Sherline tounge weight scale help

[twobytwo97]

I have a 2016 Forest River 832 IKBS, yesterday I tried the Sherline tongue weight scale on it by lowering the trailer onto it with the jack and was stunned to see a hitch weight of 1400+ lbs! With only about 100 lbs of cargo in storage compartment and battery I should only see about 1000 lbs worse case scenario. Can any of you share if you've seen this happen using your Sherline? I have to say my drive way slopes to the side by about 1" using a level.

[TURBS]

What about the weight of the full propane tanks?

TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "24 nights"

[twobytwo97]

those would then add another 100 lbs, but I thought propane was figured into the 833 lb tongue weight on their specs sheet. If it was not, it still should only be 1100 worse case scenario. What am I missing?

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by twobytwo97

those would then add another 100 lbs, but I thought propane was figured into the 833 lb tongue weight on their specs sheet. If it was not, it still should only be 1100 worse case scenario. What am I missing?

Propane is not figured in.
As well as the battery.

TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "24 nights"

[twobytwo97]

Would the slope cause the unknown extra 300+ lbs?

[TURBS]

Propane weighs 4.24 lbs per gallon.
30 lb tanks hold about 4-5 gallons
Do you have 30 lb tanks?

TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "24 nights"

[twobytwo97]

I have about: 50 lb battery, 50 lb electric power tongue jack, two 50 lb propane tanks, 833 + the 300 would put me at 1133

[wildbill79]

is your fresh water, gray, or black tanks full? My fresh water tank was full when I picked up from the dealer. Did you add any options to the trailer? I had cabinets added to the front bedroom that were not part of the original tongue weight figure. Just throwing out ideas

[Herk7769]

The spec tongue weight in the brochure is for the "as designed" basic camper (NO OPTIONS) that was speced when the camper was drawn up.

It was meaningless when the parts finally hit the factory floor and the "as built" changes started.

The yellow sheet does list the actual factory out the door weight (and the as built remaining payload; BUT NO TONGUE WEIGHT).

For that you need to hit the scales.

For example the air conditioner is an option. Its weight is not on the brochure, but it is included in the yellow sticker.

[twobytwo97]

No, fresh water tank was dumped, showed empty on control panel, no extra options either. We weighed everything we took out of the old camper and have about 750 lbs extra weight when camping, but I'm floored by the 1400 lbs.

[twobytwo97]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

The spec tongue weight in the brochure is for the "as designed" basic camper (NO OPTIONS) that was speced when the camper was drawn up.

It was meaningless when the parts finally hit the factory floor and the "as built" changes started.

The yellow sheet does list the actual factory out the door weight (and the as built remaining payload; BUT NO TONGUE WEIGHT).

For that you need to hit the scales.

For example the air conditioner is an option. Its weight is not on the brochure, but it is included in the yellow sticker.

Any idea what those ac's weigh? are should I say the 13.5 btu one?

[SuicideSaints]

I would think side to side slope would not affect it. Front to back slope would.

Full propane tanks and batteries are not figured into the weight from the factory. The brochure states that hitch weight is in the 830 range. This figure is similar to the dry weight, it reality it is a fictitious number used as a guide for making "rough" calculations. the brochure weights are weights with standard features, any options and dealer upgrades are not accounted for.

Are your water tanks full, water heater full? Are you sure the unit was level front to back? Not trying to insult you, just giving you some ideas?

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by twobytwo97

Any idea what those ac's weigh? are should I say the 13.5 btu one?

Really does not matter in your case since location (distance from the centerline of the tandem axle group) determines the contribution to tongue weight.

Located forward of the centerline adds to tongue weight; aft removes it. "Moment Arm" (the distance from centerline) is also a factor; the farther the more of the weight is on the tongue; the less the more is on the wheels.

That was just one example. Adding countertops, upgraded fridge, mattresses, the location of kitchen cabinets; just all kinds of things change the dynamics of the final weight distribution.

What is your "as camped" weight?

Multiply that number by 12% to get the optimum tongue weight for best handling. 12% on the tongue and 88% on the campers tires.

[SuicideSaints]

Originally Posted by twobytwo97

Any idea what those ac's weigh? are should I say the 13.5 btu one?

The shipping weight is 150 pounds, Ive seen it listed as 100 to 120 installed weight.

[SuicideSaints]

For this reason exactly is why a lot of people say to weigh your rig! As you can see the brochure is dead wrong! Once you start adding things, options and upgrades as well as gear, those numbers can change drastically.

What does your yellow sticker weight say?

[twobytwo97]

yellow sticker says dry weight 7730

[SuicideSaints]

Originally Posted by twobytwo97

yellow sticker says dry weight 7730

if you havent added any weight it appears you are at about an 18 percent tongue weight. But you have due to bats and LP. Have you weighed the whole camper as it sits? ready to camp?

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by twobytwo97

yellow sticker says dry weight 7730

What was the payload available?

Suppose it is 1300 pounds or about 9,000 pounds of camper loaded to camp.

12% of 9,000 pounds will give you a tongue weight of 1,080 pounds.

If you are significantly nose heavy, you may need to relocate some "optional load" (clothes etc) behind the wheels.

[pdqparalegal1]

My 24' lite wt Sticker said I had 450 tongue wt By scale 820. I'm on the way to TRUCK stop scales next week for total wt

[Alberta8311ss]

When I had that same scale under the jack foot and cranked the jack to take the weight off the truck it read 200 pounds more than if I lowered the trailer onto the scale.


2014 Rockwood 8311SS