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Old 01-15-2021, 05:48 AM   #1
JohnnyP
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another weight number to consider??

Looking at camper specs on-line for purpose of getting overall height and came across the following numbers:
dry weight 5,808
payload capacity 1992
GVWR 7,800
Hitch Weight 575

Obviously dry weight is shell with bare basics of camper. Payload is how much you can add. GVWR is the combination of the 2 and should not exceed together. What are they telling us with the hitch weight? Is this the amount a weight on the hitch if at the GVWR?? Would this then be the number you subtract off your Hauling capacity of towing vehicle along with the hitch weight and cargo weight in truck?
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Old 01-15-2021, 05:55 AM   #2
chuckster57
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Hitch/king pin weight is subtracted from the cargo carrying capacity of the TOW VEHICLE.

That weight is before propane, battery(s) are added. You also have to subtract the weight of the hitch.
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Old 01-15-2021, 06:29 AM   #3
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The hitch weight listed is for the trailer dry weight listed, not GVWR.
Hitch weight should be calculated based on your trailer loaded weight.
At 7800 GVWR, the hitch weight would be 936lbs (@ 12%)
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Old 01-15-2021, 06:39 AM   #4
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Lord only knows where the designers come up with their listed "hitch weight" - some place in the twilight zone I suspect. In this case, it looks like they used just under 10% of the listed "dry weight". The listed hitch weight is NOT representative of what one can expect in real life.

The number I've seen used most is to take 13% of the GVWR of the trailer to estimate the real life hitch weight. So 13% of 7800 is 1014 - that's much more realistic an estimate. This weight, of course, will be taken from the TOW VEHICLE payload cargo weight, along with the weight of the WD hitch itself and all other applied weights in the tow vehicle (people, bikes, tools, fuel cans, etc.).

When you say "dry weight is bare basics of camper", you do know that this is only the shipping weight, correct? The camper will never be this light after the dealer adds propane, batteries, spare tire, etc. The camper would be nearly un-usable at its "dry weight".

Best way, of course, is to take your rig across a CAT scale and get the actual numbers.
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Old 01-15-2021, 07:20 AM   #5
Ken / Claudia
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They use those lighter than real numbers to sucker people into believing they can tow it with an inappropriate tow vehicle.
At the very least if the RV companies were honest they would print disclaimers that all weights they list are 100s if not a thousand pounds lighter than when used.
The disclaimers I have read put it all back on the truck owner/ RV buyer to determine if it will be safe. A person new to the RV world is lost in all the weight crap. No wonder we see over loaded TV/RV combos daily on our roadways. Where people figure their combo is safe because they made it to the campgrounds.
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Old 01-15-2021, 07:27 AM   #6
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I have 2 tongue scales in my tool box. One for TT (0-2000) and one for fivers (0-5000). Not once has the scale read what the advertised weight was.
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Old 01-15-2021, 08:09 AM   #7
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LewisB's closing statement: "The camper would be nearly un-usable at its "dry weight"." should be expanded on a bit.

Not only would the trailer be "nearly un-usable" it would be illegal to tow in any state in the US (and I suppose in Canada).... A functional emergency braking system is required by every state law (AFAIK). That requires a "self contained battery capable of applying electrical power to the brakes when activated by the break-away switch"... Adding that 40-50 pound battery makes the "brochure tongue weight" of 450 pounds around 10% greater than advertised. That's only the beginning, unless you plan to drain all the water out of your water heater, fresh water tank, plumbing lines (hot and cold) as well as never tow with anything in the trailer....

Additionally, as Chuck posted, the "brochure shipping weight" is for an empty trailer with no spare, no propane, no battery, no optional equipment, no hitch, no dealer or owner installed equipment.

The reality that "brochure weights are FANTASY" comes even more revealing when you read the statement, "Specifications are for the base model in the line" and then you read the "FEATURES" section and find that nearly half of what's included in the trailer is "advertised as mandatory optional packages"... In other words, they "claim standard equipment" then exclude things like air conditioners, stabilizers, leveling systems, upgraded mattress, extra insulation (arctic package)... They call them "optional mandatory packages".
, then exclude optional equipment from the shipping weight... In RV brochures, like in truck brochures, you CAN have your cake and eat it too.....

The ONLY way to know what your trailer weighed when it left the factory is to look at the front left sidewall for a sticker that gives GVW and Cargo Capacity. Subtract the CC from the GVW to get the "trailer weight".... Then, realize that doesn't include anything the dealer added, such as batteries, propane, spare tire and rack, camping starter kits, or anything you requested such as the second air conditioner, added bumper hitch, grill rack and grill....

