Hi Bill and deb. My wife and I are full-time nomads in a 16-ft vinos triple tongue cargo 8 ft wide 7 ft tall. Also has dual axles. Coming from Florida to the West I knew I wanted something heavy duty and wasn't concerned about gas mileage as I've never had good gas mileage driving plumbing trucks overloaded and towing for 40 years. I totally agree with all your knowledge of balance and not overloading these trailers but in all my years nobody mentions stopping this equipment. Coming to the West for retirement, driving through mountains and desert, all the sudden you've got a 5 Mile 8% or more downgrade and people passing me going 60 MPH towing overloaded trailers. That's a lot of stress on breaks. When I cross these mountain passes I'm doing 45 to 50 going downhill and even though I have electric brakes and a controller I don't want to smell my brakes going down the mountain. Everywhere I go I smell breaks nowadays and I pray they're not mine or anybody else is around me. Anyway I wish along with towing maximum weights there will be a way to include stopping capacity. I know when women drive these rigs they're not concerned about diesel power and horsepower but trying to stop as needed. Well that's my two cents worth. Thanks for the excellent information you pass on. God's peace with you and your family. Also I hope to see you in Florida as we're returning for a couple months around the time you'll be there. Thanks again bye for now
A very good point. On steep downhill grades I'll sometimes pull it down a gear to take pressure off the brakes. At any rate, it's always best to slow down.
Another thing to think about that Bill touched on beside centering your trailer weight over the axle and balancing your load fore and aft is the side to side loads. I have seen a number of people hit the kat scales and weigh their trailer and say yup we are under 80% of max load and we are good to go. Months later they are burning up wheel bearings, having failing suspension parts or blow outs on one side of the trailer. So knowing what your trailer weights at each wheel is equally important. I have seen many a fifthwheel and tag trailer that has a lovely layout but then the owner discover that while they have plenty of storage some of it can't be used because of the appliances and other items have overloaded the trailer side to side. Always good to know your cross weights. Great job as always you two. Safe travels as you head south. - PB&J
You are so right. That's one reason our fresh water tank is near the exact center of the trailer. If we ever had the need to carry water to a destination, at least it would be truly centered over the axle centerline.
I'm glad you are as honest with folks out there about towing your CCT home. It gives them something to think about when they consider creating their own and towing it. It's all in what you put into it.
You guys are funny and interesting. And knowledgeable. A friend of mine has had many trailers over a 20 to 30 year span. He told me, for the best towability , divide the max tow capacity by 2. Pretty much what you said.
The weight is something we need to keep in mind. I appreciate that you don't just show the fun stuff, travel, get togethers, but also the daily living considerations. As more of us go tiny in some fashion, the weight of our possessions needs to be considered. Thank you!
It was the same considerations I had to make when I moved onto my sailboat. I put 3000 pounds of gear onboard so it lowered the water line and the way she sails. So when I just finished my cargo conversion I was seriously concerned about the weight I was putting in this build. I haven't had a chance to get the trailer weighted yet but I have put minimal permanent weight and reminding me of the living needs with food, clothes and supplies was a terrific reminder. Thanks. I thought two capacity was all I needed to know. So a million thanks for this.
All really good things to consider. I think your weight distribution inside the trailer is perfect. That's what makes a trailer track perfectly and predictable in all situations and conditions. I enjoy your videos a lot.
This is info that is very important to anyone towing. The total weight, the tongue weight and the balance of weight. My Rig : I had the weight when I bought it empty at 1300lbs. then I removed all the 1/2 plywood off the walls and after insulation I put back much lighter plywood at 1/4 “. That by itself lightened the load over 100 lbs. But then I used back one sheet for the shelf and the backboard for power wall. Anyway, when I weighed at the scales, dropped the trailer on scale without truck, it was 2015 lbs. That was loaded with all the umbrella, 10 x10 pop up, food, full water, pellets, clothing and butane stoves. Everything I needed to camp. Since I have taken out some things so I will be weighing again soon. Even the shelf is of 2x2 framing on the cabinets to minimize the weight of it. My advice is to just be mindful of weight when it goes in and get it weighed before you stress a transmission or brakes of your tow vehicle. HAPPY THANKSGIVING. I am so thankful for the “I Ride” crew for this wonderful community.
I have a jeep wrangler and has a 3500 tow weight. Cargo trailer is a 12x6 v nose. But my jeep has steal bumpers, winch, side steps and a full body rack. I CAN'T pull the full weight of a trailer. People don't realize that. You have great information. Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving.
Please remember it is not just what you can pull but also what you can stop. An overweight trailer can easily push a tow vehicle around in a panic stop. Also along with checking your bearings and trailer brakes check your breakaway switch/cable and battery to be sure they are working if you need them. Safe travels to everyone!!
FYI my RUclips app does indeed have a 👍 and a 👎🏻 option, but don’t worry you always rate an 👍. I appreciate it when you give info about trailer weight distribution because I think most people do not think about it. It is not something the average person would know. I feel I can always learn more about it. After all you don’t know what you don’t know until you need it. 🤷🏻♀️
When I first started the video tonight I thought for a second, "Wow after Deb and Bill got past 25,000 subscribers they have picked up a bunch of sponsors." Then I realized Bill was wearing his Dale Earnhardt jacket. ;) Nice video on trailer weights. Very important topic.
FYI I have a smart car 🚗 I mounted a hitch on the roof to pull my 45 foot fifth wheel, it does pretty good ! when I drop the weight down on the hitch on roof , it drops down snug to my head, I can only look forward I can not see left or right, so I pray to God no one is coming from the left or right side of me !!! !! Deb you are looking pretty as always !!! Robert from Ohio !!
Balancing the load is very important as you mentioned. Fresh, grey and black tanks can add a lot. A gallon of water is 8.35# so add 20 to 40 gallons of water can add over 300# to the weight.
Our local CO-OP weighed mine a few years back. Weighed the truck, went home and got the trailer, and weighed both. I went at a time they were not busy.
