Pin Weights

[lawnspecialties]

How does one get an accurate pin weight of a 5er they are contemplating purchasing?

Do dealer's generally have a scale at their business? The Sherline on etrailer is rated only 2000 lbs. and is generally expected to measure trailer tongues.

I know if I want to buy a particular model, the pin weight at the dealership will be slightly different from real world towing with all our stuff inside. But I would never trust the manufacturer's specs and I certainly can't haul the thing to a local truck scale.

[TXiceman]

20% of the trailers GVWR may be light. We are 21.5% of the actual loaded weight, not GVWR.

Ken

[taken]

Just an FYI, the 5k Sherline is the same scale as the other two with a different dial. So, if anyone has a lighter model and wants a 5k, just order the new dial. This is what I did and it's as easy as threading one out and the other in. One other thing to remember is to never pick up the scale by the weight pad. It will pop out and you will have to bleed the scale to get it back to accurate.

As to the accuracy of manufacturers weights, I'm certain that varies widely among manufacturers. Mine was under 100# difference than what XLR said it was. Likely from batteries and propane. And, when I loaded it for travel, it only went up another 150#. Loading the garage with 2k lowered it by just under 300#. Not the norm but like I said, all RV's are different so what anyone else has found, unless they have your exact make and model, means absolutely zero about your potential buy.

[justafordguy]

lawnspecialties wrote:
If I had a Sherline set up to go underneath the pin, is there some kind of physical way of cutting the weight in half for the scale? In other words, how can I set it up so the weight on the scale is half the true pin weight and a 2000 lb. rated Sherline will handle it?

The Sherline 5000lb scale is a great investment. It's really nice to be able to get your real weights as you load the trailer up.

[Old-Biscuit]

GVWR times 25%........wet pin weight

Can truck handle that with available real payload?
YES.......buy the TH
NO........don't buy that TH OR buy TH and get bigger truck


This is not rocket science just adding/subtracting/multiplying---simple basic math

OP is making it more complicated then necessary BUT when all said and done should have good towing combo.
Dealer allowing prospective buyer to load up unpurchased TH with cargo, stuff, water, fuel in order to get weight is something I hope OP videos cause that is not happening. And without fully loading weighing is still just a 'guesstimate'

Best wishes to OP.

I'm done.

[ford_truck_guy]

Anytime a weight/ what can I tow thread gets started , it gets out of hand pretty quickly... You will have the folks that say you need a 1 ton dually to to a TT.. And there are the folks that just do it.... You have to do what YOU feel is safe...
Glad to hear tour dealer will allow you to do this... I would guess HIGH on the weight going into the camper , it gets up there eat fast without looking like it.

[avvidclif1]

12thgenusa wrote:
Here's why a "rule of thumb" really doesn't work.

The GVWR of my trailer is a shade under 10k. If I am ultra conservative and use 25% to calculate pin weight I am at 2500#. However, I load to a GVW of only 8400# and my pin weight is only 15% empty or loaded. So my real pin weight when traveling is only 1260# or approximately half of the conservative guess.

A "guess" of 2500# would totally rule out a perfectly good trailer for me to tow. Likewise, if you guess wrong on the other direction you could be way beyond the capabilities of your TV.

I understand the dilemma. It is more critical for those with conservative tow vehicles. It is not always possible, realistic or desirable to just go get a bigger truck.

I spent considerable time studying brochures and making calculations before I bought my present trailer. It was time well spent. It has been a great combo and has served me well.

A 1/2T PU does seriously limit your choice of trailers. You were wise to do the research you did. Most people don't.

[lawnspecialties]

ford truck guy wrote:

laknox wrote:

ford truck guy wrote:
Perhaps I am wrong here??? BUT I thought this was about a guy looking to BUY a new camper.. There are 2 issues -
#1- who actually loads their possible new camper on the dealers lot just to see the weight???
#2- what dealer in their right mind will allow someone looking at trailers to load one up , then get it weighted ???
That's WHY you go by the GVW and the worse case scenario ..

The problem is that you don't know what, and how much, "stuff" you're going to be carrying. Also, the mfrs are =very= reluctant to release plumbing schematics so we can know where the tanks are supposed to be. If I knew where my fresh water tank is located, the one that's most likely to be filled when traveling, I could use it for ballast to offset a heavy pin, especially if it's somewhat behind the axles. As others have said, the pin wt ratio can drastically change as you load up.

Lyle

Lyle , I agree with you... BUT-
I don't know of any dealer that will allow you to fill the camper UP with your stuff AND take it to get weighted.... That's a huge liability ....that's why you need to go off the worse case , if your truck can't do it , go bigger...

Here is my plan. I KNOW for a fact that my dealer that I usually deal with will allow me to do this. They are a huge toy hauler dealer here on the east coast and I have bought two campers from them. I got to know them all very well when we had that horrible Cyclone. We spent so much time up there having service work done, we all got to know one another on a first name basis.

