WEIGHT Question (toad @4800 lbs)

Beverley&Ken wrote:
According to the Winnebago Website, 17000 is the GVWR for your MH. I doubt that the actually weight of your Frontier is 4900lbs, that is more likely the GVWR as well. Your towed weight will probably be much less, 3500 -4000 lbs.
The best answer for your GCVWR would be to e-mail Winnebago, if you cant find the spec sheet on your MH. Sometimes it is located on the back of a closet or cupboard door. May also have a plate near the drivers position.
For accurate weights, you will have to take both vehicles (ready to go camping) to a scale.
When you contact Winnebago, include the Winnebago Serial Number and also the chassis VIN number.


Beverley and Ken

Not intending to hijack the thread here but, just to try and clear something up here. In calculating anything pertaining to towing, be it the motor home, the toad etc. DO NOT RELY ON STATED WEIGHTS! That is, do not rely on the "Dinghy Towing Guide" of any year, make and model or, any of the brochures of any coach manufactured, or any stamped weight plate that might be placed in any coach or toad.

GO OUT AND GET IT/THEM WEIGHED YOURSELF! And, that is, a weight that includes everything as is when traveling. The Dinghy Towing guide for our year model of 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab stated 4875 as a stated weight, WRONG!!!!! On a certified scale, it is right at 5300.
The Dinghy Towing guide for our last toad, a 2011 Honda CRV EXL was stated as 3200, WRONG!!!!! On a certified scale, its just hair over 3700 lbs. So, if he claims his Nissan Frontier is 4900, I'd bet is seriously close to that weight. A quick trip to the scales will tell all.

So, just some advice, get any and all components to your setup weighed so that you know for sure what you're dealing with.
Scott

According to the Winnebago Website, 17000 is the GVWR for your MH. I doubt that the actually weight of your Frontier is 4900lbs, that is more likely the GVWR as well. Your towed weight will probably be much less, 3500 -4000 lbs.
The best answer for your GCVWR would be to e-mail Winnebago, if you cant find the spec sheet on your MH. Sometimes it is located on the back of a closet or cupboard door. May also have a plate near the drivers position.
For accurate weights, you will have to take both vehicles (ready to go camping) to a scale.
When you contact Winnebago, include the Winnebago Serial Number and also the chassis VIN number.


Beverley and Ken

sososixmpg wrote:
It's confuseing... I can do the math and I still get the gut feeling that I may have figured it wrong. My 96 WINNIBAGO Itasca Suncruiser 32 r.q. has a GVWR of 1700 lbs. My toad (2000- nissan frontier) is 4900 lbs. I am having doubts on just how much my combined gross weight really is...it seems I'm good to go with around 8000 lbs in towing. ANY HELP WITH THE MATH IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. I am aware of the scales and all that. Once again... can any of you ole experts do the math and reassure me? The WINNIBAGO has a 7.5 (460 f53 chassie). THANK A HEEP!!!!

17,000lbs sounds more like the GVWR, so must be a typo.
So, what is the listed GCWR and subtracting one from the other, will tell you what your toad weight can be after you weigh fully loaded. The Ford GCVW will be more than a Chevy, but remember to check your hitch receiver capabilities as well and imagine it's going to be a 5K lbs max. pull with a 500# tongue weight. Most of the time, the biggest problem with being overweight will lie with the transmission getting hot on long steep grades, like when climbing in the Rockies in the heat. Also be sure to install a toad breaking system as well and would recommend the READYBRAKE for simplicity, effectiveness and cost.
I doubt seriously if the hitch receiver will pull off with any weight, but you can always have the whole structure inspected under there and reinforce it accordingly if there's any problem.

sososixmpg wrote:
It's confuseing... I can do the math and I still get the gut feeling that I may have figured it wrong. My 96 WINNIBAGO Itasca Suncruiser 32 r.q. has a GVWR of 1700 lbs. My toad (2000- nissan frontier) is 4900 lbs. I am having doubts on just how much my combined gross weight really is...it seems I'm good to go with around 8000 lbs in towing. ANY HELP WITH THE MATH IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. I am aware of the scales and all that. Once again... can any of you ole experts do the math and reassure me? The WINNIBAGO has a 7.5 (460 f53 chassie). THANK A HEEP!!!!

your GVWR is likely 17000-lbs, not 1700...sure hope that was a typo ;o). what you're looking for is the GCWR (gross combination weight RATING) which is the total weight the MH chassis can propel, including itself. in many cases the GCWR is the sum of the GVWR and the weight rating of the hitch...but not always. if your MH's documentation does not list the GVWR then you'd be in the ballpark by adding the GVWR plus the hitch rating. or give winnebago a call. if you provide them with the VIN they can give you the GCWR as well as the individual axle weight ratings. axle weight ratings (GAWR) are actually more important than the total GVWR.

that being said you need to know what your MH weighs as it is loaded and configured for travel before you can determine how much weight it can safely tow without exceeding the various weight ratings...gross combination weight rating (GCWR), gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and each axle's gross axle weight rating (GAWR). you also need to know the curb weight of the vehicle you're planning to buy and whether that curb weight includes a full tank of gas (sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't).

the maximum amount of weight you can safely tow will be the lesser of the following:

- the GCWR minus the actual weight of the MH as it is loaded for travel (food, fuel, water, LP, clothing, supplies, pets, people and misc. stuff); OR

- the weight rating of the MH hitch (Class II 3500-lbs, Class III 5000-lbs, Class IV 10,000-lbs); OR

- the weight rating of your towbar

load up the MH as you would for travel and then get individual axle weights at a certified scale. compare those axle weights to the published gross axle weight rating (GAWR) for that motorhome. the actual axle weight must be less than/equal to the rating for that axle. add the two axle weights to arrive at the total rolling weight and then apply the three conditions above. assume nothing.

good luck.