What does my Fiber Stream Weigh?

[Frederick L. Simson]

In the PACK MULE topic, I talked about having an inventory of the items I keep in my trailer, that was lost in the hacking.

In that earlier (pre-hack) topic, someone was inquiring about what makes a 16' trailer so heavy? People had discussed how manufacturer's weight stickers under estimated the true weight of the trailer. Fiber Stream put in their 1978 sales brochure that their trailer weighs 1600 to 1700 pounds. I knew that mine was heavier than that. I tow with a 2003 Honda Odyssey LX which has a maximum towing capacity of 3500 pounds**.**if properly equipped, and NOT containing 7 passengers.

To attempt to meet the manufacturer's claim, I emptied my trailer of everything I keep in it. Then I removed items that are "attached" but could be considered "options" that are not included in the advertized "Dry Weight". These Items were: the Battery, the spare tire, and two 20 pound propane tanks. Then I went to a scale (that I had calibrated) and weighed my trailer. The dry weight was: 2000 pounds.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Now I will share what my Inventory list is.

Trailer Stuff:
1. 700 watt Microwave Oven
2. 13” TV/VCR combo
3. 1 VHS tape storage case, capacity: 8 VHS video tapes)
4. Pair of computer speakers to use with portable CD player
5. 300 watt inverter (12 volt DC to 120 volt AC)
6. 1 King size goose down Comforter
7. 1 King size blanket
8. 2 King size Duvets (1 green, 1 navy blue)
9. 2 complete King Size sheet sets (1 green, 1 beige)
10. 2 King size Bed Pillows
11. 2 Standard size Bed Pillows (with 2 sets of pillowcases; 1 green, 1 beige)
12. 1 crocheted afghan lap throw (hand made)
13. 1 commercially woven lap throw
14. 4 stuffed teddy bears (plus 1 vibrating frog)
15. 1 woven vinyl patio mat (9’ x 12’)
16. 2 hand made chair bases (to convert Odyssey 2ND row seats into chairs)
17. 2 dining chair seat cushions*, 2 beach towels
18. 2 complete (bath & hand) towel & washcloth sets (green, frog motif)
19. 1 alarm clock (for medicine schedule)
20. Toiletries (shaving) kits, toilet brush, bathroom cleaner, and air freshener
21. 1 kitchen oven mitt / pot holder / dishtowel set
22. 1 complete measuring cup & spoon set
23. Melamine dish service for 4 (plates, bowls, cups & saucers)
24. Stainless flatware service for 8
25. Corning ware 9 cup stovetop coffee percolator
26. Mr. Coffee 8 cup electric drip coffee maker (with thermal carafe)
27. 4 commuter lidded coffee mugs
28. Hamilton Beech 12 speed blender
29. 1 battery operated hand mixer
30. 1 large covered deep dish frying pan
31. 1 small covered saucepan
32. 1 sink cover/cutting board
33. 2 baking pans & 1 broiler pan (Fiber Stream has 3 burner stove with oven)
34. Several covered Tupperware bowls
35. 4 Tupperware compartmented food trays
36. 6 Tupperware Drinking Glasses
37. Assorted utensils: spatulas, spoons, large knives, openers, corkscrews, etc.
38. Tupperware canisters (coffee, sugar & powdered creamer)
39. Small plastic salt & pepper set
40. “Giant Match” butane lighter, with butane refill canister
41. Can of Cooking Spray, paper towels, box of Kleenex, extra toilet paper
42. Plastic 3 drawer chest in closet, several clothes hangars
43. Large mesh bag for dirty clothes
44. Broom, brush, & dustpan
45. First Aid Kit
46. 12 Volt battery Camping Lantern
47. 1 each 25’ extension cord & 50’ extension cord
48. 1 each 25’ white water hose & 50’ white water hose (potable use)
49. 1 each 25’ gray water hose (non-potable use)
50. 1 each 20’ sewer hose with connectors and telescoping support stand
51. Disposable plastic gloves (bag of 50)
52. 1 each 25’ 75 ohm TV cable, assorted electrical adapters: (30 amp to 15 amp)
53. 1 each 5 gallon fresh water jug
54. 1 each 5 gallon “Port-A-Way’st” gray water tote
55. 1 each 20 amp-hour spare 12 volt battery

Towing and “other” stuff kept in trailer:
1. 2 sets of 10 each “Lego” style leveling blocks
2. 4 stabilizing jacks
3. 10’ x 10’ E-Z-Up Screen Room
4. Weight Distributing Hitch spring arms & Ball Mount
5. Friction Anti-Sway Bar
6. Extension mirrors for tow vehicle

[Gina D.]

