How much does the "stuff" weigh that you pack in your TT?

[BeerBrewer]

Sorry another newbie question.

My wife and I are planning upon buying our first Travel Trailer, so we can start touring the country. Since this is our first trailer, we mainly looking at newer used TTs and we are trying to keep it as small and as lightweight as possible, so we can use our existing pickup. My truck can only pull a max of 12000 lbs TOTAL (trailer, truck, cargo and tongue wt), so I'd like to keep the loaded trailer weight well under 5000 lbs. We only need it to accommodate the two of us, since we aren't grand parents yet. After we have a year or two under of belt we're planning to step up to a larger tow vehicle and Trailer, like a 1-Ton Diesel truck and maybe even 5th wheel.

Almost all of the TT companies list the Unloaded weight of the trailer and they also list the max capacity that it will hold, some even list the total max weight of the trailer. I noticed great variations in cargo capacity, some around 1000 lbs and some as high as 3000 lbs or more. Since neither of us has any RVing experience we don't know how much the stuff that we'd pack actually weighs.

So my question is this....How much does a typical couple without an pack into their trailer and how much does it weigh? Once I loaded our trailer, I'd weigh it to make sure we aren't too heavy.

Thanks

PS: I wouldn't pack any beer brewing equipment, so no worries there!

[Yosemite_Sam1]

It takes discipline to be minimalist.

I'll test myself to try to giveaway to another camper/RVer my extra voltage surge protector, cord adapter and extra fresh water hose.

Yeah, I just picked it up at Camping World because it was screaming, buy me, buy me.

[DutchmenSport]

You see, that's the "beauty" of buying a new RV. Switching all the "stuff" from the old camper to the new camper makes one really think about each item before putting it in the new camper, "Do I REALLY need this item?" Acquiring a new camper is a great time to down-size and start all over with the pounds and pounds of RV camping stuff.

Oh, about the round greenish sewer pipe? I carried the fire poker and fire tongs in it, the pole for the brush that I wash the camper with and use to brush off the awning before rolling it up, a tripod for cooking over a fire pit, plus the chains, the toilet wand that attaches to a garden hose. Actually, anything that was long, made of metal, and ran the risk of punching a hole in something if it slid around.

All that got downsized too. All the poles, pokers, long things fit in my trailer bumper. I carry all my sewer hoses in a black plastic steamer style trunk in the bed of the pick-up.

All those garden hoses? I eventually got new one and have a total of 200 feet of hose on two reals. I carry them in the bed of the pick-up now. We've been to too many campgrounds (especially in Indiana) where the water hook-up or water source was more than 100 feet away.

But also, we might have eliminated a good portion of everything in those photos, we also accumulated a 35 gallon fresh water tank I now carry in the bed of the truck, with a transfer pump and garden hose specific for the water transfer (if and when we are not able to reach a water spigot).

The good thing about carrying all the "junk" is the ability to adapt to any camping situation, anywhere, at any time. Power at the campground goes out? No problem. Can't find a campground? No problem. Full hook-up campsite, no problem. Run of out propane and can't cook on the stove? No problem. But, that does mean having "junk" to make those accommodations! All that add's weight!

[Grit_dog]

Hahaham Dutchman's pics still crack me up. That looks like a whole garage sale setup ready to open, not the contents of the camper. Need to tame the packrat!

[Yosemite_Sam1]

This is hilarious.

Just like real life. We buy so much things we would need to rent outside storage to soon forget what we have.

For RVers, seeing stuff we've been carrying kept us on being reminded to ask the question why we bought them in the first place and why we keep on buying too much of it.

[LarryJM]

SoundGuy wrote:

DutchmenSport wrote:
I think the 1000 pound number is a bit conservative. In all reality, probably closer to 2000 pounds if you add all the contents ...

The problem is you're your own worst enemy :W ... WAY too much ****! :E For most people, an average +/- 1000 lbs would more than cover what they need to carry. 😉

And I would wager that a lot more of us are more like Dutchmen and after not having enough water hose to reach, needing that extension cord, wanting that electric drill for the stab jacks and even having a water line somewhere spring a leak carry a few more spares and "extras" with us that the first time weekenders haven't learned yet can "SAVE THE DAY" when things go wrong out in the boonies.

