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Old 01-15-2017, 01:23 PM   #1
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34qs CCC

Can anyone tell me the cargo carrying capacity (CCC) or unloaded vehicle weight (UVW) of the 34qs? Thanks for your help!
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Old 01-15-2017, 05:11 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by future34qs View Post
Can anyone tell me the cargo carrying capacity (CCC) or unloaded vehicle weight (UVW) of the 34qs? Thanks for your help!
Someone can give you the CCC for THEIR unit. And, other units will be somewhat close. But each unit is different.... ONLY the yellow sticker gives the right answer. (Assuming the factory put the right sticker on the right MoHo.)
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Old 01-15-2017, 09:08 PM   #3
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It 1st depends on if you are going to have a toad. You have to subtract wt. of toad. Towing capacity is 5K. I think my 34QS total is 32K. My toad is 4K so now I am down to 28K. I think that my last weigh in loaded was 26500. That did not include my wife and dogs inside, but it will not account for 1500 lbs of gap weight, so I am in good shape. Give yourself some wiggle room so you stay away from over capacity. Don't forget to adjust your tire pressure on all tires based on your total weight. God luck!
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Old 01-15-2017, 09:38 PM   #4
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It 1st depends on if you are going to have a toad. You have to subtract wt. of toad. Towing capacity is 5K. I think my 34QS total is 32K. My toad is 4K so now I am down to 28K. I think that my last weigh in loaded was 26500. That did not include my wife and dogs inside, but it will not account for 1500 lbs of gap weight, so I am in good shape. Give yourself some wiggle room so you stay away from over capacity. Don't forget to adjust your tire pressure on all tires based on your total weight. God luck!

There is a lot wrong with that statement.

He was asking about CCC.

CCC is GVWR minus empty weight. Nothing to do with a trailer (a toad is a trailer for this purpose). Empty weight as listed ON THE YELLOW STICKER may or may not include some or all fluids, see the YELLOW STICKER. You need to know to estimate how much "stuff" you can bring, CCC. If the fluids are included the empty weight is more and the CCC less, and vice versa. In the end what matters is the loaded weight on the scale, not to exceed GVWR. Regarding what you're pulling, only tongue weight counts towards CCC.... very little with a dolly, next to nothing with a flat tow.

GVWR plus Tow rating is GCVWR. If you have a 5000# tow rating and only hang a 4000# toad on it you do NOT get to add 1000# to your CCC.

Weigh yourself and do not exceed your GVWR. (Again, NOTHING to do with what you're towing). Now add in your trailer/toad weight and don't exceed GCVWR. And, make sure tongue weight is not in excess of rating and is part of load.

Bonanza you have 1000# in your "gap weight" that's coming out of GCVWR, you do not mention the GVWR which is what your weigh in should be held against.

Once again..... THE ONLY SOURCE FOR GVWR AND THUS CCC IS THE YELLOW STICKER WHICH IS UNIQUE TO EACH VEHICLE.

In addition, there are axle weight limitations, and tire weight limitations. If you put ALL the allowable weight over the rear axle you would exceed some of those. Once again, look at the stickers. and weigh the axles separately.

Lastly, you want to stay away from over loading, not over capacity. Over capacity is good..... I know, semantics.....
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Old 01-15-2017, 09:55 PM   #5
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As an additional thought, I know the GVWR of the 34QS is the same as the 38A. Same chassis (except a little shorter), engine/tranny, axles and tires. Because it is shorter the empty weight is less and thus the CCC is more. I do believe all the tankage is also the same.
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Old 01-16-2017, 02:35 AM   #6
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according to the 2016 Berkshire brochure the 34QS GVWR (lbs) is 27,910 the GCWR (lbs) is 32,910.
On the Forest River website it says "each Forest River RV is weighed at the manufacturing facility prior to shipping. A label identifying the unloaded vehicle weight of the actual unit and the cargo carrying capacity is applied to every Forest River RV prior to leaving our facilities"
You may have to ask a 34QS owner for a more specific answer than that.
Good Luck
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Old 01-16-2017, 04:28 PM   #7
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Door Sticker on my 2015 Berk 34QS

The door sticker on my Berk 34QS is attached. It says that I have a cargo capacity of 1916 kg or 4223 lbs over and above my dry weight or 22,976 lb.

That gives a maximum gross weight (without trailer) of 27,199 lbs. That is less than the advertised 28,000 lbs, for some reason.

On a trip last May with a 3/4 load of fuel, standard cargo, one driver, but no water, I had the following 4-point weights:

Left Front: 1930 kg or 4255 lb
Right Front 1770 kg or 3902 lb
Front Axle 3700 kg or 8157 lb, or 2343 lb below the allowable load of 10,500 lbs.

Left Rear Duals: 3650 kg or 8047 lb (4023 lb per wheel)
Right Rear Duals: 3990 kg or 8796 lb (4398 lb per wheel)
Rear Axle: 7640 kg or 16943 lb, or 557 lb below the allowable load of 17,500 lbs.

