Dry Weights

[jdlong49]

I've been looking at 2 Transcend models and 2 Imagine models and so far every Imagine I've looked at in person has a UVW about 150-200lbs more than what is listed on the specs. I understand this comes from the A/C, solar panels, etc. But the Transcend models I'm seeing are all coming in 400-500lbs heavier than the specs and they should have the same stuff added after weighing in as the Imagines. So where is all that weight coming from? I had a salesman(who I never listen to) tell me "oh, you can't believe those weights. Sometimes they still have 2 or 3 guys working on the inside when they weight them." I dismissed this as just salesman BS, but where is that weight coming from???

 

[Gizmo]

GD claims that the weights are the average of units built with zero options, but I have never personally seen one less than UVW and to get average, you have to have some below the baseline. UVW is really not that important, the GVWR is the number I worked with. I always added everything I put in the truck and 15% (25% for 5er)of the GVWR to determine my max trailer weights. Pencil weights always seem to come out low so with doing pencil weights I like a good margin. I use the following planner.

TowingPlanner - towing capability calculators

 

[jdlong49]

All of the units I’m looking at all have essentially the same GVWR, so the UVW and tongue weight are playing a bigger role in the decision process

 

[Gizmo]

All of the units I’m looking at all have essentially the same GVWR, so the UVW and tongue weight are playing a bigger role in the decision process

If you going to tow around an empty RV then UVW and UVW tongue is the important number to consider when deciding which RV you can tow. When loading an RV what you put in it and what floor plan has more to do with tongue weight. My Airstream had UVW 1000-pound tongue weight and because it is a front bedroom with most of the storage including the kitchen was forward of the axles when loaded and ready to camp it has over 1600 pounds of tongue weight and was 16% of GVWR. I was lucky since I was told it had a high percentage before I purchased it since it took a Class 5 hitch to tow it.

Good luck using manufacture numbers to figure out what you can and can't tow! That is how I got burnt on my first 5th wheel and had to purchase a new truck since I was over my axle ratings.

 

[jdlong49]

That’s why I’m so conscious of the dry weight. I’ve set a max weight that I’m putting on the truck. So the lighter the UVW, the better I am. The problem is the unit that is supposed to be 4700lb is almost 5300 on all the I’ve seen in person. The one that’s supposed to be 5100 is coming in around 5200. The “smaller” unit that is supposed to be lighter keeps coming in heavier and it makes me wonder if I should just stop looking at those units since they aren’t as light as the specs say they should be or if they are and there’s something I’m missing about when and how they are weighed.

 

[Gizmo]

The problem with using UVW is that manufacturers don't have standard weighting. Some manufacturers include the batteries and propane some don't and that could be two batteries at 100 pounds and 80 pounds of propane added to the hitch weight. Grand Design in the final inspection does weigh them and has a sheet with the RV. Still, floor plans can make a huge difference in tongue weights where most of the storage is in front or back of the wheels. A rear kitchen can give you a to light of tongue wieght which causes sway. You will want 12 to 13 percent to give you the best towing experance. Better giving yourself a good margin these guess can get you trouble.

 

[TheLooks]

It sounds like you are trying to "exact" fit a camper to your current tow vehicle. The only way to do it is to buy it and load it like you would like and weigh it at a CAT scale. Which is what you are trying to avoid......Many, many people end up just getting more truck because of the frustration of trying to make the numbers work. Or just work with what they have even if overloaded. There are still many people that feel they can compensate with driving skill.

