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What does your truck and 5th Wheel weigh?

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Here are my truck and 5th wheel weights ready for camping with 3/4 tank of fresh water

(75 gal tank), 15 gal propane, one 10 gal bottle full and the second 1/2 full and provisions for 3 days of dry camping. Diesel tank was full:





WEIGHTS FOR 05 DODGE TRUCK AND ARCTIC FOX 5TH WHEEL, see signature.



Truck, no 5er with me in it, fuel tank full, hitch, toolbox, front axle, 4,900 lbs



Truck, same, both axles 8,780 lbs



Truck, two people with 5th wheel hitched, front axle 5,120 lbs



Truck, same with 5th wheel, both axles 10,960 lbs



Truck and 5th wheel, same, w/two people, ready for camping, 19,840 lbs



Deductions;



Pin Weight = 10,960 – 8,780 = 2,180 lbs



Total weight of 5th wheel including pin weight, = 19,840 – 8,780 = 11,060 lbs



Weight of both 5th wheel axles = 19,840 – 10,960 = 8,880 lbs



Weight of each axle of 5th wheel = 8,880 / 2 = 4,440 lbs
 
My '02, ready to tow, weighs almost exactly 8000 lbs that's with 2 passengers and the fuel tanks full (90 gallons). I forget the breakdown front/rear on the truck alone, fully loaded - but the 24 foot Kit 5er fully loaded, is about 6500-7000 lbs - here's the pair:



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The stuff in the bed:



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NOW, here's the killer - my truck GVWR is 8800 lbs - so that leaves only 800 more lbs. for the 5er pin weight - and that pin weight for our 5er is about 1200 lbs! THAT means that even with a puny 24 foot 5th wheel, I'm overloaded - so WHAT do you think the guys with those 33 foot bulge-mobiles are doing to the truck GVWR? :eek::-laf



Lotsa guys are kidding themselves over their complying to the rated GVWR for their trucks in towing large 5th wheels - yeah, they have the power to pull it, but they're nowhere NEAR their actual load rating for their trucks... ;)
 
With my family in the truck and the 5er tanks empty and the fridge and pantry just about empty and fuel tank with approx 15 gal left: I just weighed our setup last weekend on the way home from Kahneeta on the scales on HWY 212...



Truck front axle: 4750

Truck rear axle: 5250



5er front axle: 4150

5er rear axle: 3950



TOTAL: 18,100



On that trip, I got exactly 9. 9 mpg with no bobtail driving. 198 miles and 20. 0 gallons. This is going up HWY26 for a very long 6% grade and then climbing out of the valley that Kahneeta is located in which a long, steep, windy switchback for approx 20 miles. This is not considered highway mileage... EGTs reached 1200F only once.
 
I will bump Yeh, I would like to know how the manufacturers come up with their Weight ratings (gooseneck, 5th wheel). I know of two death directly related to failures, also the only one I allowed to be install failed also, as soon as I took it off road, The last 12 years A&R welding has custom build the last 5 including my current without one failure, I tow up to 22k with gross at times 30k, and yes the 03 has custom suspension and brakes ( disc and Calipers) with PRXB ,and proper tires that allow 600 Lbs PSInch and is 50 state legal (FMCSA). Not to mention the sale of the Pull type camper that the seller sold and install knowing the Camper was be on the M-GVW rating, those axle(s) are almost at max empty then load the 3 week trip gear and supplies. The real problem lies with the owner and seller(s) that outright lie to make the sales, or just don't care about the publics safety.
 
I have an question, in regards to towing campers. Is it legal, or more importantly safe, to have passengers in a 5th wheel camper while towing. I am asking purely out of curiosity. I have always wondered as I see so many 5'ers going down I-70 (probably saw 50+ this weekend) if there are passengers riding back there.

Thanks for overlooking my ignorance! :-laf
 
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I have an question, in regards to towing campers. Is it legal, or more importantly safe, to have passengers in a 5th wheel camper while towing. I am asking purely out of curiosity. I have always wondered as I see so many 5'ers going down I-70 (probably saw 50+ this weekend) if there are passengers riding back there.



Thanks for overlooking my ignorance! :-laf



Legal in at least some states - requires seatbelts for 5er passengers, and active communications from 5er to tow vehicle. We've only done that once, and passengers were not thrilled at the down the road ride and noise inside the 5er... Not a good idea in my opinion...
 
Our truck, trailer combo ready to roll weighs 17850. I use to know what each axle was but can't find the weight slip but I remember what the total weight was. Was weighed at a Flying J. Gary you said that you had to have seat belts in the trailer but wasn't that after a certain year. I don't know was just wondering.
 
Jack, I'm not at all sure of the specifics either - and didn't really care, since I quickly decided that area was not safe for passenger travel...



Ever see what a typical trailer looks like after a wreck? :eek::eek:
 
I have an question, in regards to towing campers. Is it legal, or more importantly safe, to have passengers in a 5th wheel camper while towing. I am asking purely out of curiosity. I have always wondered as I see so many 5'ers going down I-70 (probably saw 50+ this weekend) if there are passengers riding back there.



Thanks for overlooking my ignorance! :-laf







I've done it until I found out that it's illegal in New Mexico. In some states it is legal, provided you have communication to the tow vehicle as Gary said. I've not heard of requiring seat belts. I would however, have my kids stay seated at the dinette booth so that they were between the table and the seat-back. I like Gary would never allowed that practice again because I don't consider it safe. Back in those days I had a Ford F250 gasser, single cab and cab-over-camper with three kids.
 
Gary I agree with you. Wrecked RV's are not a pretty sight. They are usally totally destroyed.

Jack



YUP - I've seen wrecks where the tow vehicle appeared to be able to drive away under it's own power - but the RV in tow was nothing but an unrecognizable pile of trash...
 
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