Weighed My Trailer

[VegasBell]

I made an effort to calculate the dry weight of my converted 12X6 single axle trailer. Went to the local truck stop and paid $15 to get on their scale. Of-course that weight included truck, trailer and myself. When I say dry weight, I mean that includes everything I carry in the trailer except food, water and clothes. So here’s my calculations. BTW, I tow with a 2018 Tacoma 4x4 SR5 Access Cab, and I have a fiberglass camper shell.

Weight of truck and trailer 7360 lbs
Curb weight of truck -4425
Fiberglass shell -200
Truck contents -75
10 gal gas -80
driver (me) -200

Net trailer weight = 2380
Trailer dry weight new -1335
My conversion added appx. 1045 lbs

I'm guessing that I'll add about 300 lbs of food, water and clothes for a trip. That means that I’ll only be about 300 lbs short of the trailer’s GVWR of 2990lbs. Which is about what I was expecting, but more than I had hoped. What do you think? Is that a solid method for calculating weight? Thanks!

Fred

 

[Pmullen503]

It would be more accurate if you had actually weighed the truck without the trailer on the same scale at the same time.

 

[KCStudly]

The CAT scale near-ish to me has multiple plattens so the trucks can weigh individual axle sets. When I weighed my loaded UT I pulled on to the scales with the hitch straddling the parting line of two of the plattens and uncoupled before getting the weight. That way I ended up with separate TV and trailer weights with minimal maneuvering.

 

[outintheforest]

In Oregon we keep the scales on, even when the shift is over. It's easy to weigh everything in as much detail as you want. I'm curious to see what my tongue weight will be.

 

[bullchuck1]

Next time ask for an axle weight on the truck and trailer. Add the two axles of the truck together and subtrac that from your total weight of everything, then you will have the weight of your trailer. This way you don't have to unhook the trailer This is from an old truck driver.

 

[KCStudly]

... except the tongue weight will be more biased on the TV, not fully accounted for in the trailer weight.

 

[WYWander]

I'd also recommend using the truck scale and disconnect the trailer. It doesn't have to be difficult though. You don't need to move anything after disconnecting.

Pull your rig so your tow vehicle is on a single deck and the trailer wheels are on the next deck behind, but also so the tongue jack is above that same rear trailer deck. Put the jack down and lift it just enough to get it off the hitch, then ask them to weigh. Connect, go in and pay, then go back around and park in the same exact spot, but don't disconnect and ask for a reweigh. A reweigh will be cheaper. First weigh is $15, a reweigh is $5. Whatever moves between the decks in the reweigh should be your tongue weight.

Considering the low weight of the whole thing, the accuracy should be within less than 10 lbs.