 

[jdlong49]

Yeah, I’m in a weird zone. If I upgrade the truck, I’m going up to a 5th wheel for sure. No reason to stick with the travel trailer. But I don’t know if I’m ready for that big of a jump. And I refuse to tow single axle trailers after breaking a spindle on my last single axle boat trailer while going down the interstate. So that leaves me in no-man’s land because all the small tandem axle TTs land in a zone where the numbers are technically ok, but I want to leave a cushion. 26’ and 6000lbs is the absolute max I’m allowing myself, so the lighter the UVW, the better.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

I've been poking around looking at various UVW and it seems this should be standardized but apparently is not. The UVW for the 2016 Micro Lite 25BHKS I was looking at comes in at 4406lb if I subtract the GVWR of 5729lb from the maximum allowable cargo of 1323lb. I don't know if Flagstaff considers that full of propane or not (+60lb if not). I do know the owners installed a bike rack on the back +15lb, a second battery +~100lb, a different microwave +5lb and more pillows +20lb. It also came with a new Equal-i-zer # EQ37100ET +109 lbs so before any personal effects or even a roll of TP, that 4406lb UVW has already grown to 4715lb. Given my truck's towing capacity of 6100lb, I'm highly inclined to have anything I'm considering roll across the scales before making an offer as a $13-$16K TT is a drop in the bucket compared to all of the sudden unexpectedly needing a $65K truck to safely pull what I was certain would work only on paper.

 

[Voyageurs]

Depends on the manufacturer. The difference between our trailers dry weight and the weight we measured on the day we got it was exactly the weight of a full propane tank and the 6 volt AGM’s. The hitch weight is lighter than the published number but that’s because as you load it the hitch gets lighter. It’s just how it’s designed. Fridge, tank and storage placement.

Cheers.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Just my .02 the UVW will change with the weather. I get the concern with UVW, even if the only concern is payload!

So with payload, we want to load what we feel important, right?
GCVW is the number we should consider when looking for the tow vehicle. For that matter how we load, but just as important is can we take the barbie right?

If we only camp in cooler climate we may for go the A/C so we can take the gas fireplace, or the other way around...

Simply put, I get the concern about UVW, the payload should be my choice.

 

[Germanrazor]

UVW for a camper < generic term I use for fifth wheels and travel trailers, well, they are weighed each individually when done reason why same exact models will weigh two different weights sometimes on a lot…..I have seen this personally with exact same equipment. The reason being, if stick and tin build, the wood used on one may be more cured and less wet than another model built. The other thing could be as Kevin eluded is weather change from day to day as well. That is why when you go to buy, make sure your tow vehicle for whatever you are looking to is quite a bit more rated in towing and payload capacity. Never cut that close! We all know a vehicle’s weight ratings have fudge room because manufacturers know people will push the envelope all the time.

Payload is king in my opinion and that rating the one you pay the most attention to.

 

[Eleven99]

I know that I am late to this thread game. I was so focused on the UVW and GVWR on all potential units that we were considering. That all changed when I picked up my 23LDE and brought it home. The day before we picked up our unit, I loaded our truck to include the tank as if we were going to use it to travel. I then went to my local CAT scale and weighed the truck. That gave me a baseline for one part of this equation. I took a picture of the weigh sticker on the unit that we were preparing to purchase. I knew that the UVW and Gross weight was in my ball park.

We picked up our unit after our walk through and headed home, but with one pit stop. I drove to the same CAT scale and weighed the truck & trailer. Now, I had an internally empty trailer plus a battery, two propane tanks full and about 1/4 tank (or less) of fresh water. To my surprise, the trailer weighed in at about 250+/- less than the UVW. I was taken back a bit until I called and found out about the "average UVW" weights listed on the factory sticker.

Since this first weigh, we have loaded the trailer to about 95% of things the wife and I want/need and taken it to the CAT scales again. I was still surprised at my weight......I currently sit with about 1,000 +/- lbs before I hit my gross loaded weight. The reason the weight surprised me was that I was told by two sales people to expect about 1,000 lbs of personal stuff in weight. So, I was careful until I weighed the unit......liars!

So, moral of my story.....do your homework on the weight you can tow and the trailers you are looking to purchase. And, weigh your tow rig before you buy because payload will need to be considered. Weight your trailer after purchase and when you load it to make sure you are within your limits.

God forbid you get involved in an incident the accident investigation team will snap a picture of your factory sticker. Having those CAT scale receipts can be important.

Happy trails!