roaming_free wrote:
The campers website lists the tongue weight at 800 lbs.
That's the dry unloaded weight of the trailer tongue as it was manufactured and is nowhere near what it's loaded for camping gross tongue weight will or
should be. This particular trailer, with a dry factory weight of 7250 lbs, is going to weigh several hundred pounds heavier once the dealer adds a few initial items such as a battery or two and propane in the tanks, along with water in the water heater tank and some reserve in the fresh water holding tank, so before you even begin to add your own gear you can bet it's dead weight as it sits there ready to be towed home will be at least 7500 lbs, if not more. That leaves you perhaps 1000 lbs or so to work with to account for the weight of
everything you add to the trailer to prepare it for camping. Weight builds up quickly and you'll be surprised at how you can chew through that 1000 lbs, the reality being you'll likely find this trailer's GVW, loaded and ready to camp, won't be much less than it's GVWR. For sake of argument let's call it 8500 lbs - 13% to 14% gross tongue weight to gross trailer weight works out to about 1100 lbs to 1200 lbs of gross tongue weight,
not 800 lbs. :E
As far as truck payload capacity is concerned forget about what might be listed in any brochure or owner's manual. The
only number that counts is that which is printed on the driver's side door jamb sticker. You can confirm that number by filling the truck's fuel tank and taking it to a scale, if you're in it at the time subtract your weight from the scale reading - that's your particular truck's real world curb weight as it sits there ready to be hitched to a trailer. Subtract that number from it's GVWR and you'll have it's
actual payload capacity, that which you will use to account for the weight of
everyone and
everything in the truck, plus the weight of your weight distribution system, plus any trailer tongue weight transferred to the truck once hitched up. Believe it, while all those other ratings must be considered, it's lack of payload capacity that will be your 1/2 ton truck's Achilles' Heel. :(
FWIW, I use a trailer weight calculator I custom modified for my own particular situation and it clearly shows I'm pretty well maxed out on payload capacity with my own 1/2 ton Silverado, towing a trailer that averages a mere 4800 lbs loaded & ready to camp. :E It's in .pdf format so if it helps any just PM me with an email addy that will accept attachments and I'll forward a copy you can modify with your own numbers. Numbers don't lie or exaggerate as do some pundits here on the forums who prefer to cloud these important issues with derogatory and cutesy comments like
"weight police" and
"innernut keyboard experts" but I can guarantee a calculator that doesn't exaggerate will be a real eye opener. :W
