How Much Do You Weigh?

[Steve L.]

We had a thread on the previous board where people reported their actual, goin' campin' weight of their trailers. Something for us to consider when reviewing reported dry weights vs. actual travelin' weights vs. tow vehicle abilities. Real vs. imaginary numbers.

I don't know how to put this delicately, but, perhaps actual measurements would be more useful than estimates?? MY thinking is that we're not very good guessers. (I'm sure YOU guessed you looked good in that Nehru jacket, but the rest of us thought... )

Might I suggest Year, Brand, Model, Total weight, Tongue weight?

2003 Casita 16 SD, 2970 pounds total, 220 pounds tongue

Not quite recommended 10-15% tongue weight.

[Dan Meyer]

It has been quite some time since my Scamp was on the scale; here is what I remember:

2000 Scamp 16 SD / bath / Roof AC / 4.2 cu ft 'fridge - 2800 pounds. Did not check tongue weight. We were traveling home from a weekend camping trip, and had the usual stuff on board; 1/2 tank water, partially full black and gray water tanks, extra groceries, etc.

-- Dan Meyer

[Charlie C]

Last trip to the scales was on our way to Florida last Feb. We were loaded down for 4 weeks with roof box on the van and bikes on the back of the trailer. I did a double run through, once without WDH hooked up and once with WDH in place.

2000 Casita 17 SD with all options, roof air towed by 2003 Dodge Caravan Sport

Tongue weight on the trailer was about 350 pounds


No WDH Front Axle 2381 Rear Axle 2954 Trailer Axle 2910 Veh Gross 5335
With WDH Front Axle 2579 Rear Axle 2646 Trailer Axle 3020 Veh Gross 5225

Gross Carrier Weight 8245

The WDH did a good job of moving the load to a real nice handling balance, especially for a front wheel drive. We got just over 16 MPG over the whole trip of about 4000 miles, most of the time we travelled around 60 to 65 MPH

[RonMayo]

I've published this before but I know people are very interested in this kind of data.

"Near Midway BC I came across a free vehicle scale that allowed me to determine that my 2005 13’ Deluxe Scamp (with no A/C but everything else) weighed in at 1880 pounds including a tongue weight estimate of 164 pounds. Included is 12 gallons of water and about 200 pounds of food, clothing, and tools. That makes a dry weight of 1580 pounds, somewhat more than the Scamp literature indicates.

[jack maloney]

1986 UHaul CT13:

- tongue weight 180lbs.

- axle weight fully loaded (food, clothing, water, propane, kitchen and sleeping gear) 1480lbs.

- total weight 1660lbs.

[Gina D.]

At a lonely little ancient CHP scale, just south of Bishop, Ca. I amused the lonely little CHP officer with my whopping 1450 axle weight. "Do you have anything IN there?"

That was fully loaded (Sans full water tank) with junk for a one week trip, me and 2 dogs. Thats the most I have done.

We did not do the tongue at that time. Kurt did it with his official tongue scale, and it came to close to 280 lbs. I have not really tried to verify that, but unless there are gold bricks inside my frame at the tongue, I think that may be wrong.

With bathroom scale and readjusting, I got it to 180. I have a fridge, so that seems more realistic, but am still unsure.

BTW, I am now paranoid and want to upgrade my hitch. I am towing with a class 1. It's still within limits, but when I had it safety checked last week at my trailer guys, he found a "slightly" loose loop where the hitch attaches at the center of the back of my van, over the draw bar. He said he did 1/2 turn on the bolts, it was no big deal, but .. well, I am parnanoid. It was "Creaking" pretty bad before he tightened them. Now it's OK.

Best believe my tools are going with me on my big trip to Oregon and those bolts will be checked at each stop.

Oh..

1980 Burro with Fridge, heater, stove, batteries (Over axle) 20 gallon propane tank. No grey or black water tank, one fresh tank, 15 gallons. Never travel with water.

[evan]

Your okay with that hitch Gina. I tow with an Element and my class I is rated 2000lbs/200 tongue. If your hitch is similar rated then your well within the limits. Especially when you consider that its probably designed to 1 1/5 times worst case. I check that loop your talking about all the time. Buy an extra loop bracket with nuts/washers and keep those handy.
Our 05 Scamp 13ft with bathroom upfront, refer, no air, and approx. 250lbs of water, and supplies. 1600lbs, 150 tongue.

[Patrick M.]

2004 Scamp 13 Standard, 1850 pounds total, 165 pounds tongue per several Oregon free scales. (Thank you OR taxpayers!)

That was loaded with gear, water, propane. (My measured water tank holds 10 gallons, btw.)

Our Scamp has the roof A/C, an awning and front/rear overhead cabinets.

