Another Weight ??? for new guy

[kbaerg]

When I look at these ELUSIVE weights for new fifth wheels on websites, is the pin weight based on the max weight of the trailer or is that the pin weight of the base weight, therfore as you load up the rig pin weight increases . we have found several campers we like but i'm not sure i'm getting the numbers to work properly Any help is geatly appreciated as I don't want to be overloaded

[TXiceman]

The listed pin weight is generally based on the empty trailer weight. Generally the loaded pin weight weight will run from a low of 18% to close to 25% of the trailer GVWR.

It all depends on how and where you place your load.

Ken

[kbaerg]

O.k. thanks, I have Cat Scale weights of my pickup all loaded (minus fiver hitch) and am trying to figure my camper selections,

[TXiceman]

As a guesstamation, for a reasonable pin weight, use 20% of the trailer GVWR.

Ken

[SmokeyWren]

To estimate the hitch weight on any 5er you could tow with an F-150 without being overloaded, use 18% of the GVWR of the 5er. Bigger, heavier, taller 5ers have more percentage of hitch weight, but you can't tow any of them with an F-150 without exceeding the GVWR of the F-150. 20% estimated hitch weight will give you more fudge factor, and 24% is the max for any properly-loaded 5er. But the CAT scale will prove that any 5er that doesn't overload your F-150 over the GVWR of the F-150 will probably have a wet and loaded hitch weight of 16 to 18 percent of the GVWR of the trailer.

[Cat320]

Originally Posted by kbaerg

When I look at these ELUSIVE weights for new fifth wheels on websites, is the pin weight based on the max weight of the trailer or is that the pin weight of the base weight, therfore as you load up the rig pin weight increases . we have found several campers we like but i'm not sure i'm getting the numbers to work properly Any help is geatly appreciated as I don't want to be overloaded

The PWs listed in brochures are ALWAYS way light. As noted above, use 20% of the GVWR.

[kbaerg]

Thank you for the help, I have been running some figures against my Chevy 2500HD Diesel. We are looking at a Coachmen Chaparral Lite 279BHS, Jayco Eagle super Lite 27.5 BHS and a Keystone Cougar X lite 29RBS. we really like the chaparral so we will see

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by kbaerg

... I have been running some figures against my Chevy 2500HD Diesel.

Oops! My bad. Somehow I thought you had an F-150 HD. But the answer is about the same for your 2500 with the heavy diesel engine.

We are looking at a Coachmen Chaparral Lite 279BHS...

GVWR 11,200. Dry hitch weight is 23% of dry trailer weight, so you can expect that percentage to carry forward as you load the trailer. So wet and loaded hitch weight over 2,500 pounds.

Weigh your wet and loaded truck and see if you have 2,500 pounds of unused payload left to handle that hitch weight without exceeding the GVWR of your Chevy.

[kbaerg]

O.K. so I have weighed my truck ready to go minus the Fifth Wheel hitch and came out at 7600# even, 4500# on the front axle and 3100# on the rear. Looking at the door sticker my ratings are, GVWR 9200# Front GAWR 4860# and Rear GAWR 6084#. So when I add up the axle ratings I come out to 10944# total weight rating on Front and rear axles however the GVWR says 9200# thats a 1744# difference, Why is there such a difference

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by kbaerg

O.K. so I have weighed my truck ready to go minus the Fifth Wheel hitch and came out at 7600# even, ... Looking at the door sticker my ratings are, GVWR 9200# ...

9,200 minus 7600 = 1600 max hitch weight without being overloaded. So a 5er with 2,500 pounds hitch weight is way too much for your tow vehicle.

But don't feel like the Lone Stranger. My three-quarter ton Ford diesel CrewCab 4x2 was overloaded with a 5er that had a GVWR of only 7,900 pounds.

Why is there such a difference

So you can have uneven loads, front to rear, without exceeding the GVWR. You can load either the front or rear with something really heavy without exceeding the GVWR of the truck. For example, you could fill the bed full of small grain and have 6,100 pounds weight on the rear axle, with 3100 pounds on the front axle, and still not exceed the 9,200 GVWR of the truck. Or in snow country you could load the front end down with a heavy snowplow and have 4,500 pounds on the front axle, but still be able to haul some salty sand in a spreader on the back so there was 4,700 pounds on the rear axle. Loaded to the gills at 9,200 GVW, but not overloaded.

But what is not allowed is to load both the front and rear axles to the GAWR at the same time. The GAWRs are not additive. The GVWR is the limiter.

[Cat320]

Look at your Tire and Loading Information sticker on the driver's side of the frame. It will give you the cargo capacity for that truck to the nearest one pound.

[kbaerg]

This is all starting to really make sense, thanks for all the help, The auto industry sure likes to decieve when they list their numbers We may end up having to stay with a travel trailer to get the features we want.

[JIMNLIN]

Our light duty trucks GVWR doesn't have to equal the sum of the GAWRs. The truck manufacture can give the truck any GAWR or GVWR or GCWR. One reason can be for nice long warranty reasons. Many of our larger trucks don't come with a GVWR. They simply use the sum of the axle rating as its GVWR.

Your trucks rear axle weight was 3100 lbs which leaves you with a 2984 lb payload on the rear axle/tires. Now subtract 200 lbs for a hitch. your left with 2784 lbs for a "wet" pin weight. These are max axle loads. I sure wouldn't load the truck any heavier than the tire ratings.

I have a 28' 11200 lb 5er which puts my 2500 trucks rear axle at 5200-5400 lbs depending on how its loaded. Front axle doesn't change with the trailer hooked up.

The trailers you mention will be well under your trucks towing performance and weight carrying ability.

[kbaerg]

I thought I would update a little and wanted to say thanks for all the help you guys have provided. A week before labor day My wife and I purchased our new fifth wheel, we got the coachmen chaparral lite 279BHS. I brought it home on wednesday we loaded it up thursday and friday left for our first camping trip. On our way out I hit the Cat scales and re weighed everything. End result was I was well under all my axle ratings but over my GVWR on the truck by 375LBS ... So last week we traded my 2008 with 36000 miles on a new chevy 3500 Diesel. (now I'm Broke and time work some overtime) thanks for all the help and insight.