Forum Discussion

Omodan's avatar
Omodan
Explorer
Nov 04, 2014

GVWR Calculation Question

I am hoping for clarification that I am calculating my payload correctly.

I am planning on purchasing (in process of this week) a 2014 Jayco Jay Flight 28BHBE travel trailer. I don't have the physical trailer yet; so ill be using their online posted weights for my planning purposes. This trailer is listed as being 6,495 unloaded weight, 700 dry hitch weight, and a maximum GVWR of 9250 lbs. The model I am purchasing is fairly loaded though with the fiberglass sides, and extra odds and ends added. I am a fairly typical family, so I probably wont add more than 1000 lbs. of gear/water to the trailer when towing. So I am assuming a 8,000 lb total trailer weight.

My tow vehicle is a 2014 Tundra 5.7L Double Cab 4x4 (TRD). It's owner's manual and door sticker differ; so ill post both. The manual states my model/make should have a base curb weight of 5505 and the GVWR is 7100. This should give a payload capacity of 1595 lbs. The door sticker agrees on the 7100 GVWR but states I have 1420 lbs payload capacity. The towing capacity is listed at 9900 lbs for my make/model on both the sticker and the manual.

Additional weight considerations on my TV are that I also have a ARE Z Series Camper top, weighing at 190 lbs and a spray in bed liner. Other than that, it would be my wife and I at 150lbs each and my two kids are 30 lbs each. You also will have car seats, at roughly 15 lbs each and the usual travel cargo. The vehicle also holds 27.5 gallons of fuel.

I have a weight distribution hitch and trailer brake controller. I also have all the added tow features/packages included from the dealer for my truck such as sway control, factory installed tow package, etc...

Now my question: Based upon the above; it appears I am over my GVWR despite being within the towing capacity. I should be fine being able to actually pull the trailer, but seems that I am well over my GVWR. I am figuring that by adding the weight for fuel, occupants, camper top, misc interior gear like car seats and backpacks, the actual WDH itself, and then the trailer hitch weight of 10% of anticipated trailer weight, so 800 lbs.

All the above is driving me to the conclusion that my vehicle can not handle this trailer and that I should narrow my focus to a ultra light and preferably the 22 to 25 foot range. Am I missing something? Is my tow vehicle that limited or do the WDH and other safety items help mitigate my perceived GVWR being exceeded? Lastly, should all of the items that I listed above be added together to see if I have met the GVWR or were some of those already included in the base curb weight?

Sorry for the long question/details but wanted to make sure I am figuring things right before buying this trailer and potentially subjecting my family to a hazard. Thanks.
  • silverfz's avatar
    silverfz
    Explorer
    Nov 05, 2014
    The online numbers are so off. Mine in the manual and manufactors website states my travel trailer unloaded weight is 6708 lbs . But the actual sticker on the unit is 6333 lbs.

    i tow with a crew max , i am over the payload i think . i have a equilizer wdh with intergrate sway. Its setup such that my front goes up by 1-2 inch when hitched. I have bigger tires and a 2 inch lift in the front.

    we have only towed 1000 miles and next year plan to go longer. I have a full exhaust and the engine is not limited.i do carry alot of stuff on bed .

    Does it feel like towing my 2500 lbs popup ...no way . I did not know about payload and stuff but took the 80% rule. mine says 9000 lbs so we shopped for a 6500 lbs travel trailer. The dealer did kept sending us to the 8000 lbs units. But we decided 6500 empty means even loaded we are aroud 7500lbs or less. we are happy with the decision as we where on fence on another unit that was 7300 lbs dry.

    The manufactors are to blame here,my 08 was stickered to tow 10000 lbs or something crazy.

    will i do it ? yes the truck tows like easy, i use a 20$ brake controller and it works good . I have never lacked power, in the tundra even the brakes . I did go to a empty lot to see what is the stopping distance with the controller off with just the truck brakes....:-)
  • CPBIGGS's avatar
    CPBIGGS
    Explorer
    Nov 05, 2014
    SailingOn wrote:
    You have the truck.
    Load up as if for a trip, find a CAT scale nearby. The actual weight eliminates some of your estimates and calculations.


