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.

[laknox]

CWSWine wrote:

lawnspecialties wrote:

Lantley wrote:
The best way to find out the real pin weight is actually measure it.
There is a Sherline scale that can handle up to 5000 lbs.



Sherline

Model No. Dual-ring Gage Ranges
LM-1000 0-1000 lb/0-460 kg
LM-2000 0-2000 lb/0-900 kg
LM-5000 0-5000 lb/0-2250 kg

Excellent. Did not know that. I'll call eTrailer tomorrow but if they don't have it, I'll order Amazon tomorrow. Thank you.

I have seen those used for TT weights but how the heck would you use for 5er pin weights? You have to get level or at the same angle you tow at to even get close.

Build up a platform in the bed of your truck with lengths of 2x4's until it's the same height, to the top of the scale, as the hitch.

Lyle

[avvidclif1]

X2 on the Cyclone Toy Haulers. I based the pin weight when looking on 20% of the GVWR(15,500)figuring I wouldn't load it to the max and still be OK at less than 3100. Shipping weight was 12,800(actual by sticker). No specs given on the website so all just guessing. Oops. On mine there is nothing behind the axles except the gas tank(30 gal) everything else is in front of the axles, by a min of 3-4'. After getting ready to go camping I weighed it. Lets just say the TV and RV went on a diet. I now have it manageable but I can't carry the usual junk and forget about an auxiliary tank. Put a 700 lb bike in the back and the trailer is at 15,100. Pin abt 3400.

I think they built it with lead sheeting for xray protection.

My 2 cents. If you are shopping for a toy hauler have a late model dually. Unless you want one of the little ones (less than 30') YMMV

[Super_Dave]

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

[CWSWine]

lawnspecialties wrote:

Lantley wrote:
The best way to find out the real pin weight is actually measure it.
There is a Sherline scale that can handle up to 5000 lbs.



Sherline

Model No. Dual-ring Gage Ranges
LM-1000 0-1000 lb/0-460 kg
LM-2000 0-2000 lb/0-900 kg
LM-5000 0-5000 lb/0-2250 kg

Excellent. Did not know that. I'll call eTrailer tomorrow but if they don't have it, I'll order Amazon tomorrow. Thank you.

I have seen those used for TT weights but how the heck would you use for 5er pin weights? You have to get level or at the same angle you tow at to even get close.

[lawnspecialties]

On second thought, I just ordered it through Amazon. Only a few dollars more than an LM-2000.

Thank you again. It should be here next week.

[lawnspecialties]

Lantley wrote:
The best way to find out the real pin weight is actually measure it.
There is a Sherline scale that can handle up to 5000 lbs.



Sherline

Model No. Dual-ring Gage Ranges
LM-1000 0-1000 lb/0-460 kg
LM-2000 0-2000 lb/0-900 kg
LM-5000 0-5000 lb/0-2250 kg

Excellent. Did not know that. I'll call eTrailer tomorrow but if they don't have it, I'll order Amazon tomorrow. Thank you.

[Lantley]

The best way to find out the real pin weight is actually measure it.
There is a Sherline scale that can handle up to 5000 lbs.



Sherline

Model No. Dual-ring Gage Ranges
LM-1000 0-1000 lb/0-460 kg
LM-2000 0-2000 lb/0-900 kg
LM-5000 0-5000 lb/0-2250 kg

[CWSWine]

spud1957 wrote:
I like using the dry weight ratio. Once loaded, the weight ratio would be similar.

If the posted dry weight of the trailer is 10k with a dry pin weight of 2K. That unit has a 20% ratio. Load it up to 12k and you will be close to 2400 lbs.

Some units' ratios are lower. Some are higher. Floor plan has a lot to do with it.

Mine dry pin weight was 19.8% and I loaded in 1180 lbs and the pin weight percentage went to 24.1%. I have now found two others with the same model and they had the similar results.

[lawnspecialties]

rhagfo wrote:
I am more than a little lost on why you need to know EXACTLY what you pin is going to weigh.

If you are concerned because you are pushing payload then you need a bigger TV!

If you just want to know good, luck, take empty trailer and it's pin and then figure out were you are adding weight, then figure out how that affects the pin. Keep in mind tandem axles are not a perfect fulcrum.

I bought a Cyclone one time and then discovered I was almost 1000 lbs. over on rear axle weight. Then went and bought an F450. Not doing that again.

But once I get my SRW weighed, then I can determine which camper is good for us. Just because a manufacturer says the pin weight is 2200 lbs., it may realistically be 2800 lbs..

I screwed up years ago but learned my lesson. Not going to do that again. I don't want to rule out a camper that's within specs for us and I don't want to buy one that's too much. Not sure why anyone would be lost on that.

[rhagfo]

lawnspecialties wrote:
Agreed. I just want to know a good way to find out EXACTLY what a unit's pin weight is BEFORE I buy it. The 20% of GVWR is good and all but its still an estimate.

I am more than a little lost on why you need to know EXACTLY what you pin is going to weigh.

If you are concerned because you are pushing payload then you need a bigger TV!

If you just want to know good, luck, take empty trailer and it's pin and then figure out were you are adding weight, then figure out how that affects the pin. Keep in mind tandem axles are not a perfect fulcrum.

[lawnspecialties]

Agreed. I just want to know a good way to find out EXACTLY what a unit's pin weight is BEFORE I buy it. The 20% of GVWR is good and all but its still an estimate.

[goducks10]

I don't see how anyone can use someone else's weights as a basis for figuring out what to buy. I think I carry more than the average weekend warrior simply because I have the CCC and room. Some RV'ers seem to pack the bare minimum.
It would be really simple if MFGs just added the dry pin weight to the shipping sticker. Then we could easily add up the rest.

[Old-Biscuit]

I know the answer

[ependydad]

laknox wrote:
I'm talking about real-world, ready-to-camp, weights. Yes, we have the sticky here, but how many different models does it actually represent? Frankly, I don't really care about the TV in this situation, only actual FW weights.

I've long debated making that part of my towingplanner site- allowing users to enter the make/model of their camper and entering the weights that they recorded. I couldn't finance people to do so, but was thinking it could be a searchable database. I just wasn't sure if there was a market/need for it.

[laknox]

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?

Let's see... Hmmm... Mount the scale upside down in a frame. Make a teeter board 6 feet long. Put the fulcrum under the pin 2' from the end you plan on putting the pin weight on. Place the upside-down scale over the other end (4' from the fulcrum). The reading on the scale will be 1/2 the pin weight. I've always thought it would be a whole lot simpler to use a platform scale with a tube between the pin and the scale. Chock the wheels on both sides, drop the pin onto the tube which is sitting on the scale. Could get fancy and make a clamp on the pin and a large base on the tube for stability. Could even use a real short tube and put the scale in the truck bed, right behind the hitch.

Lyle