Community Forums

bandsmills · 04-17-2016, 10:37 AM

My Winnebago trailer gvw changed from the time I bought it to when I picked up. Supposed to be dry weight around 3500 with initial gvw of 5800. Went up to 7000 with carrying cap around 3500. My truck towing cap is 7300. Hubby says it is okay but I think truck too light weight. Any advise?

Skip426 · 04-17-2016, 12:08 PM

You have to remember, that the max trailer tow weight has to be reduced by everything that is loaded into the truck, including a driver weighing over 150 lbs..

That being said , if you have already taken delivery of the trailer then before you get out on the highway, load the truck and trailer as you would for a trip , people pets and supplies , and drive carefully to the nearest scales and get your, front , rear and trailer, axle weights and totals. Truck stops should have the scales , it may cost a few $$ but worth the cost for peace of mind.

bandsmills · 04-17-2016, 05:52 PM

We will try that. Have already had it out on several trip seemed to be okay.

RGene7001 · 04-17-2016, 09:23 PM

GVW of the trailer is meaningless. It will weigh only what it weighs empty plus what you put in it . Usually it is about 1000 lb.for a small or midsize TT. How can someone use 3500 lb carrying capacity? It is about 170 24-can cases of beer. You will be definitely under 5000 lb. Your Tundra can yow much more

Oldelevatorman · 04-24-2016, 09:42 PM

What is the payload on the Tundra and did you weigh the truck loaded for a trip and subtract that from your trucks GVWR to get your true payload?

bandsmills · 04-27-2016, 11:56 AM

Don't know what a payload is

Oldelevatorman · 04-27-2016, 11:19 PM

Should be a yellow sticker on the drivers door or frame that will tell you what your truck can carry based on its dry weight (what it weighed from the factory).
You need to go to a scale, load your truck up with everything you normally take with you camping in the truck with a full tank of gas. Take that weight and subtract it from your trucks GVWR, also on a door sticker and that is your true payload.
There's a sticker on your trailer that gives its GVWR, take 12% of that plus what the hitch itself weighs and subtract that from your new payload and see where you're at. If you're under that's great, if you're overweight that's not good!
Good luck!

archer75 · 04-28-2016, 06:58 AM

go by tongue weight rating instead of payload if your truck lists that. Not all trucks use payload to determine tongue weight rating. My previous truck had different values for each and they were very different.

Skip426 · 04-28-2016, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by archer75

go by tongue weight rating instead of payload if your truck lists that. Not all trucks use payload to determine tongue weight rating. My previous truck had different values for each and they were very different.

Very different for a reason.
The tongue weight rating will be limited by the type and rating of the trailer hitch installed on the truck. The weight added to the truck by attaching a trailer IS part of the trucks payload , BUT, not all of a trucks payload can be used to determine the maximum tongue weight. Even the best WDH ( Weight Distribution Hitch ) will not shift enough weight to the trucks front axle ( where a potion of the payload is calculated to be carried ) to allow all the payload to be available for tongue weight.
It is very easy to be under the trucks , total GVWR & payload , BUT , be over loaded on the rear axle due to the added weight of the tongue on the hitch.
If the truck weighs heavy; over RAWR; on the rear axle chances are the tires are overloaded and the tires are most likely the first item that will fail.

Oldelevatorman · 04-28-2016, 11:49 PM

Should be a sticker on the hitch that shows max tongue weight and max trailer weight. How about not exceeding payload or max tongue weight. Bottom line, pay attention to all the numbers.

jondrew55 · 04-29-2016, 04:17 AM

As the previous poster indicated there is a yellow sticker on the driver's side door jamb with all the truck's capacities listed. There should also be a sticker (probably on the left, front side of your trailer) with its weights and capacities including tongue weight. Add passengers, cargo, liquids and you'll find the gross weights to see where you stand.

From a practical standpoint, I have had two Tundras and loved both of them. The last one I had was a 2008 long bed with 5.7V8 and the towing package (which I seem to recall had a towing capacity of 8500 pounds). I also had a fiberglass topper on the back of the truck. My trailer was around the same size as yours with a 400 pound tongue weight. It seemed to tow fine, but when I did the math I was around 300 pounds over weight on a typical camping trip (including tow adults and a child weighing in around at 325 pounds total).

I suspect that you are in a similar situation, being right at, or slightly over capacity. If I were to get back into travel trailer camping I'd definitely be using a 250/2500 class of truck, which unfortunately Toyota does not make.