Thanks for touching on tongue weight. I am considering doing a trailer conversion and wondered about this issue. Years ago I built a boat/utility trailer and designed it such that the axle could be moved for and aft to achieve ideal tongue weight depending on what the trailer was being used for. The shortfall I can see with cargo trailers is ending up with too much tongue weight after the build. It almost makes me wonder about locating the galley at the back of the trailer rather than the front.
Been avoiding wanting to weigh my 7x12 enclosed trailer, now that it is "finished", store two baggers, and camp with one. Going to eventually weigh it at the truck stop or recycling place just for piece of my mind, mainly for the tires (should I get heavier duty ones, and heavier duty axle), truck pulls it nicely at 65mph (Wisconsin to Tennessee two years ago- P.S. Chicago traffic sucks, tried to detour around and traffic detours directed me right to lakeshore drive!!), brakes work great, but it would be nice to guesstimate my next build off of what I now have. Love the videos, love the ideas people came up with.
When we were buying our trailer, we couldn't get a straight answer to our towing capability. We have a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. After searching online, we found information in an RV magazine and were able to determine a safe towing weight. We are about 2,000 pounds under the towing capability of our Jeep. We don't even want to get close to the max towing weight. Thanks for the extra information!
Had a 2004 Ford F-150 that I pulled a 2013 Keystone Cougar and a Hallmark Toy Hauler through the back roads of North East Arkansas, Tennessee & Kentucky. When I bought the truck it was advertised as a 5.4 Triton. After having it a few years I brought it in for oil change and discovered it was the 4.6 Triton. I knew the curb weight of the Truck and curb weight of the trailer. I knew the axle size of the truck. Would not have bought the vehicle had I known it was the smaller engine. It did handle camper well. I did upgrade after the discovery for my peace of mind. Had six tow vehicles over the years; from a one ton diesel to the half ton F150. As long as you stay in manufacture recommendations you should be fine. The closest to the parameters was that 4.6 Triton. It did well; but it was to close for me. Very certain you are in safe parameters. You have very sturdy build and would be surprised if you topped 6500#!
We have a friend who tows his 7200 pound trailer with a V6 F150. It's rated (with special towing package) to tow 14,000 pounds according to him. He seems to have zero issues. He's been pretty much all over the country in all sorts of hills, mountains and flatlands.
Great content Bill and Deb. Some day I aspire to be a full timer. Based on the economy, unfortunately, it will be later rather than sooner. Look forward to meeting you guys some day. Thanks for sharing.
Bill & Deb.....GREAT VIDEO folks!!! I was one of those that was asking about weights and stuff in like 2 videos back and one of your viewers (can't remember his name) answered one of my questions. You pretty much completed my puzzle lol 🤣Was finding your hitch of great interest so was looking on Amazon and think I found it.......I think lol. Thanks again, folks, happy trails, and mobile with care.
Alejandro here, since you asked me that question almost 2 years ago, Sylma keeps asking me to weigh ours, I haven't had the courage to do it, I just know that my truck pulls it.
Scariest ride I ever took was when my brother towed my RV home. He was pulling with a Ram 1500 and it was rated to pull my camper. The camper swayed all over the place. Got a sway bar and it helped a little but not enough. The camper was empty both times we moved it. We borrowed a Chevy 2500 and what a difference. Point being the truck was supposed to be able to handle the camper weight but in reality it did not.
This is probably an odd question. Have you seen a conversation set up with a bunk house for kids and another bed for the parents. I enjoy watching your videos.
Good topic. My truck is rated to tow 11,000 lbs. But I will not let my trailer weight get higher than 60-70% of that tow max. Both for safety and fuel economy. But also, to get more life out of my truck.
Happy Thanksgiving you two! You can get a gross and axel weights at a commercial truck scale at the truck stops. It wont weigh tongue weights. But it will give you a lot better idea where you're at. Every once in a while you'll be able to weigh them at little hardware stores here and there and other factories. Where they will give you precise individual axel weights. It'll take about 30 to 40 minutes. And sometimes its free. Enjoy your videos. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
I was told if you get into an accident and your tow vehicle isn’t rated to tow your rig you could be found to be at fault regardless if you were or not plus be sued
I've seen so many comments in various fb groups stating the EMPTY weight. I just can't imagine WHAT people in their right mind would NOT take the GVWR into consideration. There are camping trailers that weigh 3500 empty with a GVWR of LESS than 4500, and there are 3500 lb camping trailers with GVWR of 5500+ lbs, making the dry/empty weight pretty much irrelevant. So I'm mostly with you on this whole weight issue. However, I do agree with BTBRV that you shouldn't exceed 90% of the tow vehicle's tow capacity as long as you don't exceed its CGVWR or its max load capacity when towing.
Our vans towing capacity is 9900 or 10000 pounds depending on which website you're looking at. Our trailer weighs 7500 pounds. As far as that goes we're at 75% towing capacity.
Watched a video where a guy bought an incredible box tiny home 8'x16', brang along all his belongings to put in and then head out to where he was gonna live, but when he tried to pull it with his vehicle it was way to heavy. Know now what u saying. HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
Payload rating - many will max out payload before maxing out rated tow capacity. Tongue weight is subtracted from payload then passengers weight then any cargo.
Are you able to go into all RVparks?? I have a tiny bus and have been no because it's a conventional?? Do you have to stop at weigh places on the road?? Happy holidays and enjoy your journey. Love and Light Karen and Miles🎄
We really don't go to private campgrounds, much. We mostly go to state parks and national parks. Some private campgrounds will turn us away. Florida signs say to stop and we do, but they just wave us on thru.
I once read that one should use 500 lb. per person as additional minimal wt. in a tow vehicle. This is all inclusive; i.e. clothes, food, equipment, etc. Also, tow 1000 lb. less than your vehicle tow rating. Your info was a wise assessment.
I don't know about America. But here in Canada, we have weigh scales along every main highway. Digital display on 24/7 and most are unmanned. Built for truckers but Anyone can just drive on them and find there weight. It can be a quick way to get a good idea of your cargo load.
Happy Colonial Thanksgiving! Love you guys videos. I hope you're happy, warm and safe. You guys always make me laugh and hey, who cares how much complainers want to wag their tongues, it's just their opinion and if they think their opinion is so important, let them go through the trouble of making videos to try and help people like you do. You guys sure help me. Thanks!