I can't play. only 1500 at my max loads.

[Byron Kinnaman]

I put mine on the scales a while back with water tank empty. Axel weight was 1350lbs.

Someday I'll stop again at a scales and unhitch just see what the weight is.

I did measure the tongue weight. 168lbs.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Now I will share what my Inventory list is.

Trailer Stuff:

54.

Towing and “other” stuff kept in trailer:
1. 2 sets of 10 each “Lego” style leveling blocks
2. 4 stabilizing jacks
3. 10’ x 10’ E-Z-Up Screen Room
4. Weight Distributing Hitch spring arms & Ball Mount
5. Friction Anti-Sway Bar
6. Extension mirrors for tow vehicle

Sheesh, with all that "stuff" aren't you getting very close to that 3500 lb maximum weight?

[Frederick L. Simson]

I can't play. only 1500 at my max loads.

[b]?
I plan to take my trailer back to the scale and re-weigh it, loaded with the stuff I keep in it all the time. The only stuff we have to pack at the start of a trip is food and clean clothes.

[Gina D.]

? confuse.gif

your poll STARTS at 2k.

Oh.. We are supposed to guess YOUR weight.

Too much!

[Frederick L. Simson]

Oh.. We are supposed to guess YOUR weight.

Too much!

It starts at my Fiber Stream's 2000 pound dry weight and stops at my Odyssey's 3500 pound towing capacity.

(Don't forget to re-add back the spare tire, battery, & propane tanks)

I don't yet actually know the total weight, but will post it when I do.

[Gina D.]

You need a scale pro!

[Byron Kinnaman]

I guess I missed that we were supposed to guess the weight. OK Now I'll as Gina say, play.

[Brian B-P]

I think this is a great idea, Frederick! The Fiber Stream (even at its actual weight) is lighter than my Boler B1700, but you have an impressive list of stuff in it, so the loaded weight might be almost as much. I'll reserve my vote until I have a little more time to examine your list, but I suspect that it will be at least as much as my 3000 lb loaded weight, and maybe disturbingly close to the top of your scale.

For anyone adding up the list, some component weights might be interesting, and thought-provoking...

• as Christy and I have both looked for microwave ovens, we have found the small ones (like typical 700W units) are typically 30 lbs.
• propane tanks weigh about as much empty as the propane they contain, and the empty (tare) weight is stamped right into them (e.g. about 20 lb empty, 40 lb full, for a "20 lb" tank)
• my Honda Civic wheels and tires are about 20 lb each (20 for the wheel, another 20 for the tire) - the Fiber Stream has small wheels and tires (because it has four)

[Frederick L. Simson]

Oh.. We are supposed to guess YOUR weight.

Too much!

I weighed my Trailer just now, and added [b]MY vote to the above results.

The Envelope, please...
(we lost the drum roll emoticon)

[b]2620 pounds with a 200 pound hitch weight.

[Byron Kinnaman]

I weighed my Trailer just now, and added [b]MY vote to the above results.

The Envelope, please...
(we lost the drum roll emoticon)

[b]2620 pounds with a [b]200 pound hitch weight.

Is that a bit light for 2600 lb tow weight?

[Gina D.]

You FAT!!!!!

OK, I lost. I think I was at 2800.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Is that a bit light for 2600 lb tow weight?

Yes, 200 pounds is less than 10% of the 2620 pound total.
However, I believe that the light tongue weight is mitigated by the double axle, and my use of a Weight Distributing Hitch. This is the most stable trailer (never any sway) that I have ever experienced.

[Brian B-P]

Thanks for running an interesting survey, Frederick. Isn't it surprising that while most trailer owners underestimate the weight of their trailers, as a group we overestimated the weight of this Fiber Stream, even given an actual empty weight to start from? Overcompensating, perhaps?

I hadn't voted yet, and was going to just assume that same cargo load as me (about 600 lbs) and thus guess 2600 to 2700 lbs. Honestly!

