Help! Bigfoot trailer weight?

[Marygetty]

Hello - we're new to the trailering world and recently inherited my parents' B-19 Bigfoot "Gaucho" 19 foot trailer. We are in the market for a new tow vehicle, and I'm really confused about what sort of vehicle to get. We are currently using my parents' Yukon, which does a great job. However, it's on its last legs, and we want to replace it. From what I gather, our trailer has a dry weight of 2600 pounds, though I'm confused as to what that means compared to a "fully-loaded-we're-pulling-out-of-the-driveway-to-go-camping" weight. Many cars / SUVs on the market have a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. Would that work for this trailer? Or do I need to go to another large SUV like the Yukon? We have five family members and a dog, so I'm also wondering if we should include that weight with the GCWR? It's all so confusing. Any advice is much appreciated!

[Carol H]

Welcome Mary, one of the best threads on this list is one called Trailer Weights in the Real World. Most of the traiilers on the list were weighed in at a meet in Oregon. It was a full service campground so its a good bet that most of the trailers were not carrying much if any water in their tanks when weighed.

Dry weights posted on older trailers do not include most of the optional equipment - such as awnings, ac, fridges etc - most dont even include the battery or the propane tank and they sure dont include any of your own stuff. A good rule of thumb is to add about 600/700lbs to the dry weight. Newer trailers if the manufacture belongs to an association do have weights posted inside them that will tell you what the trailer actually weighed when leaving the factory - for any that are more than a few years old its anyones guess as to what it may actually weigh. You will find lots of free weigh scales in Oregon that you can take it to and weigh it. Dont forget to add the tongue weight to it the axle weight to come up with your total weight. Bigfoots are known to be heavy on the tongue so you will need to check the vehicle manufactures specs in regards to what the vehicles tongue weight carrying capacity is stated to be as well.

[Marygetty]

Thanks so much for your reply! I actually checked that list out earlier - it's a great comprehensive list though it doesn't include the 19 foot model we have - only the 17 footer. Any ideas on how much more weight I'd include for those extra two feet?

[Robin G]

Originally Posted by Marygetty

Thanks so much for your reply! I actually checked that list out earlier - it's a great comprehensive list though it doesn't include the 19 foot model we have - only the 17 footer. Any ideas on how much more weight I'd include for those extra two feet?

The only way to know what it weights, is to take it to a scale and weigh it! Honestly, with a family of 5, I would want to know exactly what I am pulling behind my precious cargo...............


As far as tow vehicle, you have to consider a family of 5's camping gear and toys so would a small SUV carry all your stuff and stay within the tow cap? Hard to say. That is why I, like Carol recommend weighing the trailer. That way you know exactly what you will need to meet your towing requirements!


Welcome to fiberglassrv! Glad you joined us............

[Carol H]

Mary I would if you just hook her up & weigh it at one of the free weigh scales you have in Oregon. Love Oregon for having those scales. I weigh my trailer down there at least once a year as its the only way of knowing for sure if the trailer needs to go on a diet. As indicated no two trailers will weigh the same so it's always best to get a good handle as to what your own trailer weighs. Even better if you put your own belongings & food in it as if it was ready to head out on a trip.

[Brian B-P]

Definitely weigh the actual trailer.

Until then, one way to use that "real world" list is to note the difference between dry weight and ready-to-camp weight, then add that to your dry weight. If you have the dry weight for any of the trailers in the list (many are current production models), you can determine that difference.

Our as-towed weight is about 600 pounds above the dry weight, and we have a 17 foot widebody trailer. The extra two feet don't necessarily mean you will carry more stuff.

[Robin G]

[QUOTE=Brian B-P;397930

The extra two feet don't necessarily mean you will carry more stuff.[/QUOTE]



Oh please.................

2 extra feet and 99% of us would fill it! Just a fact..........

[Donna D.]

Hi Mary, I'm late to the party to FiberglassRV, we're glad you're here!

Is this a tandem-axle 19 footer? I know someone that has one, let me check to see if she's weighed it. At least that would give you a better handle than the dry weight you know about.

If I know more, I'll post to this thread.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Is this a tandem-axle 19 footer?

I think the 19 foot only came as a tandem.

[Carol H]

a link to the locations of Weight Stations Scale Locations in Oregon. they are free!

[BurbDurb]

Please don't let the referred to chart scare you regarding Bigfoot weights. I notice they weighed the axles with weight distribution hooked up and weighed the toungue with weight distribution disconnected. The weight distribution hitch transfers weight from the hitch to the truck and trailer axles. They were adding a good amount of tongue weight twice to the total arriving at bloated weights. I would trust this report for the smaller trailers without weight distribution. My 25 ft rear bed does not come close to 7,840 pounds.