Have you weighed your trailer at some point over these last eight months? Heck, my little 5 X 10 I'm working on still isn't finished, so... but it's GVWR/Gross Vehicle Weight Rating/what-it-can-never-weigh-more-than is 3000 lbs. I don't even want 10% tongue weight because I keep a lot of gear in my 1/2 pickup's truck bed under a tonneau cover, so there's already a decent amount of weight on the truck's rear axle. Like you I have deliberately placed my heaviest, fixed items (batteries, chargers, galley countertop) directly on top of the trailer axle centerline. I have geeked out on the layout like as if this trailer were a race car. I kid you not. I'm cursed. Anyhoo... I enjoy your videos and look forward to one day crossing paths in camp. Continued! safe travels to you and your lovely wife.
Bill, why don't you see if you can get a State Trooper to come to your camp ground in February with a set of road scales and offer the service of weighting the attendees setup during a specific day of the week. Maybe the men could get together and help the officer do the scale weighting job.
Maybe one if your Ranger friend yall know will know a Trooper who enjoys concerts with a little Fireball, 😉. (Off duty of courrse) That stuff is amazing. It's great straight from the freezer.
Except for short, infrequent towing, the "50%" rule is an excellent rule to follow. There are so many issues when pulling a trailer. One issue that I think is often overlooked when pulling a trailer, and that is people have a tendency to believe "it won't happen to me". Also, many people significantly under estimate the weight in their towed trailer. It is critical to not just know your total trailer weight, but to have a copy of its total weight, in writing, from a certified scale. Why? Well, the most important reason is to not significantly increase the risk of killing or severely injuring ourselves or others. Another important reason is if there is an accident, your insurance company has no obligation to pay for your loss, or the loss to others, if your trailer is 1 lb overweight. Consider this; if an accident occurs and the facts of the initial investigation determine the non-towing party is at fault, their insurance company may choose to have the other party's towed trailer weighed and if it is 1 lb overweight, the preliminary non-at-fault towing party could then be determined to be at fault, and their insurance provider could legally deny the claim. That is scary and for people who try to mitigate risk to acceptable levels, it is imperative to tow in a safe and legal manner, and that includes keeping our trailers under the GVWR, and tow with a vehicle rated for all applicable weights.
Hello folks. Glad you are staying warm. Good topic. You can go to a local truck stop scale or possibly a scrap metal facility. Pull your rig on the scale. Get the total weight. Disconnect from the trailer, leaving it on the scale. Now you will have a trailer weight and a total rig weight. Good luck. Just be willing to pay a lil fee for the scale ticket.
We have one near where we are, but lots of folks end up with flat tires there due to metal shards. I'd hate to stop there on the way to my next destination only to have a flat tire 5 miles down the road.
Just wondering what the average wattage for solar power system do most set up for their 7×16 conversion cargo campers. I understand it depends on what you're using for power in your camper. I'm thinking the average would be a good place to start.
Any truck stop will give you a axle weight for about $12 to $15 bucks there abouts They will ask you first weight; that means you can weigh the van first, then hook back up to the trailer and pull it over the scale by itself, some places will be able to give you a axle weight with everything on the scale at the same time. Just ask before you use there scale. Have a super blessed day 🙏
How can you insure a cargo conversion and ensure that your investment is protected? From what I've seen, companies will insure cargo trailers based on depreciated value of just the trailer, not the contents ... unless you get special (expensive, commercial?) insurance for contents. Otherwise you'd have to build your conversion in such a way that would qualify the trailer to be reclassified as a recreational vehicle just to get rv insurance. I am very disappointed because I had my design ready to build but now I realize I won't be able to insure it. Any suggestions?
Insuring cargo Conversions has been an issue for many. The maim reason is, the insurance companies don't understand the concept. We are insured, but we know our coverage is inadequate.
They should weigh their grocery run just to see how it will add up. 4 lbs of sugar 5. Lbs flour, 10 lb of potatoes. Already 19 lbs. 4 cases of drinks , and their are 10 bags in the car etc…. Even your groceries could weigh 100 pounds easy.
The other problem with conventional travel trailers is many of them don’t have the available weight capacity to hold all the garb and gadgets that full time rvers want/need to carry. And they factor the tongue weight into the available weight. So a single axel trailer with 400lbs of tongue weight supposedly can carry 3,900 lbs. However the trailer dry weighs 3,300lbs. So basically you can put some toilet paper and maybe some coffee filters in there. Your 9,900 available weight capacity does not include tongue weight at all. If you were to count it the same way, you’d have close to another 1,000 pounds available for all those coats you want to have. I started adding my item’s weights up and was amazed at how fast it all adds up. For some reason I am drawn to heavy stuff. Cast iron pots and pans, thick butcher block countertops, a rather heavy tiny wood stove, a winch, roof solar panels, deployable solar panels, batteries, on and on and on. Stuff is just plain heavy.
Yeah thats why i chose to buy a teardrop. Its made of aluminum and only weighs 400 lbs empty my Hyundai Santa Fe Sport should be able to tow it. Im just looking right now so anything could change. I love my sennia i had and probably buy another. 73
Everyone worries to much. Just hook up, load er full, hold the petal to the metal, and hope for the best. Young people dont worry, just all you old folks worry yourselves to death. Carry good insurance and get down the road. Dont Worry, Be Happy !
Loves truck stop will allow you to weigh your rig for $10.00. I have a scrap yard near me n they allow you to weigh your rig for free. If you ever come through Memphis again let my wife n I know. We would love to meet you guys!
We lived in 40 ft 5th wheels for 16 years and you can expect to add #5,000 pounds to the trailer weight. Trust me when I say this because I’ve weighed every one we’ve had before and after. Also we pulled with 1 ton dulleys and also installed airbags on each for the extra tongue weight.
@@billanddeb A person doesn’t re realize how much clothes weighs. And a lot of people will travel with full water tanks at 8# per gallon. Some people have no concept on minimizing.
I purchased a ball with a scale on it from WEIGH SAFE. I ended up returning it mainly because it only came as a 2 inch ball with a sleeve to make it a larger ball. The sleeve didn't look too "spiffy" to me, but I did get a tongue weight measurement first. I'll see how accurate it was when I get good #s at a weigh station.
