Randy from Utah
Bountifful,UT USA
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Joined: 02/15/2004
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Truck..1996 Dodge 2500 4X4 8800GVWR V10
Trailer..1999 Fleetwood Terry 275J EX
Trailer Manufacture's Specs:
GVWR..9000
Dry Weight..6850
Carrying Cap..2150
Hitch Dry Weight..1130
Dry Axle Weight..5720
Length..28'
Truck alone,full Tank of gas,hitch.
Front..3540
Rear..2480
Total truck..6020
Truck with 5th wheel attached:
Front..3520
Rear..3740
Tandem Trailer..6640
GCVW..12680
Hitch Pin..1260..19% of trailer weight.
Truck Front GAWR..4850
Rear GAWR...6084
Truck Tires..max load..3042
Trailer tires..max load..2830
5th wheel pretty much empty,propane tanks full,2 batteries,black,grey tanks empty.
So.. How much truck and trailer carrying capacity do I have left and how do these numbers look??
Thanks for an answer...Randy
P.S. Next time I leave town loaded I'll re-weigh and re-post.
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1996 Dodge Laramie 4X4.
2500 V10 R47H
1999 Fleetwood Terry 275J EX
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dieseldad55
Rio Linda, Calif.
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Joined: 08/24/2010
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I am new to the forum. We've been RV'ers for several years, and have had our 5er since late '05. Now that tires are blowing out, cracking, etc., I'm finding more and more info on how important weighing your rig is, especially when looking to purchase new tires.
However, I live Sacramento, Ca.,the most ignorant and least informed community when it comes to RV's. I have visited 2 of the largest and oldest RV dealers in this area, and found that no one has a clue as to where to take a fifth wheel trailer & truck to weigh. Also, to find a tire company that can actually help you with tire requirements in relation to trailer weight is near impossible.
So, does anybody know for sure, (not looking for maybe's) where I can get my rig weighed???
* This post was
edited 08/27/10 11:19am by dieseldad55 *
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HamsHog
Fulltimer/ Palm Springs, CA
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Joined: 10/15/2008
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dieseldad55 wrote:I am new to the forum. We've been RV'ers for several years, and have had our 5er since late '05. Now that tires are blowing out, cracking, etc., I'm finding more and more info on how important weighing your rig is, especially when looking to purchase new tires.
However, I live Sacramento, Ca.,the most ignorant and least informed community when it comes to RV's. I have visited 2 of the largest and oldest RV dealers in this area, and found that no one has a clue as to where to take a fifth wheel trailer & truck to weigh. Also, to find a tire company that can actually help you with tire requirements in relation to trailer weight is near impossible.
So, does anybody know for sure, (not looking for maybe's) where I can get my rig weighed???
Hey Dieseldad55,
Go to a Truck Stop or Bekins/Mayflower moving&storage place. They have scales that you can weigh on.
Regards, Hamshog
* This post was
edited 08/27/10 11:47am by HamsHog *
2009 Silverado 2500HD EC/SB Dmax/Alli - SuperGlide 18K - Firestone Bags - 265/75R16's -
2010 Carri-Lite 36XTRM5 w/ Big Foot - Champion 4000W
2005 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic
2005 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited LJ
2007 Fleetwood Pegasus Ultralite M-180FQ
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Tireman9
Akron, OH
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Joined: 08/16/2002
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dieseldad55 wrote:I am new to the forum. We've been RV'ers for several years, and have had our 5er since late '05. Now that tires are blowing out, cracking, etc., I'm finding more and more info on how important weighing your rig is, especially when looking to purchase new tires.
However, I live Sacramento, Ca.,the most ignorant and least informed community when it comes to RV's. I have visited 2 of the largest and oldest RV dealers in this area, and found that no one has a clue as to where to take a fifth wheel trailer & truck to weigh. Also, to find a tire company that can actually help you with tire requirements in relation to trailer weight is near impossible.
So, does anybody know for sure, (not looking for maybe's) where I can get my rig weighed???
You have a number of options such as CAT scales. If you get to a large RV Rally you could use RVSEF services. Any certified scale will work for getting your RV weighed. You might find a local company if you check your phone book or try this link.
You should NOT adjust your inflation for each tire based on it's real load. Tire inflation affects both load carrying capability as well as vehicle handling (turning right forces should = turning left forces). You should have all tires on an axle at the same inflation +/- 1 psi which is easy to achieve with a digital inflation gauge.
Now, knowing that all tires on an axle should have the same inflation we need to be sure no tire is overloaded. The procedure recommended by experienced tire design engineers is to:
1. Get the corner weights with the vehicle fully loaded (water, fuel, food, clothes, co-pilot, pets etc.
2. Use a published Load & Inflation table. You should be able to find that info HERE.
3. Look up the lowest inflation that has the load higher than yours.
4. Be sure to note that if you have Duals there are different load numbers.
5. That lowest inflation is your MINIMUM "Cold" inflation.
6. "Cold" inflation is measured at ambient, not in the sun and at least 3 or 4 hours after it was driven.
