Time to put the RV on a diet?!

[Mopar1973Man]

Well coming home from my mini-get-away trip. I stopped in Council, ID and used the truck scales to weigh the truck and trailer.

 

Truck Front Axle: 4,160#

Truck Rear Axle: 4,640#

Truck Gross: 8800#

Truck GVWR: 8800#

 

Trailer Axle: 8,020#

Trailer GVWR: 8,500#

 

GCW: 16,820#

 

Funny part is I'm a ways from the axle weight limits yet on the truck at 5,200# front and 6,084# on the rear. But hit the GVWR right on the nail. Pull the trailer good and strong no issues at all. Seems like I kept putting more and more gear in the RV and storing there so now the RV weight has been creeping up. Time to do inventory and find out what I do need and don't need. When I bought the trailer and weight it coming home with nothing in it was 7,300# then so I've nearly got a 1,000 pounds of cargo & supplies now. Even last summer I had weights of 7,500 to 7,800 pounds.

[hex0rz]

Must be quit a bit of stuff! Heck, when I pulled the trailer to Yakima for work, we had everything needed to live in it without having to go to the store to get by. Groceriers, etc were a diff. story, but we only were around 900 pounds!

 

I don't see what affect it would have if you were over GVWR? When I pull mine, I'm over automatically...

[Mopar1973Man]

Truck wise I know that many people are over the GVWR number I tend to watch the GAWR more so. Even the trailer is getting close to margin with 480# to spare.

[dorkweed]

Water tanks full or empty??

[Mopar1973Man]

Nothing was dumped. Started out with 50 gallons of water came home with the 50 gallons of water just no longer in the fresh water tank but split up among 3 holding tanks (2 grey water and 1 black water). 99.9% of the time I travel with a full water tank because MoparMom and myself can't drink city water at all it makes us sick.

 

[hex0rz]

  When the fresh water goes to grey and black, that gallon of fresh no longer weighs 8.33lbs/gal!

[dorkweed]

50gallons x 8.33lbs./gallon = 416.5lbs!!!!  Not counting the "solids" added into the black water tank!!!  

[vineyardmh]

Nothing was dumped. Started out with 50 gallons of water came home with the 50 gallons of water just no longer in the fresh water tank but split up among 3 holding tanks (2 grey water and 1 black water). 99.9% of the time I travel with a full water tank because MoparMom and myself can't drink city water at all it makes us sick.

.

 

Have you tried using water filters that include charcoal filtration that will remove chlorine, etc., other trace chemicals?  We use these fairly successfully to clean up water when our original supply has been depleted.

Edited March 17, 2014 by vineyardmh

[AH64ID]

Well coming home from my mini-get-away trip. I stopped in Council, ID and used the truck scales to weigh the truck and trailer.

 

Truck Front Axle: 4,160#

Truck Rear Axle: 4,640#

Truck Gross: 8800#

Truck GVWR: 8800#

 

Trailer Axle: 8,020#

Trailer GVWR: 8,500#

 

GCW: 16,820#

 

Funny part is I'm a ways from the axle weight limits yet on the truck at 5,200# front and 6,084# on the rear. But hit the GVWR right on the nail. Pull the trailer good and strong no issues at all. Seems like I kept putting more and more gear in the RV and storing there so now the RV weight has been creeping up. Time to do inventory and find out what I do need and don't need. When I bought the trailer and weight it coming home with nothing in it was 7,300# then so I've nearly got a 1,000 pounds of cargo & supplies now. Even last summer I had weights of 7,500 to 7,800 pounds.

 

 

As you mentioned many people ignore the GVWR of the truck, myself included. My dad's 06 2500 has a GVWR of 9,000 that is less than 1K lbs of useful payload how I am loaded up (our trucks will be ± 250lbs).

 

In a 3rd gen the frame is the same from a 2500 Hemi to a 3500 DRW CTD, so I personally use the DRW GVWR of 12,200 as my safety margin for max. Do 2nd gen's do the same? You wont get a ticket for GVWR, but you can for tires.

 

The front axle is the closest hard limit, it's based on axle strength for spindles, BJ's, and wheel bearings.

 

You are over on your trailer GVWR, unless you only have 6% tongue weight, as tongue weight does count towards trailer GVW.. don't worry I am over too.

 

Here are my numbers from this weekend. Truck had a little fire wood in the bed, and small 4 wheeler. Camper was full of water (56 gallons), black/gray were empty, not quite full on all the normal stuff but 90%. I also only had 1 of my 2 Honda Gen's.

 

Truck

FAW: 4,900# (54% of tire rating)

FAWR: 5,200#

RAW: 5,940# (66% of tire rating)

RAWR: 6,200#

GVW: 10,840#

GVWR: 9,900#

 

Trailer

GAW: 7,160# (71% of tire rating)

GAWR: 10,200#

GVWR: 7,900#

GVW: EST 8,250#

Tongue: UKN, estimated at 1,100 this trip.

I need to see how the tandems are split with the batteries relocated. Last time I checked it was about 55/45.

 

GCW: 18,000#

GCWR: 21,000#

 

Total additional payload (to include people)

 

GVW Increase: 2,410#

GCW Increase: 9,570#

 

Seems like a lot of weight just to go play in the mountains, but it's worth it.