Please be careful when upgrading Axles on your trailer. Just because you place 5,200 lb axles under your trailer doesn't mean the trailer can haul 10,000 lbs of weight. The trailer frame also has to be able to haul that much weight to safely be able to haul that much weight. Usually if a trailer manufacturer upgrades the axles, it will also have a bigger and heavier frame to compensate to hold that weight.
The discussion should be about tare, not loaded, weights. Tare of steel trailers will be much more than aluminium: say +30%. I surmise most DIY CCT conversions will weigh more than a comparable commercial TT, for the simple reason most people outfit their CCT with what they find at their local hardware store. Very few people stop to think about what home-hardware stuff weighs; rather the focus is upon cost savings. So what you save in cost at the home hardware, you will pay at the fuel pump. Fact: heavier trailers require more power to pull, thus more fuel consumption. Weight distribution is a stability issue, not "towability" per se. "Towability" is matter of overall dimensions, mass, suspension, and drag. For a great lesson about stability/sway, see this vid... ruclips.net/video/JeEEC5eVNCk/видео.html
A cargo trailer conversion is a cargo trailer first, which is then made into a camper. Sounds obvious, but I think they are fundamentally better to haul cargo and all the 'stuff' down the road without falling apart.
The thumbs down icon is there, but nothing shows when it's pushed. We're very happy you've never hit the thumbs down. Thank you so much for your support.
Um, who's going to be the one to tell Bill there IS a thumbs down? It's not going to be me. OH!, I know. Hey Deb, ever been in the mood to dance around singing "I told ya so" to Bill?😇
@@billanddeb I looked it up and my nearest CAT scale is 50 miles away. But it will be worth the time. I'm pretty sure I'm at least 50 % of my GVWR. But I want numbers and my tongue weight. Thanks again. This is so important to be aware of to stay safe. I'm out there by myself.
If you have a local iron and metal scrap yard, you might be able to get it weighed there. But, beware, sometimes you encounter metal shards that can cause a flat.
@@billanddeb as always you have been generous with your time and advice to help. Thanks so very much. With my sailboat it's super easy to weigh it yearly on the travel lift at haul out for the bottom job. This is actually more difficult to do.
All great information. Folks should know that how they load/placement. Single axle trailers are designed to carry the weight between the axle and tounge. Your extra axle weights, vehicle upgrades, and keeping track of added weight helped alot. Nice job
All trailers, including single axles, are designed to carry the weight evenly distributed from the front all the way to back. A 10' trailer's axle is positioned 6' from the front edge of the cargo platform in order to achieve the 60/40 weight distribution when loaded evenly front to back. When loaded from front to axle, the ratio is more like 90/10 or even 95/05, resulting in excessive tongue weight on the receiver, rear suspension and axle, and extremely insufficient weight on the front axle of the tow vehicle.
I watch your videos on a regular basis...Did you know that if the trailer exceeds it's maximum weight and something was to happen, such as a accident..Your insurance my refuse to pay and you could face other liabilities for being over weight ... Don't you be need to show weight when you register it and plate it?? I know here in Michigan they want the trailer weight & want to know if any modifications have been done to it ..
Hi Bill and deb. My wife and I are full-time nomads in a 16-ft vinos triple tongue cargo 8 ft wide 7 ft tall. Also has dual axles. Coming from Florida to the West I knew I wanted something heavy duty and wasn't concerned about gas mileage as I've never had good gas mileage driving plumbing trucks overloaded and towing for 40 years. I totally agree with all your knowledge of balance and not overloading these trailers but in all my years nobody mentions stopping this equipment. Coming to the West for retirement, driving through mountains and desert, all the sudden you've got a 5 Mile 8% or more downgrade and people passing me going 60 MPH towing overloaded trailers. That's a lot of stress on breaks. When I cross these mountain passes I'm doing 45 to 50 going downhill and even though I have electric brakes and a controller I don't want to smell my brakes going down the mountain. Everywhere I go I smell breaks nowadays and I pray they're not mine or anybody else is around me. Anyway I wish along with towing maximum weights there will be a way to include stopping capacity. I know when women drive these rigs they're not concerned about diesel power and horsepower but trying to stop as needed. Well that's my two cents worth. Thanks for the excellent information you pass on. God's peace with you and your family. Also I hope to see you in Florida as we're returning for a couple months around the time you'll be there. Thanks again bye for now
A very good point. On steep downhill grades I'll sometimes pull it down a gear to take pressure off the brakes. At any rate, it's always best to slow down.
Another thing to think about that Bill touched on beside centering your trailer weight over the axle and balancing your load fore and aft is the side to side loads. I have seen a number of people hit the kat scales and weigh their trailer and say yup we are under 80% of max load and we are good to go. Months later they are burning up wheel bearings, having failing suspension parts or blow outs on one side of the trailer. So knowing what your trailer weights at each wheel is equally important. I have seen many a fifthwheel and tag trailer that has a lovely layout but then the owner discover that while they have plenty of storage some of it can't be used because of the appliances and other items have overloaded the trailer side to side. Always good to know your cross weights. Great job as always you two. Safe travels as you head south. - PB&J
You are so right. That's one reason our fresh water tank is near the exact center of the trailer. If we ever had the need to carry water to a destination, at least it would be truly centered over the axle centerline.
The sad thing about that is the camper trailer manufacturers apparently fail to factor that in during the layout design/concept process 😔
I'm glad you are as honest with folks out there about towing your CCT home. It gives them something to think about when they consider creating their own and towing it. It's all in what you put into it.
Thank you. That's exactly what we were trying to convey.
Men claim women don't listen. Deb listens. Thank you for the wonderful information.
Thank you
You guys are funny and interesting. And knowledgeable. A friend of mine has had many trailers over a 20 to 30 year span. He told me, for the best towability , divide the max tow capacity by 2. Pretty much what you said.
I hope that the video got people to thinking, you can build strong and keep weight down a little. It's a challenge to figure it all out.
