New Truck - Is My Math Right?
Hi Everyone, My wife and I recently purchased a truck for towing. I've been running the numbers to see which RV's we could purchase and would appreciate you spot checking my math. Here are some...
Forum Discussion
hussbuss wrote:
Get yourself a Sureline tongue scale. about $125.00 on E bay. Take the scale and some blocking along to look at trailers. Set the scale under the hitch and weigh it at the dealer. Then you can add for LP gas battery etc. Keep looking until you find one that will work. I use my scale all year long to check on the weight. We also use it on our race car trailers an for $10.00 and a beer or 2 we weigh other race rigs. Have fun and welcome to the forum.
hussbuss, that is a real scary way of deciding what trailer to buy, it does not give you the complete picture of the trailer..
The problem with this is you will not get the ENTIRE "dry weight" of the trailer, you are only measuring the weight of the tongue as it sits on the dealer lot. Additionally the dealer lot most likely will not be level which will also affect the tongue weight.
You really do not care what the dry weight is, go with the GVWR of the trailer, calculate 10% through 15% of the GVWR as the tongue weight and go from there. This way you are no longer GUESSING as to the weight of the trailer or tongue will end up being.
You seasoned dry weight folks love to make this a more convoluted and confusing way of figuring out what you can tow because you want to "maximize" and "justify" the largest and heaviest trailer you can possibly drag with you..
For a newby to towing, dry weight is a sure way to end up with more trailer than the tow vehicle will be able to handle when fully outfitted with gear and ready for camping.
As far as buying a $125 scale, yeah, you could do that, however you don't need pinpoint accuracy and even these dedicated tongue scales have accuracy problems (they MUST be sitting flat and level and still can vary a lot in readings).
You CAN use your bathroom scales with a 4ft long 4x4 and some blocking.. Pretty much EVERYONE has some bathroom scales which could be used. Although I have not tried digital scales, they might work as long as you can lower the tongue fast enough without dropping the tongue to get the reading.
Read HERE for a real good write up WITH photos to show you how it is done.
Even old fashioned mechanical scales cost only $12 HERE and a 6ft 4x4 might run you $20, it does work and anyone can do it. So for less than $40 you have a multi use scale with enough accuracy for what you need.
