Untamed
Arkansas
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Joined: 12/20/2005
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Thanks for the responses.....I am only using these numbers because that is all I have to base the question on. I am aware that the weights are not “real” but the 13% represents the build of the trailer. This trailer’s GVWR is only 8800 lbs. so I only have 1530 lbs that can be added to the trailer’s dry weight. In order to get close to the "desired" 20% pin weight, half of what is added to the trailer (maxed out) would have to be allocated to the pin. Is that a reasonable assumption? Do you really think I would be adding over 700 lbs to the hitch weight? Thanks again.
* This post was
edited 10/30/09 01:18pm by Untamed *
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fivecodys
Central California
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svedspx wrote:My previous 5r had a listed pin weight of 940 but when I put water in it and took it to the scales it was actually 1160.
Yep! Me too.
1,100 LBS of pin weight and I only haul about 10 gallons of water.
Bill
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fivecodys
Central California
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Untamed wrote:Thanks for the responses.....I am only using these numbers because that is all I have to base the question on. I am aware that the weights are not “real” but the 13% represents the build of the trailer. This trailer’s GVWR is only 8800 lbs. so I only have 1530 lbs that can be added to the trailer’s dry weight. In order to get close to the "desired" 20% pin weight, half of what is added to the trailer (maxed out) would have to be allocated to the pin. Is that a reasonable assumption? Do you really think I would be adding over 700 lbs to the hitch weight? Thanks again.
Without knowing the configuration of the trailer you are considering, it's hard to be sure. My trailer has a rear kitchen and pantry.
The wheels are also almost dead center of the traier frame (front to back) This creates a cantaleaver(sp?) effect and is what I think the engineer intended to lessen the pin weight.
GVWR of my fiver is just under 8,000lbs.
I have a actual pin weight of 1,100 lbs.
If my math is right that's about %14.
I have only weighed the rig once loaded and we were just shy of 7,200lbs. I would guess we are heavier now because DW has bought more to keep in the trailer. 
Bill
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Untamed
Arkansas
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fivecodys wrote:svedspx wrote:My previous 5r had a listed pin weight of 940 but when I put water in it and took it to the scales it was actually 1160.
Yep! Me too.
1,100 LBS of pin weight and I only haul about 10 gallons of water.
Bill
So based on your experiences, pin weights only went up a couple hundred pounds when “ready to camp”…….Do you recall how much the actual trailer weight went up? What is your % on the hitch?
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Untamed
Arkansas
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fivecodys wrote:Untamed wrote:Thanks for the responses.....I am only using these numbers because that is all I have to base the question on. I am aware that the weights are not “real” but the 13% represents the build of the trailer. This trailer’s GVWR is only 8800 lbs. so I only have 1530 lbs that can be added to the trailer’s dry weight. In order to get close to the "desired" 20% pin weight, half of what is added to the trailer (maxed out) would have to be allocated to the pin. Is that a reasonable assumption? Do you really think I would be adding over 700 lbs to the hitch weight? Thanks again.
Without knowing the configuration of the trailer you are considering, it's hard to be sure. My trailer has a rear kitchen and pantry.
The wheels are also almost dead center of the traier frame (front to back) This creates a cantaleaver(sp?) effect and is what I think the engineer intended to lessen the pin weight.
GVWR of my fiver is just under 8,000lbs.
I have a actual pin weight of 1,100 lbs.
If my math is right that's about %14.
I have only weighed the rig once loaded and we were just shy of 7,200lbs. I would guess we are heavier now because DW has bought more to keep in the trailer.
Bill
So how does it tow with only 14%? Do you mind sharing what your setup is? Thanks
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fivecodys
Central California
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Untamed wrote:fivecodys wrote:Untamed wrote:Thanks for the responses.....I am only using these numbers because that is all I have to base the question on. I am aware that the weights are not “real” but the 13% represents the build of the trailer. This trailer’s GVWR is only 8800 lbs. so I only have 1530 lbs that can be added to the trailer’s dry weight. In order to get close to the "desired" 20% pin weight, half of what is added to the trailer (maxed out) would have to be allocated to the pin. Is that a reasonable assumption? Do you really think I would be adding over 700 lbs to the hitch weight? Thanks again.
Without knowing the configuration of the trailer you are considering, it's hard to be sure. My trailer has a rear kitchen and pantry.
The wheels are also almost dead center of the traier frame (front to back) This creates a cantaleaver(sp?) effect and is what I think the engineer intended to lessen the pin weight.
GVWR of my fiver is just under 8,000lbs.
I have a actual pin weight of 1,100 lbs.
If my math is right that's about %14.
I have only weighed the rig once loaded and we were just shy of 7,200lbs. I would guess we are heavier now because DW has bought more to keep in the trailer.
Bill
So how does it tow with only 14%? Do you mind sharing what your setup is? Thanks
Rig tows great. Truck has plenty of power.
If you look at my sig you can see the particulars.
When I hitch up and retract the legs, the rear end only drops about inch.
The trailer really is light for it's size.
With all these new materials coming out, I believe these trailers will continue to shed pounds.
My only complaint is bounce on rough roads.
I have been folowing a thread on another forum about this issue.
One fella thinks that the air bags are causing the shocks to fail in dampining the movement. Kind of like bouncing on a rubber ball.
Next trip out I will not air up the bags and see if that helps.
I didn't notice the bounce before I added the bags so that may indeed be the culprit.
Bill
* This post was
edited 10/30/09 03:25pm by fivecodys *
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Sandy & Shirley
North East, MD
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Untamed wrote: Does hitch weight effect how a fiver tows the same as a TT? One I am looking at has a dry hitch weight of only 964 and trailer weighs 7270. Thanks
The answer to your question is YES !
If the hitch weight of a 5er is too light it will have a tendency to rock back and forth over the axle as you drive down the road. The correct term for this is porpoising. The 5er acts like the way porpoise swims. This can cause very uneasy and unstable driving conditions. Many people with lighter trucks will load their 5ers with most of the extra weight in the rear to reduce pin weight only to find that they can’t drive fast and more important, safely..
The one you are looking at will probably be OK since most of the load will be carried in the basement area. That will put about 50% of the weight of the stuff you take along on the pin, raising the pin weight percentage.
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svedspx
SoCal
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Untamed wrote:fivecodys wrote:svedspx wrote:My previous 5r had a listed pin weight of 940 but when I put water in it and took it to the scales it was actually 1160.
Yep! Me too.
1,100 LBS of pin weight and I only haul about 10 gallons of water.
Bill
So based on your experiences, pin weights only went up a couple hundred pounds when “ready to camp”…….Do you recall how much the actual trailer weight went up? What is your % on the hitch?
We added about 400# to the trailer and if I recall the loaded weight was about 7200#'s. We are weekend campers and travel as light as we can. Our newer 5r weighs 8300#'s loaded and has a pin weight of about 1600 and 120#'s of the pin weight goes to the front axle. Unless you're a full timer or taking extended trips, you should figure 18-20% of actual trailer weight as pin weight. If going by brochures instead of actually weights I would add 2-3 hundred pounds to the dry pin weight on a 7-8k 5r.
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sue.t
Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
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Joined: 08/05/2004
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Our fifth wheel has a GVWR of 7,000 lbs and the paperwork says dry weight of 5,850 lbs and dry pin weight of 1,120 lbs.
When we brought it home empty it had a real weight of 6,272 lbs and pin weight of 1,400 lbs (stopped at the scale on the way home).
Heading out loaded for a 4-week trip with full water tank (40 gallons) and everything else packed in, the actual weight of the fifth wheel was 7,800 lbs and pin weight was 1,700 lbs.
sue t.
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