The weight is something we need to keep in mind. I appreciate that you don't just show the fun stuff, travel, get togethers, but also the daily living considerations. As more of us go tiny in some fashion, the weight of our possessions needs to be considered. Thank you!
Thank you, life on the road is not always easy, but we love it.
It was the same considerations I had to make when I moved onto my sailboat. I put 3000 pounds of gear onboard so it lowered the water line and the way she sails. So when I just finished my cargo conversion I was seriously concerned about the weight I was putting in this build. I haven't had a chance to get the trailer weighted yet but I have put minimal permanent weight and reminding me of the living needs with food, clothes and supplies was a terrific reminder. Thanks. I thought two capacity was all I needed to know. So a million thanks for this.
You're certainly welcome.
All really good things to consider. I think your weight distribution inside the trailer is perfect. That's what makes a trailer track perfectly and predictable in all situations and conditions. I enjoy your videos a lot.
It is very "comfortable" going down the road.
This is info that is very important to anyone towing. The total weight, the tongue weight and the balance of weight.
My Rig : I had the weight when I bought it empty at 1300lbs. then I removed all the 1/2 plywood off the walls and after insulation I put back much lighter plywood at 1/4 “. That by itself lightened the load over 100 lbs. But then I used back one sheet for the shelf and the backboard for power wall. Anyway, when I weighed at the scales, dropped the trailer on scale without truck, it was 2015 lbs. That was loaded with all the umbrella, 10 x10 pop up, food, full water, pellets, clothing and butane stoves. Everything I needed to camp. Since I have taken out some things so I will be weighing again soon. Even the shelf is of 2x2 framing on the cabinets to minimize the weight of it. My advice is to just be mindful of weight when it goes in and get it weighed before you stress a transmission or brakes of your tow vehicle.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING. I am so thankful for the “I Ride” crew for this wonderful community.
Good information for sure.
I have a jeep wrangler and has a 3500 tow weight. Cargo trailer is a 12x6 v nose. But my jeep has steal bumpers, winch, side steps and a full body rack. I CAN'T pull the full weight of a trailer. People don't realize that. You have great information. Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanks for watching
Please remember it is not just what you can pull but also what you can stop. An overweight trailer can easily push a tow vehicle around in a panic stop. Also along with checking your bearings and trailer brakes check your breakaway switch/cable and battery to be sure they are working if you need them. Safe travels to everyone!!
Fixin to lube the axle bearings tomorrow.
FYI my RUclips app does indeed have a 👍 and a 👎🏻 option, but don’t worry you always rate an 👍. I appreciate it when you give info about trailer weight distribution because I think most people do not think about it. It is not something the average person would know. I feel I can always learn more about it. After all you don’t know what you don’t know until you need it. 🤷🏻♀️
When I first started the video tonight I thought for a second, "Wow after Deb and Bill got past 25,000 subscribers they have picked up a bunch of sponsors." Then I realized Bill was wearing his Dale Earnhardt jacket. ;) Nice video on trailer weights. Very important topic.
I love that jacket
FYI I have a smart car 🚗 I mounted a hitch on the roof to pull my 45 foot fifth wheel, it does pretty good ! when I drop the weight down on the hitch on roof , it drops down snug to my head, I can only look forward I can not see left or right, so I pray to God no one is coming from the left or right side of me !!! !! Deb you are looking pretty as always !!! Robert from Ohio !!
Lol.
@@billanddeb 😂
I am so glad Bill is living !!!!🎉🎉🎉
Me too lol
Balancing the load is very important as you mentioned. Fresh, grey and black tanks can add a lot. A gallon of water is 8.35# so add 20 to 40 gallons of water can add over 300# to the weight.
Our local CO-OP weighed mine a few years back. Weighed the truck, went home and got the trailer, and weighed both. I went at a time they were not busy.
I keep thinking I'll do something like that, then next thing I know I'm outa time.
Thanks for touching on tongue weight. I am considering doing a trailer conversion and wondered about this issue. Years ago I built a boat/utility trailer and designed it such that the axle could be moved for and aft to achieve ideal tongue weight depending on what the trailer was being used for. The shortfall I can see with cargo trailers is ending up with too much tongue weight after the build. It almost makes me wonder about locating the galley at the back of the trailer rather than the front.
We had a rear kitchen in our red trailer. And the bathroom in the nose.
Been avoiding wanting to weigh my 7x12 enclosed trailer, now that it is "finished", store two baggers, and camp with one. Going to eventually weigh it at the truck stop or recycling place just for piece of my mind, mainly for the tires (should I get heavier duty ones, and heavier duty axle), truck pulls it nicely at 65mph (Wisconsin to Tennessee two years ago- P.S. Chicago traffic sucks, tried to detour around and traffic detours directed me right to lakeshore drive!!), brakes work great, but it would be nice to guesstimate my next build off of what I now have. Love the videos, love the ideas people came up with.
Thank you for watching
One certain way to get your rig accurately weighed will be done by the attorney for any future injured party.
Maybe
That's why we take every precaution to be certain we're as safe as possible when traveling.
When we were buying our trailer, we couldn't get a straight answer to our towing capability. We have a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. After searching online, we found information in an RV magazine and were able to determine a safe towing weight. We are about 2,000 pounds under the towing capability of our Jeep. We don't even want to get close to the max towing weight. Thanks for the extra information!
You're welcome
Thank you so much for all this information. We're soaking it all in, waiting until we can purchase our trailer. Happy holidays to you both!
Thank you for watching.
Like a Congressman once said, "A billion dollars here and a billion dollars there and pretty soon you're into some serious money!"
Lol. So true.
You're putting such good information out there!
Thanks
Had a 2004 Ford F-150 that I pulled a 2013 Keystone Cougar and a Hallmark Toy Hauler through the back roads of North East Arkansas, Tennessee & Kentucky. When I bought the truck it was advertised as a 5.4 Triton. After having it a few years I brought it in for oil change and discovered it was the 4.6 Triton. I knew the curb weight of the Truck and curb weight of the trailer. I knew the axle size of the truck. Would not have bought the vehicle had I known it was the smaller engine. It did handle camper well. I did upgrade after the discovery for my peace of mind.