Total vehicle weight 11,340 kg or 25,100 lb

-Gordon
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Old 01-16-2017, 06:15 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by gordonsick View Post
The door sticker on my Berk 34QS is attached. It says that I have a cargo capacity of 1916 kg or 4223 lbs over and above my dry weight or 22,976 lb.

That gives a maximum gross weight (without trailer) of 27,199 lbs. That is less than the advertised 28,000 lbs, for some reason.

On a trip last May with a 3/4 load of fuel, standard cargo, one driver, but no water, I had the following 4-point weights:

Left Front: 1930 kg or 4255 lb
Right Front 1770 kg or 3902 lb
Front Axle 3700 kg or 8157 lb, or 2343 lb below the allowable load of 10,500 lbs.

Left Rear Duals: 3650 kg or 8047 lb (4023 lb per wheel)
Right Rear Duals: 3990 kg or 8796 lb (4398 lb per wheel)
Rear Axle: 7640 kg or 16943 lb, or 557 lb below the allowable load of 17,500 lbs.

Total vehicle weight 11,340 kg or 25,100 lb

-Gordon
Thanks Gordon, that is very good data.

I am with you scratching my head why your CCC+Emtpy is less than the 28K Out if curiosity.... In my unit there are also stickers, including a yellow one, in the cabinet above the driver's seat..... Do you have those and do the numbers jive with the sticker shown in your post?

The current 34QS is listed with a GVWR of 27190........Note that on the sticker above water and tongue weight are specifically addressed in support of my earlier post and do NOT appear to be in the empty weight. There being no mention, one can assume (oh dear) that the diesel fuel is. Propane is also not addressed and I have seen that go either way......

So the answer for the OP is......APPROXIMATELY 3-4000 pounds, subject to your specific unit's limitations.

(As a side note, your sticker addresses "occupant" not "occupants" That grammar thing again...... LOL)
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Old 01-16-2017, 07:21 PM   #9
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Thanks to everyone who replied. The yellow sticker was especially helpful. Looking forward ro joining the Berkshire family.
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Old 01-23-2017, 06:08 PM   #10
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Oscar,

The Berkshire 34QS brochure for my model year specifies
Front GAWR: 10,500 lbs
Rear GAWR: 17,500 lbs
GVWR: 28,000 lbs
These capacities are confirmed in the attached photo, which contains the serial number (so that it is specific to my vehicle). This appears in the compartment above the driver's seat. Another sticker beside it provides the same GAWR, along with the serial number of the chassis and the model numbers of the axles, so this is very specific information, which I regard as being reliable.

The yellow sticker max load is about 800 pounds lighter than this, which is approximately the weight of a full load of diesel fuel and propane, so that sticker may be providing an allowance for that.

Also, the yellow sticker is a total vehicle weight and doesn't give axle limits, so they may be erring on the cautious side in case the vehicle isn't loaded evenly from side to side. And of course, the yellow sticker says nothing about the maximum loads per axle (front to back distribution).

Overall, I am confident that I'm safe if I don't have any corner of the vehicle carrying more than half the GAWR listed above. And, I make sure my tires are inflated enough for the load I carry, after looking at my tire manufacturer's manual.

I'm fortunate to be in a Province where the Government maintains free, unattended scales at the exits from the major cities and many of these scales don't have barriers to prevent me from doing a four-corner weight check. That way, I can check my load when I leave town full of fuel and gear.
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Old 01-23-2017, 07:41 PM   #11
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Oh, never doubted the safety of what you were doing. All we are discussing here is the legality.

I have broken the rules more than once but I was aware of it every time I did it and I had a plan.....sort of.

As a rule, especially for extended routine operations, I try to stay within the limits, and I generally succeed. Less legal exposure.

It's all about risk management.

I think you nailed it with the 800lbs being the fuel and propane. Chassis manufacturer does not allow for it, FR does.
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Old 01-30-2017, 03:54 PM   #12
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Oscar,

Since trucks often have the GVWR and GAWR, etc ratings on the door or fender, I suspect that these are the weights used by weight authorities at a government scale. Those weights are on the white sticker above the driver's seat.

I think that the yellow sticker is more of a convenience for an owner who is loading his vehicle and who doesn't have access to a weigh station. Since they aren't axle-specific, I doubt that they are the ones used to pull someone off the road.

BTW, the other risk besides being pulled off the road is that one could have an accident and the insurance claim might not pay fully if the vehicle was overloaded. I'm not sure how successful the weight stickers would be in establishing a safe or unsafe operation of the vehicle.

–cheers, Gordon
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Old 01-30-2017, 07:29 PM   #13
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Yes, the pro bono attorney for the "victims" having a field day going after my assets is something that has crossed my mind.

That said, in all my years of RV-ing and being on forums I have never heard of the pieces being weighed....
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Old 02-22-2017, 09:28 PM   #14
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There is a lot wrong with that statement.

