Weighed trailer today

[mikey]

Weighed the Creek today . . . WOW what an eye opener! Within all GAWRs, under GWVR for TV & Creek but over the GCWR and the pin weight caused us to be so very close to max payload it's not funny!

So now I put the Creek on a diet! Anything I didn't use all last year is out (weigh it first though)
The pantry is a good candidate to shed a few pounds as is the cleaners we tend to cart along.
So far I have found almost a thousand excess pounds and we're just starting the diet.

I weighed on the CAT scale on day one last trip and even a little north of GCWR, we felt OK. This time we elected Escapees Smart Weigh. It gives us more useful info. I will reweigh each year now. With all of the chassis problems and the tire bombs, we feel its the smartest thing we can do to prolong the Creek's lifespan and prevent tire problems with their resultant coach damage in the future.

Escapees offers their SmartWeigh program starting at $45. A lot less that the cost of a tire, let alone the associated damage! We're lucky to live a short distance from the escapees HQ in Livingston, TX

Travel safe & enjoy the ride!

[Herk7769]

Good for you! Safe travels.

[asquared]

How about an RV biggest loser competition? we could all line up at the cat scales, weigh loaded, pull the junk out, have a yard sale, and then reweigh after the yard sale to see who won.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by anaro

How about an RV biggest loser competition? we could all line up at the cat scales, weigh loaded, pull the junk out, have a yard sale, and then reweigh after the yard sale to see who won.

Sounds like a GREAT idea for the Rally!

I would need to get my very first checklist out from when I bought the Flagstaff.

I left the house to drive to the weigh station the first time with a grin on my face, the wind in my (well) hair, and my arm out the window.

The way HOME from the weigh station, I was white knuckled, both hands on the wheel and easily 30 MPH slower. A bit over 900 pounds later ...

[mikey]

So far this evening I have eliminated 713#s and found another 94 that while adding to gross weight removes a like amount from the pin weight . . . onward the quest for more weight to eliminate.

Travel safe & enjoy the journeys!

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by mikey

So far this evening I have eliminated 713#s and found another 94 that while adding to gross weight removes a like amount from the pin weight . . . onward the quest for more weight to eliminate.

Travel safe & enjoy the journeys!

I made a lot of progress when I decided the table saw could go.

[sidney]

Originally Posted by herk7769

Sounds like a GREAT idea for the Rally!

I would need to get my very first checklist out from when I bought the Flagstaff.

I left the house to drive to the weigh station the first time with a grin on my face, the wind in my (well) hair, and my arm out the window.

The way HOME from the weigh station, I was white knuckled, both hands on the wheel and easily 30 MPH slower. A bit over 900 pounds later ...

Are you saying you didn't notice any problems towing until after you weighed it?

Then after weighing and knowing your real weight... that caused white knuckle driving?

When you reduced your weight by 900 lbs could you feel a difference towing?

[mikey]

Herk you are the second person to mention the table saw. What? I got to loose that too?

[asquared]

Tell the DW if the table saw goes so does the portable hot tub.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by sidney

Are you saying you didn't notice any problems towing until after you weighed it?

Then after weighing and knowing your real weight... that caused white knuckle driving?

When you reduced your weight by 900 lbs could you feel a difference towing?

The truck pulled it fine. Remember the engine, transmission and rear are rated to pull 15,000 pounds of 5th wheel, so a 10,500 pound camper was no sweat.

What I was worried about was the camper (overloaded by 1000 pounds) and my truck's frame (overloaded by about 500 pounds).

I had no water in any of the tanks and I was shocked at how much junk I had managed to stash in the camper "just in case."

[sidney]

Wow... 1000 lbs over!

I thought you were kidding about the table saw.

But... you can never have to many tools on board

[mikey]

Herk, I think I finally figgered out what causes the propensity to overload and me thinks it has to be related to baggage drills. I remember a time when we'd travel all over the world with just a bag or two. Why now do we feel the need to cart along every tool known to mankind and yes even a table saw now & again, and all for the sake of "just in case!"

[ependydad]

I'm very surprised that you were within the trucks GVWR yet over GCWR for the truck and trailer. For me, with only 800 pounds of payload remaining, I can't help but feel like I'll exceed GVWR before GCWR.

Do you mind posting your set of weights and weight ratings for each?

[mikey]

GVWR 13K WT 12610
GAWR F. 5250. Wt 5010
GAWR R. 9K. Wt 7600
GCWR 23500. Wt 25050
Pin wt 3920 (22.8%)
Axle 8K.
RF 3020, RR 2670, LF 3150, LR 3600. Total axle wt 12440 (77.2%)

TRLR Tire max 4805
TV Tire Max (dual) 2910
TV tire max (sgl) 3195

The two main issues are pin @ 3920 + hitch + cargo = w/in 500 of gross payload limit + 3% beyond nominal 20% hitch limit
GCWR is over limit

[ependydad]

I thought fifth wheels typically had pin weights of 20-25%, so you're right in the middle of that.

[mikey]

Rule of thumb is 20% on the pin. Design numbers generally fall at some point south of that number.

[sidney]

Originally Posted by mikey

Rule of thumb is 20% on the pin. Design numbers generally fall at some point south of that number.

mikey

What's your trailers dry weight with options?

If I understand your weights correctly the total wt of the trailer is 12,440+3,920 = 16,360 lbs. Your almost at your GVWR of 16,389.

Did you have fresh water or waste water in your tanks?

I've been planning on a 1,000 lbs of cargo for 2 people. Either I'm way off or you guys camp with a lot of ice and cold beer.

[Duckogram]

Some of the stuff we had with us:

12" cast iron Dutch oven.
Husqvarna Rose Embroidery Machine
#100 quilting fabric
#50 Free Weights
200 DVD's
100 VHS Tapes
2 Computers
Printer
2 Boxes of files.
#20 coin jar
24"w - 30"L - 20"H tub of seasonal decorations... #25
Gazebo - #95
Amelda Marcos shoe collection... (Tao of Lurch w/ eyes rolling)
and a full set of Craftsmen mechanic tools for all those "Mods"
Weber Q 300 w/ two #20 LP tanks and the
cast iron griddle.
Trailer for the fur kids ( needed for Mackinac Island.)
2 cases of "nectar"
Full Chefs Ware kitchen.
Air compressor with 5 gal tank.
Enough cleaning supplies for an office building.
...

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by mikey

Herk, I think I finally figgered out what causes the propensity to overload and me thinks it has to be related to baggage drills. I remember a time when we'd travel all over the world with just a bag or two. Why now do we feel the need to cart along every tool known to mankind and yes even a table saw now & again, and all for the sake of "just in case!"

It is a sickness all right!

[mikey]

Originally Posted by Duckogram

Some of the stuff we had with us:

12" cast iron Dutch oven.
Husqvarna Rose Embroidery Machine
#100 quilting fabric
#50 Free Weights
200 DVD's
100 VHS Tapes
2 Computers
Printer
2 Boxes of files.
#20 coin jar
24"w - 30"L - 20"H tub of seasonal decorations... #25
Gazebo - #95
Amelda Marcos shoe collection... (Tao of Lurch w/ eyes rolling)
and a full set of Craftsmen mechanic tools for all those "Mods"
Weber Q 300 w/ two #20 LP tanks and the
cast iron griddle.
Trailer for the fur kids ( needed for Mackinac Island.)
2 cases of "nectar"
Full Chefs Ware kitchen.
Air compressor with 5 gal tank.
Enough cleaning supplies for an office building.
...

Travel kinda light do you?