McDaddy wrote:
...trailer number two is out. You are not considering all of the gear that you will be putting into your camper. Most folks figure around 1000 lbs between pots, pans, clothing, bedding, water, etc....
boosTT wrote:
I think the jayco is going to put you over the trucks payload. The jayco is probably a better trailer though. You need to figure out your payload numbers.
Thanks for your replies. I was also assuming approximately 1000 lbs of gear added to the trailers dry weight. I would never expect we would travel with either trailer loaded to the GVWR rating so it seems pointless to compare this rating. This is the same point made by wannavolunteerFT below...
wannavolunteerFT wrote:
...You can always load the same 1500 lbs the Rockwood will allow you to carry, and have the spare on the Jayco. Leaving YOUR gross weight at 7000, giving you a bit of room below your max tow capacity...
...that yellow sticker weight (for mine anyhow) includes full propane and furnished as it left factory with all options added....
The dry or Unloaded Vehicle Weight I am using is from the trailer label which is also, as I understand, measured at the factory. As-Built with full propane tanks.
As suggested by boosTT I decided he's right, I do need to figure out the payload numbers. This was my first time though this exercise. Here are my numbers and analysis. I look forward to feedback as I am surprised by the results...
Below are calculations for the following three Ratings:
1) Loaded Trailer Weight (Max 7,700 lbs from Ford Specs)
2) Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) (GVWR 7,350 lbs from door pillar)
3) Gross Combination Weight (GCW) (GCWR 13,500 lbs from Ford Specs)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CALCULATIONS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1) Loaded Trailer Weight (assuming 1000 lbs gear)
Jayflight 29BHS = 6575 lbs (Max 7700 therefore PASS)
Rockwood 2501SS = 6014 lbs (Max 7700 therefore PASS)
2) Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
GVW = Base Curb Weight + Cargo Weight + Passenger Weight
(
The GVW must never exceed the GVWR)
Curb Weight: 5,886 lbs
Cargo Weight (tongue weight): Jayco 29BHS 840 lbs / Rockwood 2501SS 653 lbs
Passenger Weight: 600 lbs
Jayco 29BHS
GVW = 5,886+840+600 = 7326 lbs (GVWR=7350 therefore PASS)
Rockwood 2501SS
GVW = 5,886+653+600 = 7139 (GVWR=7350 therefore PASS)
3) Gross Combination Weight (GCW)
GCW = GVW + Loaded Trailer Weight
(
GCW must not exceed GCWR)
Jayco 29BHS
GCW = 7326+6575 = 13,901 lbs (GCWR=13,500 Therefore !!FAIL!!)
Rockwood 2501SS
GCW = 7139+6014 = 13,153 lbs (GCWR=13,500 Therefore PASS)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AS you can see the Jayco Jayflight 29BHS with 1000 lbs of gear and 600 lbs of passenger weight exceed my pick ups GCWR. I find this surprising since the loaded trailer is 1125 lbs below the max trailer towing limit. The payload on the truck is 600 lbs of passenger wight and 840 lbs of tongue weight. Nothing seems excessive however the combination is too much.
Is the GCWR more for performance or safety? I suspect performance??
How critical is this rating?
When putting on my safety hat looking at the three limits...
a) Paylod of the truck - this isn't exceeded - safe
b) Trailer towing limit - this isn't exceeded - safe
c) GCWR is exceeded - Yet both truck and trailer have braking systems to handle the GVWR of the truck/trailer. Neither of which are exceeded.
A weight distribution hitch will be used, to ensure proper distribution of load across both front and rear truck axles. With this the truck should ride level and ensure correct front steering and and rear tire traction with the road.
From a safety perspective I suspect this is fine, unless I am missing something?
In the end both trailers only have 750 lb spread for GCW. It is a logical conclusion that the performance impact will be more severe with the heavier of the two but, it isn't a large spread. Therefore I wonder how noticeable it will be? I know, a difficult question for anyone to answer unless they have personal experience of just that ;-)
Cheers!
Steevo