Had six tow vehicles over the years; from a one ton diesel to the half ton F150. As long as you stay in manufacture recommendations you should be fine. The closest to the parameters was that 4.6 Triton. It did well; but it was to close for me.
Very certain you are in safe parameters. You have very sturdy build and would be surprised if you topped 6500#!
We have a friend who tows his 7200 pound trailer with a V6 F150. It's rated (with special towing package) to tow 14,000 pounds according to him. He seems to have zero issues. He's been pretty much all over the country in all sorts of hills, mountains and flatlands.
@@billanddebMarvin? Certain you are in very safe parameters. 6500# max is what my guess would be for your build.
Great content Bill and Deb. Some day I aspire to be a full timer. Based on the economy, unfortunately, it will be later rather than sooner. Look forward to meeting you guys some day. Thanks for sharing.
It would be great to meet you too some day.
I see a thumbs down. I tried it. It worked. I removed it. I liked the video.
Interesting. I'm certain we get "thumbs down" but we never see them.
Bill & Deb.....GREAT VIDEO folks!!! I was one of those that was asking about weights and stuff in like 2 videos back and one of your viewers (can't remember his name) answered one of my questions. You pretty much completed my puzzle lol 🤣Was finding your hitch of great interest so was looking on Amazon and think I found it.......I think lol. Thanks again, folks, happy trails, and mobile with care.
We really appreciate you watching and showing interest in our videos. We'll try to get more info on future walk thrus.
Alejandro here, since you asked me that question almost 2 years ago, Sylma keeps asking me to weigh ours, I haven't had the courage to do it, I just know that my truck pulls it.
I know, what it is it is, lol
Happy Thanksgiving, guys! ❤️
Happy Thanksgiving Jan and Johnny. Wish we could be there.
Another good episode. The jacket is worth the extra 3 lbs. It is coincidental that you have Earnhardt, Sr.'s # 3 on the jacket.
I think Dale's name is on it too.
love the kitchen,i used the same brick panel, too!!
I love it!
Thank you Bill and Deb! Have a great Thanksgiving and always safe travels. Love your channel.
Thanks for watching.
Scariest ride I ever took was when my brother towed my RV home. He was pulling with a Ram 1500 and it was rated to pull my camper. The camper swayed all over the place. Got a sway bar and it helped a little but not enough. The camper was empty both times we moved it. We borrowed a Chevy 2500 and what a difference. Point being the truck was supposed to be able to handle the camper weight but in reality it did not.
We see that a lot.
This is probably an odd question. Have you seen a conversation set up with a bunk house for kids and another bed for the parents. I enjoy watching your videos.
Good topic. My truck is rated to tow 11,000 lbs. But I will not let my trailer weight get higher than 60-70% of that tow max. Both for safety and fuel economy. But also, to get more life out of my truck.
Yes, always a great idea to keep weight down and equalized.
Happy Thanksgiving you two! You can get a gross and axel weights at a commercial truck scale at the truck stops. It wont weigh tongue weights. But it will give you a lot better idea where you're at. Every once in a while you'll be able to weigh them at little hardware stores here and there and other factories. Where they will give you precise individual axel weights. It'll take about 30 to 40 minutes. And sometimes its free. Enjoy your videos. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
We'll figure something out on our trip.
I was told if you get into an accident and your tow vehicle isn’t rated to tow your rig you could be found to be at fault regardless if you were or not plus be sued
That could be true.
I've seen so many comments in various fb groups stating the EMPTY weight. I just can't imagine WHAT people in their right mind would NOT take the GVWR into consideration. There are camping trailers that weigh 3500 empty with a GVWR of LESS than 4500, and there are 3500 lb camping trailers with GVWR of 5500+ lbs, making the dry/empty weight pretty much irrelevant. So I'm mostly with you on this whole weight issue. However, I do agree with BTBRV that you shouldn't exceed 90% of the tow vehicle's tow capacity as long as you don't exceed its CGVWR or its max load capacity when towing.
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Our vans towing capacity is 9900 or 10000 pounds depending on which website you're looking at. Our trailer weighs 7500 pounds. As far as that goes we're at 75% towing capacity.
Watched a video where a guy bought an incredible box tiny home 8'x16', brang along all his belongings to put in and then head out to where he was gonna live, but when he tried to pull it with his vehicle it was way to heavy. Know now what u saying. HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
Happy Thanksgiving to you Terry.
Payload rating - many will max out payload before maxing out rated tow capacity. Tongue weight is subtracted from payload then passengers weight then any cargo.
Yes
Are you able to go into all RVparks?? I have a tiny bus and have been no because it's a conventional?? Do you have to stop at weigh places on the road??
Happy holidays and enjoy your journey.
Love and Light Karen and Miles🎄
We really don't go to private campgrounds, much. We mostly go to state parks and national parks. Some private campgrounds will turn us away. Florida signs say to stop and we do, but they just wave us on thru.
I hate i cant make it to fl mom in hospital and i just got back working on my trailer from my shoulder surgery everyone have a awesome time
Hope your mom feels better soon.
Hubby was listening and nodding his head to your comments. He has tried explaining that same message to some friends. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Lol. Glad he was in agreement.
I once read that one should use 500 lb. per person as additional minimal wt. in a tow vehicle. This is all inclusive; i.e. clothes, food, equipment, etc. Also, tow 1000 lb. less than your vehicle tow rating. Your info was a wise assessment.
That sounds like a good rule of thumb.
I don't know about America. But here in Canada, we have weigh scales along every main highway. Digital display on 24/7 and most are unmanned. Built for truckers but Anyone can just drive on them and find there weight.
It can be a quick way to get a good idea of your cargo load.
Happy Colonial Thanksgiving! Love you guys videos. I hope you're happy, warm and safe. You guys always make me laugh and hey, who cares how much complainers want to wag their tongues, it's just their opinion and if they think their opinion is so important, let them go through the trouble of making videos to try and help people like you do. You guys sure help me. Thanks!
Thank you for your thoughts. Thank you for watching
Have you weighed your trailer at some point over these last eight months? Heck, my little 5 X 10 I'm working on still isn't finished, so... but it's GVWR/Gross Vehicle Weight Rating/what-it-can-never-weigh-more-than is 3000 lbs. I don't even want 10% tongue weight because I keep a lot of gear in my 1/2 pickup's truck bed under a tonneau cover, so there's already a decent amount of weight on the truck's rear axle.
