Pin weight

[MTPockets1]

How many know their actual pin weight. Serious 5vr's should. Most discussion regarding trucks are more about towing capacity, when it needs to be about pin weight which is the biggest part of cargo capacity. Many seem to use a percentage of GVWR and go with that number to make it fit their truck cargo capacity. I know my pin weight is 3300 lbs which is close to 23% of my GVWR. If I used a more common approach, I would be well under 3000 lbs. I've seen some use numbers as low as 15% to say their pin weight is 2000 lbs. or less. There is no way to know your pin weight unless you visit the scales and do the math. Do you know your pin weight?

[Cummins12V98]

NC Hauler wrote:
Weighed my whole combo 3/5/14. Full tank of fuel, full DEF tank, me, wife, two boxers, tool box a tad more loaded and 5er loaded almost as full as usual for a weeks stay...all tanks empty, cept black water probably had 10 gallons or so in it and 2 5# bags of ice to slosh around in the tank while driving from Asheville NC to Seviereville TN (trying to clean sensors)..

I digressed....

front axle was 5460# (rated @5800)
Drive axle was 7200# (without 5er it was 3860), which gives me a pin weight of 3340# .

My Gross weight total was 12,660 (truck plus pin weight) which is 1,340# under my trucks GVWR of 14,000#.)..Drive axle weight of 7200# put my truck 2550# under my RAWR of 9750#, (based on tires and psi). (AAM rates rear axle at 11,500 to 11,800#).

That poor truck of yours needs a workout! It keeps saying hook me to something BIG!

My trailer axle , 12,580# and pin weight 3340#, put weight of my 5er @ 15,920#, (has a GVW of 16,950#)...Didn't have my generator.(add another 250# to 5er..not sure on pin weight, but it's up front so could raise pin weight 200#, making it 3540#, which still has me 1140# under my trucks GVWR:)

Total weight of combo was 25,240# (add 250 for generator and it's 25,490#)....trucks GCWR is 37,600#.
Anyway, all these weights were taken on CAT scales..only thing I've added is generator in plus fuel in it. (250#).

That truck keeps saying "Jim get me a real load"!

[fj12ryder]

I know what my pin weight, GVW of my truck, and GCW are. CAT scale is close by and I checked it so I would know what I'm dealing with. Only makes sense to me.

[Old-Biscuit]

Pin weight
5vr axle weight
Truck axle weights

Got weighed every year while traveling FT.

1 bag in----2 bags out. Otherwise 5vr got fat

[NC_Hauler]

rhagfo wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:

Lantley wrote:
The OP raises a good point there is no substitute for a CAT scale. Without a CAT weighing it's all guess work. There is no real basis for determining how well your combo is performing.
Tire wear,acceleration,braking are all part of the same equation.
In the end many are satisfied with guessing. However if you really want to know how well your combo performs take the time to head to the scales

Agree 100% with your post:)

Not 100% necessary!

I fully trust ODOT weigh stations, if they can legally give a trucker a ticket then they need to accurate.

My pin runs right at 2,000#.

Also agree with your assessment. ODOT or CAT scales, as long as certified and up to date with calibrations on either... Agreeing more with knowing one's weights and not guessing what they may be carrying or what they're pin weight "might be".

[rhagfo]

NC Hauler wrote:

Lantley wrote:
The OP raises a good point there is no substitute for a CAT scale. Without a CAT weighing it's all guess work. There is no real basis for determining how well your combo is performing.
Tire wear,acceleration,braking are all part of the same equation.
In the end many are satisfied with guessing. However if you really want to know how well your combo performs take the time to head to the scales

Agree 100% with your post:)

Not 100% necessary!

I fully trust ODOT weigh stations, if they can legally give a trucker a ticket then they need to accurate.

My pin runs right at 2,000#.

[NC_Hauler]

Water-Bug wrote:
You realize that we are just talking about STATIC pin weight here. Actual pin weight is a dynamic number. Uphill, downhill, brakeing and accelerating all affect the dynamic pin weight. Wind lift under the nose of the 5er probably changes the pin weight too.

Yeah, but you have to start somewhere with a number...and that is found while setting on the scales...If I'm running 65 mph on the interstate and have to slam on the brakes, common sense tells you more weight is going to be pushed down on the hitch. Uphill, downhill, all around the dale, it'll change some, .....but again...pin weight is determined by weighing and subtracting..pretty simple, pretty common sensical.