I like to keep things I normally use or might need in the trailer like my extra Eternabond tape, a bottle of "303", that large bottle of cheap DW soap and a couple of bottles of Calgon for the toilet, etc., etc. Over say 5 years or so it can really start to add up. That case of adult beverage or soda pop weighs in at close to 20lbs each!!!.

Larry

[SoundGuy]

DutchmenSport wrote:
I think the 1000 pound number is a bit conservative. In all reality, probably closer to 2000 pounds if you add all the contents ...

The problem is you're your own worst enemy :W ... WAY too much ****! :E For most people, an average +/- 1000 lbs would more than cover what they need to carry. 😉

[Grit_dog]

DutchmenSport wrote:
I have a set of photos I took when we traded trailer #2 for trailer #3. We emptied the trailer at home and put everything in the garage. When we got home with the new camper, we put back only what we realized we'd really use. We gave away (yes, gave away), more than half of the stuff because we simply were not using it any more, or it was duplicate stuff. I'm at work right now, but will post some photos of the contents when I get home tonight where I can access my photos.

I think (for us), the biggest factor for weight is not the contents like bed sheets, pots and pans, and rolls of toilet paper. I think our weight comes from full propane tanks, water in the tanks (fresh, black and grey), and cargo carried in the truck.

What is carried in the truck? well ... lumber? Probably a good 100 pounds of it. Long boards, short boards, 2x4's, 2x6's, 2x10's. Why? For leveling the trailer, putting something solid under the tires when on grass, and using under the stabilizer jacks to shorten the distance they have to be extended. Add to that some short 2x4's we use under picnic table legs to help level them too.

Maybe the next heaviest item are yard chairs. We have a lot of chairs (again, they seem to accumulate over the years), Quick Shades, and yard mats. All this mess is in the front pass through.

If you add the weight of water, lumber, propane, and outside seating devices, we have 1000 pounds right there.

I think the 1000 pound number is a bit conservative. In all reality, probably closer to 2000 pounds if you add all the contents, like blankets, the salt and pepper shakers, the dutch oven cooker, the coffee pot ..... Now, add people weight to the mix, 2 dogs and a cat!

AS PROMISED:























The above photos do not include food items and clothing, games and entertainment, like television, radios, and computers. All of that went back into the house.

Now, add 50 gallons of fresh water, 70 gallons of waste water, 70 pounds of propane and tanks, and that's a lot of weight! And oh... add the canoe, the outriggers for the canoe, the life jackets, anchor ropes, and coolers. The canoe weighs about 70 pounds.

Not near enuff fishin poles....unless that sewer pipe is full of them, but that looks more like spare plumbing parts!

[JimK-NY]

No way would I buy an RV that is unsuitable for carrying water. I often camp where there is no water supply for a great many miles. On top of that a minimal CCC indicates a poorly made, flimsy RV. Just garbage. If that matches a StarCraft, or any other RV, they deserve to be "picked on".

[Yosemite_Sam1]

SoundGuy wrote:

RTCastillo wrote:
As to being logical, mine is I would go empty all my tanks and the reason is that they are just dead weight for me. First, better mpg not carrying the extra weight (counter-argument, the extra weight adds to stability). Second, water whooshing around makes for unstable handling (counter argument for adding stability).

Neither of which makes any difference at all when towing a travel trailer weighing a couple of tons or more. 😉 I'd never consider towing without the water heater tank full and some fresh water in the FW holding tank so I can use the system anywhere at any time. I likewise refuse to ever line up at a campground dump station and always service my waste tanks at home.

I do carry some water if my next campsite is a little bit of distance away for the use of the rest room in case we have to stop for a bathroom break.

I'm in the limit of towing capacity which incidentally, I think, is the sweet spot for weight of the trailer and the tow vehicle. So I'm a little more weight conscious.