Sometime soon, I will go to the nearest CAT scales and have the truck weighed full of fuel with me and the wife. Then I will know extremely close what my available payload is for the truck and the rear axle.

My Sherline scale will be here next week. When we're ready to go looking at campers, I will take the scale with the truck and some 6"x6" pieces and build up a block in the bed of the truck at height of the fifth wheel hitch.

I can then back underneath the camper and lower the pin onto the scale so the landing gear just barely comes off the ground. I now know the dry pin weight of that camper. I can estimate a couple hundred lbs. of extras for when we're loaded and then I will know if I'm completely safe, getting close, or overloaded.

As many people here on rv.net scream about folks being overloaded, I must admit I'm surprised at how much drama this thread has created. I'm trying to know what I can and can't do. Is that so wrong?

[ford_truck_guy]

laknox wrote:

ford truck guy wrote:
Perhaps I am wrong here??? BUT I thought this was about a guy looking to BUY a new camper.. There are 2 issues -
#1- who actually loads their possible new camper on the dealers lot just to see the weight???
#2- what dealer in their right mind will allow someone looking at trailers to load one up , then get it weighted ???
That's WHY you go by the GVW and the worse case scenario ..

The problem is that you don't know what, and how much, "stuff" you're going to be carrying. Also, the mfrs are =very= reluctant to release plumbing schematics so we can know where the tanks are supposed to be. If I knew where my fresh water tank is located, the one that's most likely to be filled when traveling, I could use it for ballast to offset a heavy pin, especially if it's somewhat behind the axles. As others have said, the pin wt ratio can drastically change as you load up.

Lyle

Lyle , I agree with you... BUT-
I don't know of any dealer that will allow you to fill the camper UP with your stuff AND take it to get weighted.... That's a huge liability ....that's why you need to go off the worse case , if your truck can't do it , go bigger...

[laknox]

ford truck guy wrote:
Perhaps I am wrong here??? BUT I thought this was about a guy looking to BUY a new camper.. There are 2 issues -
#1- who actually loads their possible new camper on the dealers lot just to see the weight???
#2- what dealer in their right mind will allow someone looking at trailers to load one up , then get it weighted ???
That's WHY you go by the GVW and the worse case scenario ..

The problem is that you don't know what, and how much, "stuff" you're going to be carrying. Also, the mfrs are =very= reluctant to release plumbing schematics so we can know where the tanks are supposed to be. If I knew where my fresh water tank is located, the one that's most likely to be filled when traveling, I could use it for ballast to offset a heavy pin, especially if it's somewhat behind the axles. As others have said, the pin wt ratio can drastically change as you load up.

Lyle

[ford_truck_guy]

Perhaps I am wrong here??? BUT I thought this was about a guy looking to BUY a new camper.. There are 2 issues -
#1- who actually loads their possible new camper on the dealers lot just to see the weight???
#2- what dealer in their right mind will allow someone looking at trailers to load one up , then get it weighted ???
That's WHY you go by the GVW and the worse case scenario ..

[lawnspecialties]

Lantley wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Super_Dave wrote:
If exact is really important, aren't you still guessing what wet weight will be?

Exactly........

The OP can weigh any rig he is interested in. If he wants to load it up with cargo he can do that as well. The OP can carry his experiment as far as he wishes to take it. With the scale his weight can be as exact as he cares to make it.
In the end his scale weight will me more accurate than just using brochures and stickers.

Well said.

[lawnspecialties]

Super_Dave wrote:
If exact is really important, aren't you still guessing what wet weight will be?

Yes. But estimating pin weight by taking a percentage then adding wet weight is still far different than getting an exact weight and then adding clothes and stuff. Our purchase will be a toy hauler and the golf cart will help offset some of the weight up front as well.

[Lantley]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Super_Dave wrote:
If exact is really important, aren't you still guessing what wet weight will be?

Exactly........

The OP can weigh any rig he is interested in. If he wants to load it up with cargo he can do that as well. The OP can carry his experiment as far as he wishes to take it. With the scale his weight can be as exact as he cares to make it.
In the end his scale weight will me more accurate than just using brochures and stickers.

[Old-Biscuit]

Super_Dave wrote:
If exact is really important, aren't you still guessing what wet weight will be?

Exactly........

[12thgenusa]

Here's why a "rule of thumb" really doesn't work.

The GVWR of my trailer is a shade under 10k. If I am ultra conservative and use 25% to calculate pin weight I am at 2500#. However, I load to a GVW of only 8400# and my pin weight is only 15% empty or loaded. So my real pin weight when traveling is only 1260# or approximately half of the conservative guess.

A "guess" of 2500# would totally rule out a perfectly good trailer for me to tow. Likewise, if you guess wrong on the other direction you could be way beyond the capabilities of your TV.

I understand the dilemma. It is more critical for those with conservative tow vehicles. It is not always possible, realistic or desirable to just go get a bigger truck.

I spent considerable time studying brochures and making calculations before I bought my present trailer. It was time well spent. It has been a great combo and has served me well.