Comparing Weights Brochure vs. Shipped Yellow Sticker

This will make it easier for people to see...

I think it is pretty good, compared to what people often claim. The main thing to me is the GVWR is right, and that cargo carrying was actually understated. Shipping weight listing on the brochure seems to be an anomaly as it obviously doesn't jive with cargo and GVWR.

By the stories you hear on forums it is usually like: "All I had was fresh water and I was 200 lbs over the stated GVWR on the scale!"



Mike

Same concept here:
http://www.learntorv.com/2013/09/dry-weights-truth-in-advertising.html

2015 Wildcat 317RL advertised basic weight.... 10,085

Yellow sticker with all options as delivered..... 10,976

Cat scale full water and all my stuff...............12,020

Edit...more info:

Truck with ME in it, full fuel, trailer full water

Steer axle 3,900 (max front 4,250)
Drive axle 5,440 (max rear 6,100)(7,000 lbs on F350 with same axle, added Timbrens to my truck)
Trailer axles 9,720
Gross Vehicle weight 9,340 (10,000 rating)
Gross Combined weight 19,060

Pin weight @ 2,300 (2,460 minus truck hitch, truck not weighed with hitch installed)

Even simpler is look at RVs GVWR........is it within your tow vehicles ACTUAL REAL WORLD tow capabilities (what you really have after weighing 'camp ready')

IF YES.....good to go

IF NO.....trailer too big/truck too small

It isn't complicated nor does it need be.
GVWR & GCVWR

It's not quite that simple. GVWR of my RV, 15,500lbs X 20% = 3100 lbs, should be max pin weight. Actual weighed pin 3400 and not even close to GVWR. Oops and back to the drawing board.

I think that 20% number started out as an estimated average over all designs and all loading conditions.

Unfortunately, some people have adopted it as a "cast in stone" standard for all fivers, no matter what else may be true. If their particular rig comes in at 19% and tracks badly, it is because the trailer is light on the pin. If it comes in at 21% it is nose heavy and the manufacturer should be sued or something.

I pull a Titanium. That is the Canadian trailer with the extended nose (out over the truck cab) and by the very nature of the beast it is nose heavy. The designers worked with the axle placement to help balance it, but five feet of trailer cantilevered out in front of the pin is going to affect weight distribution.

Every design from every manufacturer is going to have its own "personality" when it comes to weight and loading.

All of that is a separate issue from the brochure weights. You must keep in mind that the brochures are prepared by the marketing and advertising departments.

Allworth wrote:
I think that 20% number started out as an estimated average over all designs and all loading conditions.

Exactly.......
20% is ball-park number


As found in the fine print from truck mfg. towing guides the following percentages are recommended

Trailer tongue (trailer king pin for fifth-wheel towing) load weight should be 10-15% (15-25% for fifth-wheel towing) of total loaded trailer weight.

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Allworth wrote:
I think that 20% number started out as an estimated average over all designs and all loading conditions.

Exactly.......
20% is ball-park number


As found in the fine print from truck mfg. towing guides the following percentages are recommended

Trailer tongue (trailer king pin for fifth-wheel towing) load weight should be 10-15% (15-25% for fifth-wheel towing) of total loaded trailer weight.

avvidclif1 wrote:
It's not quite that simple. GVWR of my RV, 15,500lbs X 20% = 3100 lbs, should be max pin weight. Actual weighed pin 3400 and not even close to GVWR. Oops and back to the drawing board.

This is why I actually prefer to extrapolate from dry weights. You can figure out the dry weight percentage, add 2-3% to it, and then multiply that out by a realistic wet weight (or GVWR to be conservative).

In fact, I have a little calculator for it:
http://www.towingplanner.com/Estimators/TonguePinWeightFromDry

Just buy a DRW truck and 90% of trailers out there aren't a issue. :)