Can we assume that the 2620 lbs includes the 200 lb on the hitch (that it is not just the axle weight) and that this is determined without effects from the WDH?

I am not so concerned by the tongue weight of less than 10%, but the combination of a very light hitch load with a WDH does seem a little strange. I assume that the spring bars are set to a very light load, and this setup is serving mostly to spring-load the coupling to centre, resisting yaw and roll, while adding some frictional damping as well. I think it would be interesting to know how well the rig would work without the WDH (and its weight). I see in the inventory list that there is also a friction-type sway control.

Although I'm not convinced that tandem axles are worth the weight and bulk, they seem to be working for Fiber Stream owners, who seem univerally happy with their trailers. Further evidence that building a good product has little to do with commercial success.

I've never seen specs (overall length, body length, body width, interior height, outside height, axle capacity...) for the Fiber Stream, but I understand that it is a "16 foot" design. The 2000 lb empty weight does seem to be typical for that size of moulded fiberglass trailer.

As for the final number... I wish my trailer were only 2620 lb, but the accommodations in any of the 16' designs don't seem to quite fit what we are looking for. It would be a better match for our "3500 lb capacity" vans than my current setup.

[Rick]

4700 LBS dry and empty.

[Frederick L. Simson]

(1) Can we assume that the 2620 lbs includes the 200 lb on the hitch (that it is not just the axle weight) and that this is determined without effects from the WDH?

(2) The combination of a very light hitch load with a WDH does seem a little strange.
I see in the inventory list that there is also a friction-type sway control.

(3) I've never seen [b]specs (overall length, body length, body width, interior height, outside height, axle capacity...) for the Fiber Stream, but I understand that it is a "16 foot" design. The 2000 lb empty weight does seem to be typical for that size of moulded fiberglass trailer.

(1) To weigh the trailer, I completely unhitched it, totally on the scale platform, with my tow vehicle off the platform, and the readout was [b]2620 pounds. Then I hitched up, but did not install the WDH spring arms. With the tow vehicle off the scale and the trailer on the scale, the readout was [b]2420 pounds. I deduced from that a hitch weight of [b]200 pounds.

(2) The WDH components (excepting the ball mount) and the friction anti-sway control were included in the items that the previous owner transferred to me when I bought this trailer. I use the WDH because of Honda's owner's manual stating that it is required when towing any trailer over 2000 pounds. I seldom use the friction anti-sway... unless I am towing in very windy conditions.

(3) I can post the complete specs here later...

[Brian B-P]

(1) To weigh the trailer, I completely unhitched it, totally on the scale platform, with my tow vehicle off the platform, and the readout was [b]2620 pounds. Then I hitched up, but did not install the WDH spring arms. With the tow vehicle off the scale and the trailer on the scale, the readout was [b]2420 pounds. I deduced from that a hitch weight of [b]200 pounds.

(2) ...I use the WDH because of Honda's owner's manual stating that it is required when towing any trailer over 2000 pounds...

(3) I can post the complete specs here later...

1. Nicely done. I haven't done it this way, because I didn't want to be on the scale and immoble when an truck came up to use it, but it is certainly the most accurate method.
   The spring arms will add their weight to the hitch weight. When tightened, they force load off of the rear axle (on to the van front and trailer axles), but their weight is still there. They probably put the tongue weight up to 10% of the 2620 lb by themselves.
   
2. I didn't realize that Honda wants the WDH when over 2000 lb, regardless of hitch load. Toyota previously specified "sway control" over 2000 lb for my Sienna, but later dropped even that. WDH is only needed as required if the hitch load is over 350 lb. Of course, following the manufacturer's requirements is prudent.
3. I look forward to the specs, but of course there's no rush.

[Lee Washburn]

Yes, 200 pounds is less than 10% of the 2620 pound total.
However, I believe that the light tongue weight is mitigated by the double axle, and my use of a Weight Distributing Hitch. This is the most stable trailer (never any sway) that I have ever experienced.

Hay u got me thinking.every year our load gets bigger time for over loads.at one time we had 780 lbs of stuff between the truck and trailmite. Than i got a dutch oven & fire wood. i ve lost count O and the dogs stuff. & Two people. & the list grows. thanks LEE
PS. TIME TO GOTO THE SCALES