He was asking about CCC.

CCC is GVWR minus empty weight. Nothing to do with a trailer (a toad is a trailer for this purpose). Empty weight as listed ON THE YELLOW STICKER may or may not include some or all fluids, see the YELLOW STICKER. You need to know to estimate how much "stuff" you can bring, CCC. If the fluids are included the empty weight is more and the CCC less, and vice versa. In the end what matters is the loaded weight on the scale, not to exceed GVWR. Regarding what you're pulling, only tongue weight counts towards CCC.... very little with a dolly, next to nothing with a flat tow.

GVWR plus Tow rating is GCVWR. If you have a 5000# tow rating and only hang a 4000# toad on it you do NOT get to add 1000# to your CCC.

Weigh yourself and do not exceed your GVWR. (Again, NOTHING to do with what you're towing). Now add in your trailer/toad weight and don't exceed GCVWR. And, make sure tongue weight is not in excess of rating and is part of load.

Bonanza you have 1000# in your "gap weight" that's coming out of GCVWR, you do not mention the GVWR which is what your weigh in should be held against.

Once again..... THE ONLY SOURCE FOR GVWR AND THUS CCC IS THE YELLOW STICKER WHICH IS UNIQUE TO EACH VEHICLE.

In addition, there are axle weight limitations, and tire weight limitations. If you put ALL the allowable weight over the rear axle you would exceed some of those. Once again, look at the stickers. and weigh the axles separately.

Lastly, you want to stay away from over loading, not over capacity. Over capacity is good..... I know, semantics.....
Is the term "yellow sticker" generic for the data information placed permanently in the vehicle? I have no yellow stickers but do have weight and tire pressure info attached to the wall inside the cabinet above the driver's seat. These are all white. Should I have other information on a yellow sticker?
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Old 02-22-2017, 09:49 PM   #15
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Is the term "yellow sticker" generic for the data information placed permanently in the vehicle? I have no yellow stickers but do have weight and tire pressure info attached to the wall inside the cabinet above the driver's seat. These are all white. Should I have other information on a yellow sticker?
CaveRunRVer,
It took me about a year to find the yellow sticker! The white stickers are in obvious places, but the yellow sticker is in a random place. Mine is on the screen door. I've seen other RVs have the yellow sticker in other places, such as outside.

Since I've seen yellow stickers only on relatively recent trailers and motorhomes, I suspect that they are some sort of emerging standard by RV manufacturers to give the RV owner some idea of how much stuff they can put in their RV.

In my view, if you have access to a truck weigh scale, the white stickers are what you should use, since they are based on maximum total weight on each axle, based on the components that went into the construction of your chassis. Also, don't overload tires – inflate them properly according to the weigh scale readings.

The yellow sticker, on the other hand, is intended to be some measure of how much gear you can bring into the unit. In principle, you could weigh all the gear you bring out to your RV on your bathroom scale and add it all up to compare to the yellow sticker. But, the yellow sticker is very imprecise, because it doesn't describe the limitations of where you put that weight, from front to back or side to side. Only the weigh scale will make that clear. And the weigh scale is to be compared to the white sticker.

Finally, just to be clear, our Allison 2500MH transmission is what places the maximum combined weight (GCWR) at 33000 pounds. It also limits us to 340 horsepower. If you go over those limits but stay within the tire and axle limits, you are just risking an early expiry of your transmission (or its warranty). Your vehicle is not inherently unsafe.

–Gordon
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Old 02-23-2017, 12:56 PM   #16
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Gordonsick,
Thank you for the info!
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Old 02-23-2017, 01:31 PM   #17
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But, the yellow sticker is very imprecise, because it doesn't describe the limitations of where you put that weight, from front to back or side to side.
Very true. You can be within your CCC, as in under GVWR, but you can be over on an axle or even one corner, ie the tire or even wheel....

Getting each corner weighed is the ultimate answer to the question.

That said, the designers do take these things into account and figure where you're going to put most of the weight. Kitchens, storage below and of course fluids are the big numbers so they put these in places where they will be reasonably balanced. This is why you won't see a kitchen in the rear end.

So, if you don't bring your entire fossil collection and stick it in the aft bedroom closets you will be close if not under on the corners if the total is within limits.
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Old 02-27-2017, 07:49 AM   #18
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Very true. You can be within your CCC, as in under GVWR, but you can be over on an axle or even one corner, ie the tire or even wheel....

Getting each corner weighed is the ultimate answer to the question.

That said, the designers do take these things into account and figure where you're going to put most of the weight. Kitchens, storage below and of course fluids are the big numbers so they put these in places where they will be reasonably balanced. This is why you won't see a kitchen in the rear end.

So, if you don't bring your entire fossil collection and stick it in the aft bedroom closets you will be close if not under on the corners if the total is within limits.


Oscarvan,
Thanks for your input. I plan to get weighed this week.
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