ependydad wrote:
I agree with both of you. I was more thinking for those who are evaluating the purchase of a fifth wheel and are wanting an estimate for the pin weight.
On this an other forums, I've seen posts such as- "for those who own XYZ camper, can you tell me what your pin weight is?" Often times, those posts are met with crickets. This would give an alternative - a way of best guessing what a pin weight might be.
Really don't understand why anyone would want to base pinweight on "empty" or "dry" weight, you might possibly tow it like that one time...from dealership to one's home to fill it up.
The 20% would really put on in the ball park...AND, I'd use the 5er's GVW to figure, not an empty or dry weight...that would give one a much more accurate "ball park" of where to start looking for what size TV one needs.
Eveyone loads differently...someone with a trailer like mine where it's just the wife and myself and two boxers would load it differently and it would probably weigh less than someone with an identical 5er and a family of 5, mom, dad and three teenagers...(it's going to be heavier)...Someone out for a weekend is going to load lighter than a "full timer" towing all over the US...there are a LOT of variables.
The SCALE IS THE BEST CALCULATOR....BUT, if one is trying to "figure" or get in the "ball park" on what TV they need to tow a 5er with, then 20%-to 25% of the 5er's GVW is going to get you into the "right TV" area
My 5er, "empty" is just a little over 14,000#..can be loaded up with another 2,950# for a GCW of 16,950#...a lot of territory to play with.
