Hitch Weight

[Sunnycove]

Can anyone confirm that the manufacturers estimated hitch weight is a dry or wet weight, or depends on the manufacturer?

[Kimber45]

if I am not mistaken it is "dry" weight and may not include some models with add ons and options. Always measure if concerned.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Sunnycove

Can anyone confirm that the manufacturers estimated hitch weight is a dry or wet weight, or depends on the manufacturer?

Always DRY
How could a manufacturer state a "wet" weight since everybody loads their trailer differently. [emoji848]

[rockfordroo]

If you want to be conservative, assume 15% of the GVWR that's on the sticker on the left side of the rig. (That's assuming it's not a toy hauler. I'm not any rule of thumb will cover them. LOL)

[TitanMike]

As I understand the weights shown on the "sticker" is what the unit weighed as it was finished and rolled out the door.

Somewhere along the way I think I heard that the weight of a full fresh water tank was included. If true I don't know if they fill for possible leak checking system, weigh, then drain for transport or just apply known values based on tank placement and capacity.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

As I understand the weights shown on the "sticker" is what the unit weighed as it was finished and rolled out the door.

Somewhere along the way I think I heard that the weight of a full fresh water tank was included. If true I don't know if they fill for possible leak checking system, weigh, then drain for transport or just apply known values based on tank placement and capacity.

Water is NOT included. See caution on water on the yellow cargo sticker on my 2503S:



I believe they DO include weight of LP gas nowadays (they didn't use to).

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

Water is NOT included. See caution on water on the yellow cargo sticker on my 2503S:

Attachment 169850

I believe they DO include weight of LP gas nowadays (they didn't use to).

Funny. When I took delivery of my trailer the water tank was full and propane empty.😏

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Funny. When I took delivery of my trailer the water tank was full and propane empty.😏

That has nothing to do with what the manufacturer includes in the dry weight. The unit is shipped with no water and usually no LP tanks or battery - dealer added.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

That has nothing to do with what the manufacturer includes in the dry weight. The unit is shipped with no water and usually no LP tanks or battery - dealer added.

I knew that, it was just a humorous thought I had.

As for the numbers on my trailers sticker, they matched pretty well with the numbers I got when weighing on a little used state highway scale near my house.

Got good numbers before I loaded and after I filled the trailer with food and gear for a month long road trip.
My trailer has a pair of 3500#torsion axles and weight on them I'd 5# less than 6k. Tongue weight of 770# after I added extra battery and other "gear" in all the forward storage.

[wannabeowner]

On the back of a 2016-17 Micro Lite/Shamrock brochure I have, UVW is described as including the LP. But - inside the brochure, the hitch weight for our model + the dry axle weight is 60 lbs. lighter than the UVW.

So, I'd say the listed hitch weight appears to be without the 60lbs. of LP or battery weight.

[Airdale]

Originally Posted by Sunnycove

Can anyone confirm that the manufacturers estimated hitch weight is a dry or wet weight, or depends on the manufacturer?

The trailer manufacturer's recommended tongue weight is a mandatory setting they must provide for trailer certification purposes. It must be workable.

Here, in part, is how the standard reads; The trailer manufacturer's recommended tongue weight, when added to the total GAWR weights (Vehicle Certification GAWRs) cannot be less than GVWR.


(In other words, the tongue weight transferred to the tow vehicle and total trailer GAWR weights MUST carry the GVWR).

[wannabeowner]

One other thing I just noticed about my Micro Lite brochure: the hitch weight is listed as "Base Dry Hitch Weight".

[Airdale]

Originally Posted by wannabeowner

One other thing I just noticed about my Micro Lite brochure: the hitch weight is listed as "Base Dry Hitch Weight".

A brochure may contain official information but, they have no authority. So, they can say it their way. The standard any trailer builder MUST follow is as I said in the previous post. If you doubt that, put FMVSS 571.110 or 571.120 in your search engine and read the standard for your trailer's weight class. They both read the same.

NOTE: The vehicle manufacturer's recommended tongue weight is a one time thing. Once you own a trailer the hitch weight is 100% your responsibility.

[wannabeowner]

I'm not doubting the rules. The OP asked if a manufacturers estimated hitch weight is dry or wet. The Forest River brochure refers to the listed hitch weight for each model as as a DRY weight. My previous post said the listed Base Dry Axle Weight (not the GAWR) plus the Base Dry Hitch weight did not include LP. That's still true.