 

We did a good job last year of cleaning out the stuff we don't use, but I think I can drop another 20 or 30lbs.

[Mopar1973Man]

Have you tried using water filters that include charcoal filtration that will remove chlorine, etc., other trace chemicals?  We use these fairly successfully to clean up water when our original supply has been depleted.

 

Very very rare we stay in RV parks. If we do its for a short period of maybe 2 days tops. The rest of the time the RV used solely out in the forest of Idaho so I'm really not to worried about filters and such. Typically 50 gallons of water will cover us for 3 days tops. That getting a least 1 shower a piece between MoparMom and myself.

 

 

As you mentioned many people ignore the GVWR of the truck, myself included. My dad's 06 2500 has a GVWR of 9,000 that is less than 1K lbs of useful payload how I am loaded up (our trucks will be ± 250lbs).

 

In a 3rd gen the frame is the same from a 2500 Hemi to a 3500 DRW CTD, so I personally use the DRW GVWR of 12,200 as my safety margin for max. Do 2nd gen's do the same? You wont get a ticket for GVWR, but you can for tires.

 

The front axle is the closest hard limit, it's based on axle strength for spindles, BJ's, and wheel bearings.

 

You are over on your trailer GVWR, unless you only have 6% tongue weight, as tongue weight does count towards trailer GVW.. don't worry I am over too.

 

Here are my numbers from this weekend. Truck had a little fire wood in the bed, and small 4 wheeler. Camper was full of water (56 gallons), black/gray were empty, not quite full on all the normal stuff but 90%. I also only had 1 of my 2 Honda Gen's.

 

Truck

FAW: 4,900# (54% of tire rating)

FAWR: 5,200#

RAW: 5,940# (66% of tire rating)

RAWR: 6,200#

GVW: 10,840#

GVWR: 9,900#

 

Trailer

GAW: 7,160# (71% of tire rating)

GAWR: 10,200#

GVWR: 7,900#

GVW: EST 8,250#

Tongue: UKN, estimated at 1,100 this trip.

I need to see how the tandems are split with the batteries relocated. Last time I checked it was about 55/45.

 

GCW: 18,000#

GCWR: 21,000#

 

Total additional payload (to include people)

 

GVW Increase: 2,410#

GCW Increase: 9,570#

 

Seems like a lot of weight just to go play in the mountains, but it's worth it.

 

We did a good job last year of cleaning out the stuff we don't use, but I think I can drop another 20 or 30lbs.

 

On my truck I've got a trailer rating of 13,600# or GCWR of 20,000#.  I tend to watch that more so.

 

I'm finally getting the RV setup the way I like it. She bit heavy but I'm liking it. I'll go back through the cabinets and clean up a bit more.

[AH64ID]

On my truck I've got a trailer rating of 13,600# or GCWR of 20,000#.  I tend to watch that more so.

 

I'm finally getting the RV setup the way I like it. She bit heavy but I'm liking it. I'll go back through the cabinets and clean up a bit more.

 

 

Even that number seems to be fairly gray, especially with motor mods. Max towing and GCWR are almost solely based on acceleration and the ability to maintain speed with a load. If you look at the SAE specs for GCWR it's all about acceleration and minimum speed on certain grades.

 

Just don't exceed hitch and axle (tire) ratings, or get too crazy on the GVW. It will be fine.

[Mopar1973Man]

Opps my bad... Trailer rating is 13,400 and 20,000 for GCW.

 

[thefox311]

So looking at that book there I guess my truck is a HO? heck I didnt know that haha shows how much i pay attention!  But seriously though I thought the HO's had a valve cover that indicated so.   Mine has the NV5600 so HO?

[AH64ID]

Yes all NV5600 trucks where HO's.

[Ilikeoldfords]

I dont think there were any differences in appearance between the SO and HO. My HO doesnt specify anywhere like the valve cover or anything like that. All 6 speeds were the HO. Its interesting that the 5 speed trucks are rated at more weight than the 6 speeds though. I knew that the NV4500 was the stronger transmission but I didnt think it would change the rating.

[AH64ID]

I dont think there were any differences in appearance between the SO and HO. My HO doesnt specify anywhere like the valve cover or anything like that. All 6 speeds were the HO. Its interesting that the 5 speed trucks are rated at more weight than the 6 speeds though. I knew that the NV4500 was the stronger transmission but I didnt think it would change the rating.

 

I don't think the NV4500 is a stronger transmission, it's just lighter.

 

If you look the GCWR is the same, the difference in tow rating will be the curb weight difference. It's the same reason my truck is rated to tow more than a DRW of the same engine/trans.

[dorkweed]

This^^^^^^

[dorkweed]

What is an RV????  This answers it pretty well.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

 

"I've got too much Stuff in my RV!"

[Deafautotech]

I am trying to keep low weight as possible for ease towing like hauling two Harley tourings in 7x12 enclosed trailer but my parents decided to buy many stuffs as cheaper prices in Indiana than Alabama... so they has basic stuffed up my trailer... but that is other reason to have a own trailer and truck that can do much more than what we needed.  I don't like to drive f-150 with closer to max weight limited to towing. I am rather has large truck and little big trailer to do than small truck and small trailer for whole much of stuffs in and hit the weight limited for 12 hours trip from Indiana to Alabama...