Question about dry weight and actual dry weight

Best way to settle this for 'your' setup is go out and actually weigh it without
anything loaded in/on/etc. Just as you got it from the dealer

Then compare it to the brochure or sticker/label 'dry' weight

'Dry' is the 'TV curb weight' version for a trailer....AKA stripper model that
is not sold, but used for certification testing

An example is for the 'curb' for my TV and is an official Calif State DMV certificate
that gets it's info from the VIN# and that then gets info from the OEM (GM)
provided to the state of Calif DMV against that VIN#

Note that it lists my 'as tested' vehicle weight, but in fact it is the listed
'curb' weight. My TV's curb is listed in several other places as 5,400, 5,600
and 5,800 pounds. In this case it is listed at 5,250 pounds

Most 'half ton' Suburbans with a small block will weigh more than
5,250 pounds WITHOUT any cargo/people/etc. Mine has a big block,
4x4 and the highest option package orderable

I've weighed it with me (180), toolbox (+200) and misc stuff (about 50) at the
local garden scales (county weights and measure certification sticker
on the scale) at around 7,200 pounds (it's been a while and can't
remember the exact number)

so minus the approx 400 lbs would have it 'around' 6,800 pounds vs the CA EMV/GM
listed of 5,250 pounds. That is 'around' or 'approx' 1,550 pounds over the 'curb'

To get mine down the the official 'curb' would have to unbolt and either toss
or replace with 'standard' equipment:

Big Block replaced with a small block
Replace the automatic with a manual tranny
Toss the 4x4
Highest option level (toss the 2nd and 3rd row seats, rugs, power windows,
power seats, power door locks, roof rack, ceiling console, insulation package,
and a big ETC, as who knows what is on the stripper model)

The only editing I have done is to take out the endless quotes of quotes of quotes which makes the post go on for almost the whole page.

When you quote someone, please edit out the previous quotes and just leave the one you are responding to. We don't need to see all the previous replies that you have included in your quotes.
Barney

NC Hauler wrote:

Ok, you win...I saw where admin edited your reply and realized I don't want to go there, it's two guys arguing and going off topic...for that, I apologize..You're right...I'm wrong.

Don't know why it was edited. Wasn't nothing ugly in it. Best I cam remember. Less I spelled something wrong.

{Moderator note: Edited for reason posted below.}

jaycocamprs wrote:

goducks10 wrote:
I guess it needs to be broken down into two categories.
Those that have loaded their trailers for years and those that are new. In my experience it takes a few years to figure out what you want or need while camping. When we got our 1st TT I thought no way could we put 500lbs in it.
Well two TT's and a 5'er later we're at 1500lbs. Doubt I will ever load more than we currently do. I still have cupboards left that are empty and the basement still has room.

We are right in that range also. Most of the stuff was in the 2 5th wheels before this one. I'm sure we have a little more in this one, but we did take a few things out when we switched. With a 4K CCC a weekend camper just won't come close to GVWR

Agreed, I have a shipping weight of 14,400# and a GVW of 16,950#....heaviest ever loaded was to 16,050 and that was towing my 5er to my camp in WV, where it set for the next 5 months and we would stay a week at a time or go up every other weekend...It came with two AC's, so that was part of the "shipping weight', but have added a roof mount satellite, a washer/dryer combo and will, on occasion, have my generator with me, (about 250#)...When loaded to 16,050, I had quite a bit of stuff, but with 3/4 acre lot, that included things one wouldn't normally take with them...I had a chainsaw and other things I used for firewood and yard work on my lot...thus the reason I knew that I might, at times, use more of my CCC than on a two or three day weekend to nearby NC, SC or TN campgrounds.

goducks10 wrote:
I guess it needs to be broken down into two categories.
Those that have loaded their trailers for years and those that are new. In my experience it takes a few years to figure out what you want or need while camping. When we got our 1st TT I thought no way could we put 500lbs in it.
Well two TT's and a 5'er later we're at 1500lbs. Doubt I will ever load more than we currently do. I still have cupboards left that are empty and the basement still has room.

