TT Dry Weight - how accurate?

Dakota 1120 · 08-31-2011, 11:31 AM

How accurate is the factory dry weight rating of a travel trailer or toy hauler?

All of them come with different options so wondering how accurate the published factory dry weight can be.

MtnGuy · 08-31-2011, 11:34 AM

Add about 400 lbs. to the listed empty weight if you get the most popular options, ie air conditioning and awning, etc. The rest of the increase is a battery, and propane.

dimurrrw · 08-31-2011, 11:38 AM

I believe that the dry weight does not include options, etc, so it should be fairly accurate. Refer to post by mtnguy.

**KyDan** · 08-31-2011, 02:17 PM

What really matters is loaded ready to go camping weight.
THAT'S what you have to tow!

Wild guess is add at least 1000 LBs to the dry weight to get a reasonable
guess what loaded weight is going to be.

tentcamper1 · 08-31-2011, 04:43 PM

our dry ship weight was listed in the brochure around 6750 and the shipped weight was 7200. our options included 3 slide awnings, grill, 15k ac, electric tongue jack.

**Herk7769** · 08-31-2011, 05:31 PM

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.

F and E Damp · 08-31-2011, 09:08 PM

It's a totally meaningless number. As herk says in his post, the only "weight" you should work with is one that you have measured at a truck scale, with your rig loaded as is typical when you're going on a trip.

PatrickCrotty · 08-31-2011, 09:15 PM

Mine,
Dry 6870
Options, yellow tag 7434
Packed up, full propane, empty tanks 7900

Patrick

**Herk7769** · 08-31-2011, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatrickCrotty

Mine,
Dry 6870
Options, yellow tag 7434
Packed up, full propane, empty tanks 7900

Patrick

Badda Bing; Badda Boom.

althebuilder · 08-31-2011, 09:48 PM

Herk said it all, go check what your weight really is so you know what you can take with you. If you can't fit all of it in the trailer just have someone in your family drive a 5 ton truck behind you with the rest of it.

flyrotor · 08-31-2011, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dakota 1120

How accurate is the factory dry weight rating of a travel trailer or toy hauler?

All of them come with different options so wondering how accurate the published factory dry weight can be.

If your question is in reference to the most common question "Can i pull this trailer with my truck/suv?" Then the only number that matters is the GVW, because at some time, you WILL reach that weight,

Don't use dry weights determine if your truck can pull it. If the GVW exceeds the towing capacity of your truck, don't ever think that you can selectively and accurately load your trailer to keep under your max tow weight.

Then... Just as Herk states, you need to load up and weigh your "camping" weight, truck, water, kids, bikes, everything.

TimeFurnace · 09-01-2011, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyrotor

If the GVW exceeds the towing capacity of your truck, don't ever think that you can selectively and accurately load your trailer to keep under your max tow weight.

I disagree. My trailer has a cargo capacity of 4800 pounds or something like that. I can't imagine using more than 2000 of it.

In any event, regardless of the trailer and the tow capabilities of the rig, I would expect all trailer owners to be able to "selectively and accurately load [their] trailer[s]" before hitting the road.

flyrotor · 09-01-2011, 02:10 AM

The example stated is in regards to a trailer that has a GVW that exceeds the TV's tow capacity.

Hence, hypothetically if your TV's tow rating is 5100 pounds, the dry weight of a trailer is #4200, and just say the GVW of the trailer is #6200. In reality the unloaded weight is more around #4600, and for someone to try to selectively and acurately load the trailer and keep it in the range of #5100, I don't believe they would be able to maintain that balance trip after trip. Like Herk stated, the best way to monitor your actual weight is to put your truck/trailer on a scale, loaded as you are ready to depart for a trip.

My point being is that too many people are out there buying trailers that are too big for their tow vehicles. Mostly because a dealer uses their blanket statement that there should be "no problems"

In your case, I am sure your Tundra might not fit this hypothetical statement.

**KyDan** · 09-01-2011, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatrickCrotty

Mine,
Dry 6870
Options, yellow tag 7434
Packed up, full propane, empty tanks 7900
Patrick

Note the dry and packed weights are "about" 1000 LBS difference.
I don't know if empty tanks means empty black and gray or
empty black and gray and no fresh water.

If you're trying to see if you can tow a trailer with your truck then
I still think 1000 LBS is reasonable but keep in mind many of us
tow trailers that are only about 50 to 75% of the rated tow capacity
of our trucks.
That's where I am with my rig and I don't want any more!!
I'm down to 2nd gear on some steep grades in the eastern US and
several more in Colorado, Utah area.

So take your "dry weight" add 1000 LBS then look up the maximum
tow weight of your truck and deduct at least 25% and see how close
those numbers are to each other.

AND don't forget to

**Herk7769** · 09-01-2011, 08:32 AM

Flyrotor and Timefurnace Please do not hijack this thread.

There are plenty of threads here already about "what can I tow"?
The OP did not ask that.

Labzy · 09-01-2011, 08:36 AM

I unfortunately do not have access to a scale to weigh my loaded trailer.
So, I made a list and individually weighed every item that I put in the trailer. Yes, it was time consuming :>O but now I know exactly what I got going on in there

LOL, my camping chairs weigh 6lbs each, DD's bedding is 4.5 lbs etc....

With only 841lbs of available CCC it was something I was impelled to do.

Dakota 1120 · 09-01-2011, 11:21 AM

Thanks for all the information and flyrotor has a point about the sales person. Had one try to sell me a Raptor that 'dry' was near equal to the towing capacity of my TV.
Total weight loaded is easy - take it to a grain elevator and for free or maybe a few $$ they will weight it and give you a weight slip.

tentcamper1 · 09-01-2011, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dakota 1120

Thanks for all the information and flyrotor has a point about the sales person. Had one try to sell me a Raptor that 'dry' was near equal to the towing capacity of my TV.
Total weight loaded is easy - take it to a grain elevator and for free or maybe a few $$ they will weight it and give you a weight slip.

doesn't it just hurt when your new "best" friend (sales guy) tells you a mis-truth!

picknfiddle · 09-01-2011, 12:17 PM

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? The actual weights of these units from the factory are usually about 7200 lbs -- quite a difference. My options added only about 150 lbs, but my empty weight is 7167 lbs, which is 720 lbs higher that the "empty weight" in their ads.

As a side note, we're heading out tomorrow for our shakedown cruise. Pretty excited.

dimurrrw · 09-01-2011, 12:44 PM

Quote:

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? The actual weights of these units from the factory are usually about 7200 lbs -- quite a difference. My options added only about 150 lbs, but my empty weight is 7167 lbs, which is 720 lbs higher that the "empty weight" in their ads.

As a side note, we're heading out tomorrow for our shakedown cruise. Pretty excited.

Very interesting to know!

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