If you're over weight and know it claps your hands!

[RvNaut]

....but do you know, or do you hope and or ignore?
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Have you weighed your rig? I have... it wasn't anymore pleasant than when I weigh myself I am overweight in my class a beast, I think most of the people I have been nomading with are also, but I also think they know it... I drive with this over my head at all times, and mean while the weight reduction continues in an attempt to scale back...
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So, what brought this to mind? A person with a slide in truck camper just had a nasty experience on a washboard road, and admitted they were driving too fast, and the damage looks bad the slide in jumped about apparently, the rear truck window shattered... .
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It is a WAG ( wild ass guess ) but I would bet there was a lot of weight involved that shifted around..... maybe over weight, but may not have taken that...
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This is a suggestion to get weighed and know what that is and what the vehicle's limits are.... over weight need not be a show stopper, but it does help you be aware of the situation.

Be safe out there folks....

 

[NctryBen]

That’s more a tie down problem... I’ve got the same broken window my first year with truck camper. I corrected that situation fast!
Weight? Yeah, most truck campers are way more then the trucks are rated.
Current camper? I was fine til Kira packed her stuff in there! Haha!

 

[abnorm]

Guilty!......................I'll tell Paulette LESS Yarn.................

 

[bullfrog !]

I carry about half the capacity of my rigs total! 5,500 lbs on 10,400 lbs. of axles pulled with a 3/4 ton truck modified with 1 ton suspension, axles and brakes. Yes I over build! Lol!!! 11 MPG loaded or unloaded.

 

[RvNaut]

So .. I hear you... "How and where do I get weighed?"
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If you pass by a Transfer Station, they often have scales. Ask the operator if they could weigh your vehicle... they often say yes and do not charge.
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I use the Cat Scales system you see at Truck stops. You sign up with an app on your phone and pay $16 +- and get it wirelessly.
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I shy away from a suggestion one contact the State Police Truck Enforcement division, or use border scales due to the risk of exceeding your vehicles GVW or other unwanted intrusions.

YMMV IANAL

 

[maki2]

My trailer is not overweight for its frame structure. When we built a new frame for it we used 2x3 steel tubing instead of the original 2x2 and added in more diagonal bracing than the original design. Plus it has a new higher rated axle than needed and trailer brakes on it too. My new cabinets are lighter in weight than the original ones.

The newer manufactured RV trailers and motorhomes are typically built to minimal cost. One of the guys I was camping this year had the frame on his 5th wheel break at overhang on the front end. The cost estimate to fix the break meant the insurance company totaled the trailer. He was not that upset to take the payout as he had already been in the process of shopping for a different rig. The payout was likely better than a trade-in value. He was definitely overweight in that 5th wheel that had structural failure.

 

[rruff]

....but do you know, or do you hope and or ignore?

Mine is well over GVWR, if that's what you mean. Better tires and suspension can make a world of difference in how something handles and rides. It's also good to know how well your particular chassis deals with weight... stopping, durability, etc.

In all casing know your limits... and drive within your vehicle's capabilities.

 

[Willow4303]

This thread brings to mind a weight question of sorts . . . . how much weight can a bed slide-out hold when fully retracted and moving down the road? Should it be zero?? I couldn't find anything in my manuals or when I hunted the web to answer this specific question. There's a lot of info on when the rig is parked and the slide is out, but that's not what I'm trying to determine.

Thank you!!

 

[rruff]

This thread brings to mind a weight question of sorts . . . . how much weight can a bed slide-out hold when fully retracted and moving down the road? Should it be zero??

The force is amplified when you hit a bump, maybe many times, so... it depends on what sort of bumps you hit. They are not supposed to be left open.

 

[wayne49]

... when fully retracted ...

I can imagine that a heavy load of stuff in a closed slide-out might damage the slide-out hardware on a rough road.

 

[Willow4303]

... when fully retracted ...

I can imagine that a heavy load of stuff in a closed slide-out might damage the slide-out hardware on a rough road.

Me too. So far I've only had a few blankets and pillows on the closed slide while traveling. I was considering a 62 lb e bike back there, but it's probably too heavy? I was going to secure it to the interior wall.