Mislabled new RV trailer - Wolf Pup 16BHS

[Mexglx]

I bought a new Wolf Pup 16BHS and found it is overweight. The label on the door said it weighted 1,610#s. Then the dealer showed me a certificate of equipment that said it weighed 3,078, and said the trailer was just mislabled, so I bought it. Then I weighed it and it is over 3,400#s. The dealer weighed it and it was 3,480#s (dry, empty). My max tow weight is 3,600 (2019 Chry. Pacific with factory tow package). I cannot use it for its intended purpose of family camping since I can't bring the family and our gear. If I load a two bikes and groceries, we are overweight. Anyone else have am issue with mislabled weights on travel trailers. I am trying to get them to buy it back but no luck. Anyone have luck getting Forest River or the dealer buy back a defective or misrepresented RV?

Thanks,
Al

[purduepete97]

Would you be able to attach a picture of the yellow weight sticker from your trailer? That may help us help you.
Pete

[D W]

The 16BHS is advertised with a UVW of 3097 lbs. What does the VIN decal display?

[Mexglx]

Originally Posted by purduepete97

Would you be able to attach a picture of the yellow weight sticker from your trailer? That may help us help you.
Pete

Attached below.

[Mexglx]

It displayed 1610#s. Then they told me 3,078#s on certificate of Equipment. It actually weighs 3,480#s.

[wmtire]

Are you sure you are not confusing the kilograms and pounds. I see 3877 pounds gvw on this label.

[firemedicmark]

Originally Posted by Mexglx

Attached below.

To me this looks like the "trailer frame" sticker, that would be the weight prior to building the unit on the frame.

[caper]

There should be a certificate inside the trailer with the actual weight as it left the factory.

[PJSNorwood]

I wouldn't tow anything heavier than a small pop-up with a minivan. Maybe you can work something out with the dealer on a different type of unit.
The weight of the trailer is clearly indicated where the VIN number is.
As has been stated too many times to count on this forum, never trust the salesman.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by caper

There should be a certificate inside the trailer with the actual weight as it left the factory.

That hasn't been done anymore, since around 2008.
Since then, the factory weight sticker is on the door frame or side of trailer.

[clintbonnie73]

Originally Posted by firemedicmark

To me this looks like the "trailer frame" sticker, that would be the weight prior to building the unit on the frame.

Would not make any sense the put the "Frame Weight" on the inside of the door. IMO

[campers302]

Following

[firemedicmark]

Originally Posted by clintbonnie73

Would not make any sense the put the "Frame Weight" on the inside of the door. IMO

Sorry, didn't realize it was a sideways pic of door frame.

[Backcountryboondocker]

Your yellow sticker shows it weighs 730 KG empty (1610 lbs) with a MAXIMUM total vehicle weight of 1759 KG (3877 lbs) and a carrying capacity of 1021 KG (2250 lbs), even though your axle is only good for 3500 lbs.

Completely unloaded and dry your trailer weighs 3480 lbs? You can not put ANY more weight in that trailer to begin with according to your stickers. And I would be shocked for a single axle small trailer to have a carrying capacity of 2250 lbs to begin with.

I believe your yellow sticker is way off to begin with, and total dry weight is a concern if it’s the real weight.

[NavyLCDR]

The Forest River website says UVW = 3097. It is not uncommon for actual weight as weighed on a scale to be several hundred pounds higher than the advertised UVW. Then it shows CCC as 780 lbs. Subtract the 400 lb empty weight error (which is common) and you get about 380 lbs left to load into the trailer. The axle may be a 3500 lb axle because they take into account tongue weight bearing part of the gross vehicle weight. GVWR of 3877 means they are counting on at least 377 lbs tongue weight. I would be you are going to find it hard to keep tongue weight under 500 lbs.

That's just trailer weight analysis - not tow vehicle capability.

[Mexglx]

Originally Posted by Backcountryboondocker

Your yellow sticker shows it weighs 730 KG empty (1610 lbs) with a MAXIMUM total vehicle weight of 1759 KG (3877 lbs) and a carrying capacity of 1021 KG (2250 lbs), even though your axle is only good for 3500 lbs.

