Cargo Weight vis-a-vis Kingpin Weight

[RussOnTheRoad]

Originally Posted by MtnTrek

I'd agree the CAT scale is your cheapest friend to avoid headaches.

Probably none of us DRW LWB drivers are wild about daily driving bobtail, with those long wide hips. But, are we going to tow heavy or pick up burgers more? Much depends on your priorities. If you're towing a few hundred miles a yr. like some weekend warriors or tow 10K mi. a year. Everything about RV'ing is a compromise.
OP sounds like they should be in the "ball park" with SRW PU. Although trailer 4800# CCC rating sounds a little high to me?

Be well.

I'm the OP and ugh... I may have to go dually or change to another fiver. Did I say ugh?... I'm planning to full-time, not go on pizza runs... well there will be some pizza runs but it wouldn't be easy in a dually.

The CCC of the Arctic Fox 29-5t is listed as "Net Carrying Capacity: 4824". Specs here: Northwood | Arctic Fox 29-5T

The 1 ton SRW trucks seem to have a 4,000# payload. 1,000# of that will go to driver, passenger, hitch, bed liner, fuel, groceries... That leaves 3,000#. Were I to max out the 29-5t's weight at 15,700, call it 16,000, and if 25% of that found its way to the hitch that would be 4,000# kingpin weight, or 1,000# more than I'd have with a 1-ton SRW. Ugh...

The gross dry weight of the 29-5t is 10876. Assuming 25% of the loaded RV will find its way to the kingpin I could only load that rig to 12,000#. That's only 1124# of stuff I could put in the RV... not nearly enough. This is why it has become so important to find out how much of the cargo weight stored in the basement and forward compartment will be transferred to the kingpin.

[cruzbill]

Its a leverage calculation, like speedracer says. Not a structural engineer, so I can't give you the equation, but Google it and see what you find.

[cruzbill]

Here it is.....

Lever Mechanical Advantage Equation and Calculator - Case #1 | Engineers Edge | www.engineersedge.com

[BarryG20]

Arctic fox (well northwoods manufacturing)has an owners forum. You might try going there and see if someone has done the scale thing with there 29.5 and give you real world weights. You might try calling the factory as well not a salesman at the rv lot, though they may not have any better knowledge.

Home - Northwood RV Owners Association Forum

[tuffr2]

I read thru the post...at 1st I thought a SRW F350 would be enough truck...but holy cow, I did not know that the AF was built that well. That must be a very well built rig.

So now I can see your issue. The SRW truck might not be enough...ugh.

Do the other manufacturers build a SRW truck that will work? Does Ram or Chevy build a truck with more carrying capacity than Ford? It has been a while since I looked at trucks.

Now - with a dually you will learn to like it. They are not that bad...yes, they are not a car or SUV but I like driving mine. Beside parking away from the store and walking is good for you.

Good luck

[Rhagfo]

So here are the numbers for the Arctic Fox 29-5T.

Specifications:

Dry Axle Weight (approx. Lbs.): 8,853
Dry Hitch Weight (approx. Lbs.): 2,023
Net Carrying Capacity: 4,824
Gross Dry Weight – Lbs.: 10,876
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVWR) – Lbs.: 15,700
Exterior Length (approx. w / hitch): 33’11”

I would say as long as you didn't put a ton of stuff in this 34' 5er you really should be OK with a 4,000# payload, no need for washer/dryer correct?
I would say that less than 50% of stuff added to the basement goes on the pin, the basement looks to be closer to the axles than the pin. That and the tandem axles don't act like a true fulcrum.

[Rhagfo]

Originally Posted by spdracr39

Someone posted a formula for that in the past I'll look around for it.

It was something to the effect of this :

If the distance was 20 feet from the center of the axles to the pin and you added 200 lbs at 10 feet behind the pin it would add 100 pounds to the axles and 100 pounds to the pin. It is relative so if the weight were 5 feet from the pin it would add 150 pounds to the pin and 50 to the axles.

Doesn't quite work that way in the real world. While the pin is a true fulcrum, the Tandem axles are not, in the case of weight loaded half way between the axles and pin only about 40% or less will go to the pin.