We are right in that range also. Most of the stuff was in the 2 5th wheels before this one. I'm sure we have a little more in this one, but we did take a few things out when we switched. With a 4K CCC a weekend camper just won't come close to GVWR

Terryallan wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:

Actually, I'm not illiterate nor uneducated, and I do read quite a bit....The ONLY thing that I would recommend people to do, seeing as how I CAN'T read peoples minds like some can in here and I CAN'T predict how much some will load their units to....I suggest the "worse case scenario.....use the units GVW...What's the big deal...I had absolutely no clue how much "STUFF" I was going to haul around in my 5er...When we got it, it was mostly the wife and I and two dogs....now we've added a satellite on the roof (weight), we've added a washer/dryer combo (more weight)....oh, now we may have two grandchildren with us, more more clothes and toys......again, unlike you, I'm not psychic.. I will look at GVW, know what I CAN load to, and pick the right TV...I WON'T look at a units dry weight of 14,400# see it can be loaded to 16,950 and "guess"...ok, I'll only load it to 500 or 700# and will only figure I'm going to tow 15,100#....no, I'm sorry, forgive my FOOLISHNESS, but I will ERR towards FIGURING that IF I purchased a unit that has a GVW of 16,950, I may possibly get that high...I'm NOT going GUESS that I'll ONLY fill it to 15,100# and miss it and have a terrible time towing....Last time I weighed the unit it was at 16,050#...oh, hope no one buys a heavy generator...that's more weight, (I got one of those too), it' amazing how the weight will add up....but again, not being psychic or KNOWING by GUESSING, I'll go by GVWR and figure I WON'T get THAT high and I have a truck to tow the weight.

I CERTAINLY won't tell someone to buy a truck to handle dry weight, empty weight or go by empty/dry pin weight....that's even more inane than what you're suggesting I'm doing, just on the other end of the scale. NOR will I suggest they "GUESS" at how much weight they're going to tow...My 4 Grandkids have gotten older, bigger toy's now, more clothes....something I DID think about back in 07 when I purchased the unit...came in handy years down the road.

Go by "assumptions" and figure 600-800#....but you might want to think about if and when" you might add a 200 or more Generator, 200# washer/dryer, 75# satellite and on....oh, and lets not forget that when we add that extra fuel tank in the bed of the truck, it TOO can eat up a lot of a trucks GVWR,or RAWR, whichever one chooses to use., which would/could also affect how much one loads their 5er too, (pin weight in the bed of the truck).....

Nope, I'll try to err to where I'm not sure how much I'll load to, and go from there, seems a bit more practical than just "guessing".....

It's OK. IF you want an overkill truck, go for it. If you need to carry everything in the house to spend a weekend in the mountains, go for it. Me I just camp. I setup, put out my grill, build my fire. And hang out. Then I load my grill up, put out my fire, and go home.

Ok, you win...I saw where admin edited your reply and realized I don't want to go there, it's two guys arguing and going off topic...for that, I apologize..You're right...I'm wrong.

NC Hauler wrote:

Actually, I'm not illiterate nor uneducated, and I do read quite a bit....The ONLY thing that I would recommend people to do, seeing as how I CAN'T read peoples minds like some can in here and I CAN'T predict how much some will load their units to....I suggest the "worse case scenario.....use the units GVW...What's the big deal...I had absolutely no clue how much "STUFF" I was going to haul around in my 5er...When we got it, it was mostly the wife and I and two dogs....now we've added a satellite on the roof (weight), we've added a washer/dryer combo (more weight)....oh, now we may have two grandchildren with us, more more clothes and toys......again, unlike you, I'm not psychic.. I will look at GVW, know what I CAN load to, and pick the right TV...I WON'T look at a units dry weight of 14,400# see it can be loaded to 16,950 and "guess"...ok, I'll only load it to 500 or 700# and will only figure I'm going to tow 15,100#....no, I'm sorry, forgive my FOOLISHNESS, but I will ERR towards FIGURING that IF I purchased a unit that has a GVW of 16,950, I may possibly get that high...I'm NOT going GUESS that I'll ONLY fill it to 15,100# and miss it and have a terrible time towing....Last time I weighed the unit it was at 16,050#...oh, hope no one buys a heavy generator...that's more weight, (I got one of those too), it' amazing how the weight will add up....but again, not being psychic or KNOWING by GUESSING, I'll go by GVWR and figure I WON'T get THAT high and I have a truck to tow the weight.

