Where does the weight come from?

[Bowti]

There is so much talk about the weight of rigs these days that I wonder what people are loading into their 5r's. Assuming most rigs, even the smaller lighter ones can carry 2 to 3 thousand lbs, what is it that is filling up your trailer?

[blofgren]

FLY 4 FUN wrote:
When I had a minivan pulling a tent trailer I brought one beer for each day of the trip and maybe a bottle of wine. Bought the 1 ton diesel and now its always 24 beer, 6 bottles of wine and 12 bottles of all the other fun liqueurs we enjoy. Perhaps a ridiculous weight item...but you just don't know what you might want to drink with friends/family. Its nice to be able to offer somebody a beer and know you wont have to do without.

First world problems as my friends often tell me...lol

Daryll

That's the most important stuff; can't run short! :B

[Go_Dawgs1]

I found out how much stuff when I had to transfer from my old 5er to my new one. And before the move I eliminated many items. After unloading the old one and putting in the storage shed I left to pick up the new one. I spent 5 hours transferring my stuff back to the new trailer over 2 days. I then loaded the truck up and took a load of STUFF to Goodwill. Now I live in mine FT and it's just me and I'm not a hoarder, but my lord how much I have. Before heading anywhere this spring I will again unload stuff.

[CWSWine]

FLY 4 FUN wrote:
When I had a minivan pulling a tent trailer I brought one beer for each day of the trip and maybe a bottle of wine. Bought the 1 ton diesel and now its always 24 beer, 6 bottles of wine and 12 bottles of all the other fun liqueurs we enjoy. Perhaps a ridiculous weight item...but you just don't know what you might want to drink with friends/family. Its nice to be able to offer somebody a beer and know you wont have to do without.

First world problems as my friends often tell me...lol

Daryll

You might considering switching to Lite Beer to save weight!!! LOL

[JIMNLIN]

Bowti wrote:
There is so much talk about the weight of rigs these days that I wonder what people are loading into their 5r's. Assuming most rigs, even the smaller lighter ones can carry 2 to 3 thousand lbs, what is it that is filling up your trailer?

Very few people (not all) actually weigh their trailers before loading them and after and just assume they report they load so many lbs of stuff.
When someone uses numbers like 1232 lbs for stuff in the trailer or terms like "about 2000 lbs" or the trailer weighed 12531 lbs before and 14036 after tells us the trailer has never been on the scales. Their just guessing. Scales will weigh in 20 lb increments.

The wife and I are old time campers since the '60s. I've noticed some camp with all kinds of gear cluttering up their campsite just for the weekend.....and others may have 3-4 chairs sitting around their campsite.

[FLY_4_FUN]

When I had a minivan pulling a tent trailer I brought one beer for each day of the trip and maybe a bottle of wine. Bought the 1 ton diesel and now its always 24 beer, 6 bottles of wine and 12 bottles of all the other fun liqueurs we enjoy. Perhaps a ridiculous weight item...but you just don't know what you might want to drink with friends/family. Its nice to be able to offer somebody a beer and know you wont have to do without.

First world problems as my friends often tell me...lol

Daryll

[flyfishing48]

Between clothes and food there is hundreds of pounds of weight. We tend to load our RV's by carrying in baskets of clothes etc, just think of the weight of that basket (maybe 50 - 60 lbs) x the number of trips. It sure adds up quick.
Can goods and liquids are heavy.
A pair of pants and a shirt don't seem like much weight, but how many do you bring?

[wilber1]

dapperdan wrote:
In a word ..... "stuff"
Seriously though we ran into a guy in New Mexico last year that had an elaborate tool box in the basement of his fifth, looking at the large tool box I asked him how much it weighed. His response to me was "around four thousand pounds". He likes tools so he brings his collection with him I guess. :h

Dan

That's the weight of an average car before he adds anything else. Will probably be complaining about poor quality frames when his falls apart.

[Walaby]

Dang Dutchmen, can you keep me posted on where you travel? I'll just follow you and if I need something, Im sure you'll have it... for a price, Im sure (grin).

Seriously, I agree with Veebyes. Depends if you are a short timer or long timer. Im pretty much a short timer (longest I've been on the road thus far is 14 days), so Im well below 1000 lbs. Prob closer to 500 max, including what I carry in the truck.

It all depends.

Mike

[Veebyes]

Depends on the type of RVer you are. The weekend warrior does not wander far & does not need to carry much. The fulltimer & extended traveller needs to carry all kinds of stuff.

Spares are no good to you when they are 1000 miles away. Some of the heavy things that are not used on a daily basis include, a toolbox weighing at least 50#, a spare trailer axle (that's right), 2 trailer brake drums with bearings mounted, 2 trailer brake plates with pads, a multitude of other spares such as lug nuts, spring bolts, U bolts, water pump, landing leg parts & other small stuff.

Then there is all the regular camping stuff. The chairs, bikes, genny, hoses, 100' worth of shore power cable, cleaning supplies etc.

It all adds up.

[DutchmenSport]

ACZL wrote:

DutchmenSport wrote:
You truly realize how much "stuff" you have when you purchase that new camper! Weight? yea! Lots of it!

...

LOL but sooooooooo true!!!!!

And not in the photos was all the food and drinks we normally keep in the camper too, and the electronics, like television, computers, phones. All of that went into the house.

[Bipeflier]

Stuff, stuff, and more stuff.

The exact reason I unload EVERYTHING from the camper every 2 years into the driveway. Anything, except emergency tools, that I haven't touched since the last clean out gets put away into the shed. If it is there another 2 years without use, it is up for sale.

[ACZL]

DutchmenSport wrote:
You truly realize how much "stuff" you have when you purchase that new camper! Weight? yea! Lots of it!

Here:

LOL but sooooooooo true!!!!!

[md_procouple]

We know we were really surprised how much "stuff" we had in our 27' Jayco when we bought our 5'er and transferred most of it, and surprised in how much we did not need or used. Now we use "the did not use, not going to keep method. Shocked in how much room we have for the stuff we really need. Good Luck and happy Camping !!

[T18skyguy]

dapperdan wrote:
In a word ..... "stuff"
Seriously though we ran into a guy in New Mexico last year that had an elaborate tool box in the basement of his fifth, looking at the large tool box I asked him how much it weighed. His response to me was "around four thousand pounds". He likes tools so he brings his collection with him I guess. :h

Dan

I know this kind of guy. He's just like me. We tool dudes feel nude without our tools. And we know, it's an absolute fact, that if we leave them home everything will break. As long as we bring them, all will stay well 🙂