How many know their actual pin weight. Serious 5vr's should. Most discussion regarding trucks are more about towing capacity, when it needs to be about pin weight which is the biggest part of cargo capacity. Many seem to use a percentage of GVWR and go with that number to make it fit their truck cargo capacity. I know my pin weight is 3300 lbs which is close to 23% of my GVWR. If I used a more common approach, I would be well under 3000 lbs. I've seen some use numbers as low as 15% to say their pin weight is 2000 lbs. or less. There is no way to know your pin weight unless you visit the scales and do the math. Do you know your pin weight?

I know mine and I even have a handy smart-phone friendly web site for calculating it once you're at the scales:http://www.towingplanner.com/ActualWeights/FifthWheelCatScalesMy camper runs about 17%-18% of my loaded weight depending on how long I'm loaded.

Very few know their actual numbers. Many guess or take dry numbers as gospel.

I agree, most don't know their actual numbers, I don't. If I had a scale reasonably close, I'd give it a run. I am well under my payload, rig tows well, so not a big concern.If I were to guess at my pin, or loaded weight, I would go by my dry weight, plus 1,500#s, for my loaded wt, and then figure 20 percent of that for pin wt.If I was even close to maxing out rawr, I would take the time, when traveling, to find exact wts.Jerry

I've never had a 5er so I was wondering just exactly HOW do you weigh the pin? Do you disconnect from the truck and put the pin on some sort of stand or do some simple math to determine the weight?Ron

I'm around 30% under based on the dry numbers, so apparently, I'm not too serious...but I'm pretty comfortable with it anyway.Now if your dry numbers are pushing 90% of the max ratings, it's probably not a bad idea to weigh the rig and find out where you are.

Pin weight | Good Sam Community

valhalla360
Navigator
Oct 27, 2014
I'm around 30% under based on the dry numbers, so apparently, I'm not too serious...but I'm pretty comfortable with it anyway.

Now if your dry numbers are pushing 90% of the max ratings, it's probably not a bad idea to weigh the rig and find out where you are.
lanerd
Explorer II
Oct 27, 2014
I've never had a 5er so I was wondering just exactly HOW do you weigh the pin? Do you disconnect from the truck and put the pin on some sort of stand or do some simple math to determine the weight?

Ron
MFL
Nomad II
Oct 27, 2014
I agree, most don't know their actual numbers, I don't. If I had a scale reasonably close, I'd give it a run. I am well under my payload, rig tows well, so not a big concern.

If I were to guess at my pin, or loaded weight, I would go by my dry weight, plus 1,500#s, for my loaded wt, and then figure 20 percent of that for pin wt.

If I was even close to maxing out rawr, I would take the time, when traveling, to find exact wts.

Jerry
donn0128
Explorer II
Oct 27, 2014
Very few know their actual numbers. Many guess or take dry numbers as gospel.
ependydad
Explorer
Oct 27, 2014
I know mine and I even have a handy smart-phone friendly web site for calculating it once you're at the scales:
http://www.towingplanner.com/ActualWeights/FifthWheelCatScales

My camper runs about 17%-18% of my loaded weight depending on how long I'm loaded.

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