Pease don't cut things too close when choosing a vehicle. A couple of things to consider are: Weight inside the vehicle as gear and passengers adds to the gross combined vehicle weight. The GCWR is constant so towing capacity is reduced. Anything packed in the tow vehicle behind the rear axle is tongue weight. Vehicles with longer wheelbases are more stable towers. I think your trailer is 8' 3" wide. A wider vehicle with extension mirrors will make towing more enjoyable. Running with an extra weight capacity margin allows you to take the stuff you want. Vehicles designed to tow have transmision coolers and heavier batteries to support added electrical loads. Newer vehicles have tow modes for the transmission which reduces gear hunting and fluid overheating.

I hope some of these suggestions help.

[Roger C H]

Owners Center - Bigfoot RV - Truck Campers & Travel Trailers - Recreational Vehicle Manufacturer

Welcome to FGRV.

[FTTRV]

Originally Posted by Marygetty

Hello - we're new to the trailering world and recently inherited my parents' B-19 Bigfoot "Gaucho" 19 foot trailer. We are in the market for a new tow vehicle, and I'm really confused about what sort of vehicle to get. We are currently using my parents' Yukon, which does a great job. However, it's on its last legs, and we want to replace it. From what I gather, our trailer has a dry weight of 2600 pounds, though I'm confused as to what that means compared to a "fully-loaded-we're-pulling-out-of-the-driveway-to-go-camping" weight. Many cars / SUVs on the market have a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. Would that work for this trailer? Or do I need to go to another large SUV like the Yukon? We have five family members and a dog, so I'm also wondering if we should include that weight with the GCWR? It's all so confusing. Any advice is much appreciated!

A friend tows her Bigfoot 19 with a Dakota pickup with a V8 engine. A 4-Runner with a V6 will work also.
Chuck

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by BurbDurb

Please don't let the referred to chart scare you regarding Bigfoot weights. I notice they weighed the axles with weight distribution hooked up and weighed the toungue with weight distribution disconnected. The weight distribution hitch transfers weight from the hitch to the truck and trailer axles. They were adding a good amount of tongue weight twice to the total arriving at bloated weights. I would trust this report for the smaller trailers without weight distribution.

No, that is not true - no weight was double-counted:

Originally Posted by Frederick L. Simson

Weigh your Trailer's Axles while hitched (but with any WDH bars removed)

Originally Posted by BurbDurb

My 25 ft rear bed does not come close to 7,840 pounds.

Excellent... but a major lesson of this data is that owners vary greatly in the extent to which they load up their trailers. While there is only that one 25B25 in the list, variations among other trailers of the same model are large. Weights for the 25B25 reported in another recent thread also vary greatly... and yes, the one in the table is relatively heavy.

Originally Posted by BurbDurb

Anything packed in the tow vehicle behind the rear axle is tongue weight.

No, that is not true. Anything packed in the tow vehicle adds to axle loads, and anything behind the rear axle adds more than its own weight to the rear while lifting some load off the front - like the trailer does - but the tongue weight ratings of the hitch and tow vehicle do not apply to load carried inside the tow vehicle.

Originally Posted by BurbDurb

I hope some of these suggestions help.

I think the rest of the suggestions are helpful.

[Brian B-P]

One more item...

Originally Posted by BurbDurb

I think your trailer is 8' 3" wide.

I doubt it. We seriously looked at a 19' Bigfoot before buying the Boler, and I don't recall it being that wide. This is an older design than the relatively wide and boxy bodies that we have become accustomed to seeing from Bigfoot.

Of course, a tape measure can take care of that question...

[Roger C H]

Originally Posted by Robin G

Oh please.................

2 extra feet and 99% of us would fill it! Just a fact..........

Right on! There is even a law covering it!!

Parkinson's law corollary:

"Storage requirements will increase to meet storage capacity."

Parkinson's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here is a good guide:

http://dcd96xmek71bc.cloudfront.net/...ced%20file.pdf

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by FTTRV

A friend tows her Bigfoot 19 with a Dakota pickup with a V8 engine. A 4-Runner with a V6 will work also.
Chuck

Chuck and I are talking about the same person, she hasn't weighed her trailer yet. Sorry guess we don't know what it weighs.

[BurbDurb]

Sorry for the confusion. I just want to be helpful.

I scrolled down the chart to the pictures to see the trailer in question being weighed with weight distribution bars attached and apparently under tension due to the bar wow.

I took out my magnifying glass and I believe this trailer has a Hensley Arrow installed. With this hitch it would be possible to unload the bars with them attached. It would also account for the extra couple hundred pounds of tongue weight.

Hard to believe someone could load this trailer a thousand pounds more than my wife does!

[Robin G]

Originally Posted by BurbDurb

Hard to believe someone could load this trailer a thousand pounds more than my wife does!

LOL.......

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by BurbDurb

I took out my magnifying glass and I believe this trailer has a Hensley Arrow installed. With this hitch it would be possible to unload the bars with them attached.

Good spotting - I had never noticed the Arrow... rare setup.