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Old 09-26-2013, 02:35 AM   #1
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GVWR Question

The truck in my signature has a GVWR of 7,700 pounds. The combined axle weight at my last weigh in was 8,100 pounds (Front: 3500, Rear: 4600). Trailer weight was 6,340. Combined was 14,440. This was weighed at a CAT scale.

This is with Michelin "E" tires. And yes, the WDH is set up correct. Everything sits nice and level. I will have to check the tongue weight and see where I'm at there. I could probably move some stuff from the front storage to the rear bunks, but nothing extravagant is in the front storage...

Not sure what else I can do to get the truck GVW and rear axle GAW down to the GVWR and GAWR limits...


Thanks.
Dave.
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Old 09-26-2013, 08:53 AM   #2
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Just curious... what is the 'wet weight' of the truck by itself, with all fluids & a full tank of gas? I've seen many people try to use the 'curb weight' as a guide... but that's light by at least a couple of hundred pounds.

I'm guessing somewhere in the 5,700 - 6,000 lb range... which gives you between 1700-2000 lbs of total cargo load (or payload) potential for the truck.

Add a couple of adult passengers at say... 200 lbs. each, and that's 400 lbs. Got kids that you bring along? Add their weight.

Have you added any accessories to the truck? A front brush guard, or a truck bed cap? More weight. How about that weight distribution hitch itself? That puppy ain't light. Add those weights.

Since you're using that WDH, that means you can use the bed of the truck for extra toys & gear. Carrying a canoe or a few bicycles? Tool boxes? How much does that stuff weigh?

And then finally you have the hitch weight of the RV itself. What's its weight BEFORE you change the equation by putting torque on the WDH bars?

All things to consider...

I ran into similar problems with my F-250 a few weeks ago. My 5th wheel towing spec was 15,900 lbs max... and I was ok & under the limit there. However... the GCWR on the truck was only 23,500... and I rolled across the scales at 24,400!!

My truck by itself wasn't over weight... and my RV by itself wasn't overweight. But COMBINED, I exceeded the GCWR by almost 1,000 lbs.

This is why I now have an F-450. I'd been kicking the idea around for awhile, because I knew I was close to the RV's rating with my motorcycle inside... and in case I decided to upgrade to a slightly larger rig in the near future. However, rolling across the scales overweight that day solidified my decision.

Good luck!
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Old 09-26-2013, 02:09 PM   #3
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Yep Tom, those scooters with the training wheels come in heavy!
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Old 02-02-2014, 10:52 PM   #4
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Just curious, did you get your gvwr straightened out? Sounds like there was a lot of extra weight in the truck. Weighed my truck with everyone in it and still have 1150 lbs left over for tongue weight. I know I will be close when it's loaded.
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