Best ways to lighten the load?

[Jim Bennett]

and carry only light beer
Yvon Chayer

The only problem with this line of thinking, is that you would need to bring twice as much of the light stuff.

[Ron F]

Mike,
If you haven't already settled on a fgrv, take a look at EggCamper. I live in NH (w/mountains, albeit smaller than ID), and tow my 17' EggCamper pretty easily with my 3.0 liter Toyota Sienna.

Ron

I am looking at 16ft Scamps and Casitas. My truck is on the smallish side in horsepower even though the manufacturer's tow rating is more than adequate. My goal is to find the best way's to lighten the load.
Does anyone know the weights of items like the hot water heater, shower, big fridge vs small etc? Also what would you throw overboard and live without to get lighter?

Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

[Parker Buckley]

I am looking at 16ft Scamps and Casitas. My truck is on the smallish side in horsepower even though the manufacturer's tow rating is more than adequate. My goal is to find the best way's to lighten the load.
Does anyone know the weights of items like the hot water heater, shower, big fridge vs small etc? Also what would you throw overboard and live without to get lighter?

Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

This might be a good place to raise the question of fiberglass propane tanks. I saw these on another thread. I'm thinking of going from two steel tanks to one of the translucent fiberglass ones (so I can really tell how much liquid is in there, since I won't have a spare to switch over to). For me, tongue weight is a concern, and this would have almost a direct impact on the weight. I have heard some comments about reluctance of some propane stations to re-fill them. And then there is the issue of not being able to go to Lowes or Walmart to exchange them if there is no propane station nearby. Anyone have any experiences with these?

Parker

[Raya]

Hi Parker,

I recently strongly considered getting a fiberglass tank when the old (no longer legal to fill with old valve) propane tank on my Boler was getting close to empty. In my case, the propane company was actually selling them (i.e. no reluctance to fill them).

I think I read that there is only one state (LA?) that has problems with them, and even that might have changed by now. I can't imagine that too many places would not fill them these days, but I can't say for sure (thing is, at least where I've been, most of the "marginal" type places only exchange cylinders now anyway, so most of the places actually filling them are "pros").

I didn't end up buying one, and here were my factors:

1) They are more expensive, but that didn't really put me off for a one time purchase.

2) They are lighter, which would make them easier to handle and lighter on the tongue, BUT when you really think about it, they are the largest percentage lighter when empty (9# tare weight vs. 18# tare weight for a 20# tank), but much less of a percentage lighter when full. That is, the propane in the tank weighs the same either way. So the weight "loss" wasn't as great as it first appeared. 9# at best for my one tank.

3) The clincher for me was that I would have had to modify my perfectly good tank hold-down system. It would have to be completely different to hold down a fiberglass tank.

So, considering all of the above, I went with another steel tank. At less than $30, I figured I can change my mind in future if I want to. That's not to say the fiberglass tanks aren't nice though. I was close. It was #3 that put me over the edge.

Raya

[Bill K]

I e-mailed the company that makes them about using my two bottle hold down clamp on my Scamp and the person said they had no idea what I was talking about.
Makes you wonder if they know what there doing.

Bill K

3) The clincher for me was that I would have had to modify my perfectly good tank hold-down system. It would have to be completely different to hold down a fiberglass tank.

So, considering all of the above, I went with another steel tank. At less than $30, I figured I can change my mind in future if I want to. That's not to say the fiberglass tanks aren't nice though. I was close. It was #3 that put me over the edge.

Raya

[Jim Bennett]

One way I have lightened my load on our trailer/tow combination is to lose almost 25 lbs in the last while. Between my wife and me, we hope to be hauling about 40 less pounds by next year some time. Not as easy as buying a lighter propane bottle, but the side benefits are much better.

[Parker Buckley]

One way I have lightened my load on our trailer/tow combination is to lose almost 25 lbs in the last while. Between my wife and me, we hope to be hauling about 40 less pounds by next year some time. Not as easy as buying a lighter propane bottle, but the side benefits are much better.

It's like riding a high-end bicycle and looking to save a few more grams of weight. Titanium and carbon fiber gets really expensive compared to the cost of shedding a couple of pounds off the rider!

Parker

[Parker Buckley]

So, considering all of the above, I went with another steel tank. At less than $30, I figured I can change my mind in future if I want to. That's not to say the fiberglass tanks aren't nice though. I was close. It was #3 that put me over the edge.

Raya

Raya,

I've been through much the same thought process and may well end up with the same decision, much as I like that glass tank. Just removing one propane tank will make a significant difference at no additional cost. We can continue our practice of relying on our little five-pound camp stove tank as a reserve source, should the twenty-pounder run out.

Parker

[Michael D]

Thanks Lynn,

I bet I can live without a water heater to save the 30lb

[Michael D]

Well, what it really boils down to is that I am a newbie to towing so I'm probably overly cautious and just looking for options in case I need them. Thanks for all the help. The Nissan is rated to 3500 so I should be good. I might just have to tame some of my driving habits.

[Herb Sutton]

If you go online to parts vendors sites you can see the shipping weight for various components like fridges and water heaters, etc.

I would not strip a trailer because when you want to sell it buyers will want it equipped. Also hot water and good food and drinks are awfully nice to have.

I towed our first TT with a Chev S-10 with a 2.8 engine. Our trailer was a 16' stick built rated at 2,000#. I never did know the horsepower rating of that truck. We ran it from FL to Seattle and back, Nova Scotia and back and then moved to Aridzona. No killer problems.

[Raya]

I would not strip a trailer because when you want to sell it buyers will want it equipped. Also hot water and good food and drinks are awfully nice to have.

Well re-sale is one thing, but to me the key is that one's vehicle is rated to tow a certain amount, generally for a reason, and so unless you want to get a different vehicle, you are limited to that amount, plain and simple.

So one might have to either go without certain luxuries, or get a different tow vehicle.

It all comes down to the weight vs. the rating.

So in trying to lighten the load, a person is usually trying to get into a trailer that is close to the rating, but yet not go over, which is a valid enterprise, I think.

Anecdotally towing an unsafe load with no problems: It's a good thing that there were no problems, but that doesn't mean it is categorically safe, in my opinion.

Raya