TT Dry Weight - how accurate?

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by picknfiddle

After talking to Rockwood customer service, I found that the empty weight of my trailer model (Windjammer 3002w), which is listed in the brochure at 6447 lbs, does not include the Convenience Package items, which include A/C, microwave, power awning, windows with safety glass, and spare tire. The trailer can't be bought without these items, so why don't they include them in the empty weight? .

And the answer is - - So that the trailer can look lighter in the brochure than it is thereby attracting a wider audience. At least initally, and then people hopefully post on this forum and ask and learn they are not supposed to focus on the dry weight.

[david-o]

Originally Posted by herk7769

My two cents:

There are four "weights" and you should know what they are; what they mean; and where to find them.

"Dry Weight" - Found nowhere in nature. Found only in the brochure. Means nothing to you at all since it changes the second the frame hits the assembly line at the plant.

"Unloaded Vehicle Weight - UVW" - Found on a yellow sticker in the camper. Required BY LAW to be on the camper. Sometimes hidden in a cabinet stuck to a door. Mine is on the driver side outside of my 5th wheel. It is the ACCURATE weight of the vehicle as manufactured at the plant. It includes all FACTORY installed items - like AC if ordered, atrium windows, fireplace, etc - a battery (if weight requires brakes) and both empty propane tanks.

"Gross Vehicle Weight" - The maximum that the camper can weigh without breaking something. Found in some brochures and the yellow sticker. The difference between the UVW and the GVW is your allowable payload.

"ACTUAL WEIGHT" - what your camper weighs ready to camp. Found ONLY by taking it to the scale on your way out the door to go camping. This (and the Maximum Gross Weight) are the ONLY two weights that mean anything to you. The UVW changes when you (or the dealer) get their sticky and mod prone hands on the camper.

Permanent changes you make to the camper add or remove weight from the UVW. Taking out a non load bearing wall or cabinet for example will allow you to carry your favorite telescope with motor drive without going over your Max Gross weight.

I found yet another weight - "Shipping Weight" - as specified on the "Certificate Of Origin For A Vehicle" provided by Forest River. One would think that the "Shipping Weight" on this legal document would be the same as the "dry weight" on the yellow sticker. But these are two different numbers for the 2012 Flagstaff V-Lite 30WFKSS that I purchased last month.

The Certificate for my new trailer lists the "Shipping Weight" as 6994 lbs. (The CT DMV uses this figure as the "Light Weight" on my title and registration certificate.) The yellow sticker on my trailer lists the "dry weight" as 7126 lbs.

Does anyone know why there's a difference between these weights? Maybe the yellow sticker "dry weight" includes full propane tanks and battery? Or maybe somebody at Forest River made a mistake.

I'm curious if others have different weights listed on their registration certificate vs yellow sticker.

[david-o]

Originally Posted by david-o

I found yet another weight - "Shipping Weight" - as specified on the "Certificate Of Origin For A Vehicle" provided by Forest River. One would think that the "Shipping Weight" on this legal document would be the same as the "dry weight" on the yellow sticker. But these are two different numbers for the 2012 Flagstaff V-Lite 30WFKSS that I purchased last month.

The Certificate for my new trailer lists the "Shipping Weight" as 6994 lbs. (The CT DMV uses this figure as the "Light Weight" on my title and registration certificate.) The yellow sticker on my trailer lists the "dry weight" as 7126 lbs.

Does anyone know why there's a difference between these weights? Maybe the yellow sticker "dry weight" includes full propane tanks and battery? Or maybe somebody at Forest River made a mistake.

I'm curious if others have different weights listed on their registration certificate vs yellow sticker.

I spoke with Doug at Flagstaff today. He checked with a production manager and we learned that the "Shipping Weight" on my Certificate Of Origin is a generic weight for a base 30WFKSS and the "Dry Weight" on my yellow sticker is the actual weight of my trailer as equipped when it came off the production line. Mystery solved.