Will Air bags make a big difference?
So we've had a 21'5th wheel for 16 years, and love it, but it's getting long in the tooth, and it's a little small, so we bought a 2012 Shasta Revere BH, 27', 31' with the hitch. We took it on our fi...
Forum Discussion
JRscooby wrote:GaryS1953 wrote:
The guy gave me two slips, and they ARE confusing. The first one says: Steer Axle 00
Drive Axle 6540
Trailer Axle 5980
Gross Weight 12520
The 2nd sheet says: Steer Axle 00
Drive Axle 840
Trailer Axle 5860
Gross Weight 6700
This WAS confusing to me. I asked the guy to explain, and he said the Drive axle was the truck, and the trailer axle was the trailer weight. I didin't realize the numbers on the 2nd sheet were different until I got home. The more I think about it I think the truck and trailer numbers might be reversed, and that would make more sense. The curb weight of the truck is supposed to be 5209, and the dry weight of the trailer should be 5777. I do have stuff in both the truck, and the camper, but all the tanks were empty, and we had removed a lot of our stuff right after we got back from camping. I'm guessing there's about 300 to 400 lbs of odds and ends in the basement and the pantry and bedroom.
This is the fault of internet. We tell you to weigh with and without the trailer, but just assume you will know how to use scale. I'm sorry.
The Cat platform is divided into 3 sections, normally with blue lines around each. When you pull on you should park with one line under the TV, so front axle is on 1 segment, rear on 2nd, and trailer on 3rd. Parked like that each time you weigh the ticket will have 4 numbers; STEERING,(=front axle) DRIVE,(=back axle of TV) TRAILER, (=the trailer axles) and GROSS (=total weight of unit) The pass w/o trailer the 3rd segment will read 0
With all those numbers we can figure out what adjustments need to be made. Subtract Gross w/o trailer from gross with it, you have weight of trailer. Subtract what scale reads as Trailer from that number, you have tongue weight. Is that percentage in the 10-15% range?
Comparing DRIVE weight to ratings on rear tires, are tires overloaded at 35PSI? (BTW, I have never seen factory recommend tires on 1/2 ton be maxed out on sidewall labeled pressure)
Weight on front w/wo tells how much the TW is subtracting from front. Is that enough to cause issue?
I should have researched this before I went to the Cat scale. I'll try to get back in the next couple of days, but I'm really starting to feel like this truck is just not adequate for the job. Unfortunately, a new truck is not in the cards, so I may be putting this trailer up for sale and going back to our old tried and true fifth wheel. Thanks for your patient explanations and advice.
