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Old 02-15-2016, 07:45 AM   #1
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why do dealers post dry weight on the camper

I was at a camper show this past weekend and there were a lot of dealers posting the weight outside of the camper ["I way 4600lbs, I way 10,000, etc. and I seen some people getting excited with 'OOOOO, we can tow this, my truck can tow this', but it was only the dry weight they show. Alot of people weren't even asking if that was dry or gross.

Why don't they show the gross weight of this things and stop getting people excited over something they can't tow?
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Old 02-15-2016, 07:55 AM   #2
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Thats the weights they take or are given by manufacture. Now it's up to you to ask some questions or pick up a brochure which will give you a little more info as far a cargo capacity. and axles weights. Later RJD
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Old 02-15-2016, 07:57 AM   #3
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I would guess because all they care about is making a sale. You as a buyer get excited about something you see that is shiny and new...or new to you, they (dealers) are not going to say..."Oh sorry you cannot pull this because it will be too heavy once loaded." Mainly because I am sure they have no clue either...and that would kill the mood and maybe the sale, instead they get you more excited about the price and blah blah...sad story...just MO
Too bad there isn't some sort of regulation for this(Not that I love regulated things)...but people being safe while towing is more fun for them and the rest of us out there...it's all a numbers game...they sell units to some uneducated people and never look back...
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Old 02-15-2016, 08:06 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by bagged123 View Post
I was at a camper show this past weekend and there were a lot of dealers posting the weight outside of the camper ["I way 4600lbs, I way 10,000, etc. and I seen some people getting excited with 'OOOOO, we can tow this, my truck can tow this', but it was only the dry weight they show. Alot of people weren't even asking if that was dry or gross.

Why don't they show the gross weight of this things and stop getting people excited over something they can't tow?
Plenty of dealers could really care less about what you can or can't tow. The way they look at it that's all up to you to figure out. They're in business to sell you a trailer and frankly don't care what you tow it with or if your within all the weight limitations. By listing the dry weights, which is often done at RV shows, people see that and assume as you say "we can tow this"! The dealer is doing nothing wrong......................"technically".

The problem is not with the dealer, it's with the buyer. If you know nothing about the weights and capacities you shouldn't be buying one, let alone towing one down the highway.
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Old 02-15-2016, 08:11 AM   #5
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It's definitely scary out there with that people see and think they can tow to reality.
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Old 02-15-2016, 08:16 AM   #6
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Its all in the marketing how many folks would buy a TT that could only carry a few hundred pounds (not a real figure) so they list the empty weight and not the CC or GVW. or folks have a 1/2 ton pickup and the dry weight is in the pull range, but the TT can carry many thousand pounds loaded and would outside the range of the truck. would folks buy that TT knowing they had to have a 3/4 ton truck to pull it.
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Old 02-15-2016, 12:58 PM   #7
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The dry weight or UVW, unloaded vehicle weight, is a great number to have. A trailer may have a UVW of 4,600 pounds and a GVWR (what the axles and tires are rated for) of 7,600 pounds. Who is going to put 3,000 pounds of stuff in their camper? Most people are closer to 1,000 pounds of stuff when camping. Both numbers are part of the equation when contemplating a new camper as is distance to be towed, local or cross country. Whether you live in the Rockies or the plains. There is no one answer for every towing situation. Do your homework and research to make a good decision. Most of all camp safely and
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Old 02-15-2016, 01:02 PM   #8
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They quote dry weight because they don't know what you're going to put in it. It will differ for every happy camper.
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Old 02-15-2016, 01:04 PM   #9
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The DOT regulations require the dry weight number and everything else on that sticker. What is included or not included is by regulation.
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Old 02-15-2016, 01:22 PM   #10
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The dry weight or UVW, unloaded vehicle weight, is a great number to have. A trailer may have a UVW of 4,600 pounds and a GVWR (what the axles and tires are rated for) of 7,600 pounds. Who is going to put 3,000 pounds of stuff in their camper? Most people are closer to 1,000 pounds of stuff when camping. Both numbers are part of the equation when contemplating a new camper as is distance to be towed, local or cross country. Whether you live in the Rockies or the plains. There is no one answer for every towing situation. Do your homework and research to make a good decision. Most of all camp safely and

Dry weight means almost nothing ! But a very few campers have a 3000 lb gross weight over dry weight. Most campers gross weight is usually 1000 to 2500 lbs over dryweight. But do check before you buy.

A lot of people carry 3000-4000 of gear, Us included but again have an idea of what you need to carry. Gross weight is much more important that dry weight will ever be.

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Old 02-15-2016, 01:32 PM   #11
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Maybe people don't stock their trailer till they get to the campground. LOL
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Old 02-15-2016, 01:35 PM   #12
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Maybe people don't stock their trailer till they get to the campground. LOL
I doubt most people buy new linens, clothes, pots and pans, out door chairs, grills, propane, games, etc. each time they go out.....
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Old 02-15-2016, 01:36 PM   #13
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Old 02-15-2016, 01:39 PM   #14
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Marketing. Same reason car and truck dealers post EPA estimated mileage ( which you usually never get).
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Old 02-15-2016, 01:45 PM   #15
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Of course they post the dry weight. How would they know how much you are going to put in the unit. Certainly before someone purchases a trailer they should be having conversations with the dealer regarding weights. There is such a thing as TMI in the looking stages. This is a base from which to start.
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Old 02-15-2016, 01:45 PM   #16
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Depends on what you buy to get to EPA mileage. Later RJD
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Old 02-15-2016, 01:45 PM   #17
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I get intrigued when I see the subject, but after I read the responses, typically, don't add my two cents worth. In this situation, I've had very recent experience.

We looked at campers at a number of places a week ago. Without exception, the sales person, assured me that only the dry weight was important, that I'd never carry THAT much weight. Fortunately, with propane, practically no canned goods, clothes, 3 camping chairs and a bicycle, the weight comes close to GVWR.
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Old 02-15-2016, 01:48 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp View Post

The problem is not with the dealer, it's with the buyer. If you know nothing about the weights and capacities you shouldn't be buying one, let alone towing one down the highway.

Totally agree here. If you go to an RV Show, Dealership, or even purchasing from a private individual, you have to have done your homework and know in advance what your towing vehicle is, and isn't, capable of towing. Don't rely on others info, as we all know, most are just in it for the "sale".

A wise consumer is a happy consumer!
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Old 02-15-2016, 01:56 PM   #19
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Because it's up to you to take care of yourself.

My unit dry is 11,336 pounds. Loaded, it's 12,400ish with generators. My truck is rated to tow 13,000 so I'm to the good by 600 pounds, and my combined weight is under rating by the same. I know by experience that I carry about 750-1,000 pounds depending on the water I carry, etc.

My unit grosses at 15,500. Had I looked at gross only I'd have kept walking, but unless I start carrying depleted uranium how am I going to put 4,000 pounds of stuff in that thing?

I'm not excusing the sales guys because I know some of them said a triple axle toy hauler could be towed by a Colorado with air bags, but it is up to the consumer to do their own research.
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Old 02-15-2016, 01:59 PM   #20
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In our case if I went by the dry weight or even close I would not have near enough tow vehicle my brochure dry weight is 9200 (do not go by that) my yellow sticker dry weight is 9600 lbs..... ok..... my gross weight is 14500 but

My trailer weight on the scales is 13800 If I went by dry weight plus I could be in real trouble but since I went by gross weight I am within my vehicle's tow limits.............. Even if you do not fully load you camper going by gross weight will help keep you within your tow limits were dry weight is a bad starting place but yet a guide.

Ours is some what an extreme case but not that far off.........

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