Forum Discussion

Acdii's avatar
Acdii
Explorer
Jun 07, 2016

Calculating TW from scale readings?

I weighed my rig today after picking up the trailer. What I didn't do was weigh it before hand. I did fill the gas tank up first. My front axle is 3000#, rear 3400#, and trailer 4480#, or roughly there, total weight 11120#. This is with a dry trailer, and nothing in the truck except me. Once I weigh my empty truck without the trailer, what do I need to do to calculate the trailer TW? The specs say it has 630# TW when dry.
  • 93Cobra2771's avatar
    93Cobra2771
    Explorer
    Jun 08, 2016
    LarryJM wrote:
    jmtandem wrote:
    what do I need to do to calculate the trailer TW?


    Simple. Weigh the truck with the tongue and without the tongue and subtract the difference.


    Correct with the provision that if you have a WDH system make sure the WDH bars are not connected when you weigh with the trailer hooked up to the truck.

    Larry


    And an extra/extra provision of subtracting any weight that came off the front axle when hooked up. If front axle weight changes by 300# from unhooked to hooked, subtract that 300# from the rear axle when hooked (no spring bar tension).
  • lbrjet's avatar
    lbrjet
    Explorer
    Jun 08, 2016
    When using a WDH a portion of the tongue weight will be transferred to the trailer axles. Unhook the bars and it is all on the truck.
  • apr67's avatar
    apr67
    Explorer
    Jun 08, 2016
    LarryJM wrote:


    Correct with the provision that if you have a WDH system make sure the WDH bars are not connected when you weigh with the trailer hooked up to the truck.

    Larry


    Not sure I understand why? If I know my vehicles weight without the trailer (weighed, using cat scales) and then weigh with the trailer, to total weight gain to my TV will be the tounge weight of the trailer, right?
  • LarryJM's avatar
    LarryJM
    Explorer II
    Jun 07, 2016
    jmtandem wrote:
    what do I need to do to calculate the trailer TW?


    Simple. Weigh the truck with the tongue and without the tongue and subtract the difference.


    Correct with the provision that if you have a WDH system make sure the WDH bars are not connected when you weigh with the trailer hooked up to the truck.

    Larry
  • jmtandem's avatar
    jmtandem
    Explorer II
    Jun 07, 2016
    what do I need to do to calculate the trailer TW?


    Simple. Weigh the truck with the tongue and without the tongue and subtract the difference.
  • jerem0621's avatar
    jerem0621
    Explorer II
    Jun 07, 2016
    Just get an additional scal reading... Just drop the trailer on the first scale pad (literally un-hitch)... It's simple and quick to do. Then you know for sure.

    This is how I discovered that my pop up had 470 lbs of tongue weight loaded for camping... Reverified with the bathroom scale technique at home.

    The bathroom scale technique works very well. I was within a few lbs of the Cat scale reading.

    Thanks!

    Jeremiah

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