[RussOnTheRoad]

Originally Posted by cruzbill

Here it is.....

Lever Mechanical Advantage Equation and Calculator - Case #1 | Engineers Edge | www.engineersedge.com

Thanks for that. It may prove useful at some point for making approximations if nothing else.

[RussOnTheRoad]

Originally Posted by Rhagfo

So here are the numbers for the Arctic Fox 29-5T.

Specifications:

Dry Axle Weight (approx. Lbs.): 8,853
Dry Hitch Weight (approx. Lbs.): 2,023
Net Carrying Capacity: 4,824
Gross Dry Weight – Lbs.: 10,876
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVWR) – Lbs.: 15,700
Exterior Length (approx. w / hitch): 33’11”

I would say as long as you didn't put a ton of stuff in this 34' 5er you really should be OK with a 4,000# payload, no need for washer/dryer correct?
I would say that less than 50% of stuff added to the basement goes on the pin, the basement looks to be closer to the axles than the pin. That and the tandem axles don't act like a true fulcrum.

Yes, I have all those numbers for the 29-5t. If I added a "ton of stuff" as you wrote I'd be OK, but the fact is I need to add more than a ton of stuff. Water alone would be over 550# if I had to travel any distance with a full tank.

[RussOnTheRoad]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

I read thru the post...at 1st I thought a SRW F350 would be enough truck...but holy cow, I did not know that the AF was built that well. That must be a very well built rig.

So now I can see your issue. The SRW truck might not be enough...ugh.

Do the other manufacturers build a SRW truck that will work? Does Ram or Chevy build a truck with more carrying capacity than Ford? It has been a while since I looked at trucks.

Now - with a dually you will learn to like it. They are not that bad...yes, they are not a car or SUV but I like driving mine. Beside parking away from the store and walking is good for you.

Good luck

Yes, the Arctic Fox is heavy. That's a sign they use heavy materials but not an indication that they are well assembled!

The Chevy and Ford have payloads that are very close.

[AtomicRT]

FWIW, when we first started looking at 5ers, I was dead set against a dually diesel - didn't want the expense or the size. In fact, I wanted a 3/4 ton gasser. And I had plenty of dealers tell me a 3/4-ton was more than enough for pretty much anything they sold Over time, I did my research and wound up with a diesel dually. I love this truck. It took a day or 2 to get used to the width/length in traffic, but then it's no problem whatsoever. You want way more truck than you need.

[RussOnTheRoad]

Originally Posted by BarryG20

Arctic fox (well northwoods manufacturing)has an owners forum. You might try going there and see if someone has done the scale thing with there 29.5 and give you real world weights. You might try calling the factory as well not a salesman at the rv lot, though they may not have any better knowledge.

Home - Northwood RV Owners Association Forum

Thanks. I know about NROA2003 and had a trial or guest membership there some time ago when I first started considering the Arctic Fox. That membership expired and they will not let me join as a full member or otherwise unless and until I purchase an Arctic Fox (or other Northwood product). I think that is a self-defeating policy, but I don't make the rules.

[RussOnTheRoad]

Originally Posted by AtomicRT

FWIW, when we first started looking at 5ers, I was dead set against a dually diesel - didn't want the expense or the size. In fact, I wanted a 3/4 ton gasser. And I had plenty of dealers tell me a 3/4-ton was more than enough for pretty much anything they sold Over time, I did my research and wound up with a diesel dually. I love this truck. It took a day or 2 to get used to the width/length in traffic, but then it's no problem whatsoever. You want way more truck than you need.

Thanks for that. I'm not concerned so much about driving around as I am about maneuvering in tight places, getting clipped when parked, maneuverability... it may not turn out to be as bad as I expect. On the other had it could be worse! LOL.

Thanks for your 2¢

[kotz]

We have the 2015 Arctic Fox 355Z and pull it with a 2015 Ram 3500 SRW.

The Cargo capacity of the truck is 4430# and the wet pin weight is 3175#

We're not full timers, don't carry much other than supplies for a 2 week trip and do just fine with our setup. If we we're planning on maxing out the carrying capacity of the 5th wheel, I'd definitely opt for the dually.