What is your REAL weight?

[Tireman9]

I see a number of posts with figures for tire or axle loading that just sounds light to me. Now I could well be wrong but when someone tells me their 25' TT fully loaded weighs only 4,500 after subtracting 1,100# tongue load I have to wonder if they are just using the new TT empty load figures.

Could a few of you educate me with your actual tire loading as recorded by RVSEF or one of the other groups that weigh individual tire loads.

Knowing the TT length would help also.

Thanks for providing the data.
Roger

[switz]

2013 25FB International Serenity with GVW of 7,300 pounds. Crossed the Cat scales loaded for camping with 5,880 on the trailer axles and 10,120 on the truck axles. Truck without camping stuff and trailer connected but with full diesel fuel load of 56 gallons weighs about 8,340 pounds. Airstream factory empty weight was 5,665 per the door label plate.

Trailer unhitched tongue weight at my measuring point is 1,175 pounds with full fresh water (39 gallons) and about four or five gallons of slosh water and chemicals in each of the grey and black tanks. Some of that tongue weight was reflected back to the trailer axles and some was on the truck.

As it was our first trip, everything we could think of was either in the trailer or the truck.

[SteveSueMac]

Oddly enough, my trailer weight is the same as yours - 5880. See scale pic below. 2012 27FB Flying Cloud, 50% fresh water tank, probably a gallon or two (I.e., empty) black and gray, 2 full 30 lb propane tanks, all clothing, dishes, camping gear on board, connected to TV w/PP hitch and 6" up on the WD sleeves - TV had full (36 gal) diesel tank and all camping gear/tools in the bed.

This was before deciding on the 15" Michelins. I weighed after putting on the new tires - similar numbers - I didn't take a pic of that scale ticket however...

[Action]

Knowing the weight of the trailer is needed for different reasons. If you want to get a weight for tire loading or for any running gear reason, use the max capacity of the trailer. So if the trailer is rated to handle 5000 #'s max and the trailer actual load over a scale is 4500 #s with one tank full. Buy tires or any running gear items that is good for a rating of 5000 #s of more. Actually a 110% of the 5000 #s would be a good place to be.

Trailers have a tendancy to be like humans, they get heavier as they age.

Know that scale weight will be different with different tanks filled or empty.

If you want to know what the weight of a trailer for the purposes of towing and knowing that you are not loaded beyond the rating run it over a scale. And going over a scale every other year or so is a good way to check in with what you are actually towing.

Using the manufactures dry weight is not good for much because the trailer is rarely in that condition other than when it was sold new. And it may have not been in that condition then either. (Totally dry)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

[ROBERT CROSS]

^
X2
You need to know for safe towing!!

Trailer level loaded for Camping.

Bob

[m.hony]

I love me some Cat scales. I haven't yet taken my Airstream across the scales, but I am looking forward to it. You won't get the tongue weight, but you will get TV steer axle and drive axle and trailer axle numbers.
We take work trucks and trailers to the Cat scales. That is some good knowledge for $2.
I like the yellow paper with the black cat logo and the business card sized picture of a classic big rig.

[wahoonc]

I don't have the numbers handy, but I used race car scales to weigh my trailer... I got in the habit of doing this when I had a pop up. I had a big Coleman that ate tires on the right side, come to find out the damned thing was weight biased by over 500# to that side, small wonder the tires on that side wore out. My Airstream was pretty well balanced empty, have to watch where my bride puts the 12 place settings of china when loading though...

Aaron

[AirHeadsRus]

My weights for the 90 Excella 29 are:
Axles 6360
Tongue 820
Total 7180

The axles were weighed at the CAT Scales attached to the truck with absolutely no weight distribution. This had a full fresh water tank and two full 40 lb propane tanks.
The tongue was weighed using my Sherline scales in the coupler and double checked with the trailer level. Probably as good as it gets on total weight. I'm sure it will go up next time with the 16 inch wheels and tires installed after.
I'm over weight by almost 800 lbs according to the GVWR for the trailer at 6400 lbs. I do not understand why it is rated so low when the axles are rated over 5,000 lbs each according to my AS dealer.

[slowmover]

" . . Could a few of you educate me with your actual tire loading as recorded by RVSEF or one of the other groups that weigh individual tire loads."

The man has asked for individual tire loads, boys. Many of us have "axle averages" and it is NOT the same thing.

BRIDGESTONE and RMA both have .pdfs that can be downloaded and printed (I've posted those links several times; originally by both CapriRacer and Tireman9)

No, I haven't done mine yet. But before the next time I pull out of this campground I first have to rig a new adjustable head for the H/A hitch due to both new TT and new, lower Class V receiver on the truck. It will be one heckuva lot of scale tickets (before, during, after) to get'er dialled in and to provide an example, a template for others if no else has yet done it (a new thread).

Tireman9 I haven't seen it yet, not here nor at RV.net (outside of the motorhome crowd). The learning curve hasn't yet extended to understanding the value of load/pressure, etc to the extent of giving a half-days worth of work ("on vacation?!", [horrors]) with TV and TT loaded for camping to [1] adjust the hitch rigging properly and then [2] look to WD-activated values for each wheel position.

That also leaves us without being able to tentatvely develop any rules of thumb per this brand. The traditional layout of rear bath/center kitchen seen across the decades is likely the "best balanced" configuration (given no extensive owner changes) where an "average" loading (maybe .85 of GVWR as Ron Gratz has speculated on RV.net for TT loading) would give us a place to start (if this is where your thoughts are leading).

