King pin weight

[fjr vfr]

Originally Posted by bscid

If you get an opportunity, several of the Escapee Parks have RV scales and they will go through the specific weights for your truck. Front, back, tires, trailer tires, everything. $50. GVW is a concern and takes into consideration how much you are hauling in your truck too. Pin, truck, hauling, is all a factor and not just a rated pin weight in the truck specs.

$50! I weigh my truck on the cat scale at just about every truck stop for $10. If you come back with your trailer within 24 hrs it's only $2 more for the re-weigh. The cat scales have separate pads for each axle and you just do your own math.

[notanlines]

fjr, you're not comparing apples to apples.

[fjr vfr]

Originally Posted by notanlines

fjr, you're not comparing apples to apples.

What do you mean? Isn't he talking about weighing his trailer and tv? I'm saying why pay so much?

[Tbos]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

I NEVER count on being able to travel with black and grey empty! Spent five days at a horse show with only power and shared water. When we left nearest dump station was 20 miles the wrong direction! We towed it all home over Santiam Pass 4,800’+, always figure worst case!

Good point. I usually don’t camp unless I have dump facilities nearby. That is definitely something to take into consideration.

[notanlines]

"I'm saying why pay so much?" They are weighing each wheel individually. When weighed like that you get not only an axle by axle weight, but you find out if one axle or wheel is carrying an extraordinary amount of weight. No, I have never done it, but if I had one tire wearing in an odd pattern I might.

[NotyetMHCowner]

The good thing about weighing each tire is just as has been stated. If your fridge or something is really heavy for example, that tire may be overloaded even so the axle weight may not be. CAT scales will only show axle weights. Since most manufactures put the least possible capacity tire possible on their rigs, overloaded tires are a real possibility.

My way of thinking is the BARE minimum of truck should be able to handle the GVWR of the trailer, NOT empty weight or "I only load 1000 pounds of stuff". The GVWR only. I would use 25% for pin weight for any extra front loading you might want to do. If your only 20%, then great! You have an extra safe margin. If the trailer is 10k lbs or more, I would up grade the tires. If it came with D then go to E. If it came with E then go to G. I have never understood how someone could spend $30K, $40K, $50K or more and then gripe about $1000 worth of tires to have peace of mind.

My philosophy is the most important things with towing a camper are Tires, Bearings and Brakes. You can get home safely without the AC or fridge working or clogged black tank or broken couch springs.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by fjr vfr

$50! I weigh my truck on the cat scale at just about every truck stop for $10. If you come back with your trailer within 24 hrs it's only $2 more for the re-weigh. The cat scales have separate pads for each axle and you just do your own math.

You're weighing the total rv/truck at the Cat scales, the Smart Weigh is each wheel on the truck & trailer weighed individually while hooked together & then the truck separately giving every weight possible. It'll take you 1/2 hour plus of pulling forward & backing up on to separate scales, thus the $50.

[fjr vfr]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

You're weighing the total rv/truck at the Cat scales, the Smart Weigh is each wheel on the truck & trailer weighed individually while hooked together & then the truck separately giving every weight possible. It'll take you 1/2 hour plus of pulling forward & backing up on to separate scales, thus the $50.

I did not know they had scales that weigh each wheel separately. Well you learn something every day.

The cat scales weigh each axle separately. Since there is a truck stop just a couple miles from me, I normally weigh my truck and go back to the house and bring the trailer back. It doesn't take long...less than an hour total.