    Did this myself this past weekend just to be sure. It took all of 10 minutes and cost $10:50. That is a very cheap price for piece of mind.
  • APT's avatar
    APT
    Explorer
    Nov 05, 2014
    Yep, you'll probably be over GVWR. Many people are. Latest half tons especially with their 10k+ tow ratings yet no more payload than 20 years ago. While I don't recommend knowingly doing it, the truck should still handle well with a properly adjusted quality WDH with integrated sway control.

    The topper alone is costing you about 2500 pounds of practical tow capacity.
  • fairfaxjim's avatar
    fairfaxjim
    Explorer
    Nov 05, 2014
    I have been towing since new with a 2007 Tundra 2WD TRD. The rear axle weight rating (and it is more than your 4WD) gets exceeded very quickly if I am not extremely careful. My fresh water tank is fwd in the trailer so I try to go with a minimum amount of water and tank it up either at the camp ground or if boondocking out in the desert, as close to my highway turnoff as possible.

    Just because the truck will pull 10,000 lbs., doesn't mean any of the other specs will be met doing that.

    Also, when figuring any weights, go by the stickers on the vehicle, not the manual. The stickers reflect the actual build of the truck, the manual is often more representative of what was engineered than actually built.
  • John___Angela's avatar
    John___Angela
    Explorer
    Nov 05, 2014
    SailingOn wrote:
    You have the truck.
    Load up as if for a trip, find a CAT scale nearby. The actual weight eliminates some of your estimates and calculations.


    Excellent advice.
  • John___Angela's avatar
    John___Angela
    Explorer
    Nov 05, 2014
    Omodan wrote:
    John & Angela wrote:
    Howdy. I'm not sure I understand the one portion of your question where you state you are over your GVWR. Are you referring to the truck or the trailer. If you are referring to the trailer the only way you can be over the GVWR is to load it over the GVWR. Remember, GVWR in a trailer is your friend. The higher the number the better. Would you rather have a trailer that is loaded to 8000 pounds have a GVWR of 9000 pound, 10,000 pounds, 11000 pounds. Always pick the biggest number. It is indicative of axle size, tires, rims brakes etc. GVWR is a rating, not a weight. GVW is a weight. Always keep the GVW to a number your truck is capable of towing. As far as GVWR, bigger is better. I have seen dry weight trailers of 6300 pounds on lots with 7000 pound GVWR. I have also seen the 6300 pound trailers with GVWR's of 10,000 pounds. Which one do you think is built better?

    Hope your trailer search goes well. Happy trails and safe journeys.


    The trailer GVWR is 9250. My Tundra is only 7100. The Dry weight of the trailer is listed as 6500. I assume as I have it configured, It would probably be closer to 7000 dry. I don't anticipate ever having more than 1000 lbs of gear/water while actually towing it. I will be weighing my tundra soon to see its true curb weight. As it stands now, the sticker says 5500 with a 1420 max payload. I just don't know what is already included in that weight. Toyota states they are SAE J standard compliant. That standard dictates that curb weight should include two 150 pound passengers and common configuration options and fuel included. If that is actually how my curb weight is calculated, then I can reduce that weight from my figures above. Potentially freeing up 350 lbs of payload capacity. I also read that a weight distribution hitch will transfer roughly 1/3 of my hitch weight back to my trailers axles, thus further reducing the load on my tow vehicle but increasing my load on my trailer. The combined truck/trailer load has to stay within 16000 lbs.

    Considering all of the above, I really need to go weigh my truck and see what my actual payload capacity is after fuel, family, and gear. If my assumptions are right, I might actually be ok. Definitely high side, but within tolerance. I won't know until I get her on a scale though. The trailer has plenty of room for its axles, 6500 to 9250, but my truck payload is my constraint. So offsetting some of that weight to the trailers axle would be great if possible.


    I think you are on trhe right track and you have good instincts on this. Follow them.

