Has anyone weighed their truck?
#11
Posted 31 August 2007 - 08:36 PM
CAT Scale Locator
Or check out truck stops or places that sell gravel, etc., by the weight.
I think these scales are accurate to something like +/- 20 lbs, but am not sure. The truck stop scales usually give you *two* weights for one payment, so one could drop the camper to get the loaded/unloaded weights.
Personally, dry weight of an RV is not very useful because who uses it dry? It's just a starting place for paper computations...
I dunno if GVWR is a legal restriction (It sure seems to be for commercial vehicles), but exceeding the GVWR in an accident wouldn't be helpful to one's court case...
Center of gravity is very important with TCs, and it makes sense to me to keep the fuel tank as full as possible unless one's truck is really jacked up.
With regard to modifying a truck, remember that some of the things we do, like overload springs or air bags, do not actually improve the weight-carrying ability of the truck, they just make it *appear* to be level. Warnings that the gear won't change the weight-bearing of the truck are usually made by the gear manufacturers.
Here's a quote from the Firestone FAQ:
">>Do the air springs increase the payload capacity of my vehicle?
The air springs maximize a vehicles carrying capacity within the vehicles GVWR. Do not overload the vehicle."
And a quote from SuperSprings:
"SuperSprings does increase the rear spring capacity, but not the GVWR, GAWR, bearing or frame capacity."
In addition to the GVWR for a truck, there are also the GAWRs for the front and rear axles and these (usually larger in total than the GVWR) should not be exceeded. Mods to make a truck level aren't going to change the axle, rim, shocks, bearings, differential gear wear, etc.
#12
Posted 04 September 2007 - 01:05 PM
Truck including...
Tailgate
Full gas
Me (180#)
Bench seats
SR5 package (cruise, skidplate, pwr doors/locks, etc)
AM/FM 6-disc CD
18" allow wheels with 275/65R18 tires
Cold kit (hd battery/starter, heated mirrors)
Deck rail system (rails only, no tie downs)
All-weather rubber floor mats
Mudguards
Sliding rear window
Wheel and spare locks
Line-X spray-on bed liner
Nerf (tube step) bars (also covered with Line-X)
My door sticker says...
GVWR: 7000#
GAWR FT: 4000# with P275/65R18 tires at 30 PSI cold
GAWR RR: 4150# with P275/65R18 tires at 33 PSI cold
Per CAT Scale...
FRONT AXLE: 3300#
READ AXLE: 2240#
GROSS WT: 5540#
So, 7000# - 5540# = 1460# left for wife/camper/supplies.
I do plan on having my local lumber yard put a skid of shingles into the truck bed to see how much the top of the hitch changes from 20" down to x" to see if I do or do not need/want air lifts.
(No camper until June 2008: one Mississippi, two Mississippi...)
Mike
'08 ATC Cougar (built 06/16/08)
# of nights in camper: '08=15, '12=21,'13=16, '14=10, '15=52, '16=11, '17=20 (equals 145)
#13
Posted 04 September 2007 - 01:30 PM
I'd really like a Keystone, which is 1050 dry weight. A Grandby is 750 dry weight. So calculations continue.
#14
Posted 04 September 2007 - 10:33 PM
I suspect the 'dry' TW of the three-horse is changed considerably when the horses are loaded, likely with one of them being pretty far forward.
That's true even if using a weight distributing hitch, before the hitch is tensioned -- When tensioned, the WDH transfers some of the truck's rear axle weight(including TW) to the front axle and trailer axles (in a proportion that corresponds to the distances between all the axles, as I understand it).
If the TW is too light, the trailer will tend to sway, both from passing trucks, etc., and from the road, speed and steering inputs. Probably worse with horses because they shift their weights and it certainly wouldn't be a pleasant ride for them.
Were I you, I would be doing some serious reading about this on the groups that use horse trailers as it bound to be a common thing to put a TC on and a horse trailer behind a pickup.
#15
Posted 18 October 2007 - 07:04 PM
Empty wt: 4400# (per title)
GVWR: 6000#
GVAWR(F): 3600#
GVAWR®: 3550
CAT Scale:
Steer Axle: 3220
Drive Axle: 3480
Gross weight 6700
Truck contents:
Myself
Edna
1/2 tank propane
one week's clothing and food
ice
6 gal. water
mtn. bike
portapotty
full gas tank
house battery
three canvas chairs
folding camp table
small propane grill
hand tools
tow chain
'01 FW Hawk
700# over the GVWR?
I'm speculating that they over-report the weight to avoid running afoul of their overweight guarantee?
#16
Posted 18 October 2007 - 07:12 PM
700# over the GVWR?
I'm speculating that they over-report the weight to avoid running afoul of their overweight guarantee?
Don't count on it. If it is a certified scale, then it should be within 20# of true weight.
Now, just roaming around in a stock Land Cruiser (not stock for long though... bawahahha [evil laugh])
#17
Posted 18 October 2007 - 07:50 PM
Gross weight--
6700#
Titled weight of truck--
4400#
So then our 'moderately' loaded Hawk with a tank of gasoline and two passengers weighs...
2300#
?
Claimed dry weight of Hawk--
695#
Tare weight of the rest of our stuff--
1605#
#18
Posted 18 October 2007 - 10:12 PM
Although, your GVWR is 6000 and you weighed 6700? That would imply you are over big time. Are you sure the GVWR is 6000 and not more?
Now, just roaming around in a stock Land Cruiser (not stock for long though... bawahahha [evil laugh])
#19
Posted 18 October 2007 - 10:26 PM
Now, just roaming around in a stock Land Cruiser (not stock for long though... bawahahha [evil laugh])
#20
Posted 19 October 2007 - 01:45 AM
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