Completely unloaded and dry your trailer weighs 3480 lbs? You can not put ANY more weight in that trailer to begin with according to your stickers. And I would be shocked for a single axle small trailer to have a carrying capacity of 2250 lbs to begin with.

I believe your yellow sticker is way off to begin with, and total dry weight is a concern if it’s the real weight.

Correct. Every sticker is suspect. That Cat Scale ticket when I weighed it said 3440#s. When the dealership weighed it at a different Cat scale it was 3480#s.

10% of the trailer weight should go on the tongue weight of the van so that max should be 360#s on the hitch. So that gives you some CCC (combined cargo capacity) back in the trailer.

I thought if I bought 3100# trailer, I could load 400# into it, for a total of 3500#. Then when hitched, <360# would be carried by the van hitch, meaning trailer axle was only carrying ~3140#. Well below max of 3500# for trailer axle and below van GTW (gross tow weight) of 3600#. The tongue weight was actually over 400#. I could get an even higher rise on my hitch (4.5" currently) in order to transfer a little more weight to the trailer axle but my problem is the whole thing is too heavy.

I can't get Forest River to want to talk about it anymore. The dealer willing to do a consignment sale with 0% fee as an option to get me out. There are a few options I can remove, like the little outdoor fridge and the rear cargo carrier, but that may only equal 100#. I am not going to strip options I paid for in order to save a few pounds that are not meaningful.

In any case, I was wondering if anyone else ran into this issue with mislabeled weight stickers. Also if anyone has had success getting a dealer or OEM to take an RV back? Trailers are probably very different than motorhomes returns.

[NavyLCDR]

I would think you would have a small claims court case since the labels put on by the manufacturer are clearly erroneous. It probably is a violation of DOT safety standards as well. But you need to jump on it right away, you can't have the trailer for 6 months and then complain about it.

[Backcountryboondocker]

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

The Forest River website says UVW = 3097. It is not uncommon for actual weight as weighed on a scale to be several hundred pounds higher than the advertised UVW. Then it shows CCC as 780 lbs. Subtract the 400 lb empty weight error (which is common) and you get about 380 lbs left to load into the trailer. The axle may be a 3500 lb axle because they take into account tongue weight bearing part of the gross vehicle weight. GVWR of 3877 means they are counting on at least 377 lbs tongue weight. I would be you are going to find it hard to keep tongue weight under 500 lbs.

That's just trailer weight analysis - not tow vehicle capability.

You’re right, I didn’t even look up to see what the tongue weight was and figuring it in.

But less than 400 lbs carrying capacity…. Ouch.

[Mexglx]

Originally Posted by PJSNorwood

I wouldn't tow anything heavier than a small pop-up with a minivan. Maybe you can work something out with the dealer on a different type of unit.
The weight of the trailer is clearly indicated where the VIN number is.
As has been stated too many times to count on this forum, never trust the salesman.

I don't know what your % of max tow capacity you feel comfortable with but I buy my vehicles with the intent to use them for their intended purpose. I bought it with the factory tow package. The GTW (gross tow weight) capacity of the van is 3,600#. Plus 360# max tongue weight. So I should be able to tow up to 3,960#s GCVW. I was aiming to tow 3,500#s if the van had weighed what the website said. That would have been 88% of the vans capacity.

Totally agree on not trusting the sales guy. I should know. I am a sales guy. The weight on the sticker was wrong though. Then what do you do? I pointed that out and they found a certificate of equipment that stated it was 3078# for my VIN. I then bought it. Then before our first trip, I weighed it and all my expectations were way off. I was overloaded. When I weighed it empty it was 3440#s.

[NavyLCDR]

Here's the Federal requirements:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/571.110

If you want to get all of your money back, I would look at having a lawyer look into the possibility of a violation of Federal labelling requirements.

Maybe contact your region's NHTSA office?
https://www.nhtsa.gov/about-nhtsa