I CERTAINLY won't tell someone to buy a truck to handle dry weight, empty weight or go by empty/dry pin weight....that's even more inane than what you're suggesting I'm doing, just on the other end of the scale. NOR will I suggest they "GUESS" at how much weight they're going to tow...My 4 Grandkids have gotten older, bigger toy's now, more clothes....something I DID think about back in 07 when I purchased the unit...came in handy years down the road.

Go by "assumptions" and figure 600-800#....but you might want to think about if and when" you might add a 200 or more Generator, 200# washer/dryer, 75# satellite and on....oh, and lets not forget that when we add that extra fuel tank in the bed of the truck, it TOO can eat up a lot of a trucks GVWR,or RAWR, whichever one chooses to use., which would/could also affect how much one loads their 5er too, (pin weight in the bed of the truck).....

Nope, I'll try to err to where I'm not sure how much I'll load to, and go from there, seems a bit more practical than just "guessing".....

It's OK. IF you want an overkill truck, go for it. If you need to carry everything in the house to spend a weekend in the mountains, go for it. Me I just camp. I setup, put out my grill, build my fire. And hang out. Then I load my grill up, put out my fire, and go home.

NC Hauler wrote:

goducks10 wrote:
It's just common sense on loading. A TT has way less cargo area than a 5'er. A TT with a high CCC and small cargo area is never going to reach it's GVW. And vice versa.
A 5'er has way more storage than a TT. It's a lot easier to reach it's GVW. GVW's in the 2500-4000lb range are only usually met with full timers. The average weekender won't take that much stuff.
Using the units GVW for towing purposes needs to be looked at like MPG reports.
Different trucks, different terrain and different trailers.
Too many variables.

Yeah, I realized later I was comparing apples to oranges when it came to GVW, empty weight and I'm talking about 5th wheels and I'm arguing with someone who doesn't. Got off topic and was thinking 5er..but still, GVW is GVW....don't know how one is going to "presume" or guess how much weight they'll put into a unit until they've loaded and weighed it...ran into a lot of folks who have done just the opposite...overloaded and didn't know it until they weighed their loaded rv.....believe it can happen more often than some seem to think.

Thanks:)

I guess it needs to be broken down into two categories.
Those that have loaded their trailers for years and those that are new. In my experience it takes a few years to figure out what you want or need while camping. When we got our 1st TT I thought no way could we put 500lbs in it.
Well two TT's and a 5'er later we're at 1500lbs. Doubt I will ever load more than we currently do. I still have cupboards left that are empty and the basement still has room.

goducks10 wrote:
It's just common sense on loading. A TT has way less cargo area than a 5'er. A TT with a high CCC and small cargo area is never going to reach it's GVW. And vice versa.
A 5'er has way more storage than a TT. It's a lot easier to reach it's GVW. GVW's in the 2500-4000lb range are only usually met with full timers. The average weekender won't take that much stuff.
Using the units GVW for towing purposes needs to be looked at like MPG reports.
Different trucks, different terrain and different trailers.
Too many variables.

Yeah, I realized later I was comparing apples to oranges when it came to GVW, empty weight and I'm talking about 5th wheels and I'm arguing with someone who doesn't. Got off topic and was thinking 5er..but still, GVW is GVW....don't know how one is going to "presume" or guess how much weight they'll put into a unit until they've loaded and weighed it...ran into a lot of folks who have done just the opposite...overloaded and didn't know it until they weighed their loaded rv.....believe it can happen more often than some seem to think.

Thanks:)

It's just common sense on loading. A TT has way less cargo area than a 5'er. A TT with a high CCC and small cargo area is never going to reach it's GVW. And vice versa.
A 5'er has way more storage than a TT. It's a lot easier to reach it's GVW. GVW's in the 2500-4000lb range are only usually met with full timers. The average weekender won't take that much stuff.
Using the units GVW for towing purposes needs to be looked at like MPG reports.
Different trucks, different terrain and different trailers.
Too many variables.