Believing a "brochure weight" is like believing that leaving an extra cookie for Santa will get you better presents under the tree.......
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Old 01-21-2021, 05:09 AM   #8
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Alright guys, gals, I have a question. I've been RVing now for pertnear 50 years and keep reading that the dry weight of an RV is just the Rv, no propane, no battery no nuttin but the RV itself. I understand that. I also keep reading in different posts that the dealer supplies the propane, the battery and anything extra and bah bah bah. Well and good, but tell me as I've never thought to ask a dealer, and wanted to ask on different forums but didn't have the balls to till now. I know!
If the dealer supplies the battery, then how does the transport driver get the RV to the dealer. Does the transport driver supply his own battery to get from the factory to the dealer or is the battery installed at the factory and not by the dealer? Cuz everyone keeps saying by law, the RV can't travel without a battery to activate the breakaway switch. An inquiring mind wants to know.

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Old 01-21-2021, 05:31 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by theasphaltrv'er View Post
Alright guys, gals, I have a question. I've been RVing now for pertnear 50 years and keep reading that the dry weight of an RV is just the Rv, no propane, no battery no nuttin but the RV itself. I understand that. I also keep reading in different posts that the dealer supplies the propane, the battery and anything extra and bah bah bah. Well and good, but tell me as I've never thought to ask a dealer, and wanted to ask on different forums but didn't have the balls to till now. I know!
If the dealer supplies the battery, then how does the transport driver get the RV to the dealer. Does the transport driver supply his own battery to get from the factory to the dealer or is the battery installed at the factory and not by the dealer? Cuz everyone keeps saying by law, the RV can't travel without a battery to activate the breakaway switch. An inquiring mind wants to know.

Milo
Yes the transporter puts in their own battery which they remove after delivery.
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Old 01-21-2021, 05:55 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by flybouy View Post
Yes the transporter puts in their own battery which they remove after delivery.
Yup! Unfortunately I have seen plenty arrive with no battery. Old dealership I worked at had an employee that moved units between lots in different cities and constantly forgot to put a battery in.
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Old 01-21-2021, 06:06 AM   #11
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I've also seen multiple camp trailers loaded on a "low boy" hauler trailer, so battery not needed for these.
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Old 01-21-2021, 06:24 AM   #12
flybouy
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Yup! Unfortunately I have seen plenty arrive with no battery. Old dealership I worked at had an employee that moved units between lots in different cities and constantly forgot to buy a battery in.
Sounds like the old dealership was pretty cavalier in their responsibility if they were aware of that. You don't need much capacity so a small 12 v battery that costs $15-$20 will stop a disconnected trailer. In my thinking, no matter how remote the possibility may be of needing it the cost of not installing it could be tremendous. If the person transporting is so careless as to not connect the battery can they be be trusted to properly secure the hitch?
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Old 01-24-2021, 09:04 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnyP View Post
Looking at camper specs on-line for purpose of getting overall height and came across the following numbers:
dry weight 5,808
payload capacity 1992
GVWR 7,800
Hitch Weight 575

Obviously dry weight is shell with bare basics of camper. Payload is how much you can add. GVWR is the combination of the 2 and should not exceed together. What are they telling us with the hitch weight? Is this the amount a weight on the hitch if at the GVWR?? Would this then be the number you subtract off your Hauling capacity of towing vehicle along with the hitch weight and cargo weight in truck?

Not to confuse you more but I will add my comments. Of the numbers listed, the only meaningful number listed is the GVWR.

When towing, the actual weight of the trailer when loaded should be under that number. It is also important to know in order to be under the tow limit for your truck.

There is weight transfer from your loaded TT to your truck which is the hitch weight. That number is important in order to be under your GVWR for the truck.

The best way to learn these numbers is to go thru a CAT scale to know the actual GCW, GVW for both truck and trailer, hitch weight etc.

But it is possible to estimate these numbers. You assume that you are going to load your trailer to the max number or the GVWR of the trailer. The weight transfer is between 10-15 %. Different people will select a different number to use but 12 % is a good number to use as an average. That will tell you the amount of tongue weight transferred to the truck or the hitch weight. With that weight, your truck must remain under its GVWR which includes everything in the truck including people, cargo, tools etc and the tongue weight.

I hope that helps you.
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