How do you figure out how much pin weight you can handle?

bgscott

Active Member
I have an 07 ford f250 crew cab 6.0 diesel. the fifth wheel towing rate is 15,500. How do I figure out the pin weight? I know the rear axle is rated at 6100 pounds, and my family (DW, 2 little ones) currently weigh in at about 375. How much pin weight can I handle?
thanks
 

SmokeyBare

Well-known member
Pin Weight.... is found by first weighing the truck alone... with all you will carry in the truck... including people... and fuel... First.

Then you need to weigh the truck with all you will carry in the truck... including people... and fuel... AND... the Fifth wheel... fully loaded... including all of the fluids you will be carrying... being sure not to have the wheels of the fifth wheel on the scale....

Subtract the fully loaded truck with the Fifth Wheel attached... from the weight of the fully loaded truck... the amount left is the actual weight put on the truck by the fifth wheel. Pin Weight...

Here are a few web sites that may help....

RVSEF is dedicated to the improvement of
recreation vehicle safety, with a focus on education,
provided in a professional and objective way.


http://http://www.rvsafety.org/terms.htm

RV Basics:

http://rvbasics.com/techtips/weighing-your-rv.html

Hope that helps,
 

TXBobcat

Fulltime
If you weigh your TV & 5er at a CAT Scales you normally will pull up on three different scales. Pull your F250 up where your steering axle is on a scale, your drive axle is on a scale and your trailer is on a scale. This will give you your combined weight, weight of the trailer axles as one weight, the drive axle and steering axle. This is the normal method used at the CAT Scales.

Pull back in a remote area, drop your 5er. Go into the office and get the weigh number and tell them you are going to do a reweigh and the second one will only cost you a $1. If you don't go in before weighing the F250 you may be charged another full price for the 2nd weight.

When you pickup your two weight slips subtract the drive axel from the first weight with the 5er from the second one of the F250 alone. The difference should be your pin weight.

However, I have found the weights to be a little strange. During a discussion with others, it was thought that the weighing of our RV on these scales would be like weighing a 250 lb man on a set of scales then weighing a 5lb bag of sugar. The scales were made to weigh a lot more and the light bag of sugar is not as accurate. It has been suggested to get your weight by going to a grain silo for a couple of bucks or one of the companies that weigh each wheel separately.

FWIW
 

htneighbors

Unbelievably Blessed!
Come to THE rally in Branson next weekend and have it all weighed by Weigh-It! :D
 

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timk

Well-known member
If you dont have the rv yet, a rule of thumb is 20% +- of the weight should be on the pin.
TimK
 

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member
When you pickup your two weight slips subtract the drive axel from the first weight with the 5er from the second one of the F250 alone. The difference should be your pin weight.

TX.

To be exact on your pin weight..........subtract total weight of TV weighed alone from total weight of TV with RV attached. Some of the hitchpin weight is transferred to the front axle due to the location of the hitch-pin, in my case 20 lbs (duramax extended cab short bed and 3600RL=2880 lbs hitch-pin weight).

Forrest
 

bgscott

Active Member
Thanks for all the good info. I don't have a 5th wheel yet, I am still trying to decide what I can tow safely. Does anyone have an opinion on how much pin weight to put on a F250SD?
 

truknutt

Committed Member
Any of you pros out there please correct me if I'm wrong here (and I know you will)....

bgscott,

IAW Ford's 2007 towing guide, 15-25% of trailer weight should be King Pin weight "

"• Trailer king pin weight should be 15-25% of total loaded trailer weight. Make sure vehicle payload (reduced by option weight) will accommodate trailer king pin weight and weight of passengers and cargo added to the towing vehicle. Addition of trailer king pin weight, and weight of passengers and cargo cannot cause vehicle weights to exceed rear GAWR or GVWR. These ratings can be found on the vehicle Safety Compliance Certification Label."


According to the notes (bottom of chart) 15,500 is the rating for the F350; F250 weights are within 100 lbs. If we use 15,400 lbs for your Max Trailer Weight, then the pin weight should be between (15%) 2,310 & (25%) 3,850 lbs (WITH AN EMPTY TRUCK!)

The "rule of thumb" 20% equals 3,080 lbs.

Now load up the truck with you and your family, the truck's fifth wheel hitch, a full tank of fuel, bicycles, toolbox & anything else you may carry in the truck while traveling and go hit the scales. Get your Actual Rear Axle weight.

Subtract this Actual Rear Axle weight from the 6,100 lbs (from your original post). The result is the weight you have at your disposal; not to exceed 3,850 lbs (Ford's MAX at 25% of a 15,400 lb trailer).

No one can give you the exact pin weight your TV can handle because they don't know what weight you'll be packing in the truck when you travel. I have found that the Manufacturer's numbers are generally based upon an empty truck so the numbers appear larger and ultimately better for sales.

Hope this can get you in the ballpark.


 

BobSue

Active Member
available pin weight

bgscott,

I have an '06 F-250 crew cab short bed super duty diesel.

If have posted results of my weights a couple of times here.

But here they are again
My data after getting weighed:
Truck: 7840# unhitched; 10,480# hitched for pin weight of 2640#
Trailer: 10,000# on axles when hitched; for total weight of 12,640#
4700# on back axle while on landing gear.

GCWR per owners manual is 23,000# so I am OK.:)
GVWR per sticker on door is 9800# so I am over by 640#:mad: Would be another 100# with full fuel tank.

On my truck loaded with DW, 1/2 tank fuel, cats, tools, hitch etc. I have 1960# left available in GVWR (9800 minus 7840). I have a trailer pin weight of 2640#. So I am over GVWR. Unfortunately, I neglected to weigh individual axles. I suspect I am over GAWR for rear but not for front.

truknutt is right, but he didn't say that you can find the "vehicle Safety Compliance Certification Label" which is located on the drivers side door post. Same place as the recommended tire inflations. That is where the GVWR and GAWR's listed above came from.

Biggest thing to remember is that your actual pin weight will be considerably more than "advertised" since you will undoubtedly load the trailer with "stuff". I personally did not have problems with the GCWR which is the total allowed weight of the hitch up (23,000# in my case), I only had problems with the weight on the rear axle.
 
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