[Water-Bug]

You realize that we are just talking about STATIC pin weight here. Actual pin weight is a dynamic number. Uphill, downhill, brakeing and accelerating all affect the dynamic pin weight. Wind lift under the nose of the 5er probably changes the pin weight too.

[marspec]

Truck ready to tow -- 8850
Truck with trailer -- 13125
Trailer 17825
Pin weight 4275 24 per cent

[NC_Hauler]

Lantley wrote:
The OP raises a good point there is no substitute for a CAT scale. Without a CAT weighing it's all guess work. There is no real basis for determining how well your combo is performing.
Tire wear,acceleration,braking are all part of the same equation.
In the end many are satisfied with guessing. However if you really want to know how well your combo performs take the time to head to the scales

Agree 100% with your post:)

[Lantley]

The OP raises a good point there is no substitute for a CAT scale. Without a CAT weighing it's all guess work. There is no real basis for determining how well your combo is performing.
Tire wear,acceleration,braking are all part of the same equation.
In the end many are satisfied with guessing. However if you really want to know how well your combo performs take the time to head to the scales

[jaycocamprs]

Well I weighted it last year, at that time the pin was 2680# I'm also sure that it's more than that at times. It will very depending on what you load.

[NC_Hauler]

RCMAN46 wrote:
Do not recommend unhitching a trailer on the scales. You are tying up the scales for a fairly long time and there may be others wanting to use the scale.

It is simple. Move to an area out of the way then unhitch the trailer and go back to the scales and weight the truck.

Pin weight is the weight difference of both truck axles with the trailer hitched and the weight of both ruck axles without the trailer.

Using only rear truck axle weights will not give the true pin weight.

I weighed my truck, ready to roll less the 5er at a conveniently located truck stop about 6 miles from my home...no waiting, no tie ups...Next time I went by it, truck was identically loaded as before, cept I had the 5er hooked up....I knew what rear (drive) axle was before 5er was loaded, now with 5er loaded, drive axle went up 3340# more...easy...pin weight.

will weigh it again next month on way home to see how much weights are with generator added now....

[NC_Hauler]

Weighed my whole combo 3/5/14. Full tank of fuel, full DEF tank, me, wife, two boxers, tool box a tad more loaded and 5er loaded almost as full as usual for a weeks stay...all tanks empty, cept black water probably had 10 gallons or so in it and 2 5# bags of ice to slosh around in the tank while driving from Asheville NC to Seviereville TN (trying to clean sensors)..

I digressed....

front axle was 5460# (rated @5800)
Drive axle was 7200# (without 5er it was 3860), which gives me a pin weight of 3340# .

My Gross weight total was 12,660 (truck plus pin weight) which is 1,340# under my trucks GVWR of 14,000#.)..Drive axle weight of 7200# put my truck 2550# under my RAWR of 9750#, (based on tires and psi). (AAM rates rear axle at 11,500 to 11,800#).

My trailer axle , 12,580# and pin weight 3340#, put weight of my 5er @ 15,920#, (has a GVW of 16,950#)...Didn't have my generator.(add another 250# to 5er..not sure on pin weight, but it's up front so could raise pin weight 200#, making it 3540#, which still has me 1140# under my trucks GVWR:)

Total weight of combo was 25,240# (add 250 for generator and it's 25,490#)....trucks GCWR is 37,600#.
Anyway, all these weights were taken on CAT scales..only thing I've added is generator in plus fuel in it. (250#).

[RCMAN46]

Do not recommend unhitching a trailer on the scales. You are tying up the scales for a fairly long time and there may be others wanting to use the scale.

It is simple. Move to an area out of the way then unhitch the trailer and go back to the scales and weight the truck.

Pin weight is the weight difference of both truck axles with the trailer hitched and the weight of both ruck axles without the trailer.

Using only rear truck axle weights will not give the true pin weight.

[Randu]

I know !
Total Trailer loaded for a week w/full water and propane = 16,400#
Axle weight = 12740#
Pin weight = 3660#
22.3% pin weight

Easy way to get weights is truck stop with scales. Position truck so front axles are on 1 scale pad, Truck rear axle on a different scale pad, and the trailer on the 3rd scale pad. This will give you loaded weights on all axles.

Next step is to position the trailer so landing gear is on the same scale pad as the trailer. Un-hook so trailer is by itself on scale. This gives you total trailer weight.

Simple subtraction: Total Trailer weight less axle weight = pin weight.

Randu