Some Towing Math and Questions
Hello all, new to the forum. A little about my camping setup, I currently have a 2017 RAM Bighorn 1500. My current trailer is a Dutchmen 222ES, a three bed hybrid. Canvas flip out beds. It is 26 f...
Forum Discussion
As an engineer you can do what I did. I went thought the meticulous calculations. Then with the rig loaded for the road, the day before we left, I took the rig to the local Truck Stop CAT scale.
It is easy to get combined truck and hitched trailer axel weights, then drop the trailer and get the axel weights of the truck alone. You can also get the unhitch total trailer weighed if you like.
I usually just get the truck weight per axel and then the truck and hitched trailer combination weight per axel. With that I can see the change in the truck axel weights when the rig is ready for the road.
I know that the change in truck axel weight is the trailer payload I am hauling.
The trailer payload is the tongue weight, the truck is seeing through the WD hitch.
I know the weight each axel is carrying down he road.
I know the weight of the combo, minus the truck weight, is the trailer weight.
I did this exercise a few time, before I realized that the trailer load varied by 200 to 500 pound between trips, depending the junk I could not live without.
Also gas, water and other consumables varied during a long trip.
The CAT scales do care about your math, they just tell you the weights. we all know, a heavy load creates more tear and tear on the tow vehicle. However, if I was at or near the trucks weight limit, so be it, if my wife thinks it is necessary, it is loaded. That is how it has been 42,000 towing mile or more.
It is easy to get combined truck and hitched trailer axel weights, then drop the trailer and get the axel weights of the truck alone. You can also get the unhitch total trailer weighed if you like.
I usually just get the truck weight per axel and then the truck and hitched trailer combination weight per axel. With that I can see the change in the truck axel weights when the rig is ready for the road.
I know that the change in truck axel weight is the trailer payload I am hauling.
The trailer payload is the tongue weight, the truck is seeing through the WD hitch.
I know the weight each axel is carrying down he road.
I know the weight of the combo, minus the truck weight, is the trailer weight.
I did this exercise a few time, before I realized that the trailer load varied by 200 to 500 pound between trips, depending the junk I could not live without.
Also gas, water and other consumables varied during a long trip.
The CAT scales do care about your math, they just tell you the weights. we all know, a heavy load creates more tear and tear on the tow vehicle. However, if I was at or near the trucks weight limit, so be it, if my wife thinks it is necessary, it is loaded. That is how it has been 42,000 towing mile or more.