Like you I have deliberately placed my heaviest, fixed items (batteries, chargers, galley countertop) directly on top of the trailer axle centerline. I have geeked out on the layout like as if this trailer were a race car. I kid you not. I'm cursed.
Anyhoo... I enjoy your videos and look forward to one day crossing paths in camp. Continued! safe travels to you and your lovely wife.
Have a happy Thanksgiving and Christmas enjoy the warmer weather it's a nice cool 20 degrees in Wyoming love the videos keep them coming
Same to ya Margarett. We're definitely ready for milder temps.
Bill, why don't you see if you can get a State Trooper to come to your camp ground in February with a set of road scales and offer the service of weighting the attendees setup during a specific day of the week. Maybe the men could get together and help the officer do the scale weighting job.
That's a thought, if they had the time.
That's a good idea.
Maybe one if your Ranger friend yall know will know a Trooper who enjoys concerts with a little Fireball, 😉. (Off duty of courrse) That stuff is amazing. It's great straight from the freezer.
Except for short, infrequent towing, the "50%" rule is an excellent rule to follow. There are so many issues when pulling a trailer. One issue that I think is often overlooked when pulling a trailer, and that is people have a tendency to believe "it won't happen to me". Also, many people significantly under estimate the weight in their towed trailer. It is critical to not just know your total trailer weight, but to have a copy of its total weight, in writing, from a certified scale. Why? Well, the most important reason is to not significantly increase the risk of killing or severely injuring ourselves or others. Another important reason is if there is an accident, your insurance company has no obligation to pay for your loss, or the loss to others, if your trailer is 1 lb overweight. Consider this; if an accident occurs and the facts of the initial investigation determine the non-towing party is at fault, their insurance company may choose to have the other party's towed trailer weighed and if it is 1 lb overweight, the preliminary non-at-fault towing party could then be determined to be at fault, and their insurance provider could legally deny the claim. That is scary and for people who try to mitigate risk to acceptable levels, it is imperative to tow in a safe and legal manner, and that includes keeping our trailers under the GVWR, and tow with a vehicle rated for all applicable weights.
Good point
Hello folks. Glad you are staying warm. Good topic. You can go to a local truck stop scale or possibly a scrap metal facility. Pull your rig on the scale. Get the total weight. Disconnect from the trailer, leaving it on the scale. Now you will have a trailer weight and a total rig weight. Good luck. Just be willing to pay a lil fee for the scale ticket.
We have one near where we are, but lots of folks end up with flat tires there due to metal shards. I'd hate to stop there on the way to my next destination only to have a flat tire 5 miles down the road.
I think the movie is called the long long trailer with Lucille Ball too funny
A very funny movie
Yes. We showed that movie at movie night at the last Rendezvous in Florida
Gotta watch that to change the idea of getting a BIG trailer.
Just wondering what the average wattage for solar power system do most set up for their 7×16 conversion cargo campers. I understand it depends on what you're using for power in your camper. I'm thinking the average would be a good place to start.
Any truck stop will give you a axle weight for about $12 to $15 bucks there abouts
They will ask you first weight; that means you can weigh the van first, then hook back up to the trailer and pull it over the scale by itself, some places will be able to give you a axle weight with everything on the scale at the same time. Just ask before you use there scale.
Have a super blessed day 🙏
Thanks for watching
Great info friends! Now I wanna go weigh my Mini lol
How can you insure a cargo conversion and ensure that your investment is protected? From what I've seen, companies will insure cargo trailers based on depreciated value of just the trailer, not the contents ... unless you get special (expensive, commercial?) insurance for contents. Otherwise you'd have to build your conversion in such a way that would qualify the trailer to be reclassified as a recreational vehicle just to get rv insurance. I am very disappointed because I had my design ready to build but now I realize I won't be able to insure it. Any suggestions?
Insuring cargo Conversions has been an issue for many. The maim reason is, the insurance companies don't understand the concept. We are insured, but we know our coverage is inadequate.
Wow you Look Great Deb with that Jacket next to you .
Thanks
Hope all is Good with you
It’s A High ok 45 today in Nebraska .
FYI The Painting they 🥰 Loved them
Happy Thanksgiving. Safe travels.
Thank you
Happy Thanksgiving. God bless Deb and Bill..from Bill and Melissa.
Happy holidays back at ya!
We hope you have a wonderful holiday season.
They should weigh their grocery run just to see how it will add up. 4 lbs of sugar 5. Lbs flour, 10 lb of potatoes. Already 19 lbs. 4 cases of drinks , and their are 10 bags in the car etc…. Even your groceries could weigh 100 pounds easy.
A trailer that weighs as much as the tow vehicle can drive the tow vehicle. A very dangerous situation.
That's true
Thanks for watching
The other problem with conventional travel trailers is many of them don’t have the available weight capacity to hold all the garb and gadgets that full time rvers want/need to carry. And they factor the tongue weight into the available weight. So a single axel trailer with 400lbs of tongue weight supposedly can carry 3,900 lbs. However the trailer dry weighs 3,300lbs. So basically you can put some toilet paper and maybe some coffee filters in there.
Your 9,900 available weight capacity does not include tongue weight at all. If you were to count it the same way, you’d have close to another 1,000 pounds available for all those coats you want to have.
I started adding my item’s weights up and was amazed at how fast it all adds up. For some reason I am drawn to heavy stuff. Cast iron pots and pans, thick butcher block countertops, a rather heavy tiny wood stove, a winch, roof solar panels, deployable solar panels, batteries, on and on and on. Stuff is just plain heavy.
You are correct. Stuff you never think about adds extra weight real quick.
Yeah thats why i chose to buy a teardrop. Its made of aluminum and only weighs 400 lbs empty my Hyundai Santa Fe Sport should be able to tow it. Im just looking right now so anything could change. I love my sennia i had and probably buy another. 73
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Thank you, happy holidays to you and yours
Another very informative video, thank you. Have a safe and fun Thanksgiving !
