TT Dry Weight - how accurate?

[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.

[mtnguy]

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]

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

[KyDan]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

Patrick

[herk7769]

Originally Posted by PatrickCrotty

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

Patrick

Badda Bing; Badda Boom.

[althebuilder]

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.