7. All tires leak air at about 1% - 3% per month. Also cold tire pressure changes with ambient temperature at about 2% per 10 Degrees F, so to avoid having to inflate your tires every few days as you travel around many recommend that you inflate your tires to 5 psi above your minimum. That way it will be longer before you have to add air.
Finally, If you discover you are a few (1 to 5) psi lower than you want to be, but have to drive a bit to get to high pressure air, simply make a note of the number of pounds you need to add for each tire. Drive the few miles at speeds lower than 50 and when you get to the location with air again measure the now "Hot" pressure. Check your notes and add the number of pounds you want for each tire and add that plus 1 psi to the hot pressure to get your new inflation.
If you follow this procedure I think you will find that you are back to your desired +/- 1 psi cold the next moning.
40 years experience as tire Design & Quality engineer with focus on failed tire forensics.
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DW-gray
Lompoc, CA
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Joined: 01/05/2009
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lots2seeinmyrv wrote:Hope this isn't a dumb question...but has anyone...or does someone know how to create an Excel Spreadsheet that we can access where we can just plug all the numbers in for the trailer and the truck and then get the results calculated to see if our rigs are overloaded or not? And it calculates the pin weight?
Seems like a lot of us are confused on what our tow vehicles can handle, me included.
That is not dumb question at all. Gee, why didn't I think of that? That is something I can do. I'll get to work it right away. Just know that I want be able to provide all the specs on each type of truck. I will make it a form fill where you have to input all the required data. Give me about a week to work on it.
Dave Gray
RV Safety Educator & Consultant
08 Dodge Ram 3500 4X4, Dually, 6.7L Diesel, 09 Heartland Cyclone 4012
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DW-gray
Lompoc, CA
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Okay, try out this Excel Worksheet. Please provide some feedback on what you think. Did it answer all the output data you wanted?
Note: This is for 5th wheel trailers.
Click here to download the Truck/Trailer Weights & Report (Simplified) v1.0
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sirdrakejr
Las Vegas, Nevada
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Joined: 11/18/2001
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Both forms are confusing and beyond what is needed. The numbers needed ONLY need to be the truck's GVWR and GCWR, the truck's "ready to travel weight", the trailer pin weight and the trailer GVW. That is all anyone needs to compute the actual weights for towing. Adding the RAWR and FAWR only confuses because those numbers are NOT what the manufacturer wants the consumer to use. Leave it at that and then the people wanting to know more can find that info AFTER they figure out their primary numbers.
IE:
GVWR = 9900# ............................... 9900#
truck ready to travel-7250# ............... -7250#
.............................# left to CARRY = 2650#
trailer pin weight=2160# ...................-2150#
........................# over/under GVWR = -500#
GCWR=21500# ................................21500#
truck ready to travel-7250# ................-7250#
............................. # left to TOW = 14250#
trailer GVW=14500# ........................-14500#
.........................# over/under GVWR = +250#
In this example the truck is carrying UNDER the GVWR but OVER the GCWR. It is that simple.
Frank.
2011 Palomino Maverick 1000SLLB on a 2004 Dodge Quadcab CTD Ram3500 SRW long bed equipped with Timbren springs, Stable Load bump stops, Rickson 19.5" wheels/"G" range tires and a Helwig "Big Wig" rear anti sway bar.
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Tireman9
Akron, OH
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Joined: 08/16/2002
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Some data that is very obvious by its omission is the real loads on each tire.
I see lots of posts with the numbers for all axles ( 2 or 3 ) combined but almos no data on individual axle loads.
I have read elseware of 2 axle TT being close to 46/54 than 50/50 and of a three axle unit being 30/32/37%
The other part of the important equation is actual side to side variation with few units at 50/50 of that axle's load and some axles being at 45/55%
So unless you have weighed your unit with its full load (food, clothes, water, propane and other "stuff") you are only guessing at how much load you are actually asking your tires to carry.
Even at max sidewall pressure you may be operating overloaded.
All the above also assumes the axles are all in align and none are bent which of course introduces additional dynamic loading.
So as the title of this tread asks... "What is your Real Weights?"
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DW-gray
Lompoc, CA
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transamz9 wrote:I here you guys talking about the GCVWR.Where are you finding this info on the truck? All my Dodge 2500 and Ford F350 has is
FAWR
RAWR
GVWR
GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rating) is not normally found on the data plate. It may be found in your truck's Owners Manual, in a Towing Guide, or other documentation provided by the truck manufacturer.
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vairman
Fulltimers
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Joined: 07/22/2003
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4920 lb Front axle (rated at 6000 lb)
6680 lb Rear Axle (Rated at 6780 Lb) Pin Weight 3400 lbs
11600 lbs Trailer wheels
23200 Lb GCVW (23500 lb GCVWR)
With new trailer I am still under limits but I upgraded Tires and Airbags for added margin
2011 F450 6.7L PSD Lariat
2013 Lifestyle 36FW
25K Airsafe Hitch
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