Gina, I too think you're okay with your Class I. 2,000# means 2,000#. Although I do like the look of my Class III but that's a man thing I think.

And look, three Element tugs in a row!

2003 17SD Casita, 25 gals water plus 6 gallons in hot water tank, two full 20# propane bottles, empty gray and black water holding tanks, personal gear and food aboard, 2850 on the axle and 350 on the tongue weight, truck scale.

[John McMillin]

Twice I've visited the local truck scale with my 1985 Scamp 16'. It weighed 1800 and 1880 lbs, plus 180 lbs tongue weight as measured with a bathroom scale. Yes, that's light for a midsize egg. It has no furnace, no bathroom, no closet, no TV, no VCR/DVD, only a propane cooktop and a hand pump. That did include a MaxxAir vent fan and a small window air conditioner cobbled into the fridge space. I also carried a 60-qt cooler of ice and a slightly smaller refrigerated cooler. Packed for the road, I carry about 2-3 gallons of water, a porta-potty, and all the blankets, pillows, etc the wife thinks we need. Heavier gear like food, clothes and camera gear goes into the tow car.

I'm lucky for all the options I don't have, so it can be pulled with a tow CAR. Go light, and you can have a spacious 16-footer.

[Lance MacArthur]

Our boler 13' weighed in at 1750 with all its gear, 1/2 tank of water and full propane. Tongue weight was 180. We pull using a class 3 hitch, mainly because I had a lot of extras for a class 3 leftf rom the motorhome I sold in favor of the fg trailer.

[Al and Cindy K]

2002 16' Scamp standard w/side bath, roof air and most other options.

In camping trim - Full fresh water tank, bikes (two on rear mounted hitch), chairs (two), folding table, 12'x12' screen room, grills (charcoal and gas) & accessories and assorted other 'necessities' accumulated over the years.

Trailer gross weight - 2,975 lbs
Tongue weight - 340 lbs (EU3000 generator, dual propane tanks & grp 27 DC battery)

We mostly boondock or dry camp in state/federal parks & forests and actually use just about everything we drag along.


Al & Cindy

[Tony Nowak]

1999 Scamp 13 foot,toliet in front ,refrig, and furnance. No awning,AC,or fan.Both weights with no water and 1/2 tank of gas
Empty-1460lbs total ,190 tongue
Full -1720lbs total,240 tongue
Tony and Darlene (mt_horebites)

[Andrea]

MODERATOR'S NOTE: This post merged into this older topic, to keep all the posts together and the older topic current.

Just wondering if people would be willing to post their trailer's 'stats'. I was thinking this might be a nice resource for those of us looking at older trailers especially where its hard to find out weight info. Is there another place that already has this info? If not, I think it'd be great if people could post the following about their late model trailers

Make/Model:
Length:
GVWR:
Tongue Wt:
Actual Trailer Wt:

Please post whatever weight info you may have! Thanks!

[Clint]

I also have a question about weight. I went to look at a Scamp 13' and saw a tag that said 1200 gvw? I thought the 77's weighed 950????? Sup wit dat?

[CD Smith]

Just wondering if people would be willing to post their trailer's 'stats'. I was thinking this might be a nice resource for those of us looking at older trailers especially where its hard to find out weight info. Is there another place that already has this info? If not, I think it'd be great if people could post the following about their late model trailers

Make/Model:
Length:
GVWR:
Tongue Wt:
Actual Trailer Wt:

Please post whatever weight info you may have! Thanks!

Well, here goes!

Make/Model: 1999 Casita Spirit Deluxe
Length: 17 feet
GVWR: 3500 lbs.
Tongue Weight: 450 lbs.
Actual Trailer Weight: 3025

[Frederick L. Simson]

Please post whatever weight info you may have! Thanks!

Link to "What does my Fiber Stream weigh?"

[Andrea]

I also have a question about weight. I went to look at a Scamp 13' and saw a tag that said 1200 gvw? I thought the 77's weighed 950????? Sup wit dat?

GVWR is the trailer's TOTAL weight rating-so the max the trailer can take including itself, cargo, fluids etc. I'm not an expert but I think a GVWR of 1200 would be about right for a small 950lb trailer with only a small water tank.

[CD Smith]

GVWR is the trailer's TOTAL weight rating-so the max the trailer can take including itself, cargo, fluids etc. I'm not an expert but I think a GVWR of 1200 would be about right for a small 950lb trailer with only a small water tank.

GVWR for most trailers is the combined weight rating of the tires touching the road.

[Curtis F.]

2005 Trillium Outback
Loaded for travel; with 10 gallons fresh and 10 gallon black water. Both tanks in front of trailer.

Axel weight = 1640
Tongue weight = 280

Total weight = 1920.

Curt