We recently purchased this travel trailer, that had this back storage area on it. We use it to carry firewood and misc things.. My husband was changing the tires and laying underneath the trailer and found a compartment that was made - full of bags of cement equalling 600 lbs.. we are assuming the previous owner did this as a counter weight for the added storage area... the 600 lbs just seems extreme to us. We pull with a Tahoe, and it does ok, but we really expected it to do better pulling it. Looking for opinions on the weight, how much if any you would need for a storage box that size, and if the 600 pounds seems like too much to anyone else? https://www.flickr.com/photos/133031534@N03/shares/3755A7thanks!

Sounds really odd. Do you have photos? Was the hidden storage compartment at the front or the back? I'm presuming that it was in the front. Was the storage area an add on, or was did it come that way from the factory?Can you contact the previous owner and find out why he had 600 pounds of cement on board?Maybe it's not cement, maybe it's white powder from south of the border. Or maybe the bags are full of cash!

Dang, I forgot to take the white powder out before I sold it.

There is no shortage of nutty ideas in the RV world. I passed thru your area two weeks ago and was amazed at the amount of hops grown there. Maybe the previous owner was a heavy user of hops.

sorry, i posted a photo but can't get it to show up https://www.flickr.com/photos/133031534@N03/shares/3755A7haha, we were hoping it was bags of money! It is definitely cement. My husband is a mason, so at least we can use it. the 600 lbs just seemed extreme for that size storage box on the back. The cement was in the front - so he thinks they just figured it was a counter weight..He took it out, but it made me nervous, because maybe we need some.. but 600 lbs is a lot! Obviously, we would like to lighten the load, but don't want to set ourselves up going camping this weekend and wishing we had left the weight in..

Lynnmor wrote:There is no shortage of nutty ideas in the RV world. I passed thru your area two weeks ago and was amazed at the amount of hops grown there. Maybe the previous owner was a heavy user of hops.Yes, we have the most in the US here in our area. They are everywhere!!

Counter weight for added back storage area/deck

46 Replies

beemerphile1
Explorer
Jun 04, 2015
Probably was added ballast as you suspect if located near the front.

A few years ago Bigfoot added ballast to the front of at least one model that was experiencing excessive sway.

My concern is that with the cargo in the rear, and the ballast in the front, you might be exceeding the GAWR or the GVWR.
LMyers14
Explorer
Jun 04, 2015
Lynnmor wrote:
There is no shortage of nutty ideas in the RV world.

I passed thru your area two weeks ago and was amazed at the amount of hops grown there. Maybe the previous owner was a heavy user of hops.

Yes, we have the most in the US here in our area. They are everywhere!!
LMyers14
Explorer
Jun 04, 2015
sorry, i posted a photo but can't get it to show up
https://www.flickr.com/photos/133031534@N03/shares/3755A7

haha, we were hoping it was bags of money! It is definitely cement. My husband is a mason, so at least we can use it. the 600 lbs just seemed extreme for that size storage box on the back. The cement was in the front - so he thinks they just figured it was a counter weight..

He took it out, but it made me nervous, because maybe we need some.. but 600 lbs is a lot!
Obviously, we would like to lighten the load, but don't want to set ourselves up going camping this weekend and wishing we had left the weight in..
Lynnmor
Explorer
Jun 04, 2015
There is no shortage of nutty ideas in the RV world.

I passed thru your area two weeks ago and was amazed at the amount of hops grown there. Maybe the previous owner was a heavy user of hops.
wing_zealot
Explorer
Jun 04, 2015
Dang, I forgot to take the white powder out before I sold it.
Bull_Rider
Explorer
Jun 04, 2015
Sounds really odd. Do you have photos?

Was the hidden storage compartment at the front or the back? I'm presuming that it was in the front. Was the storage area an add on, or was did it come that way from the factory?

Can you contact the previous owner and find out why he had 600 pounds of cement on board?

Maybe it's not cement, maybe it's white powder from south of the border. Or maybe the bags are full of cash!

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Counter weight for added back storage area/deck

46 Replies

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