hoses, jacks, extension cords, blocks/chock, etc, not even to mention what you have in the interior cabinets.

Yes, it was unhitched. I really should have explained myself better.

wildwest450 · 08-19-2015, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahoonc

I made a couple of strategic decisions a while back. I am ONLY going to tow with a 1/2t Ford and it has to have a tow package rated around 7500# or better. My trailers ARE NOT going to exceed 6500# GVW.

Don't forget that all American truck makers have adopted the new SAE J2807 towing ratings, which is a tougher test then they were previously using.
So you should be able to get closer to your actual max without killing the truck.

I never bought into the old numbers and would never get within 1000lbs of any trucks max.

rbpru · 11-17-2015, 11:22 PM

I have never met a farmer or construction worker who paid much attention to weight limits. It seems that half and three quarter ton are just suggestions.

I doubt most folks will ever notice the increased wear and tear the TT takes on their TV.

They will however quickly notice a lack of sufficient horse power or gearing.

**wahoonc** · 11-17-2015, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbpru

I have never met a farmer or construction worker who paid much attention to weight limits. It seems that half and three quarter ton are just suggestions.

I doubt most folks will ever notice the increased wear and tear the TT takes on their TV.

They will however quickly notice a lack of sufficient horse power or gearing.

Guilty on both counts

or should that be... I resemble that remark?

We have a 1.5 ton truck on the farm, it is routinely loaded well past it's legal limits. Then there was the time I had to retrieve my FIL's Case backhoe. I had it on the gooseneck behind my F350 dually PSD. Bet I was rolling close to 30k all in.

I was watching for DMV enforcement too.

Aaron

calewjohnson · 11-18-2015, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahoonc

Guilty on both counts

or should that be... I resemble that remark?

We have a 1.5 ton truck on the farm, it is routinely loaded well past it's legal limits. Then there was the time I had to retrieve my FIL's Case backhoe. I had it on the gooseneck behind my F350 dually PSD. Bet I was rolling close to 30k all in.

I was watching for DMV enforcement too.

Aaron

Ah, depending on the year of the PSD. I am rolling down the road at 29,900 lbs combined, but the newer trucks are legitimate with that weight behind it. IIRC, my GCWR is right at 35,000 lbs, I still have room to spare, but I am tapped out on both front and rear axle weights...I just don't see how I could ever get to that max GCWR without busting another weight tolerance.

Cale

**wahoonc** · 11-18-2015, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calewjohnson

Ah, depending on the year of the PSD. I am rolling down the road at 29,900 lbs combined, but the newer trucks are legitimate with that weight behind it. IIRC, my GCWR is right at 35,000 lbs, I still have room to spare, but I am tapped out on both front and rear axle weights...I just don't see how I could ever get to that max GCWR without busting another weight tolerance.

Cale

1996 IIRC the combined on it was in the 22k-24k range

I know that the goose neck had a GVW of 45k.

So with a little redneck math and reasoning it was good to go!

Aaron

joebedford · 11-18-2015, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbpru

They will however quickly notice a lack of sufficient horse power or gearing.

They will notice a lack of braking and stability before they notice a lack of HP.

hddecker · 11-18-2015, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joebedford

They will notice a lack of braking and stability before they notice a lack of HP.

I'll drink to that.

When I upgraded the brakes on my Ram to ceramic pads and slottes and cross drilled rotors. It helped in getting the Ram wohooed up, but when I was towing the Brick, the braking was better, but not what I had hoped for.

Next step disk brakes on the Brick and now I don't get white knuckles when some dip $h!t cuts me off and spikes the brakes. I don't have to worry about getting through the big cities before rush hour any more.

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