1998 GVWR info needed

[tem3000]

Hello everyone, I'm looking forward to learning from each and every one of you, because I'm certain you all know more and have more experience than me!

Here's an odd first forum question: Does anyone know the GVW/R of the 1998 Aerolite 25FDB?

A while back, I decided I wanted to build an ultralight travel trailer of my own and needed an ultralight chassis. I found the perfect one in this Aerolite that unfortunately was beyone repair.

Now, I'm making enough progress that I need to think about registering it here in Massachusetts, and they require knowing the GVW rating of the trailer. I've looked hither and yon and can find it nowhere. There's no info imprinted or affixed to the chassis imprinted itself, and the chassis manufacturer just wrote back with, "Check the literature."

The only literature I could find was an info sheet Dutchman/Aerolite put out that year for its models. There's no GVW. There are, however, Total Dry Weight, Load Capacity, and Dry Hitch ratings: 2840 lbs, 1560 lbs, and 285 lbs, respectively. My guess would be that Total Dry Weight and Load Capacity combined would be what we'd now call GVW/R. Is that so? And if not, does anyone have another source to suggesting that I check?

Apologies for the long note. I feel sheepish posting here because, while I'm *technically* a Dutchman owner, it's in the form of a 1998 Aerolite 25FDB chassis, which some may find an inadequate credential.

Thank you for any help!

[Revere411]

You are correct, add the two weights together for GVWR.

[tem3000]

Excellent, thank you. Now I have to be sure my final product is less than 4400 lbs! (WIth my stuff, water tanks, etc, that is.)

[acdii]

Another method if "dry weight" and CCC isn't available is to look at the axles weights. There will be a tag on the frame somewhere with the axle capacity. A pair of 3500# axles will give a GVWR of 7000#, and that would be the minimum GVWR of the trailer since the tongue carries a portion of the weight. A single axle is 3500 plus a percentage on the tongue, which at the moment I can't remember. It depends on the distance between the ball and the axle and the total length of the trailer. An example is my cargo trailer, single 3000# axle, GVWR 3500#, so 500 on the ball.

Some trailers may have higher capacity axles that are well above the actual GVWR of the trailer.

[tem3000]

Thank you, that's really helpful. Any advice on where the tag(s) might be? I ask because I looked at the chassis and found only one tag on it which contained a serial-type number that Dutchman told me was from the trailer manufacturer. And the manufacturer, in turn, said to look at the printed info.

You've given me hope that it's indeed on there somewhere on there and I just missed it. I'd much rather have that as it feels more authoritative to go by somehow than numbers in a brochure/fyler.

[acdii]

Depending on the axle make, and year, it could be a Mylar label on the axle or one of the backing plates, or a metal tag or stamped into the steel itself. You have to crawl under and look at the axles if no data plate is attached to the frame.

Have you looked inside the trailer? Sometimes they put the data labels in a cabinet, or the door frame to keep them from fading.

[JTMD]

Don't know about Mass but some states vary their fees based on weight..
Might be an advantage to underestimate the weight