55 replies to this topic

[cwdtmmrs]

Rando, 1700 lbs? My point exactly in my earlier post. you are 800 lbs more than my rig is loaded.

 

cwd

[cwdtmmrs]

Boonie, great idea using the gray water to flush the potti! I understand what you are saying about the weight distribution, etc., but the Grandby was made for an 8' truck bed. Actually, my Ranger II is engineered quite well with a very good COG and weight distribution. True, the appliances are all on the driver side, but my vehicle fuel tank, house battery and all my gear is stored on the passenger side to balance things out. All and all a very good design. I believe the Ranger II was made specifically for the early Toyota pick ups though.

 

cwd

[Ace!]

Yep, appliances on one side, double AGM batteries on the other.  Not significantly out of balance.

[Boonie]

Ace, With the solar panels I probably will have two batteries, but still  the Appliances 191.5 lbs. Batteries 120 lbs. A 71.5 lbs. imbalance side to side but still the appliance weight is behind the axle. Move the refrigerator to the battery side and it is now Appliance side 157 lbs. and battery side 154.5 lbs. Relocate the propane  and water tanks to the refrigerator location and I have a much better balanced rig. Remember I have to rebuild the interior anyway.

 

I will also have to take into consideration the appliance side is also the driver side which in my case means a 100 lbs. imbalance between myself and my wife.

Edited by Boonie, 24 September 2016 - 06:53 AM.

[rando]

I guess I don't understand what you are including in your weights.    For us 2 people (300lb)  + 22 gal gas (130lb) + 15 gal water (120 lb) + food and beverages (30lb) + backpacks and climbing gear (50lb) + misc (50lb) and we are pretty close to your payload without even including the camper.   Your camper must be made of titanium and purged with helium. 

 

 

Rando, 1700 lbs? My point exactly in my earlier post. you are 800 lbs more than my rig is loaded.

 

cwd

[Ace!]

I wouldn't leave home without a pull/tow strap and appropriately sized D-rings or other attachments.

Edited by Ace!, 24 September 2016 - 04:18 PM.

[cwdtmmrs]

Rando, If you read my post you will see that my weight included EVERYTHING but me (185 lbs). I weighed my truck wet (18gal gas)without the camper. I went home and installed the camper loaded for a 2 week elk with full water tank(12gal), full 5gal propane tank and went back to the same scales and my camper was 980 pounds loaded. Total weight was 4700lbs. That is why I think the older models were much lighter than the new offerings.

 

cwd

 

Ace! I carry a pull strap and folding shovel as well

 

PS. 1 house battery, no solar

 

CORRECTION My house battery is mounted in the truck bed and did not get weighed as part of the camper. I am looking at my weight slip now and the truck full of gas and the house battery weight exactly 3700lbs. Truck with loaded wet camper 2 hours later was 4680lbs. That is 980lbs for loaded camper alone. Add my weight and I am still 100lbs under my payload of 1300lbs.

 

Hope that explains my weights and comments.

Edited by cwdtmmrs, 24 September 2016 - 06:10 PM.

[rando]

Thanks for the clarification - otherwise I was thinking that you camper came out to something like 400lb, which seemed awfully light for a fully loaded camper.    Given the math above, the difference between our wet camper weight is only 200 - 300lbs which seems reasonable. 

[cwdtmmrs]

At least. maybe 400lbs

 

cwd

[cdbrow1]

I guess it depends on what your goals are - in my case I am often off by myself and so I need a lot of self recovery equipment. I have a Winch, PullPal, two jacks, sand rails, two Straps, D-rings, Air compressor, Tire repair kit, Impact wrench, Socket set, box ends and of course vice grips. This adds a lot of weight, so I use 3/4 ton with a diesel, which means all the recovery equipment needs to be bigger - it's a negative feedback loop. With a 1/2 ton truck that recovery gear can be lighter and if you always travel in a group you don't need to carry everything in each rig. Just going to a gas engine in the GM HD Trucks saves you 600 lbs. 

 

My Hawk can carry 26 gallons of water (20 in the tank and 6 in Water heater) (210 lbs), but I don't think I have every used more than 5 (42 lbs) on any trip. For drinking and cooking I always carry bottled water - the camper tank is just for showers and washing hands and dishes. I WISH FWC had a smaller water tank option - I could use the extra storage space (or a grey water tank). Eventually I might change over to a tankless water heater - which would save me 6 gallons of water (~50lbs) and weight that is very high up on the rig. 

 

I also have the Cassette Toilet option - which ads weight (and has it's own small water tank). I could have gone with a portable, but as a bigger guy I like a more normal sized commode.

 

I also which I had gone with a smaller fridge (I have 80L) - this would have given me more storage space and less weight. There is a lot of wasted space (and energy) with too large a fridge.