The hitch weight that manufacturers list in brochures is not a "recommended" weight and it's certainly not a running weight, as anyone who been to a CAT scale can attest. It's general info to help consumers narrow down their choices. Of course the trailer has to be built to withstand it's full GVWR, but that's not what the OP asked about.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by wannabeowner

One other thing I just noticed about my Micro Lite brochure: the hitch weight is listed as "Base Dry Hitch Weight".

A big word of caution, do not buy wdh spring bars on the basis of the hitch weight listed in the brochure. I learned that lesson many years ago and as a result I started with bars far to week for the loaded tongue weight.

If the trailer brochure lists a tongue weight just under 600# when you add a couple of full 30# propane tanks that weigh closer to 50# ea, a battery at 50-60#, and the hitch itself to the mix, you just added around 250# to your effective tongue weight. That doesnt include the weight of gear and any water you might add.

My old trailer had a gross weight listed at just under 7k and the dealers pdi guy assured me 750 pound spring bats would be just right. He cited the 10% theory.

On my second trip with the old trailer I had 1000# bars and THEY were just right.

The Micro Lite I now own is supported by the 1000# bars and are perfect even though the new trailer goes over the scale just under 6,000# and tongue weight is over 850# when filled with water, propane, and two grp 29 Deep Cycle batteries.

Dealers should use tongue weight scales and just the actual weight with lpg, battery(s), and full tank of water, before selling wdh spring bars.

[Airdale]

Originally Posted by wannabeowner

I'm not doubting the rules. The OP asked if a manufacturers estimated hitch weight is dry or wet. The Forest River brochure refers to the listed hitch weight for each model as as a DRY weight. My previous post said the listed Base Dry Axle Weight (not the GAWR) plus the Base Dry Hitch weight did not include LP. That's still true.

The hitch weight that manufacturers list in brochures is not a "recommended" weight and it's certainly not a running weight, as anyone who been to a CAT scale can attest. It's general info to help consumers narrow down their choices. Of course the trailer has to be built to withstand it's full GVWR, but that's not what the OP asked about.

In a brochure they can call the tongue weight dry or whatever they want to. The brochure is not an official document.

The manufacturer's recommended tongue weight is, as I've said before, a mandatory requirement for vehicle certification. So, I've gone an got the actual paragraphs from the building standards. Here are the ones that pertain to your post above. The propane weight has been a rule since 2007.

If the trailer has a propane furnace, kitchen stove or both, the rule is applicable no matter who installs the tanks or if they are full or not. The rule says their full weight, including the propane is part of the trailer's UVW when it leaves the factory.

These are the paragraphs from FMVSS 571.110 that pertain here.

S9.2: On RV trailers, the sum of the GAWRs of all axles on the vehicle plus the vehicle manufacturer's recommended tongue weight must not be less than the GVWR. If tongue weight is specified as a range, the minimum value must be used.

S9.3.2: If applicable, the weight of full propane tanks must be included in the RV's UVW and the weight of on-board potable water must be treated as cargo.

[wannabeowner]

Airdale said: "The manufacturer's recommended tongue weight is, as I've said before, a mandatory requirement for vehicle certification. "

Where does one find a "recommended" tongue weight? It's not posted on our trailer, that I can see. Does Forest River provide that info somewhere?

[TitanMike]

Where does one find a "recommended" tongue weight? It's not posted on our trailer, that I can see. Does Forest River provide that info somewhere?

Tongue weight for a regular travel trailer should be 10-12% of total weight in order to maintain proper control when towing. Take a look at the dry tongue weight and see what percentage of the total dry weight that is. That will give you a good idea of your tongue weight if you load your trailer evenly.

10% minimum was the recommendation since I first started "towing" back in the 60's.

5th wheel trailers have their own guidelines.

[ependydad]

As mentioned, it’s always dry that is advertised. It’s possible that you’ll be close to this when you take the camper home from the dealer.

But once you start loading, it’ll increase.

You can use this to get a best guess on wet weights:
Estimating Tongue/Pin Weight from Dry Weights - Towing Planner

[rat4spd]

If you had a Ram, the J2807 specs say 10% is the recommended weight for a bumper pull.