Jump to content


Photo
- - - - -

Has anyone weighed their truck?


  • Please log in to reply
23 replies to this topic

#11 Pete D

Pete D

    Senior Member

  • Members
  • 106 posts

Posted 31 August 2007 - 08:36 PM

Here's a link for finding one kind of certified scale by zip code:

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.
  • 0

#12 flinchlock

flinchlock

    Senior Member

  • Members
  • 424 posts
  • LocationKalamazoo, MI

Posted 04 September 2007 - 01:05 PM

I had my 2007 Tundra Reg Cab Long Bed 4x4 4.7L weighed at a CAT Scale Locator ($8.50).

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
  • 0

'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 HorseHaulinMama

HorseHaulinMama

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 5 posts

Posted 04 September 2007 - 01:30 PM

Hi all - I am still shopping for a camper - plan to purchase before next summer's camping season. I'm a horse camper so haul a tag-along horse trailer. So I will have to consider the weight of the camper, passengers, as well as the tongue weight of the trailer. I have weighed my truck with me and full tank of diesel - 7100 pounds. The GVWR is 8900, so that leaves 1800 payload. The specs on my 2 horse trailer says is has a tongue weight of 520 pounds, so that's increased with the horses in there. Interestingly, one of their 3 horse models has a tongue weight of only 390. With a 3 horse, I think it carries more of its weight over the trailer axles, which are 3500 each, for a total of 7000. So, I may move to that size trailer and try to keep more of weight over the trailer axles - such as horse water tank and hay in rack on top, rear tack, kitchen box, fire wood box and corral panels over fenders.

I'd really like a Keystone, which is 1050 dry weight. A Grandby is 750 dry weight. So calculations continue.
  • 0

#14 Pete D

Pete D

    Senior Member

  • Members
  • 106 posts

Posted 04 September 2007 - 10:33 PM

Even if one is hauling a trailer with a fifth wheel hitch, the tongue weight of the loaded trailer should be 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight, which would be 700-1050 lbs for 7000 lbs of trailer, horses and gear.

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.
  • 0

#15 Mark W. Ingalls

Mark W. Ingalls

    Senior Member

  • Members
  • 1,248 posts
  • LocationHouston, TX

Posted 18 October 2007 - 07:04 PM

Truck: '98 F150 XLT 4x4 off-road.

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? :eek:

I'm speculating that they over-report the weight to avoid running afoul of their overweight guarantee?
  • 0

#16 brett13

brett13

    Lovecock

  • Members
  • 1,026 posts

Posted 18 October 2007 - 07:12 PM

700# over the GVWR? :eek:

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.
  • 0
Once had 2007 Tundra TRD 4x4 5.7 SR5 w/ Firestone bags, Bilstein 5100s in front, Total Chaos shackles rear, 275/70/18 E rated Michelin LTX AT2
2007 ATC Bobcat for sale

Now, just roaming around in a stock Land Cruiser (not stock for long though... bawahahha [evil laugh])

#17 Mark W. Ingalls

Mark W. Ingalls

    Senior Member

  • Members
  • 1,248 posts
  • LocationHouston, TX

Posted 18 October 2007 - 07:50 PM

:mad:

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#

:confused:
  • 0

#18 brett13

brett13

    Lovecock

  • Members
  • 1,026 posts

Posted 18 October 2007 - 10:12 PM

That 4400# is before options. Weigh the truck empty with a full tank of gas (no people) and I bet it is closer to 5000#. What is on the title is not the true weight of the truck as delivered, more likely the base model with nada. I weighed everything and it adds up to about 1500-1600# with people, water, camper, dog. I'd wager you are in that ballpark too.

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?
  • 0
Once had 2007 Tundra TRD 4x4 5.7 SR5 w/ Firestone bags, Bilstein 5100s in front, Total Chaos shackles rear, 275/70/18 E rated Michelin LTX AT2
2007 ATC Bobcat for sale

Now, just roaming around in a stock Land Cruiser (not stock for long though... bawahahha [evil laugh])

#19 brett13

brett13

    Lovecock

  • Members
  • 1,026 posts

Posted 18 October 2007 - 10:26 PM

Just looked it up and your GVWR is 6000 (max on that model is 6250). So, if your gross weight is 6700, you are over quite a bit. Maybe try another certified scale to be sure. In doing my research last year, I actually weighed everything, piece by piece, to see what we weigh. My measurements/estimates matched the truck scale within 100#. Good luck figuring it out.
  • 0
Once had 2007 Tundra TRD 4x4 5.7 SR5 w/ Firestone bags, Bilstein 5100s in front, Total Chaos shackles rear, 275/70/18 E rated Michelin LTX AT2
2007 ATC Bobcat for sale

Now, just roaming around in a stock Land Cruiser (not stock for long though... bawahahha [evil laugh])

#20 benburnett

benburnett

    Senior Member

  • Members
  • 771 posts

Posted 19 October 2007 - 01:45 AM

The dry weights of the campers are for a stock camper without any options in it. Now add about 300 to 350 pounds to that to allow for options, water, propane, ect.
  • 0
Sincerely,

Ben

www.bsbinstitute.com

email: benbntt@gmail.com




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users