Pin Weights

ford truck guy wrote:

laknox wrote:

ford truck guy wrote:
Perhaps I am wrong here??? BUT I thought this was about a guy looking to BUY a new camper.. There are 2 issues -
#1- who actually loads their possible new camper on the dealers lot just to see the weight???
#2- what dealer in their right mind will allow someone looking at trailers to load one up , then get it weighted ???
That's WHY you go by the GVW and the worse case scenario ..

The problem is that you don't know what, and how much, "stuff" you're going to be carrying. Also, the mfrs are =very= reluctant to release plumbing schematics so we can know where the tanks are supposed to be. If I knew where my fresh water tank is located, the one that's most likely to be filled when traveling, I could use it for ballast to offset a heavy pin, especially if it's somewhat behind the axles. As others have said, the pin wt ratio can drastically change as you load up.

Lyle

Lyle , I agree with you... BUT-
I don't know of any dealer that will allow you to fill the camper UP with your stuff AND take it to get weighted.... That's a huge liability ....that's why you need to go off the worse case , if your truck can't do it , go bigger...

Here is my plan. I KNOW for a fact that my dealer that I usually deal with will allow me to do this. They are a huge toy hauler dealer here on the east coast and I have bought two campers from them. I got to know them all very well when we had that horrible Cyclone. We spent so much time up there having service work done, we all got to know one another on a first name basis.

Sometime soon, I will go to the nearest CAT scales and have the truck weighed full of fuel with me and the wife. Then I will know extremely close what my available payload is for the truck and the rear axle.

My Sherline scale will be here next week. When we're ready to go looking at campers, I will take the scale with the truck and some 6"x6" pieces and build up a block in the bed of the truck at height of the fifth wheel hitch.

I can then back underneath the camper and lower the pin onto the scale so the landing gear just barely comes off the ground. I now know the dry pin weight of that camper. I can estimate a couple hundred lbs. of extras for when we're loaded and then I will know if I'm completely safe, getting close, or overloaded.

As many people here on rv.net scream about folks being overloaded, I must admit I'm surprised at how much drama this thread has created. I'm trying to know what I can and can't do. Is that so wrong?

laknox wrote:

ford truck guy wrote:
Perhaps I am wrong here??? BUT I thought this was about a guy looking to BUY a new camper.. There are 2 issues -
#1- who actually loads their possible new camper on the dealers lot just to see the weight???
#2- what dealer in their right mind will allow someone looking at trailers to load one up , then get it weighted ???
That's WHY you go by the GVW and the worse case scenario ..

The problem is that you don't know what, and how much, "stuff" you're going to be carrying. Also, the mfrs are =very= reluctant to release plumbing schematics so we can know where the tanks are supposed to be. If I knew where my fresh water tank is located, the one that's most likely to be filled when traveling, I could use it for ballast to offset a heavy pin, especially if it's somewhat behind the axles. As others have said, the pin wt ratio can drastically change as you load up.

Lyle

Lyle , I agree with you... BUT-
I don't know of any dealer that will allow you to fill the camper UP with your stuff AND take it to get weighted.... That's a huge liability ....that's why you need to go off the worse case , if your truck can't do it , go bigger...

ford truck guy wrote:
Perhaps I am wrong here??? BUT I thought this was about a guy looking to BUY a new camper.. There are 2 issues -
#1- who actually loads their possible new camper on the dealers lot just to see the weight???
#2- what dealer in their right mind will allow someone looking at trailers to load one up , then get it weighted ???
That's WHY you go by the GVW and the worse case scenario ..

The problem is that you don't know what, and how much, "stuff" you're going to be carrying. Also, the mfrs are =very= reluctant to release plumbing schematics so we can know where the tanks are supposed to be. If I knew where my fresh water tank is located, the one that's most likely to be filled when traveling, I could use it for ballast to offset a heavy pin, especially if it's somewhat behind the axles. As others have said, the pin wt ratio can drastically change as you load up.

Lyle

Perhaps I am wrong here??? BUT I thought this was about a guy looking to BUY a new camper.. There are 2 issues -
#1- who actually loads their possible new camper on the dealers lot just to see the weight???
#2- what dealer in their right mind will allow someone looking at trailers to load one up , then get it weighted ???
That's WHY you go by the GVW and the worse case scenario ..

Lantley wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Super_Dave wrote:
If exact is really important, aren't you still guessing what wet weight will be?

Exactly........

The OP can weigh any rig he is interested in. If he wants to load it up with cargo he can do that as well. The OP can carry his experiment as far as he wishes to take it. With the scale his weight can be as exact as he cares to make it.
In the end his scale weight will me more accurate than just using brochures and stickers.

Well said.

Super_Dave wrote:
If exact is really important, aren't you still guessing what wet weight will be?

Yes. But estimating pin weight by taking a percentage then adding wet weight is still far different than getting an exact weight and then adding clothes and stuff. Our purchase will be a toy hauler and the golf cart will help offset some of the weight up front as well.

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Super_Dave wrote:
If exact is really important, aren't you still guessing what wet weight will be?

Exactly........

The OP can weigh any rig he is interested in. If he wants to load it up with cargo he can do that as well. The OP can carry his experiment as far as he wishes to take it. With the scale his weight can be as exact as he cares to make it.
In the end his scale weight will me more accurate than just using brochures and stickers.

Super_Dave wrote:
If exact is really important, aren't you still guessing what wet weight will be?

Exactly........

Here's why a "rule of thumb" really doesn't work.

The GVWR of my trailer is a shade under 10k. If I am ultra conservative and use 25% to calculate pin weight I am at 2500#. However, I load to a GVW of only 8400# and my pin weight is only 15% empty or loaded. So my real pin weight when traveling is only 1260# or approximately half of the conservative guess.

A "guess" of 2500# would totally rule out a perfectly good trailer for me to tow. Likewise, if you guess wrong on the other direction you could be way beyond the capabilities of your TV.

I understand the dilemma. It is more critical for those with conservative tow vehicles. It is not always possible, realistic or desirable to just go get a bigger truck.

I spent considerable time studying brochures and making calculations before I bought my present trailer. It was time well spent. It has been a great combo and has served me well.

CWSWine wrote:

lawnspecialties wrote:

Lantley wrote:
The best way to find out the real pin weight is actually measure it.
There is a Sherline scale that can handle up to 5000 lbs.



Sherline

Model No. Dual-ring Gage Ranges
LM-1000 0-1000 lb/0-460 kg
LM-2000 0-2000 lb/0-900 kg
LM-5000 0-5000 lb/0-2250 kg

Excellent. Did not know that. I'll call eTrailer tomorrow but if they don't have it, I'll order Amazon tomorrow. Thank you.

I have seen those used for TT weights but how the heck would you use for 5er pin weights? You have to get level or at the same angle you tow at to even get close.

Build up a platform in the bed of your truck with lengths of 2x4's until it's the same height, to the top of the scale, as the hitch.

Lyle