[SoundGuy]

RTCastillo wrote:
As to being logical, mine is I would go empty all my tanks and the reason is that they are just dead weight for me. First, better mpg not carrying the extra weight (counter-argument, the extra weight adds to stability). Second, water whooshing around makes for unstable handling (counter argument for adding stability).

Neither of which makes any difference at all when towing a travel trailer weighing a couple of tons or more. 😉 I'd never consider towing without the water heater tank full and some fresh water in the FW holding tank so I can use the system anywhere at any time. I likewise refuse to ever line up at a campground dump station and always service my waste tanks at home.

[dodge_guy]

Yes add approx 1200lbs to the dry weight. Being new to it you may start out less probably around 700-1000lbs. However after a year or two that will creep
Up to 1200 lbs.

In 15 years I have never traveled with full tanks. And only about 5-7 gallons of fresh water, then if I am going to dry camp I fill up when I get to where I’m going.

[Yosemite_Sam1]

BeerBrewer wrote:
What about the tanks? Obviously the trailer is NOT designed to be towed with all tanks full.

Bob

Again, everyone got their own reasons.

As to being logical, mine is I would go empty all my tanks and the reason is that they are just dead weight for me. First, better mpg not carrying the extra weight (counter-argument, the extra weight adds to stability). Second, water whooshing around makes for unstable handling (counter argument for adding stability).

[SoundGuy]

BeerBrewer wrote:
What about the tanks? It doesn't seem logical, but would you ever tow the trailer with ALL (fresh, grey and black) the tanks full? I would think the most I'd pull would be full fresh water tanks. Is that true?

May not seem logical to you but it does to me. True, I don't travel with content in the grey tank as it's quite easy to get rid of it but I do travel with the fresh tank anywhere from ~ 1/3rds to completely full, depending on where I'm going and when. On the trip out the black tank doesn't have any content but on the trip home it sure does as I never waste time lining up at any campground dump station and instead service my waste tanks at home using my macerator. The key to making this work is to ensure any trailer you buy has a generous CCC, 2000 lbs or more.

[BeerBrewer]

What about the tanks? It doesn't seem logical, but would you ever tow the trailer with ALL (fresh, grey and black) the tanks full? I would think the most I'd pull would be full fresh water tanks. Is that true?

I guess it's technically possible to have all three max'd out...right? If it is, then take a look at the numbers below for a small Starcraft trailer. According to the Starcraft web page, this unit Ameri-Lite 218MB can hold a total of 92 gallons of fresh, grey and black water. Assuming that all of the "liquid" weighs 8.34 lbs/gallon (like fresh water), then max weight of the "liquid" is 767 lbs (92 x 8.34 = 767.28). If I add the 767 lbs to UVWR or 4,030 lbs, that equals 4,797 lbs! That puts the trailer 47 lbs over the GVWR and I haven't packed a thing into the trailer yet. Obviously the trailer is NOT designed to be towed with all tanks full.


https://starcraftrv.com/floorplan/launch-outfitter-7-travel-trailer-19bhs/
SPECIFICATIONS for Ameri-Lite 218MB TT

Gross Vehicle Weight (GVWR) 4,750 lbs.
Unloaded Vehicle Weight (UVWR) 4,030 lbs.
Dry Hitch Weight 438 lbs.
Fresh Water Capacity 32 gals.
Gray Wastewater Capacity 30 gals.
Black Wastewater Capacity 30 gals



It seems that most of you agree that 1000 to 1200 lbs is about max. Does that include water? If I assume I'm carrying 30 gallons of water which weighs 250 lbs. Unfortunately this trailer above can only hold 720 lbs (GVWR - UVWR) and after I subtract the water weight that only leaves only 470 lbs for "stuff" like pots, pans, sheets cloths, fishing rods, etc. What about the propane tanks and batteries? Are they included in the UVWR or did I just loose some more fishing tackle? My gut says I did.

Lastly, I don't mean to pick on Starcraft or this trailer. I just picked it so I could illustrate a point and so I could learn a bit more about all this.

Thanks,

Bob

[Wiscampsin]

When we got our first popup in 2004 I took the bathroom scale out to the driveway and weighed everything DW wanted to put in there. She thought I was nuts.