Trailer GVWR affected by Tow Vehicle (Since everyone is talking weights)

[Skirugger]

I am really enjoying all of the weight-conversations, and it’s interesting to see all the different interpretations and justifications amongst the group.....so in that spirit, I had a question from my recent trip to the CAT Scales.....

1. Does transferring your trailer weight onto the hitch....decreasing the available payload (of the TV) thereby affect the GVWR of the trailer? Follow me here with fictitious numbers for easy math:

TV = 8,000LBS uvw with 2,000LBS available payload
Trailer = 10,000lbs GVWR (Let’s just say it’s 100% loaded)
You put 10% onto hitch or 1,000LBS.
Your TV just got 1,000lbs heavier (on the scale #2 for rear axle)

Does your trailer weigh 9,000LBS now? The TV is supporting that 1,000lbs of weight now. How does that affect the GVWR of the trailer? Are you still maxed? If you are still maxed, how can you count the 1,000lbs against the GVWR of the TV AND the trailer? It’s the same 1,000lbs.....

2. You have another trailer 10k GVWR, with let’s say 4k GAWR (I understand the hitch jack carries weight so the axles add up to less than total GVWR). So, you have a fully loaded trailer up to the max GVWR, and then you and your family go camp in it for a week, did the addition of the people’s weights just put you over GVWR, and possibly over the GAWR?

During my own struggles to understand and manage my weights, I feel like I might be missing something important because so many of the combinations that I run for other people’s trailers (not 5ers because I don’t understand them that well yet) and tow vehicles, it’s not even close....like thousands of pounds over-weight. Not judging at all just trying to get myself where I want to be numbers-wise, and maybe I’m figuring things incorrectly?

Thanks! -Jim-

[ncitro]

No, the trailers GVWR includes the trailer weight and tongue weight or pin weight since that weight is still on the frame. It also comes out of the trucks GVWR as well. I suppose in that regard it does get counted “twice”, but they are separate calculations.

Your research does not surprise me at all, I’d bet most RV owners are overweight by some amount based on what I see on the roads and at campgrounds. Pretty much any fifth wheel being pulled by a 3/4 ton diesel truck is going to be overweight.

[D2Reid]

..so in that spirit, I had a question from my recent trip to the CAT Scales.....

LOL, I like the way you think. I use the same logic when I weigh myself, I put my hand on the counter so I won't get dizzy and fall over, suddenly my I have lost 10 pounds. As soon as my wife catches me and makes me take my hand off the counter my true GVW shows up.... Darn!

So to get your true GVW set your RV on the scale and unhook your truck, then you will find out what your RV GVW is without having to do any calculatin...

7*13=28

[Jmick35]

No. If you look at the rating of the axles they depend in the pin weight being taken off of them for you to load cargo up to max weight.

[Canyonlight]

1. Does transferring your trailer weight onto the hitch....decreasing the available payload (of the TV) thereby affect the GVWR of the trailer? Follow me here with fictitious numbers for easy math:

2. You have another trailer 10k GVWR, with let’s say 4k GAWR (I understand the hitch jack carries weight so the axles add up to less than total GVWR). So, you have a fully loaded trailer up to the max GVWR, and then you and your family go camp in it for a week, did the addition of the people’s weights just put you over GVWR, and possibly over the GAWR?

Thanks! -Jim-

Jim - interesting analysis and good to think about these things. Try the following on for size relative to your #1 item:.

Hiking back pack (your RV) says load limit of 100 lbs. and is fully loaded. You (your truck) weigh 200s lbs. You put on the back pack (transfer RV weight) to you. The back pack (RV) load limit is not impacted.......it is still 100lbs.

Relative to #2......the people are not traveling in the trailer so I trust you are referencing the RV weight when stopped. I suspect many RVs are way over RV GVWR when several folks are inside when the RV is at or close to max before all the people enter. This has never been brought up before as a condition to be concerned about. The dynamic loaded condition with impacts to suspension and frame when traveling are much more severe than being over by a few/several hundred lbs. when stopped in essentially a static condition. I am not an engineer but I did stay at a H.I. last night !

Dan

[Skirugger]

Hiking back pack (your RV) says load limit of 100 lbs. and is fully loaded. You (your truck) weigh 200s lbs. You put on the back pack (transfer RV weight) to you. The back pack (RV) load limit is not impacted.......it is still 100lbs.

Relative to #2......the people are not traveling in the trailer so I trust you are referencing the RV weight when stopped.

Dan

Dan,

Absolutely! I would never have a person (or animal) in the trailer while I towed. We owned a Class-C RV and just being in the back of that while driving was borderline-catastrophic.....wife went back for a nap, two feet off the bed, eyes big as plates.....

Your backpack example is perfect.... thanks!

[Skirugger]

No. If you look at the rating of the axles they depend in the pin weight being taken off of them for you to load cargo up to max weight.

I have the 3500 axles on my 2800BH (GVWR 7,495), and it’s my opinion that they cut it way too close. I should have fought for the 4400lb axles......

[Skirugger]

Why do I feel like I’m about to get my membership card to a club I never wanted to be in......?

The TwoTimeTV Club

[bertschb]

Why do I feel like I’m about to get my membership card to a club I never wanted to be in......?

The TwoTimeTV Club

Because like me, you don't want to lay in bed at night worrying about your truck! You know you're gonna do it. Might as well get it over with...

[Skirugger]

Because like me, you don't want to lay in bed at night worrying about your truck! You know you're gonna do it. Might as well get it over with...

My wife just laughed and said “How does he know you?” Hahaha