    Good luck.
  • SailingOn's avatar
    SailingOn
    Explorer
    Nov 05, 2014
    You have the truck.
    Load up as if for a trip, find a CAT scale nearby. The actual weight eliminates some of your estimates and calculations.
  • Omodan's avatar
    Omodan
    Explorer
    Nov 05, 2014
    John & Angela wrote:
    Howdy. I'm not sure I understand the one portion of your question where you state you are over your GVWR. Are you referring to the truck or the trailer. If you are referring to the trailer the only way you can be over the GVWR is to load it over the GVWR. Remember, GVWR in a trailer is your friend. The higher the number the better. Would you rather have a trailer that is loaded to 8000 pounds have a GVWR of 9000 pound, 10,000 pounds, 11000 pounds. Always pick the biggest number. It is indicative of axle size, tires, rims brakes etc. GVWR is a rating, not a weight. GVW is a weight. Always keep the GVW to a number your truck is capable of towing. As far as GVWR, bigger is better. I have seen dry weight trailers of 6300 pounds on lots with 7000 pound GVWR. I have also seen the 6300 pound trailers with GVWR's of 10,000 pounds. Which one do you think is built better?

    Hope your trailer search goes well. Happy trails and safe journeys.


    The trailer GVWR is 9250. My Tundra is only 7100. The Dry weight of the trailer is listed as 6500. I assume as I have it configured, It would probably be closer to 7000 dry. I don't anticipate ever having more than 1000 lbs of gear/water while actually towing it. I will be weighing my tundra soon to see its true curb weight. As it stands now, the sticker says 5500 with a 1420 max payload. I just don't know what is already included in that weight. Toyota states they are SAE J standard compliant. That standard dictates that curb weight should include two 150 pound passengers and common configuration options and fuel included. If that is actually how my curb weight is calculated, then I can reduce that weight from my figures above. Potentially freeing up 350 lbs of payload capacity. I also read that a weight distribution hitch will transfer roughly 1/3 of my hitch weight back to my trailers axles, thus further reducing the load on my tow vehicle but increasing my load on my trailer. The combined truck/trailer load has to stay within 16000 lbs.

    Considering all of the above, I really need to go weigh my truck and see what my actual payload capacity is after fuel, family, and gear. If my assumptions are right, I might actually be ok. Definitely high side, but within tolerance. I won't know until I get her on a scale though. The trailer has plenty of room for its axles, 6500 to 9250, but my truck payload is my constraint. So offsetting some of that weight to the trailers axle would be great if possible.
  • John___Angela's avatar
    John___Angela
    Explorer
    Nov 05, 2014
    Howdy. I'm not sure I understand the one portion of your question where you state you are over your GVWR. Are you referring to the truck or the trailer. If you are referring to the trailer the only way you can be over the GVWR is to load it over the GVWR. Remember, GVWR in a trailer is your friend. The higher the number the better. Would you rather have a trailer that is loaded to 8000 pounds have a GVWR of 9000 pound, 10,000 pounds, 11000 pounds. Always pick the biggest number. It is indicative of axle size, tires, rims brakes etc. GVWR is a rating, not a weight. GVW is a weight. Always keep the GVW to a number your truck is capable of towing. As far as GVWR, bigger is better. I have seen dry weight trailers of 6300 pounds on lots with 7000 pound GVWR. I have also seen the 6300 pound trailers with GVWR's of 10,000 pounds. Which one do you think is built better?

    Hope your trailer search goes well. Happy trails and safe journeys.
  • RinconVTR's avatar
    RinconVTR
    Explorer
    Nov 05, 2014
    sch911 wrote:
    There is only one sure way to find your payload capacity. Payload = GVWR - Actual (loaded) vehicle weight. Weighed at a scale.


    This is correct, and seeing this trailer isn't even purchased yet, and your over weight by most calculations...I would look for another trailer.

    Granted the Tundra will do it, and its the rear axle weight you need to watch in particular, its still a bad decision to buy a new TT this marginal to your trucks ratings.

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