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Steven68502's avatar
Steven68502
Explorer
May 29, 2020

Cat scale surprise

Finally went to a CAT scale yesterday. Only did the one weigh in with tow vehicle and travel trailer attached with WDH engaged. Was surprised and somewhat puzzled at weight of my travel trailer.

Tow veh: 2015 Nissan Titan Pro 4x
TT: 2015 Keystone Passport 23RB

Dry weight according to yellow sticker on TT is 4650 lbs. GVWR of TT is 6800 lbs. My weight yesterday on the TT axels came in at only 4700 lbs. We travel with empty tanks except for a full water heater and charged water lines. But we sure have way more than 50 lbs of our stuff in the camper. Way more. I’ve got two full propane bottles and two group 24 batteries on the tongue. Pass through storage is full. The weight of the truck axels came in about as expected. 3200 lb steer and 3700 lb drive. Both within limits. I just can’t think the trailer weight can be correct. Also, does CAT only give round numbers on their weights? Hard to believe all three of my weights came in as even numbers to the nearest 100 lbs. I expected the TT to be closer to 6000 or so. Any thoughts?

I do plan on returning and doing just a weight of the truck at some point. Just didn’t have time yesterday.
  • Traveling with an empty fresh water tank can cause you to pass up many beautiful Western campsites. Reweigh full IMO.
  • your truck is about 1000 lbs more then curb weight so weight the trailer tongue.
  • Truck scales only give weight to either 20 pound increments or 100 pound increments. It varies.
    If your trailer has 12% tongue weight then your actual trailer weight is 5,340 pounds. for a tongue weight of 640 pounds. Depending on your loading and your WDH setting you may very well have more tongue weight than that. If it's 15% your actual trailer weight is 5,530 pounds.
  • Your tongue weight does not show on the TT axles, that's where your added trailer load is.
    You really need to do a reweighs (at the CAT Scales an extra $2 each). Truck itself, truck with trailer WDH employed. Truck with trailer WDH spring bars thrown in the truck.
    From this you can determine tongue weight, and how much the WDH actually affects the weight.
  • Boomerweps wrote:
    Your tongue weight does not show on the TT axles, that's where your added trailer load is.
    You really need to do a reweighs (at the CAT Scales an extra $2 each). Truck itself, truck with trailer WDH employed. Truck with trailer WDH spring bars thrown in the truck.
    From this you can determine tongue weight, and how much the WDH actually affects the weight.


    X2

    I e-mailed FR why my camper had a gross rating of 7600lbs but had 2 axles rated at 3500ea. Their excuse for cutting it so close was 760lbs was tongue weight and carried by the truck.
  • Thank you all for your replies. That all makes sense now. Much appreciated.
  • Mike134 wrote:
    Boomerweps wrote:
    Your tongue weight does not show on the TT axles, that's where your added trailer load is.
    You really need to do a reweighs (at the CAT Scales an extra $2 each). Truck itself, truck with trailer WDH employed. Truck with trailer WDH spring bars thrown in the truck.
    From this you can determine tongue weight, and how much the WDH actually affects the weight.


    X2

    I e-mailed FR why my camper had a gross rating of 7600lbs but had 2 axles rated at 3500ea. Their excuse for cutting it so close was 760lbs was tongue weight and carried by the truck.


    Yup. My Wolf Pup 16BHS has a GVWR of 3877# on a single 3500# axle, same deal.
  • Boomerweps wrote:
    Your tongue weight does not show on the TT axles, that's where your added trailer load is.
    You really need to do a reweighs (at the CAT Scales an extra $2 each). Truck itself, truck with trailer WDH employed. Truck with trailer WDH spring bars thrown in the truck.
    From this you can determine tongue weight, and how much the WDH actually affects the weight.

    X2
  • Add the 1000lbs or so of tongue weight shown in your 3700lb rear axle truck weight and it sounds about right. Not a surprise.

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