itsjustjer wrote:
Pardon me if I come across as frustrated with this post, but if we can’t depend on ANY numbers from the vehicle or the RV manufacturer to be correct, then how has anyone ever purchased a vehicle and RV and known they were within their limits until after the fact?
Maybe we’ll just rent whatever model we’re thinking of buying and take it to the scale. Even then, that particular trailer isn’t going to weigh the same as the specific one we’ll be buying.
You are doing the right thing by asking here :)
Yes, it is frustrating knowing that the numbers are all over the map. Best rule of thumb is to use the trailer GVW and 13% of that for tongue weight.
In my case, the brochure lists my tongue weight as 630 lbs. My trailer GVW is 8,200 lbs (6,762 dry). My actual weight (based on taking it across a close scale and spending a half hour weighing every which way) is **** close to 8200 loaded and 1040 tongue (12.7%), or 65% more that the listed hitch weight.
In fact, the only way to get a reliable is to scale it (as you suggested). Outside of that it's a bit of a crapshoot unfortunately.