As a note, boys, the individual tire/wheel load needs to be recorded with WD-activated . . and any tires under consideration done with that value plus persons/gear aboard when parked.

Yup, your bingo night with six adults at dinette and in lounge counts against any "load reserve" you are factoring for tires. Might not be make or break, but it then includes all loads the tires will see.

.

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by m.hony

I love me some Cat scales. I haven't yet taken my Airstream across the scales, but I am looking forward to it. You won't get the tongue weight, but you will get TV steer axle and drive axle and trailer axle numbers.
We take work trucks and trailers to the Cat scales. That is some good knowledge for $2.
I like the yellow paper with the black cat logo and the business card sized picture of a classic big rig.

With the requisite three trips across the CAT scale you can get the tongue weight. It will take you about 20 to 30 minutes at the scales to do the three passes over the scales.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Some boy's have too much time on their hands.

Bob

[SteveSueMac]

Dagnabbit! I missed the single tire question. Sorry!!

I don't have access to single tire weight pads :-(

My actual weight is as stated (and of course, there was the time Ron G ascertained my actual personal weight from some data I posted after my first trip to the CAT scales, but I gather that's of no help to you either ;-) ).

[SafariSS]

My suburban with out Airstream was heavier on the front end. Airstream, a 2005 Safari 30 weighed 6550 with all gear but dry tanks. Label gvwr is 8440 lbs. I am running 15" michelins and feel comfortable with the load.

I just put a new pro pride hitch on and got the spring bars tensioned right.

[Tireman9]

Glad to see some of you have actual data rather than just a guess. It looks like Airstream puts tires with adequate reserve load capacity on many, but not all units. Good for them.

There are a few who are knowingly running tires or axles or the chassis in overload. This simply means you are increasing your chance of having a tire failure of breaking some suspension component or bending the axle and going out of align. Exceeding the GVWR also means you will not be able to take an emergency maneuver or stop and may not avoid an accident. Just be sure never to admit you knew the TT was overloaded as you might find a lawyer that is looking for work.

[CapriRacer]

I also want to second the praise Tireman9 gave to Airstream on their tire sizing.

And like Tireman9, I share his concern about those other Airstream units. I wonder if those are the older models. I also share his concern about overloading tires by existing the GVW of the vehicle.

[DanielB]

1990 Chevrolet G30 van with about 800 lbs of John Deere 140 garden tractor loaded in the back pulling a 1974 311 Excella.

Steer 3060
Drive 4940
Trailer 5360
Gross 13,360

Just Van
Steer 3260
Drive 4220
Trailer 0
Gross 7480

So it looks like the trailer weighed 13,360-7,480= 5,880

[switz]

The closest CAT scales are 50 miles each way. All these threads on weights and front to back and left to right tire loads are enough to make me believe that since I can not determine all the specific information suggested using these closest CAT scales, I should come upwith a workable solution.

I have decided to order two sets of individual four wheel scales and will be able to accurately setup the trailer payload unhitched, determine the individual wheel weights on both vehicles and then fine tune the Hensley. They will show up when I get back in country and be there for the setup of the next trip at the end of September.

This could become a new side line business!

[Tireman9]

Originally Posted by switz

The closest CAT scales are 50 miles each way. All these threads on weights and front to back and left to right tire loads are enough to make me believe that since I can not determine all the specific information suggested using these closest CAT scales, I should come upwith a workable solution.

I have decided to order two sets of individual four wheel scales and will be able to accurately setup the trailer payload unhitched, determine the individual wheel weights on both vehicles and then fine tune the Hensley. They will show up when I get back in country and be there for the setup of the next trip at the end of September.

This could become a new side line business!

That's quite an investment. But yes it could also be a new business.

For normal usage I suggest
1. Inflate the TT tires to the inflation on the tires which is also probably the inflation on the TT certification (placard) label
2.Get the individual axle loads next time you start on a trip. There are many locations to get weighed. Grain elevators, Concrete contractors, Sand & Gravel operations, as well as special services such as RV dreams
RVSEF and CAT or This list, or this web site for weigh stations. Some use this site to find a scale.
3. If you can't get individual scale loads there are calculation forms Here and Worksheet HERE.
4. Until you do the math you should be able to get individual axle loads from #2 above. Then simply assume 45/55 axle split and 45/55 side to side of heaviest axle. This will cover 95+% of RVs.

It really isn't that complicated. maybe just too many options.

[Tireman9]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Oddly enough, my trailer weight is the same as yours - 5880. See scale pic below. 2012 27FB Flying Cloud, 50% fresh water tank, probably a gallon or two (I.e., empty) black and gray, 2 full 30 lb propane tanks, all clothing, dishes, camping gear on board, connected to TV w/PP hitch and 6" up on the WD sleeves - TV had full (36 gal) diesel tank and all camping gear/tools in the bed.

This was before deciding on the 15" Michelins. I weighed after putting on the new tires - similar numbers - I didn't take a pic of that scale ticket however...

Attachment 193848

So that 5880 is on two tires? If so I would figure 3,234# for a tire load (55%)
If on 4 tires I would figure 1779# per tire (55% of 55% or 5880)

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Tireman9

So that 5880 is on two tires? If so I would figure 3,234# for a tire load (55%)
If on 4 tires I would figure 1779# per tire (55% of 55% or 5880)

4 tires. I started with the 2183 of the Michelin 15s, divided by 1.1 and further divided that by 1.15 and came up with 1726/tire or 6900 for the trailer. With 5880 fully loaded, I still have 1000 lbs to play with as I understand it.