Thank you
Happy thanksgiving to you and your family !!! 🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃
Robert from Ohio !!
Happy holidays to you!!!
Very good video, you were too kind to people about weight
Lol.
Everyone worries to much. Just hook up, load er full, hold the petal to the metal, and hope for the best. Young people dont worry, just all you old folks worry yourselves to death. Carry good insurance and get down the road. Dont Worry, Be Happy !
Haha
Happy Thanksgiving yall.
Right back at ya William.
Loves truck stop will allow you to weigh your rig for $10.00. I have a scrap yard near me n they allow you to weigh your rig for free. If you ever come through Memphis again let my wife n I know. We would love to meet you guys!
Thank you for watching
We lived in 40 ft 5th wheels for 16 years and you can expect to add #5,000 pounds to the trailer weight. Trust me when I say this because I’ve weighed every one we’ve had before and after. Also we pulled with 1 ton dulleys and also installed airbags on each for the extra tongue weight.
We are amazed at how much our stuff weighs. We try to minimize.....but....
@@billanddeb A person doesn’t re realize how much clothes weighs. And a lot of people will travel with full water tanks at 8# per gallon. Some people have no concept on minimizing.
Enjoy your day
Thank you
Ya'll are awesome!
Thanks for watching
Hope you caught the blooper at the end. If ya didn't, go back and fast forward to the last 5 minutes
Thank you for the info!
You're welcome.
What about insurance coverage?
Bill how do you get a tongue weight on a trailer. I have tried to find out n google of course didn’t give a clear answer lol
I purchased a ball with a scale on it from WEIGH SAFE. I ended up returning it mainly because it only came as a 2 inch ball with a sleeve to make it a larger ball. The sleeve didn't look too "spiffy" to me, but I did get a tongue weight measurement first. I'll see how accurate it was when I get good #s at a weigh station.
Please be careful when upgrading Axles on your trailer. Just because you place 5,200 lb axles under your trailer doesn't mean the trailer can haul 10,000 lbs of weight. The trailer frame also has to be able to haul that much weight to safely be able to haul that much weight. Usually if a trailer manufacturer upgrades the axles, it will also have a bigger and heavier frame to compensate to hold that weight.
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The discussion should be about tare, not loaded, weights. Tare of steel trailers will be much more than aluminium: say +30%. I surmise most DIY CCT conversions will weigh more than a comparable commercial TT, for the simple reason most people outfit their CCT with what they find at their local hardware store. Very few people stop to think about what home-hardware stuff weighs; rather the focus is upon cost savings. So what you save in cost at the home hardware, you will pay at the fuel pump. Fact: heavier trailers require more power to pull, thus more fuel consumption.
Weight distribution is a stability issue, not "towability" per se. "Towability" is matter of overall dimensions, mass, suspension, and drag.
For a great lesson about stability/sway, see this vid...
ruclips.net/video/JeEEC5eVNCk/видео.html
A cargo trailer conversion is a cargo trailer first, which is then made into a camper. Sounds obvious, but I think they are fundamentally better to haul cargo and all the 'stuff' down the road without falling apart.
Great video and happy thanksgiving to you guys.
Thanks Nick. Happy Holidays to you.
I’m hoping I can make it down next year.🤞🏻
We weighed our 8.5x20 on Thanksgiving and it weighed 5800 lbs.
I have never pushed a thumbs down but it's there Bill. And yes-we're living 😂 Happy-healthy-blessed Thanksgiving🙏🙏💞
The thumbs down icon is there, but nothing shows when it's pushed. We're very happy you've never hit the thumbs down. Thank you so much for your support.
Um, who's going to be the one to tell Bill there IS a thumbs down? It's not going to be me. OH!, I know. Hey Deb, ever been in the mood to dance around singing "I told ya so" to Bill?😇
The thumbs down is there, but nothing shows up if you hit it.
@@billanddeb Had no idea because I would NEVER dislike one of your videos.😂 Guess it's a placebo for those who would.
My stupid question...where do I get my trailer weighed??
We got ours weighed at Cat Scales. They're located at numerous truck stops throughout the nation.
@@billanddeb I looked it up and my nearest CAT scale is 50 miles away. But it will be worth the time. I'm pretty sure I'm at least 50 % of my GVWR. But I want numbers and my tongue weight. Thanks again. This is so important to be aware of to stay safe. I'm out there by myself.
If you have a local iron and metal scrap yard, you might be able to get it weighed there. But, beware, sometimes you encounter metal shards that can cause a flat.
@@billanddeb as always you have been generous with your time and advice to help. Thanks so very much. With my sailboat it's super easy to weigh it yearly on the travel lift at haul out for the bottom job. This is actually more difficult to do.
All great information. Folks should know that how they load/placement. Single axle trailers are designed to carry the weight between the axle and tounge. Your extra axle weights, vehicle upgrades, and keeping track of added weight helped alot. Nice job
Thank you
All trailers, including single axles, are designed to carry the weight evenly distributed from the front all the way to back. A 10' trailer's axle is positioned 6' from the front edge of the cargo platform in order to achieve the 60/40 weight distribution when loaded evenly front to back. When loaded from front to axle, the ratio is more like 90/10 or even 95/05, resulting in excessive tongue weight on the receiver, rear suspension and axle, and extremely insufficient weight on the front axle of the tow vehicle.
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Thanks Patrick
I watch your videos on a regular basis...Did you know that if the trailer exceeds it's maximum weight and something was to happen, such as a accident..Your insurance my refuse to pay and you could face other liabilities for being over weight ...
Don't you be need to show weight when you register it and plate it?? I know here in Michigan they want the trailer weight & want to know if any modifications have been done to it ..
Ours is registered in ARKANSAS. They go by the GVW rating.
@@billanddeb ok...But without weighting it how do you know how close you are to GVW ...
I hope you are living. I hope yall live a long time 🤣
We plan on it, thanks
I think the word you were looking for on commercially made RV's is CHEAP!
I was being diplomatic. 😉
Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels.
Thank you
Happy Thanksgiving!
We're gonna miss you guys.
@@billanddeb Same here. We sure enjoyed our visit and we look forward to seeing you next year and enjoying your vlogs. 🥰