Trailer Weight: Dry vs. Fully Loaded

[John&Vicki]

My '90 25' trailer weighs 5000# dry. I've weighed it fully loaded, including a full tank of fresh water, a couple of times and it came in at around 5800# for an increase of 800#. How much does your trailer weigh dry vs loaded?

Cheers,
John

[John&Vicki]

I'm interested in only one simple thing: what is your typical trailer payload, i.e. the difference between dry and fully loaded for camping?

Thanks,
John

[jcanavera]

I had a 27' '01 Safari and its unloaded weight was 6,000 lbs. With food, camping supplies and clothing it came in at 6,500 lbs. with nothing in the holding tanks. My Classic slide out is probably pushing 8,700 lbs or do with the same load. If I fill the fresh water tank, I'm probably around 9,100 lbs.

Jack

[John&Vicki]

Thanks Jack. My sense is that 400-500 pounds with empty tanks is probably pretty common.

John

[SSquared]

2013 25FB Flying Cloud twin (no factory options):

Empty weight when new was 5600

Most recent weight after addition of rear and street side awnings, four solar panels, a Magnum inverter/charger and larger batteries, weighed loaded during a four-month trip, with full tank of water: 6900.

So an increase of 1300.

[A W Warn]

The specs for my 25' Safari floor plan C (six sleeper) says it weights 4,770 lbs empty. I've changed and added a few things so, so I'm guessing closer to ~4,800 to 4,900 lbs is the real weight now, without water or fuel.

I can add ~39 gallons to the fresh tank and ~6 in the water heater. (0 lbs to ~375 lbs possible variation for water)
I always keep one of the 30 lb propane tank full and one is partial (30 lbs to ~60 lbs possible variation for propane)

The last three times the gross trailer weights were 5,280 lbs, 5,560 lbs, 5,960lbs. All were done at a CatScale. I've weighed my 25' several times, but never empty.

Assuming actual trailer weight of 4,900 lbs:
The first weighing was at the end of a weekend trip with only a few gallons of water. (~490 lbs payload)
The second weighing was at the start of a weekend trip with a partial tank of water. (~660 lbs payload)
The third weighing was at the beginning of a couple month long winter trip to FL, heavily loaded with gear, clothes, food, drinks, 2 bicycles, 1 full propane and one partial, and ~45 gallons of water in the tanks. (~1,060 lbs payload)

add edit:
Since the scales weigh results are in 20lb increments, there is a ~10 lb + or - possible variation.

[switz]

Our 2015 23D International Serenity left the factory assembly line at the end of September 2014 with the factory installed inverter, street side and rear awning and 1,000 watt inverter. It weighed 4,870 pounds then.

After extensive modifications and fully loaded for camping it scales 6,086 pounds. The street side rear 15" Michelin has the most load at 1,360 pounds. None of the axles are overloaded and the tongue weight with a Hensley Arrow hitch attached is 968 pounds.

We have five 100 watt solar or else on the roof, 300 amp-hour lithium that weighs less than the two stock batteries, 15" Michelin tires on SenDel wheels, Truma instant on water heater, Dometic CU434 stove, Vitrifrigo DP150iL refrigerator, 10" Rocky Mountain mattress, Magnum hybrid MSH-3012 inverter, all 129 Vac outlets upgraded to Hubbell commercial grade outlets, custom Hickory dinette table top and flip up side table beside sink, all Airstream Stainless Steel upgrades and converted brakes to auto-adjust with Timken bearings and seals.

Towing with 2007 Mercedes ML320 CDI diesel.

[Misha_9998]

Impressing)

[GammaDog]

Like the OP... About 800# and I always weigh with a full fresh tank and both waste tanks empty since that's how I travel. That's about 300# of water. The other 500# is gear and food including 60# of propane which I believe is not included in the dry weight published by Airstream. I also have about 200# of additional gear (generators, solar panels, blue boy, tarp, chairs, grill) in the back of the truck which isn't there unless I'm camping.

[gr.austin]

Don't forget to include your weight distribution hitch. On the newer trailers there is a maximum gross vehicle weight stamped on the identification label. Best to use that +10-15% imbalance for tire selection and TV loading selection.

[MelGoddard]

I weighed my 30' FC a couple of weeks ago, absolutely empty. It had full 30# propane, no water other than water heater, awnings on both sides and aft, and that's all.
It weighed in at 3000 Kg. an even 6600 lbs.
I'll let you know later when I have it it loaded for my first trip.

[Bill M.]

I do not know what our dry weight is. I know the last time we weighed it was 6300 when loaded and ready to go against a GVWR of 6800 lbs. I know we carry 800 lbs on the truck and 5500 lbs on the trailer axles when traveling. Half or more tank of fresh water and almost completely empty waste tanks. We have a full compliment of awnings. No spare tire. 2 batteries. No solar. I have added a vinyl plank floor, part of a cabinet, and a television set. Microwave. A pantry full of heavy stuff and drinks under the sofa.

Okay, I looked up the dry weight on the Airstream site. 5100 lbs with a tongue weight of 700 lbs. So we have added about 1200 lbs to whatever they consider dry. And our tongue weight must be over 800 since I am transferring some load back to the trailer axle.

To me the dry wt seems a bit not relevant. I think and work mentally from the loaded weight since I can get that. If I was buying a new tow I would size it from the gross weight.

[MelGoddard]

The interesting thing is: when I weighed my 30' FC (above), iI used my new Sherline tongue wt. Scale at the front screw jack, and recorded 1100lbs
A.S. said the weight should be between 800-900lbs.
And in no case over 1000 lbs.
So what's with that?��

"Look after your equipment, it'll look after you!"

[phann]

Originally Posted by MelGoddard

The interesting thing is: when I weighed my 30' FC (above), iI used my new Sherline tongue wt. Scale at the front screw jack, and recorded 1100lbs
A.S. said the weight should be between 800-900lbs.
And in no case over 1000 lbs.
So what's with that?��.

I dont know why Airstream sets the maximum tongue weight to 1000, but once you start loading the external storage bins located behind the wheels, and interior cabinets/drawers behind the wheels, that should help to take a load off the tongue.

We have the opposite issue - in order to bring the tongue weight up to the recommended 10-15% of our loaded Classic's weight (8900lbs), I have to move some heavier items to the front before we travel, even with two full propane tanks on the front frame.

[switz]

If the 1000 pounds were that important, why would the dealers set up rigs on their lot where the tongue weight is over 1000 pounds?

Our 2013 25FB International Serenity had a literature tongue weight of 833 pounds. With full propane, water, awnings street side and rear a 155 watt solar panel and the Hensley hitch and the Shureline scale reported 1,150 pounds before I even left the lot.

That is another item in the manuals that is a remnant of the narrow body days with lower tongue weights.

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by phann

I dont know why Airstream sets the maximum tongue weight to 1000, but once you start loading the external storage bins located behind the wheels, and interior cabinets/drawers behind the wheels, that should help to take a load off the tongue.

We have the opposite issue - in order to bring the tongue weight up to the recommended 10-15% of our loaded Classic's weight (8900lbs), I have to move some heavier items to the front before we travel, even with two full propane tanks on the front frame.

Years ago, I made a pallet type platform that goes under the entrance step.
A couple of old rugs on top, to clean the shoes, and my rig stays clean.
I transport it on the floor of the RV, and I can slide it back and forth to trim the balance of the trailer. My first long trip in two weeks will prove the difference.